T.H.R.O.W. RULEBOOK
Click here for Dynasty Baseball Official Rules
THROW
The Toronto House league Religiously Obsessed with Winning (THROW) was founded in 1987 by Mike Hunnersen and Mike Wilner. Its mandate is to allow relatively regular people to control, own and manage franchises in a competitive league that takes its cue from, but does not mirror, Major League Baseball.
League dues are $75 per team per season.
Every member of THROW is expected to do nothing more than participate fully and do his utmost to win at all times.
ATTENDANCE
Every owner is expected to do his best to appear at two events per year: The Rookie Draft and the Free Agent Auction. The Rookie Draft is held online, generally in mid-March. The Free Agent Auction is an in-person event, generally held in early April.
There are also various league-wide events held throughout the season, including (but not limited to) the THROW Mid-Season BlowOut and the THROW End-of-Season BlowOut.
TEAM-BUILDING
There are five ways to acquire players in THROW:
1 – The Rookie Draft
2 – The Free Agent Auction
3 – Trades
4 – Regular waivers
5 – Special waivers
1 – The Rookie Draft
Each year, every player who receives a Dynasty League Baseball card for the first time in his career is placed in a pool of players who are eligible for the rookie draft. Players selected in the rookie draft are immediately awarded rookie contracts (see below).
A player chosen in the rookie draft IS ASSUMED TO BE GIVEN A MINOR-LEAGUE CONTRACT unless otherwise noted by the team drafting him at the time of selection.
The order of selection in the rookie draft is determined by each team’s record the season prior, with each round in the same order, from worst to best, with the exception of the first round.
A weighted lottery is conducted among all non-division winners. Three teams are selected in the lottery, in order to determine the first three picks of the first round. However, no team can move up more than eight spots. The teams are weighted as follows:
24th overall – 37% (001-370)
23rd overall – 24% (371-610)
22nd overall – 15% (611-760)
21st overall – 10% (761-860)
20th overall – 4% (861-900)
19th overall – 3% (901-930)
18th overall – 2% (931-950)
17th overall – 1% (951-960)
16th overall – 0.8% (961-968)
15th overall – 0.6% (969-974)
14th overall – 0.4% (975-978)
13th overall – 0.2% (979-980)
12th overall – 0.25% (981-990 + 001-250)
11th overall – 0.25% (981-990 + 251-500)
10th overall – 0.25% (981-990 + 501-750)
9th overall – 0.25% (981-990 + 751-000)
8th overall – 0.25% (991-000 + 001-250)
7th overall – 0.25% (991-000 + 251-500)
6th overall – 0.25% (991-000 + 501-750)
5th overall – 0.25% (991-000 + 751-000)
In the case of a tie in positioning, the tied teams will split the numbers for the tied position (i.e. if there is a tie for 19th place, the teams will split the 7% chance shared between 19th and 20th).
The numbers designated to the team that wins the first pick are given to the lowest-ranked remaining team rolling for the second pick. The same is done for the third pick once the second pick is rolled.
For each subsequent round, teams are ranked in reverse-order of finish, with tied teams alternating round by round, the team that picked earlier in the first round picking later in the second, and so on.
Division winners are guaranteed the last four spots in each round.
A team may pass on its selection at any time during the rookie draft, but such action forfeits the remainder of that team’s selections for that year’s draft.
The draft ends when all teams have passed or when no more rookies are available to be chosen.
ROOKIE CONTRACTS
A rookie is attached to the team that drafts him for four years, with the team having the option for a fifth. A rookie’s first-year salary is $200,000. Second year, $500,000 or market value, whichever is lower. Third year, $1,000,000 or 80% of market value, whichever is lower. Fourth year, $2,500,000 or 80% of market value, whichever is lower.
If a team wants to exercise its fifth year option, it must declare so before the rookie enters his fourth year, and sign the player to a two-year contract worth $3,000,000 per season OR market value + $500,000 per season, whichever is lower.
IN-SEASON ROOKIE CONTRACT RE-NEGOTIATION
Each team will be allowed to re-negotiate in-season with ONE player every season. That player must be an r2, r3, r1/2 , r1/3 or r 2/3 ONLY. The player will accept the extension which will be COMPLETELY guaranteed (player can be released, but for the full amount owing on the contract, and if the player should ever be uncarded during the life of the contract, he must be kept at 10% of his salary). The contract will take effect the following season. However, in the case of an r1/2, r1/3 or r2/3, their contracts would immediately be converted to r2 or r3, depending on the year in which they were drafted.
The contract will be as follows:
For an r2 or r1/2– 5 years, $15,000,000 (paid out in increments of $1M, $2M, $3M, $4M, $5M)
For an r3, r1/3 or r2/3 – 4 years, $20,000,000 (paid out in increments of $3M, $4M, $6M, $7M).
The window to re-negotiate will be the first week of October. That is, teams will have to declare the player to whom they want to offer the extension between Oct. 1-7 of the calendar year.
MINOR-LEAGUE CONTRACTS
Any rookie can be assigned a minor-league contract, but ONLY at the rookie draft, and ONLY when that player is drafted.
A player on a minor-league contract can be given a major-league contract at anytime, and will follow the rookie salary structure. Though they are attached to the team for a total of four years plus an option, their salary starts at $200,000 the first year they are given a major-league contract, and rises accordingly. Major-league salary is paid only for the portion of time during the season that a player is on a major-league contract.
