1 League
Structure
1.01 League Name
The League shall be known as the Canadian Baseball League (CBL). The
CBL was founded in 1973 in Canada, with team managers in both Canada and the
United States.
1.02 League Goals
The CBL exists to promote enjoyment of baseball through
participation in a friendly, stable league that emphasizes sportsmanship,
integrity, and accurate, timely reporting. It also provides team owners with
the opportunity to build a successful franchise over time through trades and/or
the annual draft.
1.03 Membership
1.03[a] The CBL consists of twenty-six continuous ownership
franchises, using actual major league baseball (MLB) team names and
organizations. The teams are divided into two Associations, the Gnitecki
Association and the Wesenberg Association (named after the two CBL founders,
Richard Gnitecki and Bernhardt Wesenberg).
1.03[b] Fourteen teams are assigned to the Gnitecki Association and
twelve teams to the Wesenberg Association. Each Association has two Divisions
with the teams evenly divided between them. The League Executive assigns teams
to their Association and Division. Geographic proximity and traditional CBL
rivalries are used as factors in assigning teams.
1.03[c] There shall be at least one manager per franchise. No person
may manage two or more teams simultaneously except when necessary on a
temporary basis while a new manager is being recruited.
1.03[d] Each CBL Club shall pay yearly dues to cover administrative
costs involved in operating the CBL. The amount is determined annually by the
CBL Executive, and is payable at the beginning of the season schedule.
1.04 Franchise
switches
When a CBL franchise becomes open, that franchise will be made
available for 30 days to existing league managers, with priority going on a
seniority basis. Conditions are:
1.04[a] Effective in 1997, a
CBL manager may make only one such switch during his CBL career.
1.04[b] If the open franchise is an existing team in
the league, the switching manager may either [i] give up his entire team assets
(players, draft picks, and minor league protection list) and take on the open
team’s assets in total. Any future assets of either team that have been traded
away will be adjusted by the League Executive for fairness; or [ii] retain all
current team assets and change franchise names only. From the point of the
switch onward, minor league picks would be made from the new franchise’s farm
system. [amended October 2001]
1.04[c] If the open franchise
is a major league team not currently owned in the CBL, the manager may take his
current CBL team roster and assume the open team’s identity. He must, however,
leave the minor league roster of his current team behind and accept the minor
league system of the new team. Seven minor leaguers will be protected as an
initial minor league protected list.
1.05 Game
Product
1.05[a] The CBL uses the APBA
master baseball game, or any computer version of the Miller Associates APBA
Baseball Game.
1.05[b] The final list of 30 players per MLB team
carded by the APBA game company, plus any uncarded players already on
forty-man CBL rosters who appeared in the major leagues during the year, shall
be available for CBL play. [amended March 2001]
2 League Governance
2.01 Officers
The League has an executive composed of at least three officers: a
Commissioner and two Association Presidents. In addition, the Commissioner may
appoint any other officers necessary for the operation of the league.
2.02 Duties
of the Commissioner
The Commissioner has
authority over all aspects of league operation, including responsibility for
2.02[a] appointing the
Association Presidents.
2.02[b] being public
spokesperson for the League.
2.02[c] arbitrating any disputes that arise among managers, or
settling any grievances raised by managers.
2.02[d] disciplining managers
or revoking franchises for cause.
2.02[e] recruiting and
orienting new managers when needed.
2.02[f] ensuring publication
of a regular league newsletter.
2.02[g] ensuring
administration of league finances.
2.02[h] ensuring accurate
statistical records are kept and shared with managers.
2.02[i] keeping track of
league votes.
2.02[j] conducting the annual
draft.
2.02[k] ensuring construction
and maintenance of an internet league web site.
2.03 Duties of
the Association
Presidents.
The Presidents are members of the League executive team. They:
2.03[a] assist the
Commissioner in carrying out administrative duties.
2.03[b] perform the duties of
the Commissioner when needed.
2.03[c] maintain good
communication among managers in their Associations.
