FNFT Homepage

Every owner must read the FNFT rules and refer to them before asking the Commissioner, "What is the rule on...," or bitching that, "I didn't know there was a rule about..."
The league Commissioner will have final decision and say as to all league rules, arguments and controversies. League members are always welcome to express their opinion on league matters to the Commissioner, however his final decision on any matter cannot be forcibly overturned.
Throughout these rules, any references to Friday games also apply to Tuesday games (or any other day on which and FNFT game is scheduled; rules will also refer to these days as "FNFT game days".) Any references to Saturday games also apply to Wednesday games (or the day after the day of a scheduled FNFT game).

B. THE DRAFT home

A player draft/auction will traditionally be held the Saturday before Opening Day of the Major League Baseball season. The time and place of the draft will be announced by the Commissioner to all league owners. Unless otherwise specified, the draft will be at Tief Lake and begin at 2:00 p.m.
The auction will precede the draft and include 35 players - the top 35 scoring players in FNFT from the previous season, regardless of position. Players who are retired or players who are injured and announced by the media to be out for the entire season can be replaced with the next highest scorer at the decision of the Commission or by vote before the draft. Each team may spend up to 100 FNFT dollars to purchase players. The order in which players are auctioned will be drawn at random. 30 players will be auctioned – the remaining 5 will go into the draft.
If the bid on any player reaches $100, the bidding on that player ends. Then, prior to a count down and pounding of the Ryan Mallett, any other owner who also wishes to bid $100 may do so if they have the available funds. If multiple owners bid $100 on a player, a random draw will determine who gets the player.
The roll of auctioneer will primarily be handled by the Commissioner, but may be taken over by any other owner if the Commissioner is bidding on the current player. The bidding on a player will end with the pounding of the official Ryan Mallett by the Commissioner of the cracking of knuckles on the table by the proxy auctioneer, after which no new bids may be placed.
After the auction, remaining FNFT dollars will determine draft positions. The team having the most money left after the auction will have the first draft pick, the team with the second most money will have the second pick, etc. Ties will be broken by the first team reaching the tied amount getting the higher numbered (worse) pick.
If two or more teams end the auction with $100, there will be a random draw for draft position among those teams. The order selected will hold for ALL rounds of the draft.
All rounds of the draft will follow the same order determined after the auction.
The draft will continue until each team has the required number of players (23) on its roster.
Only players who have an OnRoto ID may be drafted. The commissioner will make a master player list available prior to the draft.
Once a team has the required number of players on its roster, its turn is skipped in all remaining rounds of the draft.
If an owner is unable to attend the draft, he must make provisions for his team to be picked. The preferred method is to have a person not in the FNFT draft the team. Neither the Commissioner, nor any other team owner is obligated to choose or aid in the choosing of a team for an owner who can not attend the draft.
An owner may choose to let the incredible Draft-O-Matic draft his team. In this case, the owner is encouraged to provide the Commissioner auction values for all auction players prior to the draft. If this list is not provided, this players auction bids will be a random value between 5 and 60 for each player.
A Zoom link will be provided so that owners can participate in the draft remotely or view the Draft Board on their personal laptop computers.

C. ROSTERS home

A team's roster shall consist of 23 players who are on a current Major League or Minor League roster or disabled list, or who were on a Major League roster the previous season.
You must carry at least the required number of players who are eligible at each position so as to be able to field a legal starting lineup (see Rule D.2.)
There is no reserve or disabled list.
Once the lineup change window closes for a team's last game of the season, either at the end of the regular season if they do not make the post-season, or after a playoff round that they lose, the players on their rosters are locked and may not be cut or traded to another team. (See Rules K. & L.)