A player on a minor-league contract is protected for two years, but upon entering their third year, if they have not yet been given a major-league contract, they will be available to the entire league in a Rule 5 draft. Meaning, the team that drafts them is required to keep the player on its active major league roster for the entire season, unless he goes on the disabled list.
A player who has been on a minor-league contract for five years becomes a free agent entering his sixth year.
2 – The Free Agent Auction
The free agent auction pool is comprised of players who meet any one of the following requirements:
-contracts have expired and either were not re-signed by or chose not to re-sign with their teams.
-finished the previous THROW season in the waiver pool
-non-rookies who did not have DLB cards the previous season, but were given one for the current season
Players are nominated for auction according to the order of finish in the previous season, with the defending champion nominating first and the rest of the teams following from best to worst record in the season just completed. The owner who nominates a player also determines the length of contract (between one and six years – the default is two) that all will bid on for that player. Any owner can nominate any free agent.
There are five rounds of the free agent auction, each round continues until every owner has passed his turn to nominate. Passing during a round forfeits an owner’s opportunity to nominate another player in THAT ROUND ONLY.
Any owner with sufficient funds remaining at the auction may bid on any player, whether or not that owner has passed on his opportunity to nominate a player.
In the first round, the opening bid on a player must be 100% of his market value. In the second round, the opening bid must be 75% of the asking price. In the third round, the opening bid must be 50% of the asking price. In the fourth round, the opening bid must be 25% of the asking price. In the fifth round, known as the “Fire Sale”, the opening bid is $200,000.
The high bid wins the player’s services for the length of contract determined by the nominator.
Players who are signed in the first three rounds of the free agent auction may not be traded until that season’s all-star break.
FREE AGENT COMPENSATION
Each team that signs a free agent must pay compensation in the amount of 20% of the first-year salary OR $100,000 per year of contract, whichever is greater. Compensation is awarded to the team from which the player became a free agent. If a player returns to the team from which he became a free agent, that team does not have to pay compensation.
Compensation for players who did not become free agents off a THROW roster (or players who were released) goes into a pool that is shared equally among all THROW clubs. Such pool compensation is distributed after the second and fourth rounds of the Free Agent Auction, and again after the Fire Sale.
Teams are not awarded compensation for players they have released, including those released from rookie contracts.
Special compensation is to be awarded to teams that lose a “Type A” free agent in a specific situation. “Type A” is defined as any player who has a final asking price in off-season negotiations of at least $4,000,000. If such a player (or players) is (are) offered at least 120% of asking and refuse(s), becoming a free agent, the team that loses the player is entitled to a sandwich pick between the second and third rounds of the next calendar year’s rookie draft in addition to the regular compensation as defined above. Multiple picks will be ordered by the players’ final asking prices, the highest being worth the top choice and so forth. The compensation pick is lost if the team re-signs the player at the free agent auction.
3 – Trades
Trades may be made at any time from the end of the free agent auction until the in-season trading deadline. No trades may be made from the deadline until the Commissioner opens trading before the next season’s rookie draft. Trades may be made then, and between the rookie draft and the free agent auction, according to guidelines set out by the Commissioner’s Office each year. Trades may also be made between the third and fourth rounds of the Free Agent Auction.
Trades must be confirmed by both teams in order to take effect, and the teams must have played an equal number of games for the trade to take effect.
Trades made with an owner in his inaugural season in THROW must be cleared by the Commissioner’s Office in order to take effect. A trade made between a first-year owner and the Commissioner must be cleared by a panel of three established owners, appointed each year by the Commissioner.
Future Considerations ARE allowed in trades, so long as:
A – those future considerations are revealed to the Commissioner’s Office at the time the trade is originally reported, and
B – those future considerations are settled (money and/or picks exchanged, players moving to the team to which they’ve been traded) by that season’s trade deadline, and
C – those future considerations are not used to circumvent the free agent auction by allowing one team to save money it would have to spend to acquire the player who is moving as a future consideration in order to use that money at the auction.
Selections in a rookie draft other than the upcoming one are NOT allowed to be included in trade as future considerations.
The Commissioner’s Office reserves the right to review, and act upon in any way it sees fit, any trade made in the best interests of the league.
Only teams that are on schedule may make trades.
3A – Sign-and-trade
Free agents who have re-signed with their old teams prior to the Free Agent Auction may not be traded until the following all-star break. This applies to free agents only, and not to players on rookie contracts.
4 – Regular waivers
There is a waiver claiming period every month from April to October. Each claiming period is split in two: Primary waivers and Secondary waivers.
Any player not taken in the rookie draft or the free agent auction or any player released during the season becomes part of the waiver pool, and any of those players may be claimed on Primary Waivers.
Primary waivers are open from the 1st to the 15th of each month (May to November), and claims are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Any team may claim any player, so long as it has a spot open on the Major League (37-man) roster for each player it claims.
After the 15th of the month, primary waivers are closed, and the list of players claimed is sent out to the entire league. Secondary waivers are then open from the 16th to the final day of each month (May to November), and any team may place a secondary bid on a player who was claimed in Primary Claiming , so long as said team has a spot open on the Major League (37-man roster for each player it claims. NO UNCLAIMED PLAYER MAY BE CLAIMED DURING SECONDARY WAIVERS.
