The Three Run Homer League
Rules and Constitution
Contents
1.0 Introduction
1.1 - The Three Run Homer League (TRHL) is an internet-based simulation baseball league that uses the Diamond Mind Baseball (DMB) Game.
1.2 - TRHL play began with the 1995 MLB season disk from Diamond Mind.
2.0 Philosophy and Membership
2.1 - The TRHL is intended for the enjoyment of its members. Active participation via the TRHL website and message board is strongly encouraged. Have fun.
2.2 - All members must have purchased the Diamond Mind Baseball Game from Diamond Mind, as well as the current MLB season disk from Diamond Mind. Pirated copies are illegal. The current season is the 2022 season. There are no dues or fees to play in the TRHL. (All are encouraged, however, to show some signs of gratitude toward those volunteers that have made the TRHL the premier Internet-based DMB league.)
2.3 - The overriding rule of the TRHL is the honor system. Whether it is playing the games, managing your roster, dealing with other owners, or any other league-related activity, honesty is required.
2.4 - The following conditions apply to membership in the TRHL:
2.4.1 - If for any reason a manager should decide to leave the TRHL, please inform the League Office so the team can be offered to someone else.
2.4.2 - If for any reason there is a need for a temporary leave of absence, please inform the League Office. Arrangements can usually be made.
2.4.3 - Fanatical participation is encouraged (rants on the message board, two-dozen trade offers per day, etc). Minimal participation is required and is defined as regularly submitting home series results and voting in all polls.
2.4.4 - TRHL managers not adhering to Rule 2.4.3 shall be contacted by the Commissioner with an inquiry, then if a response is not satisfactory, subject to replacement.
2.4.5 - TRHL managers not adhering to Rule 2.3 (the honor system), in the opinion of the league majority, shall be subject to expulsion and deep loathing.
3.0 Governance
3.1 - Office of the Commissioner
3.1.1 - The league shall be run by the Commissioner, who shall enjoy executive authority over all situations not otherwise provided for in this Constitution, as well as the specifically enumerated powers below.
3.1.2 - The Commissioner shall serve a renewable term of one year. Each term will begin immediately before the annual draft and end immediately prior to the next annual draft.
3.1.3 - Prior to the expiration of the Commissioner's term, there will be an election to determine the next Commissioner. If the current Commissioner desires to serve an additional term, and no one decides to run against him, there will be no election. Any league owner may nominate himself for the office of Commissioner prior to this election.
3.1.4 - The Commissioner has the following powers:
3.1.4.1 - To appoint league officials and delegate powers and duties to them as he sees fit;
3.1.4.2 - To set all schedules and deadlines;
3.1.4.3 - To resolve rule disputes in accordance with the Constitution;
3.1.4.4 - To resolve rule ambiguities, including any situations that are not covered by the rules;
3.1.4.5 - To approve new team owners;
3.1.4.6 - To make minor rule changes, required for automation or streamlining of procedures, provided such changes do not change the spirit of the Constitution; and
3.1.4.7 - To expel owners who do not comply with the rules.
3.1.5 - The Commissioner has the following duties:
3.1.5.1 - To keep the league running in an efficient manner;
3.1.5.2 - To monitor voting for rule changes and Commissioner elections;
3.1.5.3 - To verify all team owners are using legal copies of DMB with Diamond Mind Baseball;
3.1.5.4 - To process each series file; and
3.1.5.5 - To modify the Constitution, as necessary to incorporate all rule changes that pass.
3.1.6 - The commissioner may delegate these duties to any owner, by agreement, as he sees fit.
3.2 - Rule Changes
When a rule change is proposed by an owner, the Commissioner shall allow a sufficient time for discussion of the rule change. If the proposed rule change is seconded by another owner, the Commissioner shall put the proposed change to a vote. If more than half the league votes for the change, then it passes, and the Commissioner then modifies the Constitution to incorporate the change.
4.0 TRHL Play Rules
4.1 - General
All rules are subject to interpretation by the TRHL Commissioner.
4.2 - Leagues
4.2.1 - The TRHL will have two leagues ("National" and "American"), each comprised of two divisions, with six teams in each division. This is subject to change should future league expansion occur. From 1995 to 2004, each league in the TRHL was comprised of three divisions of four teams each.
4.2.2 - The American League will employ the designated hitter (DH) option while the National League will not.
