LINK TO SUMMARY OF ALL LBL AMENDMENTS, 1900-PRESENT
Preamble
The Legacy Baseball League (“LBL”) is a fictional Out of the Park Baseball (“OOTP”) league. The league is formed solely for the enjoyment of its members (each a “GM” and, collectively, the “GMs”). The purpose of the LBL is to provide an immersive outlet in a historical setting for creative GMs looking to build a collaborative baseball history through the ages. The LBL is an immersive writing league with a focus on lore, tradition, collaboration, and storylines. The spirit of this league is imaginative and player-friendly, but also highly traditional and competitive.Article I. The Common Sense Accord
Section 1. The CSA
GMs recognize that the league is intended to recreate a realistic historical baseball experience. Limitations of OOTP will occasionally result in opportunities for personal advantage that would not occur in real life. GMs agree to adhere to a commonsense policy (the “CSA”) when approaching these situations and will refrain from taking advantage of unrealistic opportunities presented by the game. While the Board requires competitive play and forbids unrealistic action within the game, the Board also acknowledges the unfair, anti-player nature of the Reserve Clause era. The development of a Player’s Union and collective bargaining agreement will be developed within the Official League Storyline, where GMs will have the opportunity to vote on changing rules and systems (See Section 4).Section 2. Enforcement of the CSA
The authority to interpret what constitutes “unrealistic” is vested with the Board to be used in its sole discretion. The Board may take unilateral action(s) to prevent or reverse moves that go against the spirit of the CSA. Where feasible, the Board may, but is not required to, provide notice to a GM prior to taking any action to enforce the CSA. In such situations, the GM may provide a written explanation for said move privately to the Board. The Board may set the deadline for such written notice in its sole discretion. The Board’s ruling is final.Section 3. Ability to Request Board Guidance
GMs are encouraged to contact the Board in advance of taking any action that may violate the CSA to receive informal, non-binding guidance.Section 4. The Official League Storyline
Given the historic nature of the LBL, the Commissioner and Board will prepare events and storylines that incorporate or parallel the history of the United States from 1895 onward. These storylines will be developed and incorporated into each season. The loss of players to wars, the development of the Negro Leagues and racial integration, and other major events will all be managed by the Board. Historic changes to the league that manifest themselves in league rules, player/team/uniform changes, league expansion, etc, will be developed and vetted by the LBL Board. GMs are encouraged to communicate with the Board to share ideas for Official League Storyline contributions.Article II. Expectations and Personal Conduct
At all times, GMs are expected to be courteous and respectful to their league-mates. GMs will treat one other with due dignity. GMs are expected to be both competitive with and courteous to their fellow GMs. The LBL is a league that rewards participation and competitive play. All GMs are expected to live up to this standard and agree to do their utmost to put forth the best franchise they possibly can, always attempting to win as many games as possible during the season. Fielding a substandard team for a better draft pick, for example, is prohibited. At the same time, GMs acknowledge that the LBL is a social experience as well. GMs participate to have fun and communicate with like-minded baseball fans. When the twin goals of competitiveness and courtesy collide, GMs should err on the side of courtesy.Article III. League Governance
Section 1. The Constitution
This Constitution of the LBL will be referred to for all questions regarding the rules and regulations of the LBL. The Constitution may be revised, as necessary, pursuant to the mechanisms set forth in Section 3 below. To the extent the Constitution is silent as to a question, discretion will be left to the Board to exercise its reasonable judgment. In order to participate in the LBL all GMs must agree to adhere to this Constitution. By doing so, each GM has acknowledged certain responsibilities involved with such participation and agreed to uphold them to make this playing experience as enjoyable as possible for each other GM.Section 2. The Commissioner, Vice-Commissioner, and Creative Director
The ultimate authority for the governance of the LBL resides with the Commissioner. The Commissioner shall always be supported by a designated Vice Commissioner, who may assume the Commissioner’s duties in the Commissioner’s absence or as the Commissioner shall otherwise delegate.(a) Current Commissioner.
The current Commissioner is:- Andrew V.
(i) Authority.
The Commissioner is responsible for recruiting new GMs, conducting league file simulations, generating annual storylines, managing the Slack, website, and Stats+ server and associated costs. The Commissioner may vote to break ties in abstentions or veto Board decisions (See [Article III. Section 3.]).(ii) Removal of Commissioner.
