2009 PROPOSALS

PROPOSAL #1 – EXTRA WILD – *This proposal Failed by a 19 – 9 vote.

To add an extra WILD CARD team to each League. This would be the team with the second best record that is not a division winner. The Extra Wild Card team would play the Wild Card in a one game elimination to move forward in the playoffs, with the Wild Card Team with the better record having Home Field Advantage for the “Wild Card Game”.

Reason for the Proposal: What this would accomplish is three fold. 1st, there could be more races and chances for teams to make the playoffs. More teams would be “In” the Wild Card hunt, therefore keeping the league owners more interested. 2nd, it would give teams more opportunity to still have a chance, which could help promote more trading partners. 3rd, it would give the League winner a larger advantage in the Division Series, because the Wild Card Game winner would have probably thrown his #1 starter to try and win that game. The Extra Wild Card Team might not have thrown his #1, since he might have to use his #1 starter to actually win that spot during the regular season.

Proposed by – John “Stray” Corrado – Chicago Mobsters

PROPOSAL #2 – SEASON FACTORS – *This proposal Passed by a 23 – 5 vote.

All players who have an SF (Season Factor) rating below 100 will have that rating increased to 100, and their PR (Play Rating) rating decreased accordingly.

Reason for the Proposal: Owners have a difficult time determining the usage for a player with less than 100 SF, so we can simplify the process, by altering all those below 100 accordingly. Example: A player who is 1000/75 will be adjusted to 750/100.

Proposed by – Steve Cutler – Hollywood Werewolves

PROPOSAL #3 – BATTERS FACED – *This proposal Passed by a 23 – 5 vote.

Change from using innings pitched to batters faced in our calculations as they apply to player usage rule.

Reason for the Proposal: From the Hardball Times BFP Batters Faced by Pitcher- “The pitching equivalent of Plate Appearances for batters”. Why are we not using the same unit for pitchers as we are hitters? The rule is not supposed to care about a player’s ability while enforcing usage. Continuing to use innings pitched (which is a performance unit of measure) is wrong.

Proposed by – Dave Myers – Tijuana Bottle Rockets

PROPOSAL #4 – DRAFT & DEVELOP – *This proposal Failed by a 12 – 16 vote.

Un-Carded players that are drafted starting with players in 2010 MWBL Draft if kept on your roster for 3 full seasons, and then expire due to usage, by using your next year’s 1st round draft pick or higher, you would have the right to protect this player for one more year. Thus giving him a 1 year un-carded contract after his 3 year one has expired.

Reason for the Proposal: Drafting a player and developing him for 3 years in your minors and having him fall short is a big loss. By passing this proposal if you lose (1) one player you would have the option to spend your 1st round pick or higher to protect this player for one more season.
To Clarify more -Your team’s first round pick, or any higher pick if it has been traded .

Proposed by – John “Stray” Corrado – Chicago Mobsters

PROPOSAL #5 – REDUCE ACTIVE ROSTER – *This proposal Failed by a 20 – 8 vote.

Reduce active rosters during the series from 27 to 26.

Reason for the Proposal: The MWBL is the only league I know that has 27-man active rosters. Many teams will carry 12 or 13 man pitchers (stacked with high grade, low inning relievers) and/or batters with very low at-bats – that are only used for pinch hitting. Essentially, it creates an unrealistic game play if a manager has 27 players at his disposal for any given series.

Proposed by – Jason Kerns – Camarillo Quest

PROPOSAL #6 – PITCHING CHANGE #1 – *This proposal Failed by a 18 – 10 vote.

Starting pitchers may not be pulled from a start for (3) innings unless thus said pitcher gives up:
1. He gives up 3 runs (earned or unearned)
2. He allows 7 base runners via hits, walks or hit by pitch (errors don’t count).

Reason for the Proposal: We need to make it so starters are used in a more realistic way.

