HBLBASEBALL.COM :: Hickory Baseball League

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AL EAST
Team	W	L	GB
BALTIMORE	0	0	0
BOSTON	0	0	0
NEW YORK (A)	0	0	0
TORONTO	0	0	0
CLEVELAND	0	0	0

AL WEST
Team	W	L	GB
DETROIT	0	0	0
MINNESOTA	0	0	0
ANAHEIM	0	0	0
OAKLAND	0	0	0
SEATTLE	0	0	0

NL EAST
Team	W	L	GB
WASHINGTON	0	0	0
NEW YORK (N)	0	0	0
PITTSBURGH	0	0	0
CINCINNATI	0	0	0

NL WEST
Team	W	L	GB
HOUSTON	0	0	0
ST. LOUIS	0	0	0
CALGARY	0	0	0
LOS ANGELES	0	0	0
SAN DIEGO	0	0	0
SAN FRANCISCO	0	0	0
COLORADO	0	0	0
MILWAUKEE	0	0	0

Rules

The Hickory Baseball League (HBL) is an online simulation baseball league using Out of the Park Baseball (OOTP) and it was established in June of 2001 (real-time). The HBL is a modified modern version of Major League Baseball (MLB), as it incorporates 20 of the MLB's teams. The teams that were contracted by the HBL upon creation of the league were the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies were contracted after the 2022 season.

A. LEAGUE STRUCTURE

The HBL consists of 20 teams, divided into two separate leagues. Furthermore, each league is divided accordingly into two separate divisions. The names of the leagues and divisions are:

American League (AL) National League (NL)

Eastern Division Eastern Division

Western Division Western Division

B. SIMULATION SCHEDULE

The HBL runs three simulations per week, which take place on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 12:00 PM EST. All team exports will be due by 12:00 PM EST the day of the simulation and they must be sent using the FTP tool inside of OOTP.

C. LEAGUE OFFICE

The Commissioner presides over the entire HBL and has final say on every issue. The Assistant-Commissioner is second in power and maintains the day-to-day operations of the HBL. The League Presidents help maintain their respective league. The Consultants serve as helpers who lend a hand whenever possible.

The Commissioner, combined with the Ast-Commissioner, League Presidents and Consultants, make up the League Office. The current members are:

Commissioner Asst Commissioner

Robert Glass (ANA) Matthew Pepe (CGY)

American League President National League President

TBA TBA

D. CURRENT OOTP VERSION

The HBL uses the latest patched version of OOTP2007 or OOTP8 (same game) to simulate all games. It is necessary that each team owner own a copy of OOTP2007 or OOTP8. All team owners must keep up-to-date on the latest patches to ensure compatibility with the Commissioner's version of OOTP.

E. GAMEPLAY SETTINGS

There are some settings that OOTP uses for gameplay that have been modified by the League Office to better suit the HBL. These settings are, for the most part, the core of OOTP's gameplay. However, not all the settings are relevant to online simulation baseball league's such as the HBL, so those settings will be ignored in this section.

F. BASIC SETUP

The basic setup of the HBL looks like this:

League Options Player Ratings Options

League Mode: Career Ability Ratings Scale: 1 - 10

Financial System: Enabled Talent Ratings Scale: 1 - 5

Coaches / Scouts System: Disabled Other Ratings Scale: 1 - 20

Simulate Minors: Enabled Show Star Rating: Yes

Show Ratings > 100: No

G. FINANCIAL SETUP

The financial setup of the HBL looks like this:

Basic Options Advanced Options

Financial System: Enabled Standard Roster Limit: 25 Players

Salary Cap: None 40-Man Roster Rule: Enabled

Revenue Cap: $75,000,000 Waiver Rule: Enabled

Team Cash Maximum: $35,000,000 Waiver Period: 13 Days

National TV Contract: $29,000,000 (all teams) Designated for Assignment Period: 14 Days

Minimum Player Salary: $100,000 Minor League Option Years: Enabled

Rule 5 Draft: Disabled

Salary Arbitration: Enabled

Minimum Days for 1 Service Year: 172 Days

Minor League Free Agents: Disabled

H. ENGINE SETUP

The engine setup of the HBL looks like this:

Basic Engine Setup Player Evaluation AI Setup

Internal Game Engine: OOTP2007 Engine Ratings Weight: 40%

Baseball Era: Modern Baseball (1980+) Current Year Stats Weight: 40%

Home Field Advantage: Enabled Last Year Stats Weight: 15%

Year Before Last Stats Weight: 5%

I. MISCELLANEOUS SETUP

The miscellaneous setup of the HBL looks like this:

Player Injuries / Fatigue Amateur Draft Setup

Injuries: Enabled Number of Draft Rounds: 10-20*

Injury Frequency: Normal Draft Time: June 1st

Position Player Fatigue: Enabled Signing Bonuses: None

J. OWNER PROTOCOL

The team owners of the HBL are welcome to manage their team anyway they see fit, but the League Office expects all team owners to make an effort to field a winning club intrinsic to competitive gameplay and correlative enjoyment.

