1: SOM Purchase: The Johnny Dickshot Baseball League will always use the latest version of Strat-o-matic. It is not mandatory that all league members have the Software, but it is mandatory each owner planning to use SOM has the most current version in order to use SOM in league games. To purchase SOM, please visit the SOM website.

2: Game Schedule: The regular season is comprised of all 12 teams from each league playing 162 games. The Northern League (NL) teams will never play the Southern League (SL) teams during the regular season. An DBL scheduled week of games will consist of each team playing from 2 to 7 games, most commonly 7.

3: Days Off: Simulated days off will take place from time to time during the regular season. Any calendar day is taken into account for resting pitchers.

4: SOM Options Setup: All games will be run with the following options on in the V8 game. In the Rules window: main rules at maximum level; Ballpark, weather & clutch effects; super advanced steal system; super advanced strategy charts; use miscellaneous rules; use closer rules; no injuries; use SADV fatigue. In the Max Rule window: improve statistical accuracy; bunt for base hit; improve out distribution; improve baserunning realism; home field advantage; starting pitcher clutch; more baserunning decisions; doubles /triples options and forced daily injuries is turned off. In the lineups and usage window: lineups in manual mode; ignore overuseage; minor leaguers ineligible; use SuperHal bullpen and SuperHal lineup subs.

5: DH: The DH will only exist in the Northern League and home games for the Northern League team in the DBL championship series.

6: CM/PS Deadlines: A default CM (computer manager) will be turned in before the start of the regular season. Default CMs can be changed as often as you like throughout the season. Your CM will contain such info as your teams lineups and substitution depth chart as well as any pinch hitters, pinch runners or defensive subs and bullpen specifics.

Your PS (pitching sheet) will be due by Midnight est. on Wednesday of each week. If a pitching sheet isn't turned in, the starting rotation on the default CM will be referred to.

Weekly CMs will be due by Midnight est. on Friday of each week. If a weekly CM isn't turned in, the most recently submitted CM will be used. If you do not own the SOM software, you can find a CM template by clicking this link.

1: Regular Season Maximum Usage: There is 100% actual usage restriction on each player. Once a player has reached his maximum appearances during a regular season he must be deactivated for the remainder of the regular season. Appearances for batters are based on plate appearances (AB+BB); appearances for pitchers are based on innings pitched. Pitchers with a starter rating and a reliever rating can be used strictly as a starter if you so choose until their maximum innings are exhausted, regardless of how many starts they had in real life. Pitchers who started a game or games in real life but were not issued a starter rating by SOM are allowed to start no more than the number of times they started in real life. However keep in mind their endurance could be an issue during those starts.

2: Regular Season Usage Penalty: If a player has some remaining usage heading into a weeks action, the player is allowed to play out the week even if he goes into overusage for that week. At weeks end that player WILL be deactivated for the remainder of the regular season. The exception to this allowance is in the final month of the season during which I will strictly monitor players usage and deactivate players on a game by game basis as their usage is exhausted during a week. Regulating usage of YOUR players is 100% YOUR responsibility, as the Commish I take it upon myself to make sure nobody gets an advantage by overplaying their players. Please step up and be a responsible GM so warnings and probationary status do not get imposed on you for misusage.

3: Regular Season Eligibility: For a player to be eligible to play in the DBL he must be a "carded" player in SOM standards. A carded player typically but not always will have a minimum of 45-60 plate appearances or 15-20 innings pitched.