Proposed by – John “Stray” Corrado – Chicago Mobsters

PROPOSAL #7 – PITCHING CHANGE #2 – CITO GASTON – *This proposal Failed by a 21 – 7 vote.

Any pitcher (starter or reliever) MUST be removed at the end of the current inning if they have given up eight (10) runs (earned or unearned).

Reason for the Proposal: We need to make it so starters and relievers are used in a more realistic way. We have too many games that a single pitcher is allowed to “Take one for the team”, and is left out there for too many runs. It is not very likely that a Major League Pitcher will give up 10+ runs, and be left out on the hill. Let’s start using these players in a more typical fashion, and not just put out there to be used in a non-baseball way.

Proposed by – John “Stray” Corrado – Chicago Mobsters

PROPOSAL #8 – STEALS ACROSS THE BOARD – *This proposal Passed by a 28 – 0 vote.

We adjust steals percentage last year based on steal success rate. Some players get 125% (30+ Steal Success) of their stolen base attempts. Some players get 115% (29- Steal Success) of their stolen base attempts. Let’s just change it and make it straight up 120%.

Reason for the Proposal: This is creating a ton of extra work trying to track this, let’s just simplify the rule and makes it 120% of attempted steals.

Proposed by – John “Stray” Corrado – Chicago Mobsters

PROPOSAL #9 – REMOVE RAIN-OUTS FROM THE GAME- *This proposal Passed by a 20 – 8 vote.

Set the League Parameters up so No-Rain Outs can occur.

Reason: Rainouts add unnecessary complication to the game, often requiring play during the default portion of our weekly schedule. Rainouts can make things more difficult for teams by taking up days that the other teams can use to rest. Teams can be up big and fail to win because of a rainout before a game is official, and the time used feels wasted. Conversely, a shortened game will benefit the team in the lead without allowing the full 9 innings to decide the better team. Typically, a makeup game at the very end of a season that has no effect on the playoffs in MLB is not played; if we do that, we could miss out on adding to statistics for career totals and league records, as well as affecting the draft order. We should be determining the winner on the field with the same conditions for all teams, without the randomness of weather.

Proposed by – Casey Hoch – Fremont Cannons

PROPOSAL #10 – UN-RESTRICT DRAFT PICKS BY MONTH- *This proposal Passed by a 19 – 9 vote.

Propose that these restrictions be lifted and that any picks can be traded at any time, except for freeze periods as designated by the commissioner.

Reason: It over complicates the league, and any way we can simplify it aids in making the league more fun.
Both of these are making trading stricter than it has to be. Trading is one of the things that builds relationships in the league, so I think we should encourage it as much as possible, rather than restrict it.

Proposed by – John Niespodzianski – Pittsburgh Lumber Company

PROPOSAL #11 – FULL TRADING IN AUGUST- *This proposal Passed by a 20 – 8 vote.

Propose that trading be allowed between leagues up and through August.

Reason: It over complicates the league, and any way we can simplify it aids in making the league more fun.
Both of these are making trading stricter than it has to be. Trading is one of the things that builds relationships in the league, so I think we should encourage it as much as possible, rather than restrict it.

Proposed by – John Niespodzianski – Pittsburgh Lumber Company

PROPOSAL #12 – SWITCH SOFTWARE – *This proposal Failed by a 13 – 15 vote.

The APBA software that we currently use is nearly obsolete and lacking in on-line head to head capabilities.

Reason: There are several software companies out there that produce a superior product (and have been doing so for 10+ years since APBA last came out with an update)- such as Strat-O-Matic or Action PC Baseball. The technology we are using is nearly 10 years old and a “new” version has been promised for years, but there has been no recent news from APBA on the matter. Features just as pinch hitting abilities, clutch hitting, improved lefty / right performance for batters and pitchers, etc. would greatly enhance the game. The results that I currently see in MWBL rarely seem to match real-life performance.

Proposed by – Jason Kerns – Camarillo Quest

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