Regular Season – Adding Players
After the initial load of the master list in December,
players will be added to the master list only for these
reasons:
- They are promoted to a major league roster AND earn
major league statistics.
- They are a number one draft pick in the amateur draft.
This is only for one of the top 30 picks and does not
include any of the supplemental picks.
Putting this another way, no players will be added to the
list between January and April – despite signings of players
from Japan, Korea, Cuba, etc. and despite any expectations
that a minor leaguer not currently on the BWB list will make
a major league roster. These players must play in a regular
season game before they make our list.
Regular Season – Removing Players
A player is de-listed immediately if during the season
he:
- Dies
- Retires
- Plays in Japan, Mexican, or other foreign leagues.
- Plays in the Northern League or other independent,
non-affiliated minor leagues.
In a league where any of these players are on the free
agent list, they are immediately removed, without notice or
announcement to the league. If one of these players is on a
roster, he will remain on that roster until the team owner
releases him. The team has the option to retain the player
throughout the season – particularly since the BWB playoffs
use statistical performances throughout the entire second
half of the regular season. Once that player is released, he
will be removed from BWB and not returned to the free agent
list. A player in this situation can neither be traded nor
signed to a long-term contract.
Exception for deceased players: If a player dies
during the season, he will also be removed from any BWB
rosters (provided that it doesn't make the roster illegal,
and in that case the player will be removed at the first
opportunity later in the season). It's kind of arbitrary,
but it just seems a little macabre to keep a player in that
situation. If the team is due a salary rebate, it will be
credited.
Note on First Round Draft Picks
A player added to the master list as a top draft pick
does not have to play that season to maintain a spot on the
BWB player list. However, he must sign a contract by the
time of the Rule V Draft in December or he will be removed
immediately from all rosters and free agent lists. There is
no salary rebate for players lost in this way – teams that
carry them over do so at that risk. (Note – recent changes
in MLB require contacts to be signed much earlier than that
– so you should be able to know this in time for carry over
decisions).
Positions
Players are eligible to play in BWB at positions
depending on what they did the previous season. There are
two categories of positions - Primary and Secondary. NOTE:
Primary and secondary positions are only important during
start-up drafts. Once the season starts, a player can be
placed in the lineup at any position he's listed for -
primary OR secondary.
Players are listed based on their stats in the previous
year. Players who appear in 20 games or more at a given
position have that position listed as a primary position.
Players who are at a position for fewer than 20 games, but
appear at that position in more than 5.5% of his total games
will have that position listed as a secondary position. If
a player does not have a primary position, then the
secondary position used the most will become his primary
position. If a player doesn't have enough games to qualify
at any position, for either primary or secondary uses, then
he is eligible only as a DH. Minor leaguers with no major
league experience the previous year will be listed at known
positions based on some documented source.
Additional Positions During the Season
During the season, a player can have a position added to
his qualifications using the following criteria: Starts at
the position in 5 consecutive appearances OR 10 games
total. While the Commissioner's Office will attempt to keep
on top of this, please notify it when you think your player
is eligible, giving the proper dates to document the claim.
As of 2004, BWB Management has a fairly reliable way to
check the 5-consecutive game rule. To simplify the process,
only appearances in the field are used to determine the
5-game streak. If a player is used as a pinch hitter, pinch
runner, or as a DH, those games will not break up a streak.
Starting Pitchers or Relief Pitchers?
Pitchers are listed as starters or relievers only as a
guide. You may place a pitcher in either position, but only
starts will count for starters, and only relief appearances
will count for relievers. This position designation in the
player lists will not be changed during the season.
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