After the close of Secondary Waivers, players who have been claimed by more than one team will be bid on, secretly, with silent bids being sent to the Commissioner (or his agent, if the Commissioner is also bidding on said player). The high bid wins the player, for a one-year contract for $200,000. The amount of the bid is a signing bonus. If there is a tie in the bidding involving the primary claimant, the primary claimant will win the player. If there is a tie in the bidding NOT involving the primary claimant, each of the teams who tied in the bidding will enter a new bid, from scratch, such bid not having to be higher than the previous bid and not being added to the previous bid, and the high bid wins the player.
Pre-Season waivers open as soon as possible after the Free Agent Auction, and primary claims are generally open for a period of five days, followed by a secondary claiming period of the same length. There may be more than one primary claimant in pre-season waivers, with none having any more standing than any other.
Post-trade deadline waivers open the day after the trade deadline, with primary claiming open for three days and secondary claiming open for three days, as well. This is the final regular waiver period of the season.
NOTE: It costs $50,000 to make a secondary claim, UNLESS the bid on the player is $500,000 or more. The fee goes into the signing bonus given to the player if the claim is successful.
ALSO NOTE: If there is only one secondary claimant in regular waivers, and that claimant makes no bid, the primary claimant shall be awarded the player with no signing bonus and the secondary claimant may be fined at the Commissioners’ discretion.
Only teams that are on schedule may make claims on regular waivers.
5 – Special Waivers
A team that wants to remove a player who is out of options from its active (25-man) roster must first place the player on Special Waivers. The team declares to the entire league that said player is on Special Waivers, and the league has 72 hours during which to claim him. At the close of 72 hours, all claims are assessed, and the team with the worst overall record at the time of the claiming period will be awarded the player with no changes to his current contract. If no claims are made, the player may be taken off the active (25-man) roster of his original team. SPECIAL WAIVERS ARE IRREVOCABLE.
Any team that makes a claim in Special Waivers must have a spot available on its 37-man roster in order to make said claim.
Only teams that are on schedule may make claims on Special Waivers.
RELEASING PLAYERS
A player may be released from a rookie or minor-league contract at any time for no charge.
To release a player from a major-league contract in-season, the team must pay 90% of the remaining salary for the current season, plus 50% of the salary owed for any subsequent season.
To release a player from a major-league contract in the off-season, the team must pay 75% of the coming year’s salary, plus 50% of the salary owed for any subsequent season.
Once released, a player goes into the waiver pool immediately.
UNCARDED PLAYERS
If a player under contract receives no card from DLB, he may be released by his team free of charge, or retained for 10% of his salary or $200,000, whichever is greater.
If a player is a free agent going into a season in which he receives no card from DLB, his market value will be determined by taking his MLB statistics from the three seasons prior. The player may be signed by the team from which he is becoming a free agent, but to a one-year deal only.
Uncarded players are not available in the free agent auction, nor are they available on waivers.
ROSTER SIZE
Each team may have a major-league roster of up to 40 players, though only 25 may be active at any one time, except for the last two series of the season, when active rosters are expanded to a maximum of 40. Each team must have at least 30 carded players under major-league contract at all times, at least seven of whom must be eligible to be used as starting pitchers.
No team can begin a series without having 25 healthy players on the active roster, except in the case of a player who isn’t injured long enough to need to be placed on the disabled list. Each team must begin every series with at least two healthy players who are eligible to serve as non-emergency catchers. Both said catchers must have enough available at-bats remaining that they are able to start at least one game against either a left-handed or right-handed starting pitcher.
Each team may have a minor-league roster of up to 6 players, which constitutes a “farm system”. A team must pay $500,000 each year it operates a “farm system”, even if the system only operates for part of the year. The $500,000 is a flat rate, whether there is 1 player in the system or the full 6.
A “farm system” is considered to be operating for a given season if a team has at least one player on a minor-league contract AT ANY TIME in a given year (a year defined, in this case, as rookie draft to rookie draft). If a team acquires a player on a minor-league contract and promotes that player immediately, that player is not considered to have been a part of the acquiring team’s “farm system”.
MINIMUM SALARY
The minimum salary is $200,000 per season.
REVENUE
NOTE: Revenue is re-set for every team after each season’s free agent auction. Once the auction ends, teams are presumed to be spending the following season’s money. That is, after the auction, teams can spend whatever they want, no matter how much they left the auction with, but it comes off the tab for the next season.
Gate Revenue:
Teams must declare prior to each season the number of games it believes it will win in the coming season.
24 wins or less – $31,000,000
25 wins – $31,500,000
26 wins – $32,000,000
27 wins – $32,500,000
28 wins – $33,000,000
29 wins – $33,500,000
30 wins – $34,000,000
31 wins – $34,500,000
32 wins – $35,000,000
33 wins – $35,500,000
34 wins – $36,000,000
35 wins – $36,500,000
36 wins – $37,000,000
37 wins – $37,500,000
38 wins – $38,000,000
39 wins – $38,500,000
40 wins – $39,000,000
41 wins – $39,500,000
42 wins – $40,000,000
43 wins – $40,500,000
44 wins – $41,000,000
45 wins – $41,500,000
46 wins – $42,000,000
47 wins – $42,500,000
48 wins – $43,000,000
49 wins – $43,500,000
50 wins or more – $44,000,000
If a team misses its prediction, it will receive the amount of money designated for its predicted or actual number of wins (predicted number if the team outdoes its prediction, actual number if it misses low), plus or minus half the difference between the amount for its actual wins and the amount for its predicted wins.
