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101. The BCBL operates to promote friendship and stimulate competition among baseball fans through playing Diamond Mind Baseball.

101.1 In addition to a league website, BCBL uses Discord for league communications, online meetings, file archives… Discord is a free service and its use is optional.

        1. Go to www.discord.com. 1a. There is a phone version available for iOS and Android.
        2. Download and install the Discord app.
        3. When the login screen is displayed, select Register. After entering your email and selecting a userid and password, you'll get an email to verify your email address.
        4. Click on the circled + sign on the left and select Join a Server.
        5. In the box that's displayed, enter 3czsHV

102. The Commissioner reserves the right to amend these rules at any time in the best interest of the league and in fairness to all to compensate for any oversight to an existing rule or rules.

103. The BCBL, founded in 1979, is a draft simulation league with continuous ownership of players.

104. The simulation game of the BCBL is Diamond Mind Baseball (DMB) computer game. Each league member is required to purchase his/her own copy of the player disk. Failure to do so will result in replacement of nonparticipating member.

105. Members are required to pay yearly dues each year. The amount of dues each year is decided by the Commissioner, and members will be notified of the yearly amount. Currently there are no dues in the BCBL.

107. The league manager list may not be used or sold for any form of solicitation that is not directly related to league business.

108. The League consists of 24 active members; The BCBL will be divided into 2 leagues with 3 divisions in each league. The playoffs will consist of the 2 division leaders and 2 wild cards.

109. All members are required to adhere to both the letter and the spirit of this Constitution and all other BCBL rules and practices. Members must be fair and prompt in their dealings with other members, and answer all correspondence from other managers, including trade offers. Repeated failure to follow league rules and practices, gross incompetence or violation involving personal integrity may result in a suspension or expulsion of a league member by the Commissioner. Any member who has been suspended/expelled may appeal this decision to the league. A vote of 50% plus 1 (24 members requires 13 votes) is required to revoke the suspension/expulsion.

111. The officers of the association are the Commissioner, the Web Site Administrator, the statistician, and the Director of Player Personnel. There shall also be an ad hoc seven-member rules committee convened as necessary by the Commissioner. The duties of these officers are as follows:

112. The Commissioner interprets and enforces BCBL rules, recruits and selects new members, and arbitrates any conflicts between members. The Commissioner names members to fill any vacancies in officer positions created by resignations. The Commissioner may not take any action that contravenes this Constitution, as amended, or overrules a valid vote of BCBL members.

113. The Web Site Administrator regularly updates the league’s web page, including notice of roster changes and other announcements to members, and maintains the BCBL message center.

114. The Statistician maintains the league monthly scoreboard, posts the standings, and administers the historical archives on the website.

115. The Director of Player Personnel maintains rosters of each team in the league. He is responsible for handling the Annual Player Draft and reporting trades to the league membership.

116. There shall be an ad hoc rules committee of seven members, to receive, discuss, refine, select, and present proposals by BCBL members regarding changes in BCBL rules and practices. The Commissioner will appoint said committee after soliciting volunteers.

122. A simple majority of those who vote is necessary to add, delete, or change any part of this Constitution and Rulebook except Rules 100-199.

123. A three-fourths majority is necessary to change or delete any part of Rules 100-199.

124. Rule changes will be either implemented immediately or in the following season at the discretion of the commissioner.

125. Any member may abstain from voting on any issue. These abstentions would not be counted in determining a majority position. Example: 24 voting members, 2 abstain, 12 not 13, votes would be needed for a simple majority.

126. If two or more rules are proposed which cannot coexist, there shall be a vote on each proposal separately, and then a vote of preference should more than one pass.

211. The regular-season schedule consists of 46 series. Each team plays 23 home series and 23 away series, played and reported monthly. The schedule is posted prior to season start and is maintained by the Ass Comm of Schedules.

212. Each team plays each opponent in its own League twice each season, once at home and once away. All series will be 4 games in length.

213. Each team plays each opponent outside its league twice each season once home and once away; the duration of these series shall be 3 games in length.

216. No pitcher may pinch hit unless it is shown that he was used to pinch-hit in real-life at least 8 times during the corresponding season. Pitchers may be used as pinch runners. Pitchers do not appear as batters in the BCBL. (Exception: rule 216 does not apply to pitchers who obtained a majority of their ABs while playing DH or positions 2-9. All batter usage rules would still apply.)

217. Each team must include on its playing roster at least two rated players at every position. A player may be used at more than one position to meet this requirement.