4.2.2 - Starting with the 2022 season, both the AL and the NL will employ the designated hitter (DH).
4.2.3 - The TRHL schedule currently does not provide for interleague play. From 1995 to 2004, the TRHL employed a small amount of interleague play. All scheduled regular-season games are played only between teams in the same league. Each team will play 18 games a season against teams in their own division and 12 games a season against teams in the opposite division, for a total of 162 games.
4.3 - Rosters
4.3.1 - The total roster size, from the re-sign deadline until the three-game series that inclues September 1st (season time) games, is limited to 40 players. Off-season rosters are unlimited in size.
4.3.2 - From Opening Day until the three-game series that includes the September 1st (season time) games, teams must have either 25 or 26 players on the active roster. The remaining players must either be on the disabled list or "farmed" within DMB. No team may have fewer than 25 or more than 26 active players for any reason.
4.3.3 - Beginning with the three-game series that includes the September 1st (season time) games, the active roster may be increased to at most 40 active players, but at least 25 must remain on the active roster at all times.
4.3.4 - Beginning with the three-game series that includes the September 1st (season time) games, the total roster may be increased to at most 50 active players, but the additional players (above 40 players on total roster) can only be signed if needed to maintain an active roster size of 25 players.
4.3.5 - Active postseason roster size can be at most 26 players.
4.3.5.1 - Only players on the regular season roster prior to the three-game series that contains the September 1st (season time) games can be placed on the 26-man postseason roster.
4.3.5.2 - Between the LDS and LCS and between the LCS and the World Series, a team may change their 26-man post-season roster. 4.3.5.1 rule still applies.
4.3.6 - Sometime between the end of the TRHL World Series and the annual free agent draft (general target: January/February), teams must re-sign those players they will be retaining for the upcoming year.
4.3.6.1 - Teams may, upon special request, re-sign players on their team that are not carded for the upcoming season. For example, if a pitcher misses an entire season and is not in the DMB season disk, the team owning that pitcher can still re-sign him.
4.3.6.2 - The TRHL website will automate the process of re-signing players.
4.3.6.3 - The Commissioner will set the deadline for players to be re-signed.
4.4 - Player Salaries
4.4.1 - The total salary of all players on the roster of any team, at any time from the start of the Free Agent Draft until the three-game series that contains the September 1st (season time) games, must not exceed $400.
4.4.1 - From the three-game series that contains the September 1st (season time) games until the off-season, the total salary of all players on the roster of any team must not exceed $410. But this $10 increase is only permitted regarding 4.3.4 (adding 10 extra players as needed in September)
4.4.3 - At the end of the World Series, except for players under a Long Term Contract (see section 4.5 below) each player's salary will be adjusted according to the following formula:
current salary + 15% (round up all fractional remainders), with a minimum salary increase of $2
Example 1) Craig Biggio's previous salary is $56. $56 + .15(56) = 64.4 = $65 (note roundup)
Example 2) Brandon Duckworth's previous salary is $4. $4 + .15(4) = 4.6 = $6 (note $2 minimum increase)
4.5 - Long Term Contracts
4.5.1 - After the draft (but before either the TRHL or MLB season starts, whichever comes first), a team may sign zero, one or two players (a "Contracted Player") to a long-term contract.
4.5.2 - Contracted Players are retained for two years beyond the current year, with no further salary increase. Example: after the 2005 draft, the Halifax Whitecaps sign Todd Helton to a Long Term Contract. Helton will then be eligible to remain with the Whitecaps (or his new team if he is traded) for 2005, 2006, and 2007 at his current salary of $53.
4.5.3 - The Contracted Player may be released at any time, but the owning team will be penalized the amount of the contracted player's normal salary increase (only the increase, not the entire salary) for the each remaining of the contract. Example : after the 2005 season, Todd Helton is proclaimed King of Albania and leaves baseball for Tirana to assume the throne. When he is cut by the Whitecaps, they will suffer a waiver penalty of $8 in 2006 ($53 * .15 = $7.95, rounded up to $8) and $10 in 2007 ($61 * .15 = $9.15, rounded up to $10).
4.5.4 - Any team which signs two players to Long Term Contracts in one off-season may not sign any in the following off-season.
4.5.5 - Once the Contracted Player's contract expires (three complete seasons after signing the contract), he
becomes a free agent and must be released prior to the Free Agent Draft. His current team may not retain him (unless they bid on him in the draft, like everybody else).