For example, team A predicts 32 wins but wins 35 games, the team will receive $35,000,000 (for 32 wins) plus $750,000 (half the difference between 32 and 35 wins) for a total of $35,750,000.
Another example, team B predicts 42 wins but wins 37 games, the team will receive $37,500,000 (for 37 wins) minus $1,250,000 (half the difference between 42 and 37 wins) for a total of $36,250,000.
Television Revenue:
Each team makes the same amount of TV revenue every season. It is selected randomly every season, and falls between $8,000,000 and $12,000,000.
Marketing Revenue:
Each team makes between $2,000,000 and $4,000,000 in marketing revenue each season. Each team gets its own amount, determined randomly.
The defending THROW Series champion gets an additional 5% in TV and Marketing revenue; the runner-up gets an additional 3%.
Teams that make the playoffs in consecutive seasons are rewarded with a 10% increase in TV and Marketing revenue, with an additional 10% added each subsequent season that team is in the playoffs for a maximum of a 50% increase.
Teams that fail to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons are penalized with a 10% reduction in TV and Marketing revenue, with an additional 10% removed each subsequent season that team misses theplayoffs for a maximum of a 50% penalty.
Teams that win 28 games or fewer in a season are penalized by losing a percentage of their Television and Marketing Revenue for that season, by the following chart:
28 wins – 90% of the TV/Marketing money to which that team would otherwise be entitled
27 wins – 80%
26 wins – 70%
25 wins – 60%
24 wins – 50%
23 wins – 40%
22 wins – 30%
21 wins – 20%
20 wins or fewer – 10%
Playoff Revenue:
1st round loss – $500,000
Conference semi-final loss – $1,000,000
Semi-final loss – $2,000,000
Finalist – $4,000,000
Champion – $6,000,000
FREE AGENT NEGOTIATIONS
When a player’s major-league contract expires, he becomes a free agent. The team with which he last played has the first option to sign him.
The player will come to the team with an asking price, and the team will negotiate from there:
First Offer Resigning Chart
%MV Yes No Maybe
40 0 100 0
45 2 98 0
50 5 90 5
55 10 85 5
60 15 75 10
65 15 70 15
70 20 60 20
75 25 55 20
80 30 45 25
85 35 40 25
90 40 30 30
95 45 25 30
100 50 15 35
105 55 15 30
110 60 10 30
115 65 10 25
120 70 5 25
125 75 5 20
130 80 4 16
135 85 3 12
140 90 2 8
145 95 1 4
150 98 0 2
Second Chance
Increase Agree Walk
-5 10 90
0 25 75
5 30 70
10 35 65
15 40 60
20 45 55
25 50 50
30 55 45
35 60 40
40 65 35
45 70 30
50 75 25
55 80 20
60 85 15
65 90 10
70 91 9
75 92 8
80 93 7
85 94 6
90 95 5
95 96 4
100 97 3
Length of Free Agent contract:
Depending on his age, the player will request a specific length of contract. The team may negotiate up or down as far as length is concerned, using the chart, which is Appendix A to this rulebook.
Free Agent Asking Price Determination:
A free agent’s asking price will be 70% of his market value plus 30% of his former contract’s final-year value. That number is then adjusted for age and with a random component that could raise or drop the asking price by up to 10%.
Front-loading of contracts:
All free agent contracts signed are front-loaded. That is, 100% of the first year plus 20% of all subsequent years of the contract must be paid up front.
LIMITATIONS (always rounded up):
If a player has a usage limitation of at-bats only, that player may use 5/9 of the at-bats in the usage limitation specified on the card against each side. The limitation will be written on the back of the card, and you are expected to keep track of at-bats used on the back of the card.
Any player who had fewer than 127 plate appearances in the major leagues is automatically limited to his at-bats, on a per-side basis, in the subsequent card set (according to our rules of 5/9 limiting). Any player who falls under this rule with an F durability rating is limited to 150% of his at-bats. If a player with an F durability rating reaches the 127 plate appearance threshold by multiplying his major-league plate appearances by 1.5, he does not fall under this rule. The F durability “bonus” applies to pitchers as well, in that they are limited to 150% of their available innings. As well, if a pitcher with an F durability has a “spot” rating (see below), his “spot” number is multiplied by 1.5 before figuring out how many starts he is allowed in the season. If a pitcher with an F durability reaches 10 starts (on the card) by multiplying his on-card “spot” rating by 1.5, he may start without limit. If a hitter with an F durability reaches 20 at-bats (on the card) for either side by multiplying his on-card at-bat limit by 1.5, he may be used against that side until his at-bats are used up.
Cards limited by DLB, regardless of the number of plate appearances, remain limited, with the following exceptions:
DLB-issued percentage limits for pitchers who have no starter’s rating are dropped, as are DLB-issued percentage limits for position players who are also limited to their at-bats against both left-handers and right-handers.
For the playoffs, hitters subject to an at-bat limitation may be used as follows: AB/15 = total number of at-bats available per playoff series. This is a PER SIDE limitation. Round up to the nearest whole number.
A pitcher who has a “spot” rating (see exception for F durability pitchers above): Take the “spot” number and divide by two. The result is the number of starts that pitcher is allowed for the season. For the playoffs, take the “spot” number and divide by 5, the result is the number of starts that pitcher is allowed for the ENTIRE post-season. Remember, always round up to the nearest whole number.