218. Ballparks & Weather: The Weather option is used in the BCBL. Ballparks are used in the BCBL. Each team has use of an individual ballpark--a "one team, one park" method. Trading or changing in your ballpark for another is allowed, but may be done only once every three years. However, if a park is selected that is scheduled to be replaced soon, such as Milwaukee County, the selecting team does not automatically assume control of the new park. The selecting team would have to select from all parks that are available when the existing park is retired. (However, chances are good that a selecting team would be able to select that new park, because a team with a retired park will be able to select ahead of another team that simply wants to trade in for a new park.) Selection of a different stadium will be on a "worst team first" method. Retired park teams will also be held to this "worst team first" method.

223. If any tie exists between teams in the same division for any playoff position mentioned in Rule 221 or 222, the tie will be broken, without additional playoff games, in favor of the team with the:

1. best record in head-to-head play between the tied teams, or if still tied, the

2. best record inside the division of the tied teams, or if still tied, the

3. best overall record for the last 28 games of the season, or if still tied, the

4. greatest differential between runs scored and runs allowed for the season, or if still tied, the

5. greatest number of runs scored in head-to-head play between the tied teams, or if still tied, the

6. greatest differential between runs scored and runs allowed in games played within the division

7. coin toss.

224. In the first round of the playoffs, team 4 plays team 1, in series A and team 3 plays team 2 in series B.

225. In the second round of the playoffs, the winner of Series A will play the winner of Series B.

226. The Championship Series for the BCBL title shall be played between the two teams that win their second round playoff series, described in Rule 225

227. All series described shall be best-of-seven series, with a day of rest following games 2 and 5. The lower numbered team will be the home team in games 1, 2, 6, and 7. The higher numbered team will be the home team in games 3, 4, and 5. Injuries and pitchers' fatigue and rotation will carry over from one playoff series to another. There will be a day of rest between each series.

228. Starting Pitchers Usage for Playoff Games: A minimum of a three-man starting pitching rotation must be used for each playoff series. To be eligible to start in a playoff series, a pitcher must have had at least 20 or more BCBL-adjusted MLB starts during the prior MLB season. However, a starting pitcher who started between 15-19 BCBL-adjusted MLB games in the prior MLB season may start one game of each playoff series. A pitcher who starts in a series may never relieve during the same series, and vice versa. If a starting pitcher is used in relief in a playoff series, he must wait until the next playoff series before starting. Starting pitchers need only 2 days of rest during playoffs.

229. Reliever Usage: The formula listed below will be used to determine the total number of appearances that are allowed for pure and split-grade relievers in each playoff series (for pitchers only used as starters in MLB you divide the MLB IP by 3 to determine the equivalent games ):

1. 70+ MLB games or MLB innings pitched: 6 games per series

2. 50 - 69: 5 games per series

3. 30 - 49: 4 games per series

4. 29 or less: 2 games per series

230. Each reliever must have required number of innings or appearances to be eligible for playoffs, i.e., must have been "draft eligible"

1. (For starting pitchers who started no games in BCBL season, above rule is allowed. However, for starters who started even one game in the BCBL season, then actual MLB games started must be converted to innings pitched, and formula above will be used. For example, David Cone started 34 BCBL games, but he will start no playoff games. His 34 starts converts into 34 innings pitched. On formula above, he can appear in relief 4 times in playoff series.)

231. Batter Usage: Batters can only start in as many games as indicated below as per Plate Appearances

1. 425+ Plate appearances: all games started

2. 350-424: 5 games started

3. 275-349: 4 games started

4. 200-274: 3 games started

5. 125-199: 2 games started

6. 80- 124: 1 game started

232. Less than 80 plate appearances: Not eligible for playoffs (see General rule 6 above)

233. Playoff Requirement: It is the responsibility of the playoff teams to record each game's box score and send to league statistician.

241. Roster Size: Effective with 2006 season, roster size is 35 players. This can be exceeded anytime except during regular season (includes playoffs) or on cut down day. During regular season, only 30 players can be active for any particular series. Thus, 5 players must be farmed out each series. The exception is the final month of the regular season-- September--when all 35 players may be active. The active roster must include a valid backup for every fielding position.

242. All DMB baseball game rules are observed throughout the playing season, except as modified in this document.

251. Batters: We will be using the DMB overuse system with limits of 115% on both PA's and splits

252. Fielders: Must be rated by DMB to play a defensive position. OFers can play all OF positions.

253. Pitchers are classified as one of three types, based on MLB statistics: Starters (G = GS), Relievers (GS = 0), Split-grade (all others).