A Commissioner may be removed by a unanimous no-confidence vote of the Board.(b) Vice Commissioner.
The current Vice Commissioner is:- Brendan H.
(i) Authority.
- The Vice-Commissioner assists the Commissioner in all official functions and assumes the Commissioner’s role in his/her absence. The Vice-Commissioner is a voting member of the LBL Board.
Section 3. The Board
The LBL shall be governed on a day-to-day basis by a Board appointed by the Commissioner. The Board shall carry out all actions not expressly assigned to the Commissioner in this Constitution or such other actions as the Commissioner may delegate in his sole discretion.(a) Composition of the Board.
The Board at all times shall be comprised of at least three (3) GMs, but not more than five (5) GMs, plus the Commissioner. Current Board Officers are:- Andrew V., Commissioner and GM of the Richmond Rifles
- Brendan H, Vice-Commissioner and GM of the Brooklyn Whales
- Martin P, GM of the Philadelphia Brewers
(b) Chairperson of the Board.
The Commissioner shall serve as the Chairperson of the Board. The Chairperson of the Board shall be a non-voting position on the Board except in circumstances of a tied vote. In such circumstances, the Chairperson shall be entitled to cast a vote to break the tie.(c) Board Responsibilities.
The Board shall be responsible, as applicable, for recruiting new GMs, removing Board members when necessary, moderating the forums, reviewing GM applications, approving annual storylines, settling GM disputes, altering the Constitution, monitoring teams for infractions, and removing GMs (when necessary), making decisions in the best interest of the league, answering questions, clear communication if/when unforeseen events arise, and any other functions required to maintain the LBL. Above all else, the Board has a responsibility never to abuse its status. The Board may divide responsibility for these tasks amongst themselves in any manner they deem appropriate. When a new version of OOTP is released, the Board will determine a schedule for migration. This will not occur until a.) the LBL is in the off-season, and b.) the Board has had time to review the new version and determine its suitability. Once a schedule has been laid out, all LBL members will be expected to purchase and migrate to the new version by the prescribed date set by the Commissioner.(d) Changes to the LBL Constitution
The LBL Board may make changes to this Constitution with a simple majority vote of eligible voting Board members. Individual GMs, or the LBL Board, may also submit constitutional and league rule changes as a referendum for a full GM vote, at which time the Board will set details and thresholds for ratification prior to the vote. Unless otherwise specified by the Board, all changes to the LBL Constitution will be ratified at Winter Meetings and take effect on the first opening day following Winter Meetings. For example, if a change to the constitution is ratified during the 1915-16 Winter Meetings, it will take effect on opening day of 1916. Article III Exception Any change to Article III of the Constitution requires both Commissioner approval (not subject to veto override) and 67% Board approval.(e) Commissioner’s Veto
The Commissioner, as Chairperson of the Board, has the authority to veto any decision made by the Board members. If the Commissioner chooses to exercise the Commissioner’s veto power, the Commissioner shall provide a written explanation explaining the reasoning underlying the use of such power to all GMs using the standard media for league communication.(f) Overriding a Commissioner’s Veto of a Board Vote
The Board may override a Commissioner’s veto with a Board vote in favor in excess of 67% of vote of eligible voting Board members (i.e., in the event that a Board member is recused from such a vote, that Board member shall also be eliminated from the denominator in determining the percentage of Board votes in favor).(g) Volunteers
Volunteers willing to assist the Board with their duties are welcomed with warm appreciation. While many aspects of league management must be handled solely by the Board, there are several areas where the contributions of members can prove invaluable.Article IV. GMs
Section 1. Application Process
Prospective GMs must complete an application form for consideration by the Board. Applications will be considered by the Board subject to factors and criteria that they may determine in their sole discretion. At minimum, LBL Applications will include a writing sample and consent to the LBL Constitution. The Board may approve new GMs on a simple majority vote.Section 2. GM Responsibilities
The Board will contact GMs who, who in the Board’s view, are neglecting any of the responsibilities set forth in this Article IV.2. Repeated violations may result in removal from the LBL.(a) Exporting
GMs are encouraged to export in advance of every regular season sim (as defined in Article V) regardless of whether or not they have moves to make. GMs are also expected to export in advance of any playoff sims in which their team is participating. Exporting in advance of off-season sims is optional but highly encouraged. However, GMs will not be penalized for missing exports. GMs are encouraged to inform a member of the Board if they are going to miss future sims. An online export tracker is available to assist GMs at www.statsplus.com/LBL. The Board will provide notification on Discord when a new league file is ready. Likewise, a message will be distributed via the standard media for such communications.(b) Roster Management
- The LBL is currently under Reserve Clause rules.