Pitchers who are rated as “short” or “long” are limited to 5/9 of their real-life innings per season. The limitation will be written on the back of the card, and you are expected to keep track of innings pitched on the back of the card. Again, see exception for F durability pitchers above.
Pitchers who have both a starter’s rating and a reliever’s rating are NOT subject to the innings limitation if they are used exclusively as a starting pitcher. If they make one appearance out of the bullpen, the limitation takes effect retroactively. If they would already have used up their innings for the season has the limitation been counted, the pitcher is NOT ALLOWED to be used out of the bullpen, regardless of circumstance. A starting pitcher only needs to have five innings of use remaining in order to make a start, and he may be used without regard to his limit for that one start.
Pitchers who have no relief rating, but a spot limit, are subject to the same limits as a pitcher who DOES have a relief rating if said pitcher should be used as a reliever at any time during the season.
For the playoffs, pitchers subject to this limitation may be used as follows: (IP/20) + 2 = total number of innings available per playoff series. Round up to the nearest third of an inning. A starting pitcher only needs to have five innings of use remaining in order to make a start, and he may be used without regard to his limit for that one start.
Percentage limitations:
Limit # of series available
10% 1 (final series only)
15% 1 (final series only)
20% 2
25% 3
30% 3
35% 4
40% 4
45% 5
50% 5
55% 6
60% 6
Players with percentage limitations must be used EITHER at the beginning of the season or the end of the season. Teams must declare prior to the season how they are going to use players with percentage limitations. Only players who are declared for end of the season use may be eligible for the playoffs.
In order to be eligible for the playoffs, a player with a percentage limitation must have played 31 games or had 90 at-bats in the majors.
Any player with a percentage limitation of 15% or less may only be used on injured reserve.
LIMITATION REPORTING
In order to combat the annual problem of falling behind schedule, teams are REQUIRED to report their limited players’ usage for each series. That entails reporting side-specific at-bat usage for all limited hitters, innings usage for all relievers, and any spot starts or innings usage for pitchers who are rated as both starters and relievers but are or have been used out of the bullpen. Teams are also required to list the starting pitcher of each game of the series. If these things are not reported by the series’ due date (barring special dispensation from the Commissioner’s Office), the League will charge each limited player with full-time usage (4 AB/game for hitters, 5 IP/series for relievers).
INJURED RESERVE
Eliminated
DISABLED LISTS
In order to replace an injured player on the roster, that player may be placed on the nine-day disabled list. Players may be placed on the DL retroactive to the day they last played, but must stay on the DL for the entire nine days, whether or not they’re healthy. If a player is injured for at least 9 days, he MUST be placed on a disabled list and replaced with a healthy player. Players may remain on the DL longer than nine days. A player may not be placed on the DL if he is not injured, nor may an injured player be optioned off the active roster or placed on Special Waivers.
When a player is placed on the DL, a replacement may be called up from the minors in time for the next game, mid-series or otherwise. When a player is eligible to come off the DL, he may be activated, mid-series or otherwise.
Players on the disabled list continue to affect team chemistry, to the good or the bad.
SUSPENSIONS
Players who are under suspension may be replaced on the active roster. For the purposes of options, the suspended list is the same as the disabled list.
Suspensions in the post-season must be immediately reported to the Commissioner’s Office and may be shortened at the discretion of the Commissioner or his agent (if the suspended player plays for the Commissioner or his opponent).
ROSTER MOVES
Players can only be placed on or taken off the 25-man roster in between series, unless the move relates to the disabled list or the suspended list.
OPTIONS
Players have unlimited options for their first three years on a THROW major-league rookie contract. During that time, they may be optioned off the active roster and recalled to the active roster with impunity, so long as the above rules regarding roster moves are properly followed. Any player on a contract that doesn’t begin with “r1, r2 or r3” (including those on r 1/2, r 1/3, r 3/5, etc) has one option per year, which can only be exercised prior to the start of the regular season. Once a player appears on the active (25-man) roster, he must clear Special Waivers in order to be sent back down.
Players who are claimed on regular waivers have one option, that must be exercised when they are claimed, or it is lost.
PLAYOFFS
Each playoff round is a best-of-seven, with the higher seeded team hosting games 1,2,6 and 7. Each series has an off-day scheduled after games 2 and 5. There is one scheduled off-day between each playoff series. The first round is scheduled to begin on the third day after the end of the regular season.
Half the teams in the league will make the playoffs, six from each conference.
The playoff teams in each Conference are seeded according to record, with the division winners assured of the top two seeds. Each division winner is granted a bye to the second round.
In the first round, the 6th seed faces the 3rd seed and the 5th seed faces the 4th seed.
The first-round winners advance and join the top seeds in the Conference semi-finals, with the top seed playing the lowest remaining seed and the other two teams meeting.
The second-round winners advance to play in the Conference Final, with the winner advancing to the THROW World Series.
The Conference Final winners meet in the THROW World Series. All THROW World Series games are to be played at night.
Home-field advantage is determined by better record during the regular season. If the teams meeting in the third or fourth rounds have the same regular-season record, home-field advantage is determined by:
1. Head-to-head record
2. Winning percentage within own division
3. Winning percentage within own conference
4. Winning percentage against common opponents
5. Coin toss
6. Bare-knuckle fight; winner declared when opponent loses consciousness
ONE-GAME PLAYOFFS TO DETERMINE PLAYOFF SEEDING
A one-game playoff will be played (on the day after the regular season ends) to decide playoff seeding among teams that tied for first in their division, or for the final playoff spot in a conference.