D. STARTING LINEUP & POSITION ELIGIBILITY home

The cut-off time for making lineup changes, pickups, and trades for each FNFT game will be the published start time of the first Major League game on each FNFT game day. The Commissioner will post these times in the official schedule.
Your lineup for each game will be whatever you have it set to at the cut-off time. No changes to your roster or lineup for the current game may be made after this time for ANY reason.
The official clock for determining the lineup cutoff time is the system clock on Tief's home PC, which is synchronized to an online atomic clock and accurate to within about 2 seconds.
Your lineup must consist of the following players: One each of catcher, 1st baseman, 2nd baseman, shortstop, 3rd baseman, three outfielders (no distinction will be made between left, center and right field), one designated hitter (which may be any hitter on your roster), either five or six starting pitchers, and either two or three relief pitchers.
In order for a hitter’s game points to count, he must be in your lineup at an “eligible” position. An eligible position is defined as any of the following:

a. Any position where the player has played 1 or more games in the current season.

b. For the first two games of the FNFT season ONLY: - any position at which he was eligible at the end of the previous season.

c. If a player is making his season debut on an FNFT game day, he may only be played at his 'natural' position as listed on the OnRoto master players list.

In order for starting pitchers to receive points, they must start their Major League game. In order for relief pitchers to get points, they must pitch in relief in their Major League game.
You MUST submit a lineup for the first game of the season. Failure to do so will result in the Commissioner choosing a starting lineup based on draft positions of the players on the team.
If you do not submit a lineup for a particular week after the first week, the previous week's lineup will be used. This practice will be known as Stolting.
If you make an error in your starting lineup which involves playing a hitter out of position, that player will be replaced with the legal player who you most recently played that position. If there is more than one possible substitution, then you will get the player who scored fewer points that week.

E. POINT SYSTEM home

Batters receive points according to the following formula:

a. Run = 1

b. Hit = 1

c. RBI = 2

d. Double = 1 (in addition to the 1 you already get for a hit)

e. Triple = 2 (in addition to the 1 you already get for a hit)

f. Homerun = 3 (in addition to the 1 you already get for a hit)

g. Stolen base = 1

h. Walk = 1

i. Hit by pitch = 1

j. Minimum of R, H, RBI = 1 (e.g. 3 Runs, 4 Hits, 6 RBI = 3 bonus points)

k. 3 Hits = 1

l. 4 Hits = 2 (in addition to the 1 you already get for 3 hits)

Starting Pitchers receive points according to the following formula:

a. Inning pitched = 3 (1 point per 1/3 inning)

b. Hit = -1

c. Run = -1

d. Earned run = -1

e. Walk = -1

f. Strikeout = 1

g. Win = 3

h. Loss = -2

i. Complete game = 2

j. Shutout = 2

k. 10 or more strikeouts = 2

l. 15 or more strikeouts = 2

m. Real Quality Start (Hits + Walks < IP) = 2

n. No hitter = 10

Relief pitchers receive points according to the following formula:

a. Inning pitched = 3 (1 point per 1/3 inning)

b. Hit = -1

c. Run = -1

d. Earned run = -1

e. Walk = -1

f. First strikeout = 1

g. Each additional strikeout beyond first = 2

h. Save = 3

i. Hold = 1 (as defined and posted in OnRoto stats)

i. Loss = -2

j. Clean Outing (Hits + Runs + Walks = 0) = 2

F. STARTING PITCHERS home

You can receive points from at most one starting pitcher each week.
Your starting pitcher of record (the one you get points for) will be the highest in your rotation who starts a game on either Friday or Saturday.
If none of the pitchers in your starting lineup pitches starts a game on either Friday, Saturday, you will not receive points for a starting pitcher for that week.

G. RELIEF PITCHERS home

If you get points from a starting pitcher, you can get points from only one relief pitcher.
If you do not get points for any of your starting pitchers, you can get points from two relief pitchers.
If you are eligible to receive points from two relief pitchers, they must be different pitchers. You cannot get points from the same pitcher on two different days.
Your relief pitcher(s) of record (the one you get points for) will be the highest in your rotation who pitches in relief on either Friday or Saturday.

H. BATTERS home

If a batter in your lineup appears in the starting lineup for his Major League game on Friday, he will receive points for that game.
If that batter is not in the starting lineup on Friday (even if he plays and has multiple at-bats), but is in the starting lineup on Saturday, you will receive points for his Saturday game.
If the batter is not in the starting lineup on either Friday or Saturday, but plays a partial game both days, you will receive points for his Friday game.
If the batter appears in only one game in a reserve role on either Friday or Saturday, you receive points for that game.