253.1 Starting pitchers are limited to 115% of official MLB game starts, as posted on BCBL roster spreadsheet. Maximum starts are 36 unless the real life number for starts exceeds 36. Starters may NOT be used as a Starter and Reliever in the same season. A starter can be used as a reliever ONLY, during the regular season and will be treated as if his type is reliever and his usage is limited according to rule 254.

255. Split-grades are limited to 115% of official MLB BF. In addition, split-grades may only start the number of games allowed by rule 253.1. Due to the new institution of the opener, these pitchers will be classified in the BCBL as split-grades. An Opener is defined as a pitcher who has started games in MLB but is not classified as a starter in DMB.

256. Positional At Bat Requirements: At the start of the BCBL season, each team is required 650 PA available at each fielding position, plus DH, for a total of nine positions in the lineup. Required 6000 PA team total. Required one backup for each fielding position. NOTE: This rule is a requirement, however history has shown that 650 PAs at a position may not be enough to avoid over usage of PAs per player. It is each manager's responsibility to not exceed a player's BCBL-allowed PA, starts or BF.

257. Relief positional requirements: All teams must have 6 pitchers with a relief rating on their rosters per game. Any team without 6 relievers per game at the start of the season will be subject to a penalty as determined by the commissioner.

301. For a relief pitched to exceed usage limitations, BF will have to be exceeded for the year.

301.1 Any batter with 200 or more of his actual MLB PAs, that exceed 150%, will lose that player from his team

Any batter with less than 200 of his actual MLB PAs, that exceed 175%, will lose that player from his team

302. If a team has one or more players that exceed its BCBL BF or starts, that team will forfeit draft picks based upon the table below. NOTE: A plate appearance counts “1” point. FIVE BF counts 1 point, and a start counts 5 points. Currently the BCBL is allowing the game to control batting overages.

303. Playoff teams with overages will be assessed one round higher. In extreme cases as judged by the Commissioner’s Ad Hoc Committee, a team may be removed from the playoffs if it is deemed that he made the playoffs due to overusing quality players.

304. If a team is assessed a penalty round that it does not possess, the next HIGHER available round will be used. A team may choose to trade for a “penalized” pick to avoid losing the next higher round. The deadline to trade for a penalized round is the final roster date just prior to the yearly draft.

306. All Players: Any position player that did not bat 33% of his real life plate appearances or pitch 33% of his real life BF will be dropped from the team and available in the free agent draft. Rule 306 will not apply to those players who had fewer than 50 PA's or 50 BF in real life.

307. Rules for unlimited players: No longer used, although the option is open for it to be reinstated.

501. The visiting manager may protest any loss he feels resulted from the home manager's negligence, error, or misinterpretation of the rules. The home manager may protest only if he learns after a series that a visiting player was used illegally. Protests must be made prior to the beginning of the next month’s games. The Commissioner will act on protests, or another manager if the Commissioner is involved in the protest.

601. Road Instructions/Computer Manager: DMB computer manager is required. Road Instructions must include at least one batting line-up. BCBL managers are not required to interrupt computer manager to make manual changes for road opponent. Manager profiles (MP) may be sent by road teams to opponents for each series; those MPs must be to the opposing manager by a certain date (usually the 5th of each month), that date to be declared by the Commissioner or statistician during the regular season. It is the home manager's duty to load the opponent's MP and use it in the respective series.

602. Starting Pitching Rotation: A complete starting pitching rotation for the 160-game regular season must be available to every league member by the opening day of the season. League members will have their rotations available via the playing schedule on the Steve Mile’s schedule web page linked from the BCBL web site. This site is also the official site for MP changes; home managers are responsible for checking for updated MPs, downloading the new file(s) and loading them into the DMB game. A starting pitcher may start in consecutive series but may not start in multiple games of a series and is limited to his total BCBL starts.

603. Once the starting rotation has been set, it can be altered during the season play by the owning manager. However, any alterations must not lead to excess starts nor violate any of the rules of play. Also, any road alteration shall be at the risk of the owning manager.

604. No player may appear at a position for which he does not receive a rating. No player may be removed from the game without a defensive substitute available at his position, unless his team is behind in the ninth inning or later. If it becomes unavoidable to use a player at a position not on his card, a weak hitter who once played or might be expected to play the position should be used.

605. Once the game starts, there are no restrictions on the player being used at secondary positions but managers should observe normal baseball logic and a spirit of fair play.

701. Trading of Players/Draft Picks: The trading season begins at the conclusion of the previous year's World Series and runs through the winter (off season) until two weeks before the draft (the "cut" deadline). Trading reopens for a specified time period determined by the Commissioner immediately after the draft, just before the new season begins in April.