Head to head record will decide playoff seedings between two teams tied for a position where neither a bye nor a spot in the post-season is at stake. If head-to-head record does not break the tie, refer to the tie-breaking rules for home-field advantage above.
PLAYOFF ROSTERS
Playoff rosters must consist of 25 players, and any players limited by percentage only must have at least 31 games played or 90 at-bats on their cards.
Playoff rosters must be submitted at the conclusion of the regular season, and are allowed to be altered from series to series, but may not be changed mid-series unless there is an injury that requires use of the Playoff Disabled List.
PLAYOFF DISABLED LIST
A player who is injured in the middle of a playoff series may be replaced on the roster immediately following the conclusion of the game in which he was injured by placing him on the Playoff Disabled List. Players who are placed on the Playoff Disabled List are ineligible to play in the remainder of the playoff series in which they were placed on the Playoff Disabled List, and are also ineligible to play in the following playoff series.
STADIUM LEASES
When a team moves to a new city, it must remain there for three years unless the stadium in which it is playing is taken out of use.
A team may move after the three years, but it must declare its intent to move to the league as a whole prior to the beginning of the free agent auction. There will then be allowed secondary claims on the new location, and if any secondary claims are made, there will be a sealed bid between the teams involved. The high bid wins, and the amount of the winning bid is placed in the pool that is shared equally among all THROW clubs at the free agent auction.
Franchise relocation can only occur between the rookie draft and the free agent auction.
THREE-STRIKE RULE
Series must be played by the third business day of the following month. Results must be reported to the commissioner’s office by e-mail (mike@wilnervision.com) OR by phone {(416) 302-2853}.
If a series has not been completed on time, the commissioner’s office must be informed, by the third business day of the following month, of the teams’ plans to play the series. If the commissioner’s office has not heard from any team by the fourth business day of the month, those teams will get a call from the commissioner.
1st call – warning
2nd call – $1,000,000 fine
3rd call – loss of first-round pick
4th call – loss of franchise
In addition to the three-strike rule, the league will play the series for any teams who do not have their series completed by the 15th day of the NEXT month on the calendar after of the series is due (i.e. for the July series, August 15). The results of the series will stand, but for the purposes of seeding for the upcoming rookie draft, the team (or teams) that is (are) deemed negligent will be considered to have gone 7-0. If there are extenuating circumstances (other than “I couldn’t make it”) that are explained to the Commissioner’s Office, exceptions can be made at the discretion of the Commissioner. The Commissioner will make every effort to make sure series are played on time and penalties are avoided, but ultimately, it’s the responsibility of each owner to make sure his team remains on schedule.
In-Game Rules:
BIZARRE BEFORE THE GAME CHART
Prior to the start of each game, each team must roll three 10-sided dice. If a team rolls between 800-999, it must then go to the “Bizarre Before The Game” chart.
If a team’s rolling on the “Bizarre Before The Game” chart results in a change of starting pitcher, the opposition may change its line-up without having to re-roll on the “Bizarre Before The Game” chart.
NOTE: Any injury to a starting pitcher as a result of a roll on the “Bizarre Before The Game” chart is extended so that that pitcher misses at least his next turn in the starting rotation. That is, if that day’s pitcher is injured for three days, the injury is extended to five days so that he may make his next turn on time, but miss this one. If the previous day’s starter is injured, the injury is extended to at least eight days, so that he misses his next turn but may make the following start on time.
NOTE: In the playoffs, a team’s chemistry number (total of all intangibles ratings on the 25-man roster) is added to 800 to determine X. The team then must roll between X-999 to go to the “Bizarre Before The Game” chart.
NOTE: In the playoffs, any position player who is determined to be “OUT” will instead be forced to use offensive and defensive rest/rust results and have his error reduced by 30, range reduced by three grades and baserunning reduced by three for the duration of the injury. Lead and steal ratings will be reduced to 1/1 for each of second, third and home. Any pitcher who is determined to be “OUT” will instead have to pitch tired for the duration of the injury.
Any player who is so affected is considered injured enough to be placed on the Playoff Disabled List if his team is so inclined.
CLUTCH SITUATION
Occurs whenever there is a runner (or more) in scoring position with two outs OR in the 7th inning or later, whenever the tying or go-ahead run is on base or at bat.
TIRED
A pitcher becomes tired when:
1. He has faced a number of batters equal to his endurance rating AND THEN any two batters reach base via hit, walk, hit by pitch or error. Intentional walks do not count, and double plays and caught stealings cannot make one “un-tired”. Fielder’s choices on which a baserunner is retired do not count as additional baserunners for the purpose of determining whether a pitcher is tired, nor do plays in which the batter-runner is retired on a continuous play.
- He has allowed five earned runs.
A pitcher loses all his symbols (JAM/ON/OFF) when he becomes tired.
Long relievers’ endurance is 15, short relievers’ endurance is 7. When pitching on a second consecutive day, a long reliever’s endurance falls to 9 and a short reliever’s endurance falls to 4. When pitching on a third consecutive day, a short reliever’s endurance falls to 1.