4.5.6 - A new owner taking control of a team is permitted to cut without penalty any player with an existing LTC.
4.6 - Free Agent Draft
4.6.1 - At the beginning of each season, two weeks after the deadline for re-signing players, an auction-style draft will be held for available free agents. The free agent draft will be conducted over the TRHL website. This draft will continue until all players that have been nominated have been drafted, and, for three days, no team chooses to nominate further players.
4.6.2 - During the draft, salary cap and roster size restrictions must be maintained. No team may submit a bid, which, if successful, would violate rules 4.3.1 or 4.4.1.
4.6.3 - Any team (via the TRHL website) may nominate any free agent not already nominated (subject to the restrictions in rule 4.6.2) at any time.
4.6.4 - Playing Time Requirements in the Draft
4.6.4.1 - Owners should recognize that they will need approximately 6300 PA for the AL and 6000 PA for the NL. These limits do not consider the quality of team, park factors, and the 110% playing time limit (see below). Therefore 5725 (AL) or 5450 (NL) real-life PA, respectively, will be required if PT maximized. Please note that this is extremely difficult to do.
4.6.4.2 - Owners should recognize that 6300 BFP (5725 real-life) will be needed over the course of a season, similarly to the PA requirements outlined under rule 4.6.4.1.
4.6.4.3 - At the end of the draft, teams must have a minimum of 4500 (4700 if in AL) real-life PA and 4700 real-life BFP.
4.7 - Playing Time Limits
4.7.1 - The following limitations on playing time for batters will be enforced on a series-by-series basis, and EXCEEDING either of them will require the player to be farmed for the remainder of the regular season until September (see 4.7.1.4) and labeled as a permanently farmed player:
4.7.1.1 - A total limitation of 110% (based on PA); and
4.7.1.2 - A limit of 150% vs. LH or vs. RH (based on PA).
4.7.1.3 - Limit 4.7.1.2 applies to only those batters with less than 550 real-life total PA and applies only for that "armed" pitcher against which the batter has the higher real-life OPS (on-base % + slugging %) against.
Example 1) Todd Hollandsworth has an OPS of .800 in 20 PA vs. LH pitching and an OPS of 750 in 300 PAs of RH pitching. He will be limited to 30 PA vs. LH pitching.
Example 2) Jermaine Allensworth has an OPS of .750 in 200 PA vs. LH pitching and an OPS of 800 in 300 PAs of RH pitching. He will be limited to 450 PA vs. RH pitching.
4.7.1.4 - Diamond Mind's replacement level system will be enabled for the month of September. Players that have previously been farmed for exceeding a PT limit can be on the active roster in September but will be at replacement level (hitting and pitching, not fielding).
4.7.2 - Batters are allowed to play anywhere in the field (with a restriction on pitching, see
rule 4.7.3.2) regardless of their fielding ratings.
4.7.3 - The following limitations on playing time for pitchers will be enforced on a series-by-series basis, and EXCEEDING either of them will require the pitcher to be farmed for the remainder of the regular season and labeled as a permanently farmed player:
4.7.3.1 - a total limitation of 110% (based on BFP); and
4.7.3.2 - the use of non-pitchers in the pitching role is limited to a total of 7 IP (approximately 0.5% of a typical IP season total) throughout the season for the entire team.
4.7.3.3 - Pitchers may be used in non-pitching roles (PH, DH, PR, another position); however, if they are used in that manner and make an appearance at the plate before pitching to a batter (except for the SP who bats in the top of the 1st inning), they become subject to the same PA limits as batters. Pitchers who never make an appearance at the plate in a non-pitching role have no limit on their PA.
4.7.4 - Active roster minimum playing time - Batters with fewer than 25 real-life PA and pitchers with fewer than 10 real-life IP may not appear on the active roster of a TRHL team. Players that do not meet these minimum requirements may be drafted, but they are to be farmed and are not allowed to appear on the active roster at any time during the regular season and the playoffs.
4.7.5 - In the event of a shortened MLB season in which fewer than the normal 162 games are played, the TRHL will play a 162-game season, and the player eligibility limits will be adjusted accordingly. These limits will be defined by the League Office in advance of the Annual Free Agent Draft.
4.7.6 - League managers are encouraged to investigate and report potential violations of the usage rule. As with all TRHL matters, it is expected that honesty will prevail with occasional unintentional oversights.