2.04 Selection
of the Commissioner
2.04[a] When the
Commissioner’s position becomes vacant, nominations will be open for a new
Commissioner for a period of 30 days from the announcement of the vacancy in
the newsletter. Any league member may nominate another member. Following the
close of nominations, a vote is taken by the retiring Commissioner or his
designate.
2.04[b] A majority (50% plus
1) is necessary to win a vote for Commissioner. If no winner is declared on the
first ballot, a run-off vote is taken between the top two candidates.
2.05 Amendments
to the Constitution
2.05[a] Any member of the
league may present proposals for change to the league constitution by forwarding
the proposals to the Commissioner. The proposals will be published in the CBL
Newsletter.
2.05[b] Proposals are adopted when approved by a 3/4 (75%) majority
vote of league members. An abstention shall be considered a vote to retain the
existing rules.
2.05[c] Any proposal for change having been defeated in a vote may
not be resubmitted for a period of at least one year.
2.06 Grievances
Grievances may be voiced by any manager to the League Executive. The
Commissioner shall be the final authority in settling grievances.
3 Regular Season
Play
3.01 Season
The data produced by the APBA Game Company from the previous MLB
season shall be used to play the current CBL season.
3.02 Schedule
The schedule of play is developed by the League Executive and
published on the league Web Site, and copies are provided to each owner as
needed. The schedule consists of 162 games, beginning and ending at
approximately the same time as the major league baseball season. Games between
teams are organized into series of several games in a home-and-away format.
3.03 Rosters
3.03[a] Each CBL club will
have a Total Team Roster of no more
than 40 players who have received an APBA card in the current or a previous
year. This will include players on the Active (see 3.02[b]) and Reserve (see
3.02[c]) Rosters, but not players on the Minor League Protected List (see
3.03). This limit must be maintained at all times except for the period
beginning with the annual CBL draft in February and ending with the submission
of opening-day rosters in March. At any other time of year, if players are
added through trade or waiver pickup, the owner must release players by the end
of the same day to return to the 40-man limit. [amended March 2002]
3.03[b] Each CBL club will
establish an Active Roster of 25
players from the start of the season through Series #23. Each club may carry up
to 30 active players for the rest of the regular season (“September callups”).
3.03[c] Each CBL club may
have a Reserve Roster of up to
fifteen players, so long as the maximum allowable Total Team Roster size (40)
is not exceeded.
3.03[d] Players may be moved
between the Active and Reserve Rosters prior to the start of each full series,
so long as the maximum allowable Active Roster size is not exceeded.
3.03[e] A player who does not receive an APBA card,
after having received one in a previous season, may nevertheless be used up to
the level of his actual appearances, if any, in the major leagues during the
past season, and will remain on the Roster until traded or released. [amended
March 2001]
3.03[f] Any player carded in
the APBA game who is not on a CBL Club roster is a free agent and is available
to be selected in the annual CBL draft.
3.04 Minor League Protection Lists
3.04[a] In 1992, each CBL
Club was allowed to establish a Minor
League Protected List of seven minor league players from within the
franchise who had never at that point received an APBA card. On May 1st
of each subsequent season, each club is allowed to add three additional minor
league (never carded) players to its protected list. Players remain on the CBL
Club’s Minor League Protected List until they are carded by APBA, traded by the
CBL club, or released by the CBL club. When carded, these players are
automatically the property of the CBL Club on whose Protected List they appear.
3.04[b] Any minor league
player not protected by a team prior to being carded is a free agent, available
in the next annual draft; except that if a player enters professional baseball
after May 1st and is carded in that same season, he may be claimed
by the corresponding CBL Club, provided that the CBL Club must use one of its
three minor league protection spots from the following year to secure the
player.
3.05 Playing the Games
3.05[a] Games are played
face-to-face when possible, and by the home team when face-to-face play is not
possible.
3.05[b] Each manager shall
forward all appropriate instructions, play games, and forward appropriate
individual game statistics and series compilations on the dates required.