(c) Lineup Management.
GMs are expected to have all applicable lineups, rotations and depth charts fully set up for each team within their organization while that team’s league is in season.(d) Injured List Management.
GMs are required to manage injured players in one of two ways:- Disabled List
- Using the Player Strategy controls to either bench a player or indicate the setting/situation that a player can be used when the status is ‘dtd’ (day to day).
- Release the Player
(e) Personnel Management.
GMs are expected to keep all teams in their organization fully staffed while in season. Any organization which is not fully staffed at the beginning of the season will be given a warning.(f) Responding to Trade Requests
At a minimum, GMs are expected to respond politely to trade proposals. GMs must respond to trade communications within four (4) days of their receipt. The league encourages you to respond withing 24 hours whenever possible. If you have sent a communication to a fellow GM and received no response within this time frame, you may send a complaint to the Board. GMs excused from exports (as set forth in Article IV.2.a) are also excused from responding to trade communications.(g) Participation in Certain LBL Events.
Members are required to participate in several league events and functions. These include:- Providing opinions on topics when solicited by the Board or votes on rule referenda (when distributed)
(h) Writing and Other Contributions to LBL.
The LBL puts a great deal of value on creative writing submission from its GMs as well as other forms of participation. GMs receive CP for taking the time to better the league with their contributions. CP can be exchanged for a variety of useful benefits and writing is the best way to earn them, so contributing news articles is highly recommended for all members. See Articles XI and XII for more information on Contribution Points.Article V. League Play
Section 1. Regular Season Simulation Schedule
During the Regular Season (as defined below), simulations will be completed by the Commissioner or his/her designee pursuant to a schedule provided on Discord at #league-schedul;e. Alterations to the schedule will be announced in advance by the Board to provide members ample time to prepare. The Board will periodically release schedule updates to keep members up to date. As used herein, the term “Regular Season” shall mean the period commencing with the date designated as “Opening Day” and ending with the date designated as “Regular Season Ends” within OOTP.Section 2. Playoff and Offseason Simulation Schedule
During all other periods, simulations may occur more frequently than the schedule set forth in Article V.1. as the schedules of participants allow.Section 3. Simulation Schedule Location
The latest schedule shall be maintained by the Board on Discord at #league-schedule.Article VI. Ballparks
All Ballpark changes are currently vested with the Creative Director. GMs may petition changes to the Creative Director and submit proposals to the Board for review and approval with a simple majority. As the LBL takes great pride in the history and legacy of each franchise, changes to ballparks are to be weighed with the founding principles and culture of the league in mind.Article VII. Financial Management
The LBL is currently under a $90,000 Salary Cap.Section 1. Ticket Prices
Ticket Prices in the LBL are fixed by the LBL Board to prevent Reserve-Era inflation.Section 2. Maximum Cash and Discretionary Fund
Currently, there are no cash nor discretionary fund limits. Cash is allowed in trades.Section 3. Revenue Sharing
There is currently no Revenue Sharing in the LBL, but visiting teams are owed 30% of the gate share from the home field.Section 4. Player Contracts
Player Contracts are limited to one year and extensions are disallowed. While the Board acknowledges the nature of the Reserve Clause era, all contracts are governed by the Common Sense Accord. Any contracts that, in the Board’s view, unreasonably exploit a flaw in the game AI will be subject to restructuring or voiding. GMs are encouraged to contact the Board for guidance before making a contract offer when in doubt.Article IX. Drafts
The LBL Draft will occur each year on/around 20 June. Currently, LBAL and USCBA Players over the age of 18 are eligible for the LBL Draft.Article X. Trades
Section 1. Trading Period
Trades may be made until four weeks prior to the end of the regular season (1902.2) Cash is permitted in trades.Section 2. Announcing Trades
(a) General Process
Once a trade has been agreed to, notification of the agreement should be posted in the “#trade–postings” Discord Channel. Both GMs may include simple instructions on where to assign acquired players in advance of the upcoming simulated games (please keep these brief to keep the workload reasonable).(b) Board Approval Requirements
The Board must review all trades and approve before they are made official. Once approval has been given, the trade will become final and will be reflected in the next sim. Most trades will be passed without question. If any Board member objects to a proposed trade, the Board will vote on a simple majority rule within 24 hours of the Commissioner’s notice. Rejected trades will be communicated to the participating GMs with a brief explanation. The Commissioner may veto any trades or Board rejections, in which case the trade is subject to the same veto and override procedures located in Article III Section 3. Trading of Draft Picks is permitted.Article XI. Stats+
The LBL employs Stats+, an online utility suite, used in parallel with OOTP, which can be found linked from the league’s home page. (Located Here)Article XII. Article Writing & Forum Etiquette
Section 1. Encouragement of Creativity
Article writing is one of the most valued ways that members can contribute to the betterment of the league. GMs are encouraged to use as much creativity, including the use of images and other media in their creations.Section 2. Article Guidelines
When constructing article storylines, please keep the following in mind:- The LBL is set in a fictional baseball universe that mirrors the MLB. Generally speaking, the developing history of the United States will be the same in the LBL (wars, inventions, Presidents, etc).