The purpose of the HBL is to have fun, so any team owner who threatens, is abusive, attacks other team owners, or, in any way, tries to undermine the HBL, will be subjected to immediate grounds for dismissal.

All team owners must have America Online's Instant Messenger™.

K. ROSTER MAINTENANCE

1. All teams must carry 25 players on their active roster at all times. Once the playing schedule reaches September 1, the active roster may be expanded to 40 players until the end of the regular season. Also, if a player has a major league contract, he must be placed on the 40-man roster. However, if a team wishes to remove a player from the 40-man roster, the player must clear waivers. It is the team owner's responsibility to make necessary lineup changes to keep the active roster at the 25-man level.

2. All teams' minor league system consists of three levels, which are Single-A (A), Double-A (AA) and Triple-A (AAA). There can be a maximum of 50 players at each minor league level. It is the team owner's responsibility to promote / demote players to and from the active roster, including within the minor league system.

3. All teams must use a five-man starting pitching rotation until the playing schedule reaches September 1. Furthermore, three-man starting pitching rotations are not allowed until the final simulation of the regular season.

4. We no longer have limits on the hit and run and stealing slider, but we ask that owners please keep stolen bases at a realistic setting.

5. Any player who has suffered an injury may be placed on the 15-day disabled list. Once a player is placed on the 15-day disabled list, he must stay there for at least 15 days. When a player heals from an injury, he must be placed back on an active roster immediately.

L. SPECIAL REQUESTS

1. If a team has a week of devastating injuries, they may be eligible to go with a four-man starting pitching rotation for one simulation, provided that they sign a player from free agency to fill-in for the following simulation. The team owner must discuss the situation with their respective League President or the Commissioner.

2. The HBL simulates seven days each simulation, so that sometimes interferes with players who were placed on the 15-day disabled list, as players sometimes have to sit out an entire simulation because they are injured for just one day. Therefore, the HBL will accommodate teams who run into this problem.

If a player is injured for just the first day of a simulation, the player will be edited down so that he is healthy. However, the team owner has to create a thread in the Injury Exemptions forum before the player is ready to come back, so that he can be edited before the next simulation.

It will be up to the team owner of any player to bring this situation to the Commissioner's attention.

M. NEW TEAM OWNERS

1. All new team owners will go through a break-in period. During this period, which lasts six simulations, new team owners must discuss any possible trades with the League Office. If the trade is approved, then the trade will go through.

2. After the third simulation of the break-in period, the League Office will start to become more lenient. However, please do not try to make a big splash by immediately making the team's best players available for trading, as most veteran team owners do not appreciate that. It is best to wait a few simulations to get a better feel for the team before making serious changes to it.

3. If any new team owner needs advice or help, please ask the League Office.

N. TRADING

1. If two teams agree to a trade, one team owner has to create a thread in the Completed Trades forum and the topic title should include the name of both teams. In the body of the thread, a link to each players' page must be included. Finally, the other team owner must respond to the thread to confirm the trade.

2. Any trade can involve cash. Cash will not change hands until the playoffs are completed. However, in order to trade cash, there must be at least one player from each team being traded. No player can be traded straight up for cash.

3. The trading deadline is July 31.

4. If a player with a contract over $15m per year or more is traded or waived (and claimed), the team waiving or trading the player has to pay a 10% tax to the front office. The 10% tax is on the remaining total contract.

O. RELEASING PLAYERS

Any player can be given their outright release, regardless of their contract situation. If a team releases a player with a major league contract, they will be forced to pay the player's entire contract. If a team owner wishes to release a player, they can do so when sending their team export.

P. DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT

1. The purpose of the Designated for Assignment (DFA) spot is so that after a roster move is made by a team, whether by a waiver claim, signing a free agent or trade, the team owner has an opportunity to place the player wherever they would like on their roster. When this action is taken, the player is removed from both the active roster and the 40-man roster. 2. Any player placed on DFA can be left there for 15 days, which is a total of two simulations. If they are left on DFA for more than 15 days, then the Commissioner will decide where to place the player. In the event the player cannot be placed on the active roster or in the minor leagues, the player will be given his outright release. 3. If a player has a major league contract, then he must be placed on the 40-man roster before he is removed from DFA and placed on the active roster, sent to the minor leagues or given his outright release. 4. If a player has been placed on DFA more than once in a single season without being waived or traded, he will not be eligible to be placed on DFA for the rest of the season. Any team owner that does not adhere to the rule will be subjected to a substantial fine.

Q. FINANCIAL SYSTEM

1. All team owners are responsible for maintaining their own income and they are accordingly responsible for making an effort to turn a profit each season.

2. There is no salary cap.

3. A revenue cap is in effect; no team may make more than $75,000,000 per season, not including playoff revenue. If any team makes more than $75,000,000, the remaining money will be removed from the team's revenue.

4. A cash cap is in effect; no team can have more than $35,000,000 in cash reserves at any point during a season. If any team is over $35,000,000 when the season ends, it will be cut down automatically.

