Definitions

Unless otherwise specified, the words “Owners” and “Teams” both refer to League franchises and are used interchangeably. While a team may have multiple owners, unless explicitly stated, “owner” refers to a single franchise.

• MLB — Major League Baseball
• AL — American League
• NL — National League
• DL — Major League Baseball Disabled List
• FAAB — Free Agent Acquisition Budget
• Fantrax — The league’s official fantasy platform

I. Object

To assemble a lineup of 25 American League baseball players whose cumulative statistics, compiled and measured by the methods described in this Constitution, are superior to those of all other teams in the League.

II. Teams

1. There will be no more than 10 teams in the League in any given season.
   1. Franchises are permitted to have multiple owners. How these owners split duties is left entirely to the owners and is not the responsibility of the commissioner to arbitrate.
   2. Each team’s nickname, colors, motto, and corporate philosophies are left to the individual owners.

III. Rosters

1. Each roster is composed of the following starting positions:
   1. 1 C, 1 1B, 1 2B, 1 SS, 1 3B, 3 OF, 1 Utility, 3 SP, 2 RP, 2 P
   2. Each team also carries 9 bench players and 7 DL spots.
2. Position eligibility rules are outlined and determined by Fantrax.
3. Players traded to the National League during the season may be kept on a team’s roster until the following draft, at which time they must either be waived or added to the roster if they have returned to the American League.

IV. Minor League Rosters

1. Each team’s minor league roster is limited to 35 players. Eligibility is determined by Fantrax:
   • The player has less than 130 AB or less than 50 IP in MLB.
   • The player is currently in the minor leagues per MLB.
2. When a minor league player returns to the active MLB roster, he must be reinstated to the team’s active 25-man roster within two days of activation. Failure to do so will result in the team being locked from league moves until the player is moved to the MLB roster or waived. Two days equals the day of activation plus one day.
3. Statistics from players on minor league rosters do not count toward team totals.
4. Fantrax serves as the official source for dates of MLB personnel moves.
5. MLB’s “retroactive” use of the disabled list is not relevant for League purposes; the official transaction date is used.
   • Example:If a player is placed on the 15-day DL on July 1st “retroactive to June 24th,” the League transaction date remains July 1st.

V. The League Draft

1. The location shall be determined by majority rule of the owners. A date for the draft shall be decided by league vote no later than February 21st.
2. Draft order is based on the reverse order of the previous season’s standings. Each round maintains the same order; the order does not reverse.
3. Players not currently on an American League team at the time of the draft are not eligible for the Baseball Weakly draft.
4. Once a team declares they are finished drafting, they may not re-enter the draft.

VI. Position Eligibility

1. Position eligibility is determined solely by Fantrax using the following criteria:

   Games for hitting position (previous season)	15
   Games for hitting position (current season)	10
   Starts to qualify as starter (previous season)	5
   Starts to qualify as starter (current season)	3
   Relief appearances for reliever (previous season)	8
   Relief appearances for reliever (current season)	5

VII. Transactions

1. Deadlines. Rosters must be finalized 72 hours prior to the first pitch of the first American League game of the season. Games played overseas do not count toward this timeline.
2. Free Agents. Free agents are players eligible to be acquired but not currently on a League roster. A team may acquire them by creating roster spots.
3. Waiver Claims. The FAAB shall be used to acquire players on waivers, with a starting budget of $100 per team.
4. Post-Trade Releases. Players released as part of a trade after the draft are placed on waivers and may be claimed via FAAB. Players released pre-draft cannot be picked up and enter the draft instead.
5. Draft Pick Trading. Trading of draft picks between teams is permitted.
6. Trade Processing. Trades require a 24-hour review period before being finalized.
7. Re-acquiring Players. A player cannot be re-acquired by a team until at least 12 months have passed since they were released by that team.