I. LEAGUE STANDINGS / SCHEDULE home

The league will consist of 16 teams and be divided into two divisions. Division membership will be determined by draft order following the auction. Teams drafting in an odd numbered position will be in Division 1. Teams drafting in an even numbered position will be in Division 2.
League standings will be kept with wins and losses. The Commissioner will post a 36-game regular season schedule, plus a post-season. Unless changed due to irregularities in the Major League schedule, the FNFT games will be Opening Day of the Major League season, every Friday beginning with the opening week of the season, and every Tuesdays.

Each FNFT game will have one of two designations shown in the chart below. Teams are credited with wins and losses according to the following schedule. The FNFT regular season will consist of 162 wins+losses for each team.

5 (17 times - mostly Fridays)	4 (15 times - mostly Tuesdays)
Entire league plays head-to-head: 1st: 5-0 2nd: 5-0 3rd: 4-1 4th: 4-1 5th: 4-1 6th 3-2 7th: 3-2 8th: 3-2 9th: 2-3 10th: 2-3 11th: 2-3 12th: 1-4 13th: 1-4 14th: 1-4 15th: 0-5 16th: 0-5	Play against only your own division 1st: 4-0 2nd: 3-1 3rd: 3-1 4th: 2-2 5th: 2-2 6th: 1-3 7th: 1-3 8th: 0-4

Weekly ties are broken first by highest score by any hitter, second by highest score for the starting pitcher, third by highest score for the relief pitcher, fourth by second highest score for any hitter, fifth by 3rd highest score by any hitter, and so on.

J. POSTPONEMENTS / MAJOR LEAGUE DOUBLE HEADERS/SCHEDULING QUIRKS home

If a Major League game is postponed on Friday, the game is considered lost. The team's Saturday game will count as any other Saturday would.
If a Major League game is postponed on Saturday, that game is considered lost if the two teams played on the previous Friday night.
If a Major League team's scheduled games are postponed on BOTH Friday and Saturday, a Sunday (Thursday) game(s) will be used to determine points. If the teams involved play a doubleheader on Sunday, the second game can also be used for players who do not play in the first game.
If a Major League team’s games are postponed on Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday, the games are lost and players from those teams will not receive points, unless the Commissioner makes special provisions for this situation.
If a Major League team plays a double header on either Friday or Saturday or both, all games can and will be used. The first game on Friday takes first priority, followed by the second game on Friday, the first game on Saturday, then the second game on Saturday.
If a Major League team does not have a scheduled game on either Friday or Saturday, no provisions will be made to make up the lost games. The Commissioner will attempt to notify all teams ahead of time if this should occur.