- Articles must be generally free of spelling and grammatical errors to qualify for Contribution Points.
- While the history of baseball is riddled with racism and prejudice, exercise extreme discretion when writing and communicating these issues.
- Consider the feelings of those whom you will be referencing, including both current and former league members. Disparaging comments towards past or present members will not be permitted.
- Be aware of the league’s fictional timeline and established canon. Articles must adhere to previously established fiction, and anachronisms should not be included in articles.
- It is permissible to reference politics and political figures in a neutral manner. However, staking or advocating specific political positions in articles is to be avoided.
- Hateful or bigoted speech in articles is strictly forbidden and grounds for expulsion from the league.
Article XIII. Summer Meetings and League Writing
The Summer Meetings will be conducted as a non-mandatory live event each off-season. GMs will often have voting roles as representatives of their owners in deliberations with the Player’s Union, Umpire’s Union and the US government. While the Summer Meetings are not mandatory, the all GMs are required to vote on all actions either before or during the event. Votes may be submitted to the Commissioner prior to the event.Article XIV. Current League Settings
- Scouting and Coaching are enabled. Scouting Accuracy is set to High.
- Player creation and statistical baselines are set to Historical Mode.
- GM Control is set to “GM Only”
- Injuries are enabled and set to Low.
- Player Personality Ratings and Morale System are enabled
- The LBL currently plays 120 games per season with no interleague games.
- Normal regular season sims will cover 7 in-game days.
- The LBL is currently set to Reserve Era financial rules.
- The LNL Active Roster is set to 19 Players.
- The RLBL (AAA) Reserve Roster is set to 19 Players.
- The MBL (AA) is set to 35 players.
- DH is not permitted in any league of the LBL.
- All player and coaching ratings are on a 20-80 scale.
- Ratings > Max are not revealed, instead appearing as “80”.
- Box Scores and Game Logs will be kept for all leagues. GM News Logs, Injury Logs, and Transaction Logs will be kept from all leagues.
- Career L/R Splits, Fielding and Postseason Stats will be kept for all levels.
- Fictional Player and Coach Pictures are enabled (normal color).
- Trading with AI-run teams is disabled.
- Draft pick trading is enabled.
- The LBL currently has two segregated major leagues; the Legacy Baseball League and Legacy Negro Baseball League. Each league has its own Academy feeder system.
- The Amateur Draft Pool will be revealed 120 days prior to the draft. The draft will be populated exclusively via feeder league players.
- LBL Playoffs: 4 teams participate (4 division winners). Round 1 (League Cup) is best-of-5 in a 2-3 format. Round 2 (Legacy Cup) is best-of-9 in a 3-3-3 format.
- Minimum Days of Service for one Service Year are 120 in the LBL.
- Players may not be extended nor signed more than one year. AI will arbitrate players after their initial contract based on league player arbitration baselines:
- Super Star: $3316
- Star: $2684
- Good: $2,368
- Above Average: $2,211
- Average: $1500
- Below Average: $1,026
- Fair: $868
- Poor: $632
- Minimum: $392
- Free agents are generated manually each offseason by the LBL Board after analysis of the current player population by quality and position. When fully established, the Academy Feeder Leagues will replace this model.
- The LBL Salary cap is currently set to $90k.
- There is no current cash maximum.