Instructions should reach the home manager by the date the series is scheduled
to begin. If no instructions are received within seven days of start of series,
the home manager shall play the series using the instructions available on the
Web Site. Games must be played and results communicated to the visiting manager
no later than ten days from the date set for the series.
3.05[c] Each manager shall
accurately compile statistics on each game played in the format required by the
League Executive.
3.05[d] Each manager shall, as far as possible,
comply with all instructions of the visiting manager, and manage the visiting
team to its best advantage in situations where instructions are unclear or
silent.
3.05[e] Each manager shall supply for
the League Web Site a set of Standard/Emergency Playing Instructions, both home
and away, for each series of the current season, prior to the start of the
season. The Standard/Emergency Instructions must provide rotations, lineups,
and playing information. The Commissioner shall ensure that all Standard/
Emergency Instructions are available to every manager. [amended February
2002]
3.05[f] If a home manager fails to complete a series within fourteen
days of the scheduled date, the Commissioner may designate a person to play the
series, using the Standard or Emergency Instructions. [added February 2002]
3.06 Player Use
3.06[a] Players may be used
only as much in the CBL regular season as they played in real life, as detailed
below, except when defined as “unlimited”.
3.06[b] Pitchers
3.06[b]1 Only a pitcher rated
as a starting pitcher may start a game.
3.06[b]2 A starting pitcher
must have at least three games rest between starts. Consider the road games to
be played first, the home games last in each series for the purpose of
establishing a pitching rotation.
3.06[b]3 A starting pitcher may not exceed the number
of Starts, nor the number of Innings Pitched in the MLB season (except for
Unlimited Pitchers as allowed in Paragraph 3.06[b]7 below).
3.06[b]4 A relief pitcher may not exceed the number of
Innings Pitched during the MLB season (except for Unlimited Pitchers as allowed
in Paragraph 3.06[b]7 below), but is not limited as to Number of Relief
Appearances.
3.06[b]5.1 A
pitcher graded only as a starter by APBA may be used both as a starter and/or
reliever in the CBL, but is limited to the number of appearances. A start may
be considered to represent two relief appearances for the purpose of
calculating the allowable appearances. The total innings pitched in the CBL cannot
exceed the actual MLB innings. These limits apply except in the case of
pitchers defined as unlimited re: 3.06[b]7. [amended Sept 2002]
3.06[b]5.2 A pitcher graded by
APBA as a split-grade starter/reliever is limited to actual number of starts
but is not limited in relief appearances as per above clause 3.06[b]4. The
total innings pitched in the CBL cannot exceed the actual MLB innings. These
limits apply except in the case of pitchers defined as unlimited re: 3.06[b]7.
3.06[b]6 A split grade pitcher with the higher grade being 6 or greater is limited to the actual
innings pitched. [amended March 2001]
3.06[b]7 A pitcher whose grade is 5 or lower is not
limited to Starts or Innings Pitched other than by Paragraph 3.06[b]2 and
3.06[b]6 above. [amended March 2001]
3.06[b]8 A pitcher may bat
only if he is pitching in the game, unless he is rated at a position other than
pitcher. Pitchers may not pinch-hit. A pitcher is allowed to pinch-run.
3.06[c] Position Players
3.06[c]1 Position players may not exceed the number of
Official At-Bats, excepting as provided in 3.06[b]2, nor the number of Stolen
Base Attempts recorded in the MLB season. There is no limit on Games Played.
3.06[c]2 Position players meeting all of the following
criteria are considered “unlimited” and are not restricted to any number of
At-Bats:
[i] Officially
carded for the season [added
March 2001]
[ii] Batting
Average of .240 or less
[iii] On Base Percentage of
.300 or less
[iv] Slugging Percentage of
.350 or less
[v] None of the following
defensive ratings: 8 or 9 at C; 4 or 5 at 1B; 8 or 9 at 2B; 5 or 6 at 3B; 9 or
10 at SS; 3 at OF. [amended March 2001]
3.06[c]3 A manager may request Unlimited status for a
non-productive position player who marginally exceeds the criteria in Paragraph
3.06[c]2 if the manager has exhausted all means of trading for help. This
designation may be granted with the approval of the League Executive prior to
the opening of the season.