K. PICK-UPS home

Teams will be allowed to pick up available players on a first-come-first-served basis. One player may be picked up per FNFT game and must be posted prior to the cut-off time on that game day. Each pickup must be accompanied by cutting a player from your roster.
Three (3) supplemental pickups per team may be made anytime during the regular season. The supplemental pick is subject to all of the same rules as ordinary pickups.
As the Commissioner's discretion, additional supplemental pickups may be added with specific rules for when they can be used.
You may not use more than one supplemental pick for any FNFT game.
Supplemental pickups may not be used in the post-season.
If you use your supplemental pickup, you may not pick up two starting pitchers (as defined by posted position eligibility) for the same FNFT game.
Every player who is picked up must appear in the starting lineup for the team selecting him for the next scheduled game. If you do not do this, the Commissioner will insert the picked up player at his most often played position, replacing the player currently there. Pitchers will be inserted at the lowest position in the order. Outfielders will replace the player who most recently did not appear in the team’s lineup.
You may not trade a player who you pick up until after you have played him at least one game.
Pickups for the next FNFT game can begin being made at one second after the cut-off time for the previous game and up until the cut off time for the current game. This period is defined as the "pick-up window".
Any player who is cut may not be picked up by another team for 24 hours after he is cut. Time posted on the FNFT Roster Management site will determine the official time of the cut.
IAN KINSLER RULE: If a team’s picked up player becomes injured, released, or sent to the minors (must be verified by a published article) before the first FNFT game for which he is eligible and prior to the cutoff pickup deadline, the team may release the player just picked up and select a different player in his place, while still cutting the player who was originally cut.
10-MINUTE RULE: An owner may "undo" his pickup if he changes his mind, mistakenly picks up or cuts the wrong player, etc. He may do so by making another transaction(s) which must involve one or both of the players involved in the first transaction. This correction must occur within ten (10) minutes of the original transaction and prior to the cutoff pickup deadline.
POSTSEASON: Teams involved in the post-season may make one pickup per game that they play in the pickup window for that game (i.e. playoff teams not involved in the wild-card round may not make pickups during the wild-card round.)
POSTSEASON: If a team is involved in the deciding game of a playoff round (Game 3 of the wild-card round or Game 5 of the divisional playoff round) they may make a provisional pickup for Game 1 of the next round once the pickup window opens for that game. If however they lose the deciding game, the provisional pickup will be denied. The player they had picked up will be subject to a 24-hour hold starting at 8:00 a.m. the morning after the deciding game (e.g. A team is in Game 3 of the wild-card round. The lineup cutoff is 1:20 p.m. At 1:21 p.m. they make a pickup for Game 1 of the Divisional Playoffs. On Sunday morning it is determined that they lost Game 3. Their pickup is reversed and the player they picked up is back in the free agent pool and eligible to be picked up at 8:00 a.m. on Monday.) The player that was originally cut may not be picked up by another team until the provisional transaction is resolved and is then subject to his own 24-hour hold.

L. TRADES home

Trades must involve an even number of players from each team so as to maintain proper roster sizes.
Trades must be posted to the FNFT Roster System by one of the two owners involved, prior to the cut off for which the trade takes effect.
No trades will be allowed after the official Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline, whenever that happens to be (typically July 31).
Prior to the trade deadline, trades are restricted such that only teams whose win-loss records are within two times the number or remaining FNFT games, may trade with each other. (e.g. After Game 18, there are 14 FNFT games remaining. Teams may trade if their records are within 28 games of each other.)

M. PLAYOFFS AND WORLD SERIES home

Two division winners and four wild card teams make the playoffs The wild card teams will be the four non-division winning teams with the best win-loss record regardless of which division they are from.
The two division winners get a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The four wild card teams will be seeded 1 through 4 based on their W/L record and tiebreakers. Wild card teams will play a best 2-out-of-3 series in the first round with seed #1 playing seed #4 and seed #2 playing seed #3.
In the second round of the playoffs, the division winner with the best record based on W/L record and tiebreakers, may choose their playoff opponent from among the two wild card series winners. Their choices however must be submitted to the Commissioner in a 1 through 3 ranking from the four wild card teams prior to the start of Game 2 of the Wild Card Series. (It would be logistically impossible for them to have to play their 4th choice.) The non-chosen wild card team will play the second division winner in round two of the playoffs.
All ties for division championships and wild card spot will be decided by total points scored.
The second round of the playoffs will be played in a best 3 out of 5 format.
The winners of the two playoff series will meet in a best-of-seven-game World Series to determine the league champion.
The playoffs will traditionally start the next Tuesday or Friday after the conclusion of the regular season.
The Commissioner will publish a playoff schedule. The playoff schedule will depend in part on the schedule of Major League games on the dates of interest. The playoff schedule may include a doubleheader, but every effort will be made to avoid that.
All Playoff and World Series games are head-to-head with the same lineup deadlines, lineup rules, scoring, and tie breaker rules as in regular season games.
Each team is allowed one pick-up per post-season game that they play (i.e. division winners with byes do not get a pickup for each wild card game). The pickup may only be made during the "pick-up window" for that game. There are no supplemental pickups.
No trades are allowed between the Playoff or World Series participants.

N. LEAGUE FEES/AWARDS home

The fee for ownership of an FNFT team is $30 and must be paid before the draft. This money will be used to purchase stats, the league trophy, and food and beverages at the draft.
There are no cash prizes. The league champion will receive a trophy designed and created by the Commissioner. While the components of the trophy have intrinsic value, the true value of the trophy is considered priceless.