701.1 Starting in 2017 the bcbl will allow in season trading between April-July. In season trades must be reported to the statistician by the end of the reporting period to take effect for the next month. The manager who receives the player is responsible for any underages and overages.

702. Trading Current/Future Draft Picks: Draft picks may be traded only for the next draft and for the next subsequent year.

a. Played all home series for the prior season and reported final results to league statistician.

c. Reported trade to the Commissioner. (All parties in a trade must report it to the Commissioner.)

d. Trade has been reviewed and approved by the Commissioner and reported on webs

704. After the conclusion of the bcbl draft a team may make on a first-come first-served basis drop/add requests while trading is open. Only draft eligible players may be claimed.

After trading is closed a team may make up to three free agent claims and the player(s) claimed will be released at the end of the season. A player must be released if the team has 35 or more players on its roster. Multiple claims for a player will be decided by awarding the player to the team on first-come first-served basis. The add/drops after the draft must be requested before the end of the current playing month, to be implemented prior to the start of the next month. Once the database is issued for the next month, no add/drops will be allowed.

705. Trades may not include players to be loaned, transferred, or named later, or any other type of future considerations other than draft picks of the next scheduled draft. No agreement may be made to announce a trade or part of a trade at any future date.

706. No trade may take effect until both parties have contacted the player control agent by listing the players traded.

707. No manager may offer the same player in writing to more than one team at a time, unless the offer indicates that it is only tentative, using words to that effect.

708. Any team attempting to make a trade which is illegal under these rules or impossible because of its current roster will be penalized by the loss of a 5th round draft pick. Both parties to a trade may be penalized if both parties participated in the violation. At the Commissioner's discretion, a trade may also be voided.

709. Player Reclaims: Following the annual draft and up to the time that rosters are set for the regular season, a team may reclaim a player it had cut prior to the most recent draft, provided that player was draft eligible and no other team selected that player in the draft. At the beginning of the season and the close of trading, no team may have more than 35 players on his squad, although he may have less (due to trade imbalances).

710. No manager may make any trade, trade offer, or agreement to make a trade until his name and address have been published in writing to the members of the league.

721. Record Keeping Requirements: It is each manager's responsibility to play 80 home games per season and report results on monthly deadline to the league statistician.

722. Punctuality of Game Playing/Reporting Penalties: Penalties will be assessed to members who are late in reporting results to the league statistician.

723. If a team is late in reporting its monthly statistics without pre-notifying the Commissioner of the lateness two or more times during the season, that team will forfeit it's 5th round pick. If a team is late a third time, the owner is subject to expulsion.

724. If a team does not have the penalty pick available, they will be assessed the next higher pick. Teams will be given the opportunity to trade for the pick assessed if not available. The deadline for obtaining these picks is the cut down date for next season’s draft. Trading of assessed picks is not allowed until it is replaced.

731. A draft of all eligible, un-owned players will be held in the Spring of each year. These drafts will include rookies and other eligible players that are not on a current roster

731.1 Each team is allocated 12 draft picks per draft, and may not trade picks after the 10^th round. After the trade and cut deadlines have passed, all teams will draft to 35 players so additional draft picks are assigned/deleted from each team that requires them in order that each team has 35 players on their roster at the end of the draft.

731.2 On draft day the league will use the Stratdraft tool. The annual player draft will consist of 7 rounds online with the remaining 5 rounds via Stratdraft email. FIVE minutes per pick for rounds 1-7. After the 7^th round the draft will be suspended and start back up the following Monday using a 1-hour time limit from 10AM - 10PM.

732. Annual Draft/Eligible Players: Composed of all ML baseball players not currently on BCBL team rosters who meet BCBL eligibility requirements:

a. Eligible position player: 75 official MLB Plate Appearances for the prior ML season. (Because of BCBL adjustment for 160 games.)

b. Eligible pitcher: 43.2 or more ML innings pitched or 22 or more ML pitching appearances in the prior ML season. (Because of BCBL adjustment for 160 games.)

733. Draft Order (General): Reverse order of finish of the prior BCBL season. Ties between non-playoff teams with the same record will first be resolved by head-to-head competition, then by divisional record, then by league record, and finally by a coin toss by the Commissioner. After assigning all non playoff teams to picks 1-16 the losers of the 1^st round of playoffs will occupy positions 17-20 in reverse order of finish, just like the non playoff teams. There is no significance in determining draft position between a division winner and a wild card team. Slots 21-22 will consist of the losers of the 2^nd round of the playoffs, slot 23 the world series loser, and slot 24 the world series winner.