VIII. Interleague Trades & Free Agent Signings

1. If a player on a League roster is released by his AL club and signs with the NL (or an NL farm system team), or signs with an NL team as a free agent, the team may retain his rights by keeping a major league roster spot open until the deadline for finalized rosters of the following season. If a roster spot is not used, the player is automatically forfeited.
2. If a player is traded to the NL, the team may retain his rights by keeping a major league roster spot open until the deadline for finalized rosters of the following season.
3. NL players traded or signed to an AL team during the off-season enter the draft.
4. NL players traded to the AL during the season are placed on waivers and may be claimed via FAAB.

IX. Post-Draft Roster Rules

1. All undrafted players are eligible immediately after the draft.
2. If a player is cut from a team at any time, they are eligible to be picked up using FAAB money during the waiver period.
3. If a player was drafted, already on a BBW team, or is on their minor league roster, they are the property of that team regardless of games played or IP prior to finalizing rosters for Opening Day.
4. All rosters must be accurate 72 hours prior to the start of the first AL game on Opening Day.

X. Standings

1. The following twelve (12) categories determine League standings:
   Hitting (6)

   • Batting Average (AVG)
   • Runs Scored (R)
   • Home Runs (HR)
   • Runs Batted In (RBI)
   • On-Base + Slugging (OPS)
   • Stolen Bases (SB)

   Pitching (6)

   • Wins (W)
   • Saves (SV)
   • Earned Run Average (ERA)
   • WHIP (Walks + Hits / IP)
   • Holds (HLD)
   • Strikeouts (K)
2. Teams are credited for the accumulated statistics of their active players. Teams are not credited for the statistics of players on the DL or retroactively for players acquired via free agency or trades.
3. Teams are ranked from first to last in each category and assigned point values.
   • In a ten-team league: 1st place = 10 points, 2nd = 9, down to 10th = 1 point.
4. Minimum Requirements. Teams must accumulate at least 1,050 innings pitched. Position players must play a minimum of 130 games, outfield 390 games, and catchers 110 games. Failure to meet minimums results in penalties:
   • One missed position: $10 reduction in FAAB money.
   • Two missed positions: $25 reduction in FAAB money.
   • Each additional missed position: $25 per position reduction.
   • Missing pitcher minimums: additional $5 reduction.
   • Each missed position moves the team to the end of a draft round, starting with Round 1. For example, missing one position moves the team to the end of Round 1. Missing two positions moves them to the end of Rounds 1 and 2. Missing three moves them to the end of Rounds 1, 2, and 3, and so on. If multiple teams are penalized, they are all moved to the end of the affected round(s) and draft in reverse order of their finish.
5. Statistics from pre-season, post-season, and exhibition games are not included.
6. The team with the most total points across all twelve categories wins the pennant.
   • In case of a tie in total points, the team that won more individual categories wins.
   • If still tied, the team that missed at fewer positions wins.
   • If still tied, a coin flip decides.

XI. Governance

1. Every team has equal representation on all issues decided by vote.
   1. Each team has one vote, regardless of how many owners it has.
   2. A majority of owners who vote during the allotted time is needed to pass modifications to the Constitution or other policy decisions.
   3. Any issue brought up for vote must be voted on within two weeks of its inception. Owners not voting during this time are not considered.
2. Expulsion of a team requires a unanimous vote without abstentions. Any owner expelled more than once receives a lifetime ban.
3. When a team opening arises, the commissioner, with input from other owners, will decide how to recruit a new owner.
4. No person exercising ownership or financial authority for one team may have such authority over any other team. No two or more teams may collude to control standings, transactions, or any other League matters.
   • Behavior suggestive of collusion is subject to scrutiny and, if warranted, expulsion.
5. When a situation arises that requires immediate attention and the Constitution does not provide a solution, the commissioner will make a temporary rule. A written solution will then be presented, discussed, and voted upon by the owners.

XII. League Fees

1. An annual league fee of $8 per team is assessed to cover the cost of Fantrax Premium.