4: Out of Position Players: In the regular season players cannot start at positions they are not defensively rated for. One exception are pitchers who did not receive a starter rating, but DID start in real life. Pitchers who did start in real life but did not get a starter rating can start the same number of times they did in real life (during DBL regular season), but can NOT start in post season. There may be times during a game where pinch runners or pinch hitters cause a team to fall short of fielding a player at each position with a rting for that position. You as an owner should however prepare well for such instances and take notice to your depth chart and always have someone able to backup your starters. If a team has exhausted the usage of all players eligible at one position, I will email that owner and inform them a FA move is required. If I do not recieve a FA request, I will make a league mandated FA move to fill that position of need. Outfielders are the exception to the rule. They are allowed to swap positions amongst the outfield only. The Strat-o-matic adjustment ratings for outfielders will be used to determine defensive ratings for out-of-position outfielders (See footnote* for how SOM adjusts defensive ratings for out of position outfielders) . Note, since the league is computer managed during the regular season, it is beyond the control of a GM if during a game the computer manager decides to substitute in a player at a position he's not defensively rated for. The GM will not be held accountable in such instances.

FOOTNOTE *
Outfield Out Of Position Ratings Adjustment:
LF to RF: +1
LF to CF:+2
RF to LF: no effect
RF to CF: +1
CF to RF/LF:no effect

1: 34-Man Active Roster: Each team will be limited to an active roster of 34 players. The active roster can consist of any combination of fielders and pitchers, however a maximum of 15 pitchers are eligible to play any given week due to SOM limitations. In Spring training you are allowed to have as many players on your roster as acquired via keepers, draft or trade, but when Spring training is over you must cut any players beyond 34 for your active roster.

2: Inactive Players: There is a maximum of 3 "Inactive" players per team. These are players you have acquired via draft or have kept from the previous season. Inactive players are on your complete roster but are ineligible to play during regular season or postseason games for your team for the entire season once designated "inactive". The Inactive list was established to help you protect players who you like too much to cut even though they had a off year, missed a year from injury or are young players who had such little experience (or uncarded) that they would not help your team yet and need more time to develop. Once a players is designated "Inactive" he may remain on the list for as many continuous seasons as you like. Moves from the Inactive list can be to 34-man Active roster or released or traded.

3: Prospect Players: There is a maximum of 3 "Prospect" players per team. Prospects are players with Exclusively minor league experience. College players, Foreign League players and Players with ANY Major League experience do not qualify. College players with no pro experience who have signed to a major league contract by prospect draft date do qualify for prospect draft. Prospect players can be acquired via the Prospect draft or via trade from another teams Prospect list. Should one of your Prospects gain major league experience, after all DBL drafts you MUST do one of the following things; promote the player to your Inactive list, your Active roster, trade or release that player. There will be a 24 hour window to trade excess prospects before trimming down to a maximum of 3 prospects. Your team can hold as many as 3 but need not carry any prospects.

4: Complete Roster: Your complete roster consists of your Active roster, Inactive players and Prospect players. The maximum number of players on your complete roster is 40. 34+3+3. There is no minimum number of players for your active roster so long as you are covered in all positions to field a complete lineup and and pitching staff.

5: Changing a Players Roster Status: You are able to change a players roster status after the re-entry draft each season. Once the Re-entry draft is complete, you can shuffle all your players around and designate them to be among either your 34-Active players, 3-Inactive players or 3-Prospects depending on their eligibility for each of those categories. Your final roster designations are due after DBLSpring Training ends, however your maximum of 3 Prospects need to be designated midnight pacific time the night after the re-entry draft is completed.

1: Free Agent Pick-ups: Owners may acquire free agents during the regular season as long as they don't go over the 34- Active player maximum. Teams whom after the re-entry draft have fewer than 32 active players can fill their open roster spaces with FA's on a 1st come 1st serve basis.

2: Free Agent Status: Free agents are players who either weren't picked during the re-entry draft or were originally drafted but then released at some point before or during the season. Only free agents who were selected in the re-entry draft or were keepers from the previous season may be signed and keeper eligible for next season.

3: Free Agent Request: Free agent pick-ups will be done on a first come first serve basis throughout the season. If a team releases a player, a 24-hour waiting period will be required before that player can be obtained by a new team. In the event there is more than one team who claims the same player within the 24 hour period, a dice roll will determine who will receive the player. All FA requests should be e-mailed to the commissioner. The weekly FA request Deadline for being able to use those players in the coming weeks games is each Monday at Midnight est.