ABUSE OF PITCHERS
A pitcher may pitch one full inning past the inning in which he becomes “tired” without repercussions. Before any subsequent inning that pitcher is asked to pitch in that game, you must roll on the Injury chart to see if he is hurt or not. This applies only to pitchers who become “tired” as a result of reaching their endurance number, then allowing two baserunners.
A pitcher who has become “tired” by allowing five earned runs would be allowed to pitch one full inning past the one in which he reaches his endurance number without repercussions.
PITCHERS’ REST REQUIREMENTS
STARTER:
IP Days rest
0-4 3
4.1-9 4*
9.1+ 4
Any pitcher with a starter’s rating only who pitches in relief has an endurance of 9 and must use the above rest requirements.
* = pitcher may pitch on 3 days’ rest, but must use TIRED results
NOTE: Any starting pitcher who faces at least one batter must rest at least 3 days regardless of how many innings he pitches in that start UNLESS he’s ejected from the game within the first three innings (including being ejected as a hitter after he’s pitched no more than three innings).
LONG RELIEF:
IP Days rest
0-2 0*
2.1-3 1
3.1-4 2
4.1-7 3
7.1+ 4
* = cannot pitch more than twice in three days
SHORT RELIEF:
IP Days rest
0-1 0*
1.1-2 0**
2.1-3 1
3.1-4 2
Short relievers cannot pitch more than 4 innings, unless there are no other able-bodied, rested pitchers available.
* = cannot pitch more than three times in four days
** = cannot pitch more than twice in three days
BULLPEN WARM-UP
Relief pitchers MUST warm up for at least two batters prior to entering a game. The break between innings counts as one batter. A pitcher’s warm-up lasts until the end of the following half-inning, he then sits unless otherwise noted. Once a pitcher has warmed up twice, he must be brought in at the beginning of his team’s next defensive inning, otherwise he must pitch tired.
A relief pitcher may never enter the game without having warmed up for two batters unless they are replacing a pitcher who has been injured or ejected, but the pitcher who replaces one who has been injured or ejected need not have been warming up at all in order to enter the game.
EMERGENCY PITCHER
Any position player may pitch. He is considered to be “tired”, and cannot pitch more than two innings.
His defensive ratings are: Range – F, Error – 5, Balk – F, Wild Pitch – F
When a position player pitches, he uses the following card:
500-513 Bizarre
514-540 Umpire?
541-545 IFR
546-560 OFR
561-565 HPB
566-630 1b ground cf (2-H, 1-3?)
631-705 1b ground rf (?)
706-835 Deep Drive?
836-836 Strikeout
837-885 1b line cf (?)
886-925 2b (all score)
- Walk
EMERGENCY STARTING PITCHER
Each team must start each series with a healthy starting pitcher available for each game of said series. If a team, having fulfilled that obligation, is left without a healthy starter for a particular game, a properly-rested LONG reliever may be used as an emergency starter so long as he has had at least one day rest. Said pitcher’s endurance would be 15, and he would be allowed to pitch a maximum of three innings. Emergency starters do not have to be named ahead of time, as emergency catchers do.
PLAYER OUT OF POSITION
A team may petition the Commissioner’s Office at anytime to alter a player’s card so that he is rated defensively at a different position. If the petition is done before the season, it is assumed the player will be learning the new position through spring training. A player who is granted a new defensive position via petition loses the original defensive ratings on his card and has his endurance rating reduced by at least one grade – two grades if he’s petitioned to catcher.
A player whose defensive position is changed in-season must play at least seven defensive innings for ten games at his new position, using the worst possible defensive rating (see below), before the adjusted rating takes effect.
1B/3B: F/5
2B/SS: F/5/+5
OF: F/5/+4
C: F/5/+4/F/F
Pitchers are considered to be “tired” when pitching to a catcher who is playing out of position, unless that catcher has been designated the team’s emergency catcher.
Corner outfielders may play either corner with no penalty. Centrefielders may play either corner with no penalty, but if they are rated at a corner position on their card, that must be the defensive rating they use in the corner at which they are not rated.
No player may play out of position (unless he has been petitioned as above) unless the last player available at that position has been lost due to injury or ejection.
EMERGENCY CATCHER
At the start of the season, each team may designate one player to be their “emergency catcher”. That player must throw right-handed. The emergency catcher would have a defensive rating of F/5/+4/F/F, but pitchers who throw to him wouldn’t have to use their “tired” results, unless they have become tired by rule. The emergency catcher can only catch when the last available player with a catcher’s rating has been lost due to injury or ejection. The last available catcher may not be removed by managerial decision in order that the emergency catcher may play.
DESIGNATED HITTER
THROW does not permit use of the designated hitter.
PITCHERS HITTING
Any pitcher with fewer than 20 Major League (real) at-bats will hit on pitcher’s batting card #1, with F power and will be rated a “C” bunter.
Whenever a pitcher is at bat, the pitcher on the mound shall be considered to have the “JAM” symbol and the “JAM” situation ratings are to be used, regardless of the situation.
In order to pinch-hit, a pitcher must have had at least 50 Major League (real) at-bats.
The 20 and 50 at-bat rules are subject to the 50% bonus given to players with F durability ratings. That is, if a pitcher had 14 at-bats on his card and an F durability rating, he would use the pitcher’s batting card rating on his card. If a pitcher had 33 at-bats on his card and an F durability rating, he would be eligible to pinch-hit.
