Name
The name of the league is the Jack Edwards Memorial League (JEM). It is a face-to-face league using the Strat-O-Matic baseball game (hereafter called Strato). The League name will not be changed.
Structure
The actual number of teams vary from year to year. The preferred structure is 2 divisions with an even number of teams.
Commissioner
The Commissioner is chosen by consensus. Decisions made by the commissioner on rule interpretations are final. More complex issues can be put to a vote. Votes taken during the winter meeting require a majority, votes taken at other times require 75%.
Fees
Fees include the cost of a league set of cards, and an entry fee, which will be refunded upon leaving the league in good standing. Leaving the league in other than good standing forfeits the entry fee.
Winter Meeting
The winter meeting is held in January of each year. At the meeting, managers must:
Pay various fees.
Turn in ballpark name, location and dimensions. There is a maximum differential of 8 between Right and Left for both ballpark singles and homeruns.
Submit choices (three, ranked in order) for teams in draft, besides Twins and World Series winner. The 27 regular cards are used for each team.
Set Schedule for when keepers must be named, and select draft day
Vote on any rules for up-coming season. Proxy votes are allowed.
Keepers and Reentry Draft
Managers must submit a list their keepers, between 0 and 8.
Keeper “years” cannot exceed 16. See “term limits” below.
No trading is allowed until reentry draft is complete.
A team still owns rights to a player, until final rosters are announced (may pick –up player from your roster, if you have an open spot.)
Any player kept at any point during the pre-draft process must remain on someone’s roster. 16-year rule still applies.
If a keeper player has several cards, the combined one is used. Otherwise the one with the most Ab/Inn. If a player is not a keeper, the card appearing with the 27 regular team cards is used for the regular draft.
Term limits
The maximum of total “term limit years” is 16. This number must be met when the keeper lists are turned in. The number refers to the number of consecutive times a player had been kept out of the draft, due to being a keeper. The ensuing draft does count towards this year’s total.
This number is transferable between teams. This means if a player goes to being a keeper for one team, to a keeper for another team with no break, then it is treated as still being consecutive years. Trades do not affect the number. The 16 rule cannot be exceeded, even temporarily, during the reentry draft, or at any time until the regular draft actually starts.
For the 2008 season (2007 cards) only, the maximum number will be 4 for any player. After that, it will go up one each year.
Sleeper keeper season will count as 1 year. Minor league keeper will also count as 0 (Zero), until they are put on a roster or made a sleeper keeper.
The number of keepers submitted can range from 0 to 8.
If you disagree with the number for term limits that has been assigned to a player, contact either the person who figured them, or the Commissioner as soon as possible.
Regular Draft
Draft is in reverse order of finish. In all cases a team that made the playoffs will draft after a team that did not. The order is serpentine (first-last/last-first).
Any new teams will draft in the middle of the pack.
2 minutes per pick for the first 15 rounds.
The next team up to draft may pick if the picking team’s time expires.
Only the team picking, plus the next two on-deck are allowed at the player card table.
Team Roster must contain at least three players who can play at each position. Unless a player is unable to be injured, then it is two. The active Major league roster must always include two possible players for each position.
No more that 4 catchers can be drafted by any one team, and while drafting must allow the possibility of each team to have 3. It is up to the Commissioner to add enough catchers to insure adequate at bats. If during the draft, there is a run on a position that may leave someone short of players at a position (such as shortstop), the Commissioner can intervene and insure each team has had the opportunity draft what they need. No allowance is made for poor drafting by a manager who passed up an opportunity.
Typically, a team needs a minimum of 1475-1500 innings (actual) to finish a season.
At the end of the draft, a team can select a “sleeper keeper.” This is a player who was on your roster the year before, but was not picked in the reentry or regular draft. The player is held over without being used until the following year. This is primarily for players who had a down year or were injured. The year spent as a sleeper keeper counts towards the term limits. There can not be more sleeper keepers than there are teams. This allows the possibility of a team having two, if some team has none.
At the end of the draft, a team can select a rookie pick from a list provided. Only players appearing on this list can be selected. At the end of the year, the player must be put on your roster as a keeper, made a sleeper keeper, or released.
Roster
Can move up from the minors 2 times per year - $1.00 Waiver cost on 3rd move, if picked up.
If you pick up a player on waivers he has to stay in the majors the rest of the year, no moves to minors.
All player moves up or down must be for a minimum of 1 full series.
Usage is prorated, allowing some extra for catchers. 98 game season is 62% of numbers on card. 86 game season is 54% of numbers on card. Other usage numbers will be calculated on an as-needed basis if the number of games in a season changes.
Injury reserve is 7 days.
There will be a Minor League call-up date listed on the schedule.
Trading Deadlines
No trades from the end of the season until reentry draft is completed.
No trade can be made for “a player to be named later.”
The last day for trades where players are eligible to be keepers is June 1st of each year. (For 2007 only it was June 15). Deadline is midnight of the day mentioned. Dates are actual dates - not schedule dates.
The last day for trades where players can be eligible for post season is August 1st. These players cannot become keepers, but could play in post-season.
The last day for trades - period - is September 1 of each year. These players cannot become keepers or play in the post season. These trades would primarily be for teams that have run out of at bats at a particular position, or injuries.