5. Playoff revenue is determined within OOTP.

6. All teams may change ticket prices at any time during the season or playoffs.

R. AMATEUR DRAFT

1. The Amateur Draft is held every season on June 1 and it is conducted using the HBL's Amateur Draft Software.

2. The Amateur Draft will be 10-20 rounds long and it will be in a straight 1-24, 1-24 order. All teams will take turns selecting players in reverse order of their won-loss records at the close of the previous regular season.

3. The HBL will use rookies generated by OOTP.

4. NEW! Trading of future draft picks is allowed, beginning with the conclusion of the 2026 postseason.

Teams can only make one trade involving a first round draft pick every two drafts. So if you make a trade involving a first round draft pick, you cannot make another trade involving a first round draft pick the following draft.

A draft is not said to be completed until June 2nd.

5. All players that were drafted in the first round cannot be traded until the next amateur draft is completed (June 2nd). Any draft pick can be given their outright release at any time.

S. PLAYER ARBITRATION

The HBL uses player arbitration, which means that once a player reaches three full service years, he will no longer have a yearly contract of $100,000. After a player's third season, OOTP will determine a fair arbitration salary for the player.

The HBL front office will post arbitration estimates on the forum before the start of the HBL playoffs. These are purely estimates, and real arbitration values may differ.

If a team owner agrees to the player's estimated arbitration contract for the following season, then nothing needs to be done. However, if the player's estimated arbitration contract is not to the team owner's liking, they can release him prior to the beginning of the following season.

All players get three years of a $100,000 contract, followed by three years of an arbitration contract, before becoming eligible for free agency after their sixth season.

T. IN-SEASON CONTRACT EXTENSIONS

1. In-Season extensions run from July 1st until one sim after the completion of the World Series. Keep in mind the entire post-season is often simmed in one night.

Players are only eligible for extensions at the following times:

- The player is in the final year of a major league contract.

- The player is currently receiving an arbitration salary and has at least 5 years and 1 day of major league service time.

To find out who is a possible free agenty, in your team menu, go to "Front Office" and then "Possible Free Agents". Note that this may not include arbitration players.

2. To offer an extension, simply click on the player name and select "Offer Extension". The player will them inform you of his demands.

* The maximum amount of years for any extension is 4, regardless of how many the player asks for.

* There is no more rule against escalating or de-escalating contracts, but please do not get crazy. As a rule of thumb, it would be best to keep all yearly offers within 25% of each other. If we see crazy escalating contracts (eg 5m, 5m, 20m you will be removed from the league, so please don't try it)

* All eligible bonuses and clauses may be used, however there are limits to bonuses: no MVP or Cy Young Award bonus may be more than 10% of the player's total guaranteed contract. (for example, if you offer a player $15m x 4 or $60m total, the bonus could not be more than $6m) no At Bat or Innings Pitched bonus may be more than $1m. Please keep at bat and innings pitched bonuses realistic. Do not offer a player a 700 at bat or 300 innings pitched bonus. Any unrealistic offers will be deleted and a fine may be levied.

3. There is a limit to how many players can be extended each season:

* If your team did not make the playoffs in the previous season, you may sign 3 extensions (not including players who accept minor league contracts).

* If your team did make the playoffs in the previous season, you may sign 2 extensions (not including players who accept minor league contracts).

* Please do not make more offers than you are eligible for. If a team signs more extensions than they are eligible for, that team will be substantially fined and the player will be released at the end of the season.

* NEW! If a player has played 12 seasons or more (does not need to be consecutive) with your franchise, he does not count towards the player limit.

* NEW! Each team will be allowed to sign one additional player for less than $1.5m per season (average annual salary).

U. IN-SEASON FREE AGENTS

1. The League Office may implement and modify, as necessary, reasonable procedures for signing In-Season Free Agents.

2. You may offer a minor league contract to an In-Season Free Agent.

3. If a team would like to sign an In-Season Free Agent, the team owner can navigate to the FREE AGENCY section in the HBL menu (in-game). Right click on the player that you would like to make an offer to and select "Offer Contract".

4. Please do not offer any contract more than 1 year in length. Also, please limit your offers to one or two players per sim.

V. OFFSEASON FREE AGENTS

1. Offseason free agency begins 2 file releases after the conclusion of the World Series (typically 3 days from the end of WS).

2. To offer an player a contract, simply click on the player name and select "Offer Contract". The player will them inform you of his demands.

* The maximum amount of years for any extension is 4, regardless of how many the player asks for.

* All eligible bonuses and clauses may be used, however there are limits to bonuses: no MVP or Cy Young Award bonus may be more than 10% of the player's total guaranteed contract. (for example, if you offer a player $15m x 4 or $60m total, the bonus could not be more than $6m) and no At Bat or Innings Pitched bonus may be more than $1m. Please keep at bat and innings pitched bonuses realistic. Do not offer a player a 700 at bat or 300 innings pitched bonus. Any unrealistic offers will be deleted and a fine may be levied.

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