3.06[d] Injuries: games
missed due to injuries shall be limited to no more than the remaining games in
the half series (i.e. the home or away portion of the series) currently being
played.
3.07 Penalties
for over-use of players
3.07.1 Penalties
for overuse of players beyond the established buffer will be determined by the
Commissioner and graduated depending on the severity of the overuse. Penalties
may include loss of playoff status, loss or demotion of draft picks, or other
penalties as deemed by the Commissioner to be justified. In general, the
penalty will be more severe when the overuse is more extreme and/or involves
better players. If there is any possibility that the overuse contributed to a
team making the playoffs, that team will be removed from the playoffs. The
Commissioner’s decision is final unless appealed within three days of receipt
of notification. [amended June 2003]
3.07.2 The decision of the Commissioner may be appealed by the
offending team or by any other manager to the other members of the Executive
(i.e. two presidents and the statistician) who will [a] uphold the ruling; [b]
modify the ruling; or [c] remove the penalty. The decision of this Appeal
Committee is final. [amended June 2003]
3.08 Rainouts
and computer crashes
3.08[a] Rainouts shall follow the MLB rule; that is,
if 5 innings are completed, the game is an official game. If fewer than 5
innings are completed, the game is to be replayed.
3.08[b] In the event of a
computer crash during a game, the game will be replayed in its entirety.
4
Playoffs
4.01 Playoff
Teams and Schedules
4.01[a] The team with the best
won-loss record in each Division shall qualify for the playoffs. Of the
remaining teams in each Association, the two teams with the best won-loss
records regardless of division shall also qualify for the playoffs.
4.01[b] In the event of a tie, the teams involved
will play a best-of-three preliminary round.
4.01[c] Each playoff shall consist of a best-of-seven
series. The teams will use a 2-3-2 format, with the team with
the superior record having the extra home game except in the Canada Series.
4.01[d] In the first round, the team with the best
record in each Association shall play the team with the worst record in the
Association regardless of division.
4.01[e] The two teams that win the first round series
in each Association shall meet for the Association championship.
4.01[f] The Association champions shall meet in the
Canada Series for League championship. The Canada Series shall be a
best-of-seven series. Home advantage shall alternate between the Associations,
with Wesenberg champions having the home advantage for odd-numbered CBL seasons
and Gnitecki champions having the home advantage for even-numbered CBL seasons.
4.01[g] All regular season rules apply to the above
playoffs, championships and Canada Series, excepting usage rules as identified
in Section 4.02.
4.02 Player Use During Playoffs
During the playoffs there are
special limitations on usage.
4.02[a] Hitters are limited in each series to a
maximum of 1/15 of their MLB regular season Official At-Bats, if those At-Bats
are 450 or less. Hitters with more than 450 AB’s are unlimited for the
playoffs.
4.02[b] Relief pitchers are limited in each playoff
series to 1/10 of their MLB regular season Innings Pitched.
4.02[c] There is no limitation on starting pitchers,
excepting the requirement for three days rest between starts. As on real life,
there is considered to be an off-day when the series switches sites, so a
starting pitcher may pitch Games 1, 4 and 7.
4.02[e] Injuries are limited to the current segment
of the playoff series at the site where the injury occurs.
4.03 Reporting of Results
All statistics and box scores
for the playoffs, championships and Canada Series are to be submitted to the
Commissioner.
5 Player
Movement
5.01
Intra-League Draft
5.01[a] Each year there will
be a draft of free agents and unprotected players, in February. Each CBL Club
shall submit a Total Team Roster of protected and unprotected players on the
date established by the League Executive.
5.01[b] Each CBL Club will be
allowed to protect some of its players through the draft. The size of the
protected rosters will vary with the won-lost records over the previous two
regular seasons combined. The six clubs with the best records over the two year
period will protect 18 players, the next six will protect 20, the next seven
will protect 22, and the seven clubs with the fewest wins will protect 24. The
remaining players on each roster are available for selection by other teams in
the draft.