After the final trade deadline, there can be no trading until the re-entry draft is complete for the following season. At this point following the re-entry draft, trades can be completed which include draft picks for the upcoming regular draft. Being able to include draft picks or draft order as part of a trade ends when the regular draft ends. In other words, trades involving draft picks or draft order are not allowed during the regular season.
Any player kept at any point during the pre-draft process (involving keepers, or the re-entry draft) must remain on someone’s roster.
Trading the order in which to draft the “rookie pick” is not allowed, drafting is in reverse order of finish. To be able to trade this rookie pick, he would have to make your team as a “keeper.” The rookie pick can become your sleeper keeper.
Any team “frozen” for the year, or suspended for not sending in statistics, or other egregious conduct, cannot be involved in trades until they are un-frozen or reinstated.
All trades are subject to Commissioner approval. A manager uninvolved with the trade must register his concern to the Commissioner within a reasonable time. This means trades have to be posted in a general e-mail, listing the date the trade is effective. If no concerns are raised, or if the Commissioner fails to act on them, the trade is valid. If the Commissioner cannot be partial because he is involved, then Milt Warkentien or his designee will evaluate the trade. Managers should avoid “dumping” and make trades of reasonable similar value. Trading for players based on potential could be considered reasonable.
Pitching
Starters (with an *) must have 3 days (not games) rest between starts, except can start on 2 days rest on 2 occasions during the last stat period and/or playoffs – but not consecutively. Starters (without an *) must have 4 days (not games) rest between starts, except can start on 3 days rest on 2 occasions during the last stat period and/or playoffs – but not consecutively.
A pitcher that has at least enough innings to earn a victory may stay in the game, even if out of innings for the season, if they have a no-hitter. They may also stay in the game, but are immediately weak if they have a shutout going.
9 pitcher minimum on a 25-man roster.
No reliever rest rule.
A starter/reliever with starter can only relieve 5 times during the season, but unlimited number of times in playoffs.
Offense/Defense
Use Strato +1/-1 for not holding/holding when checking for runner advancement.
Squeeze bunt rating goes down 2 ratings if defense in all the way. Strato rules also say it goes down 2 if bases are loaded. Runner must be on third to have defense all the way in.
Can’t bunt with no one on base.
New Strato rules allow for double play with bases loaded and infield in on GB A.
Strato chart allowing outfielders to play other outfield positions is used.
Strato rules not used
The latest edition of the Strato rule book (super advanced rules) is used, with these exceptions:
No “*” for pitchers. This will be considered for the 2009 (2008 cards) season.
No pitcher fatigue due to runs allowed. Other fatigue applies.
JEM injury chart is used.
No bringing in a position player to pitch voluntarily.
No weather effects.
Playoffs
Starter/Relief can relieve as many times as desired, but still must have 3 days rest before /after starts.
Starter can only relieve 1 time per series – rest rules still apply.
AB/INN = amount on card x number of games in series/162 x 1.5 (7 game series factor is .0648/ 5 game series factor is .0463.)
400 ab on card x .0648 = 26 ab for 7 game series
400 ab on card x .0463 = 19 ab for 5 game series
Any player over-used during season loses the number of ab/inn over-used during playoffs. (overuse must be unintentional of unavoidable)
Currently, all playoff games are seven games. This is open to change as the league structure changes.
There is one game off before the start of all playoff series and 1 day off whenever a team “travels” to another park..
5 game series are player 2/2/1.
7 game series are played 2/3/2.
If a series has 9 ore more extra innings, each team may add 1 full games worth of ab/inn for any game going forward.
Any pitcher that has enough innings to finish a regulation length game may stay indefinitely in the game, if they are the last reliever off the bench. Regular “tired” rules apply.
Any player that runs out of ABs in extra innings may stay in the game indefinitely, if they are the last player qualified at the position they are playing.
Schedule
Tracking of injuries, pitcher rotation, and player roster moves are a must if games are played out of order. Three game series will be scheduled close together to enable ease in playing a six game series.
Play should be handled in order as listed on schedule, whenever possible.
Teams must keep up to schedule – falling behind dates on schedule may cause league to play a series.
The season will include an All-Star game.
Stats/Results
Winning team e-mails results to the group, and updates website.
You must keep up to date stats throughout the season. They need to be reported in proper format at the stat breaks. FORMAT:
Identify the year of the cards, not the year played.
Identify the stat period.
Player must be identified by Last Name, First Initial.
Stats must be in order, and in their own column:
Batter: Games, Ab, Runs, Hits, RBI, 2b, 3b, Hr, BB, K, E, SB, AS, Sac, DP, GWH
Pitcher: Games, Starts, IP, Hits, BB, K, ER, Runs, Hr, CG, Sho, Sv, W, L, DP
Bold items (Sac, DP, GWH) are optional.
Team Shutouts should be noted below the “totals” line.
Any extra fields must be the last columns (to the right) on the listing.
Don’t separate SF and sac bunts. We don’t track games finished for relievers.
Put in a zero instead of leaving a field blank.
When showing stats for a player you acquired, show totals from both teams. If a player is traded away do not integrate him with your rostered players. Either show him in a separate group of players at the bottom, or combine all traded players into a “Traded” line. The second method is preferred.
Failure to keep stats in timely manner will cost team a $5 fine – per stat period missed.
Changes in play
When using the SADV Hit and Run chart, if a lineout reading is rolled on the pitcher’s card override the result to lineout max.