4.8 - Playoff Playing Time Limits
4.8.1 - In each Playoff series, the following limitations on playing time for batters will be enforced on a game-by-game basis, and EXCEEDING any one of them in a single post-season series will require the player to be benched for the remainder of that series:
4.8.1.1 - a total limitation of 8% (based on PA); and
4.8.1.2 - a limit of 12% vs. LHP or vs. RHP (based on PA).
4.8.1.3 - Limit 4.8.1.2 applies only to batters with less than 75 AB (vs. LH) or 300 AB (vs. RH) for that particular platoon split or less than 550 PA (vs. all) and applies only for that "armed" pitcher for which the batter has the higher OPS (on-base % + slugging %) against.
4.8.1.4 - Limits 4.8.1.1 and 4.8.1.2 will be increased 1% for each six extra innings (or part innings) played during the series.
4.8.2 - In each Playoff series, the following limitations on playing time for pitchers will be enforced on a game-by-game basis, and EXCEEDING any one of them in a single post-season series will require the pitcher to be benched for the remainder of that series:
4.8.2.1 - a total limitation of 8% (based on BFP); and
4.8.2.2 - Games started for a pitcher are limited by the following:
0-5 MLB regular season GS: 0 starts per TRHL playoff series
6-15 GS: 1 start per series
16-25 GS: 2 starts per series
25+ GS: 3 starts per series.
4.8.2.3 - Rule 4.8.2.1 still applies to starting pitchers.
4.8.2.4 - Pitchers may be used in non-pitching roles (PH, DH, PR, another position); however, if they are used in that manner and make an appearance at the plate, they become subject to the same PA limits as batters. Pitchers who never make an appearance at the plate in a non-pitching role have no limit on their PA.
4.8.2.5 - Limit 4.8.2.1 will be increased 1% for each six extra innings (or part innings) played during the series.
4.8.3 - Playing time percentages are the final arbiter of playing time limits in all cases. If a player is displayed at 110% within DMB, he has not exceeded Limit 4.7.1.1, even if he has had 110.4% of his real-life plate appearances.
4.9 - Free Agents, Player Releases
4.9.1 - Teams can release players into the free agent pool at any time between the end of the draft and the end of the World Series.
4.9.1.1 - A player released in a given series (Series X) is not eligible to be signed by another team until the start of the next series (Series X+1).
4.9.1.2 - The team that releases a player must wait until the start of the series after next (Series X+2) to re-sign that player (presumably at a lower price).
4.9.1.3 - Players may be released conditionally by teams seeking to sign a free agent, and will only be released if that team is successful in signing the free agent. The conditional release of players occurs at the end of a given series (Series X) and these conditionally released players will be eligible to be signed at the start of the next series (Series X+1) or the following series (Series X+2) by the player's original club.
Example 1) Team Emanski releases Gookie Dawkins within Series 23. Gookie is then eligible to be signed by all teams other than Team Emanski at the start of Series 24. Team Emanski cannot re-sign Gookie until the start of Series 25.
Example 2) Team Emanski, upon signing Andy Fox, conditionally releases Corky Miller at the end of Series 16. All other teams are then eligible to sign Corky at the start of Series 17. Team Emanski cannot re-sign Corky until the start of Series 18.
4.9.2 - Available free agents can be signed any time between the end of the draft and the end of the World Series. Bidding on free agents is done via the TRHL website, which lists all available free agents. At the end of each series, the team with the highest bid on a player signs the player.
4.9.2.1 - Only players on the current season's DMB season disk are eligible free agents.
4.9.2.2 - In the event of a tie bid, the team with the current worst record will acquire the player. (If teams with tied bids also have the same record, a winner will be chosen randomly).
4.9.2.3 - The salary of the acquired free agent shall be the bid itself or the second highest bid plus $1, whichever is lower.
4.9.3 - Free agents signed beginning at the end (during the file droning) of the three-game series that includes the September 1st (season time) games cannot be retained in the off-season. Or, should MLB's real-life September occur before TRHL's September, then that will be the time point for which players signed afterward cannot be re-signed.
4.10 - Trades
4.10.1 - Trades can occur any time except between the period: August 1st (season time) and the end of the World Series.
4.10.2 - Trades must be entered at the TRHL website's trade page.