5.01[c] Each CBL Club may
lose a maximum of three players in the draft.
5.01[d] Draft choices will be
exercised by CBL Clubs in reverse order of won-lost of the combined previous
two seasons. In case of tie(s) for
drafting positions, the League will go back an additional year to break the
tie.
5.01[e] The draft will
consist of five rounds. Remaining free agents may be dispersed following the
draft at the discretion of the League Executive, using the same order of
selection as for the regular draft.
5.01[f] A team is allowed to
draft a player from its own unprotected roster, but that player is not counted
as one of the three players lost to the team.
5.01[g] In an expansion year
there will be a draft of free agents, but no draft of unprotected players.
5.02 Trades
5.02[a] Managers may trade
players, draft choices, draft protection spots, minor league protection spots,
and protected or unprotected minor league players. In the case of the latter,
special regulations apply (see 5.02[e] below).
5.02[b] An immediate exchange
of players is not required. One side may include future considerations to allow
for the completion of compensation at some later date. The exact intention of
the nature of the future considerations is to be outlined as clearly as
possible to avoid misunderstandings, and submitted in writing as part of the
trade report to the Commissioner.
5.02[c] Trades may be made at any time during the year. To be
effective, trades must be reported to the Commissioner and Webmaster for
inclusion on the Web Site list. The trade will then become official (e.g. the
players will be considered to pass from one team to another) for the series
indicated in the trade report. All trades must be approved by the Commissioner,
who may cancel any trade deemed by him (her) to be improper or not in the best
interests of the CBL.
5.02[d] Until notice of the
trade appears on the Web Site, no player may appear for his new team. Any
attempts to use an unofficially traded player will result in the forfeiture of
any game in which the player appears.
5.02[e] An unprotected
minor league player being acquired by a CBL Club must be protected by that club
with a minor league protection spot the following year. If he is traded in real
life and is carded by a different MLB team before being protected, the
corresponding CBL Club gains the rights to him, and the CBL Club that traded
for him loses the rights. No compensation is required.
5.02[f] No trades with a new manager are valid unless all league
managers have been informed, via the newsletter, of the new manager’s name, address,
and phone number.
5.02[g] “Future assets” (draft pick, draft or minor protection
spots) may only be traded when they are less than 24 months in the future.
5.03 Free agent
draft [added March 2002]
5.03[a] At
least once during the year at a time other than February, the Executive shall
conduct a draft of presently or previously carded free agents.
5.03[b]
Selection order shall be the same as in the previous annual intra-league
February draft, and the positions are not tradeable commodities.
5.03[c] The comprehensiveness of the player list and
the conditions for the draft will be established and amended from time to time
by the Executive.
6 Web Site
The Web Site for
the league shall include, but not be limited to:
6.01 a listing of rosters for all teams;
6.02 a running record of all transactions;
6.03 a directory of manager names, addresses, phone numbers and
e-mail addresses;
6.04 a list of minor league protected players for each team;
6.05 the current version of the league constitution;
6.06 league newsletters;
6.07 results of the most recent annual free agent draft;
6.08 emergency or standard playing instructions for each team.
7 League Awards
7.01 Awards Voting
7.01[a] The CBL managers shall vote annually on the following awards
and honors within each Association:
[1] Pitcher of the Year
[2] Position Player of the
Year
[3] Rookie of the Year
[4] Manager of the Year
[5] All-Star team, including the starting nine players and the
starting pitcher. The All-Star manager (previous season’s Association champion)
shall select the pitching staff and reserve players. The total All-Star team
shall be 28 players. Each club shall be represented by at least one player.
7.01[b] In voting, no manager
shall vote for players on his/her own team.
7.02 All-Star
Game
The League shall have an annual All-Star game between the
Associations at a site selected by the officers. The site shall alternate each
year between Association clubs, with the Wesenberg Association hosting the game
in even-numbered CBL seasons and the Gnitecki hosting the game in odd-numbered
CBL seasons.
