================================================================================ DRAFT (1) A proposal for draft tiers to be determined by advancing to the Divisional Round of the playoffs (i.e. win the division or win the WC series), similar to how only the four teams that won their WC series last year were considered "playoff" teams for draft tiers. I think this is fairer to the WC loser than the current system, and could also eliminate some deliberate tanking. (2) Draft Calendar Goal: To reduce the length of lists, give owners more information as the draft proceeds, and increase trading opportunities. Proposal: The proposal would move away from 24-pick rounds. Instead, each draft day would cover 8 or 12 picks (except for Rounds 8 and 9, which would stay as is). Picks would still be made on M, W, F, with no picks on weekends. The pre-draft, pick-by-pick phase would be unchanged. Rounds 1 and 2 would each be divided into three 8-pick tiers. Rounds 3 through 7 would be divided into two 12-pick tiers. Round 8 would remain a 24-pick list. Round 9 and later would remain combined as one list. To accomplish this, list drafting would start approximately two weeks before it does now and end at approximately the same time. The draft would begin on the third Monday in January. Depending on where the third Monday falls, the draft would run from January 15 through February 26 at the earliest and from January 21 through March 2 at the latest. The Commissioner would have discretion to convert more rounds from 12-pick to 8-pick tiers depending on how far the pick-by-pick phase progresses. For every 8-pick tier finished in the pick-by-pick phase, an additional round can be converted from 12-pick tiers to 8-pick tiers without affecting the overall draft calendar. ================================================================================ INJURIES (1) If a player's card has DL days above 0 and has already served as many or more than his DL days, add 2 to his durability rating prior to rolling for additional injury and days missed. The durability rating is modified only once per season, and a player's modified durability range cannot exceed 8. (Possible alternative version: once a player has served more than his DL days, any subsequent 100% injury becomes 50% instead.) (2) Track injuries concurrently (so in effect, if a player has two 100% injuries in the same week, it would be similar to having one 100% injury.) Reasoning: if a player suffers two injuries in a real MLB game or series, he doesn't have to wait for one of them to heal before beginning to recover from the other injury. Currently we add the duration of the injuries. ================================================================================ ROSTERS (1) Increase the active roster to 27 or 28. Reasoning: MLB clubs can activate and deactivate players after every game, so when they begin a series, they effectively have a larger roster of players to use. This would give IBL teams similar flexibility, and be especially helpful when a series has unexpected injuries or extra inning games. As a side benefit it may reduce the number of activations/deactivations needed after each week, making it easier to manage rosters and reduce work for the registrar. (2) This proposal was voted down in 2016, and would be reproposed: 2016-01) Allow teams to make in-series pitcher transactions due to extra innings or double-headers add section 4.1.2: 4.1.2 Special Pitcher Activations A team may replace pitcher(s) on the active roster with pitcher(s) on the inactive roster after any game that extends beyond the 9th inning, after the completion of a suspended game played on the same day as another game, or anytime during a series with a double-header (including between DH games). Any pitcher activated in this fashion must have been eligible to be activated for the current week (as per 3.2.2). Teams may not sign free agents in this situation, only players on the inactive roster at the start of the series are eligible replacements. Special transactions should be reported with the GRS for the series. Players deactivated in this manner must remain inactive for the next two weeks, just as if they were deactivated after the conclusion of the series. ================================================================================ TRADING (1) Proposed amendment in section 4.2: Trades may be made from December 1 until the newsletter following week 23. And add to section 4.2.1 During the list portion of an in-progress free agent draft, draft picks for that year can only be traded prior to the list deadline set by the draft administrator. My idea is to maybe encourage people to trade up and down picks in the later rounds in the days leading up to each draft list round. ================================================================================ MISCELLANEOUS (1) Goal: Limit pitchers unrealistically pitching a long time fatigued. Proposal: A pitcher may only face 9 batters while fatigued and then must be removed, unless no other pitchers are available. Reasoning: This will still allow owners the flexibility to get their pitchers some extra usage, or eat a couple innings to save the bullpen, but prevent ludicrous situations like a bad pitcher being left in to get destroyed for the whole game. This would never be allowed to occur in a real game, it is a kind of exploit of our usage requirements, and it results in ugly blowouts. (2) Change 3.5 (Extra Starts) so that the starting pitcher can be removed for any reliever after 18 BF. This is more in line with how MLB teams are using their pitchers now. Also, 18 BF matches our cutoff for when a reliever gets credit for a start (3.2.3). (3) In section 3.3.5 (Playoff Eligibility, Limitations, and Restrictions) change all AB+BB requirements to use PA instead. ================================================================================