1: Trade Periods: Trades can take place during the regular season up until the 100 game mark of the season. Trades may take place during the off-season as well.

2: Trade Approvals: Any trade must be e-mailed by both members to the DBL commissioner before it is approved. The head commissioner reserves the right to veto any trade he determines detrimental to the betterment of the league.

3: No Draft Pick Adjustment Period: During the draft period teams need to e-mail proposed trades to the commissioner. The commissioner will then review trades for approval. If a trade involving draft picks is approved during the draft period, it is the responsibility of the owners to keep track of the traded draft picks for the draft's duration. The commissioner or draft manager will announce a few days prior to the draft a "No Draft Pick Adjustment Period." Hence, the commissioner or draft manager will not edit the draft order to accommodate any trades made during the draft period; it will be up to the owners to be aware of what picks they traded for.

4: Free Agent Trades: If a free agent player is involved in a trade, it is the responsibility of the owner of the free agent to notify the other owner involved that a free agent is being traded.

5: Weekly Trade Deadline: For trades to go into effect for a given week during the regular season, they must be turned in by Midnight Monday est.

6: Trading of damaged goods: Should 2 teams agree on a trade that includes a player who is injured in real life, both owners should be fully aware of that injury. If the commish is aware a player invloved in a proposed trade is in fact injured, he will notify both owners and give the team recieving the injured player an oppotunity to back out of the deal or accept. There will be a 48 hour period for that decision to be made. The 48 hour period will also be valid for after a trade is approved by the commish whereas an injued player was involved and nobody was aware of the injury.

7: Inter-LeagueTrading: Many DBL owners are involved in common in other simulation leagues online with other owners. At any time should a trade in DBL be contingent upon a trade between the 2 owners in a different league, both DBL owners will be immediately removed from DBL.

8: Trading of draft picks: Of Re-entry, Expansion and Prospect draft picks, only Re-entry draft picks are allowed to be traded. Re-entry draft picks are not distributed officially onto rosters until after the current re-entry draft has concluded. Teams are allowed to trade any or all of their current re-entry draft picks. Once keepers are announced, teams are allowed to trade current as well as the following seasons re-entry draft picks.

9: Trading of prospects: You will always be able to trade prospects, however the only time you may carry more than 3 prospects is for the period of time between the keeper deadline and midnight the day after the prospect draft. During that time you can trade as you like and carry as many prospects as you like.

10a: Players to be named later: It is allowed to trade players who shall be named later. Though those players aren't truly named later. Team A can trade a player to team B 'as a player to be named later', all players in the trade will be named at the time of the trade. The 'to be named later' player will actually remain with the FROM team until an agreed upon time between both teams involved in the deal. example: Chicago trades Bill Mueller to San Diego for Ray Lankford, Lankford is traded as 'player to be named later' and will remain with San Diego until the season is over. Bill Mueller would join San Diego right away. The only thing you need to make sure of on these type of deals is your roster space. Make sure you release a player if you need to when making these type of deals or the Commish can not approve such a trade.

10b: Trading of 'Players to be named later': It is allowed to trade players who already have been traded in deals as PTBNL's. Follow this example.... In this situation, Team-A earlier in the season traded Kirby Puckett (ptbnl) to Team-C. Team-B would like to offer for Kirby Pucketts services for the remainder of the season before Puckett joins Team-C (after the season). Team-C is currently the true owner of Puckett (though he plays for Team-A), therefore Team-C must be compensated in such a deal by Team-B in order to obtain Puckett. Team-A must also be compensated to encourage the early release of Puckett. The compensation going to Team-A may come from either Team-B or Team-C and must be a draft pick not to exceed the 5th round (if neither Team-B or Team-C has a 5th round pick, a 6th or lower round pick can be substituted, but no round higher than round 5) this will be the standard compensation for an early release of a PTBNL. Compensation to Team-C must be paid by Team-B and can be a player or players, or pick, or combo of player/s and pick/s. If all 3 teams can not come to an agreement on payment for this type of transaction, no deal will be struck.