REST
Every player who appears in at least half of the games in any given regular-season series at catcher (always round up) must rest at least one full game per regular-season series, unless his Durability Rating is “A”. If there are no other HEALTHY players rated at catcher on the roster, a player may catch in every game of a series, provided he uses both offensive and defensive rest/rust ratings for the FINAL game of the series. No team is to begin a series with only one player rated at catcher available for that entire series.
Example: a player who catches any part of any four games in a seven-game series is required to fully rest for one complete game of the seven. That is to say, if a player has appeared in the first six games of a seven-game series, three as a catcher, and three playing another position or pinch-hitting, he cannot catch the seventh game.
Catchers must use defensive rest rules (+2 arm, -30 error, -2 grade PB, rr results when hitting):
1. After 6 innings of catching a game in the 90’s (the rest of that game only)
2. After catching 12 innings in one day (the rest of that day only)
Catchers must use offensive rest rules (rr results on card):
1. When playing a day game after a night game if they caught at least 5 innings in the night game
Every PLAYER must use offensive rest rules after playing in the field for 5 consecutive games without a day off with temperatures in the 80’s or 90’s. They must continue to use offensive rest rules until they get a day off.
Note: In the playoffs, catchers are not required to rest.
HIT-AND-RUN
The hit-and-run may be used ONLY when first base is occupied and at least one other base is open.
The hit-and-run may not be used after a failed jump attempt.
The hit-and-run may be used with two out, but only if the hitter is rated “A-1B”, and the baserunner does not get the extra “+1” baserunning adjustment.
Each time a strikeout is rolled on a player who is rated “A-1B” hit-and-run in the same at-bat, the result is “foul?”
PINCH-HITTING
Once a baserunner has attempted to get a jump to steal a base and failed, no pinch-hitters may be used for the remainder of that at-bat, nor can there be a pitching change unless the pitcher is injured or there’s a foul ball or pitch in the dirt that’s not put in play. If the pitcher gets injured prior to the resolution of the at-bat and must be removed from the game, a pinch-hitter is allowed.
SACRIFICE BUNTING
Once a baserunner has attempted to get a jump to steal a base and failed, no sacrifice bunts may be attempted for the remainder of that at-bat, unless the pitcher is injured or there’s a foul ball or pitch in the dirt that’s not put in play. If the pitcher gets injured prior to the resolution of the at-bat and must be removed from the game, a sacrifice bunt attempt is allowed.
READING DICE
A roll of “0” always represents “zero”. “0” is never to be read as “10”.
INFIELD IN
A pitcher and catcher are NEVER playing “in”.
“OFF” SYMBOL
A pitcher’s “off” symbol is only in effect for the first batter of an inning, not for the first batter a reliever faces if he’s not starting the inning.
RAIN-SHORTENED GAMES
A game is official after 4 ½ innings with the home team leading, or after 5 innings, unless the score is tied.
If a game is rained out prior to becoming official, it must be replayed in its entirety, with the following exception: A game that is tied after 4 ½ innings that was NOT tied after 4 innings is suspended, and picked up on the next day from the point at which it was stopped, and the regularly scheduled game is played immediately afterward.
If an official game is rained out, two things may happen:
- The game is over. This occurs if, at the time of the rain-out, the home team is leading, or the visiting team is leading with the home team having had its turn at bat AFTER the visiting team has taken the lead. (i.e. visiting team scores one in the 6th to go up 3-2, rain comes in the 7th with the score 3-2, visiting team wins).
- The game is suspended. This occurs if, at the time of the rain-out the game is tied or the visiting team has taken the lead without the home team having had its turn at bat while either trailing or tied. (i.e. visiting team trails 3-0 heading into the 7th, scores three or four in the top of the 7th, but home team does not get to complete the bottom of the 7th before the game is called). This game is picked up the next day from the point at which it was stopped, and the regularly scheduled game is played immediately afterward.
ELIMINATION OF MAKE-UP GAMES AT THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON
If a game (that would need to be made up at the end of the season) is rained out prior to the start, it would be played anyway, on a wet field and in threatening conditions. If it is then rained out before it becomes official (or in what would be declared a tie), that rain-out would be considered a rain delay, and both pitchers would have to be replaced. Each subsequent rain-out would also be considered a rain delay (replace both pitchers) until the game becomes official (or untied), at which point if another rain-out is rolled, the game would end.
Remember, if a game is rained out after it has become official, and the visiting team has just taken the lead without the home team having been able to complete its next at-bat, that game would not be considered complete.
-If a game (that would otherwise need to be made up at the end of the season) is rained out before it becomes official (or in what would be declared a tie), that rain-out would be considered a rain delay, and both pitchers would have to be replaced. Each subsequent rain-out would also be considered a rain delay (replace both pitchers) until the game becomes official (or untied), at which point if another rain-out is rolled, the game would end.
Remember, though, this only applies to games that would otherwise have to be made up at the end of the season. If you’re still able to play a make-up game within the series, including playing a double-header on the scheduled off-day after the series, that would be your first course of action.
DOUBLE-HEADERS
Any regular season game that is rained out must be made up on the next available date. If there is no off-day on the schedule before traveling to another city, the game is to be made up as part of a double-header on the next day. If there is an off-day before traveling to another city, the game will be made up on that day.
If the postponed game is the last one of a series after which there is no off-day, see above.
Any playoff game that is postponed is to be made up on the next day, so off-days may be lost.