4.10.3 - All trades are subject to roster size and salary cap restrictions (rules 4.3.1 and 4.4.1), except during the off-season.
4.10.4 - Trades may only include players; trades may not involve roster cash, players to be named later, or any "future considerations", including "side deals".
4.10.5 - Trades must be an exchange of players. Both teams involved each need to trade away at least one player.
4.11 - Farm Team (Reserve Roster)
4.11.1 - Players on a team roster but currently inactive comprise the farm team. Injury-list players are not part of the farm team.
4.11.2 - A player can be farmed between any three-game series. Players cannot be farmed within a three-game series. Once farmed, a player must remain on the farm for a minimum of 12 games.
4.11.3 - Exceptions to 4.11.2 are (1) a recently-farmed (fewer than 12 games on farm) player can be recalled if replacing someone sent to the DL and (2) a player can be farmed within a three-game series because another player is coming off the DL.
4.11.4 - Farmed players' salaries count against the salary cap.
4.12 - Injuries
4.12.1 - The TRHL will use the 'Actual' option in DMB for generating injuries.
4.12.2 - An injured player may be placed on the Injured List (IL). His stay on the DL must be at least 10 days or the length of his injury, whichever is greater.
4.12.3 - Catchers' injury ratings of Very Prone and Prone will be changed to Normal prior to the start of the season.
4.12.4 - The injury setting will be turned off for the postseason. Injuries will be erased at the end of the regular season for players on postseason teams.
4.13 - Stadiums
4.13.1 - Teams are not permitted to change stadiums during the course of a season.
4.13.2 - During the off-season, teams can move to an available stadium on a first-come, first-serve basis.
5.0 TRHL Titles and The TRHL Playoffs
5.1 - Tiebreakers
5.1.1 - Except as set our below, all ties between teams will be broken using the following criteria:
5.1.1.1 - For two-way ties:
1. head to head records
2. intra-division records
3. coin toss
5.1.1.2 - For three-way (or greater) ties:
1. intra-division records
2. coin toss (the Commissioner has the ability to toss a three-sided coin)
5.2 - Division Champions - At the conclusion of the regular season, each Division will crown a Division Champion based on the total number of regular season wins.
5.2.1 - If two or more teams end the season tied with the highest total number of wins in a Division, ties shall be broken by the Tiebreaker in rule 5.1, unless one of the teams would not make the Playoffs under Rules 5.3 and 5.4.
5.2.1.1 - If two teams are tied, they will play a one-game head-to-head playoff to determine the Division Champion. The home team for the playoff will be determined by the Tiebreaker in Rule 5.1.
5.2.1.2 - If three teams are tied, end the season tied with the same total number of wins, the Tiebreaker will determine which team is the "Bye Team". The other two teams will play a one-game head-to-head playoff, with the home team to be determined by the two-team Tiebreaker. The winner of that game will then play a home game against the "Bye Team" to determine the Division Champion.
5.3 - League Playoffs
In each League, a Playoff will be held between the two division champions and two Wild Card Teams, to be determined under rule 5.4. The League Playoffs will determine the League Champion.
5.4 Wild Card Teams
5.4.1 - In each league, the two Wild Card teams are the two teams that are not Division Champions with the most regular season wins.
5.4.2 - If two or three teams end the season tied with the same total number of wins, ties will be broken in an identical manner to that prescribed under "Division Playoffs", above.
5.5 - The League Playoffs shall consist of two semifinal series, and a final series between the winners of those semifinals, according to the DMB playoff structure. The Division Champions shall be seeded 1st and 2nd, the Wild Card teams 3rd and 4th, based on the number of regular season wins. The Tiebreaker in Rule 5.1 will be used if teams have identical records.
5.5.1 - All series are best of seven in a 2-3-2 format, with the higher-seeded team (1st is highest) hosting the first two and last two games. There is one of day after games two and five of each series.
5.6 - The League Champions will contest the TRHL World Series. In the World Series, played according to rule 5.5.1, the team with the most regular season wins will host games one, two, six, and seven. In need of a tiebreaker, a coin toss will determine home field.
5.7 - There are two off-days scheduled before the beginning of each playoff round. If a playoff series ends in fewer than seven games, the ensuing round does not start any earlier (instead, the involved teams get more days off).
6.0 Random Stuff
6.1 League will employ the three-batter-minimum or end-of-inning for pitchers in a game.
6.2 League will employ the no-pitch IBB option.