1: SOM BP Ratings: The DBL will use Major League ballparks that have Strat-o-matic ballpark ratings from the previous major league season.

2: Duplicate BP: There will be no duplicate ballpark ratings in the DBL (i.e., no two teams may both use the Ball Park ratings of Fenway Park, etc).

3: BP Changes: An owner can only change their ballpark in the following circumstances: One, the owner is new and wasn't involved in deciding their team's current ballpark; two, the ballpark no longer exist (i.e., the ballpark has been renovated or no longer is played in); and three, an owner has played two seasons in the current ballpark and can now request a change. If one of these circumstances apply, the owner can pick from a ballpark that isn't currently being used in the DBL.

4: BP Names: An owner can name their ballpark as they so desire as long as the commissioner or other league members do not find it offensive.

1: Making the Playoffs: Four teams from each league will make the playoffs. Those teams are the two teams that win their division and two wild-card teams. The wild-card spots will be given to the teams with the next best record to the division winners in the league. If teams are involved in a tie to make the playoffs, a tiebreak will be decided by a one game playoff– home team to be decided by a dice roll.

2: First Round Matchups: The division winner with the best record will play the second wildcard team, and the division winner with the second best record will play the first wildcard team in the first round of the playoffs.

3:Venue Format: There will be a best of seven first-round series, with a 2-3-2 home game format, with the division winner having home advantage. The winners of the first round series will play in a best of seven league championship series, with a 2-3-2 home game format, with the division winner having home advantage, unless both teams are division winners or wildcard teams, in which case the team with the better record will have home field advantage. The winners of the league championship series will play in a best of seven DBL Championship Series, with a 2-3-2 home game format, with the team with the better record having home field advantage.

4: Days Off: There will be 2 off days between each round of the playoffs.

5: Fatigue/Usage Regular Season Carry Over: Regular season usage has no effect on postseason action. Pitcher's fatigue will not carry over into the postseason. Pitcher's fatigue WILL carry over between rounds in the playoffs.

6: DH: The DH rule will only be used in the NL's postseason games and the NL team's home games for the DBL Championship.

7: Rosters: All players on the 34-man Active roster are eligible for the postseason.

8: Usage: There will be a 10% utilization rule of a player's actual Major League plate appearances and innings pitched during each playoff series. Players who are exception to the rule are pitchers who have an asterisk on their endurance rating. When a player goes over the 10% utilization, they will be removed from the active roster for the remainder of the series.

9: Eligible Postseason Starters: For a position player to be eligibile to start in the postseason, he must have a minimum of 150 plate appearances (see footnote**). Any position players with fewer than 150 PA's can be used as a pinch hitter, defensive substitution or off-bench replacement. For a starting pitcher to get a postseason start, he must have a minimum of 60 innings and a starter rating.

FOOTNOTE **
Position player postseason start eligibility chart:
0-149 PA's - Can NOT start in postseason
150-199 PA's - Max 3 Starts per postseason series (subject to 10% actual usage rule)
200-249 PA's - Max 4 Starts per postseason series (subject to 10% actual usage rule)
250-299 PA's - Max 5 Starts per postseason series (subject to 10% actual usage rule)
300 or more PA's - Can start all games in a postseason series (subject to 10% actual usage rule)

10: Starters Minimum Days Off: In the playoffs starters need a minimum of 3 days rest between starts regardless of the tired status determined by Strat-o-matic. The one exception is the following: if a starting pitcher is pulled out in the early innings of a game (early innings being 1st through 3rd inning) because he is being blown out. If this happens the starter may start next on as soon as 2 days rest from the previous start.

11: Starters In Relief: In the playoffs a starter with no relief endurance rating can only pitch a maximum of 1 inning in relief per game (an inning consist of 3 outs). The only exception would be is if the pitcher in question is the only pitcher remaining. This mainly applies to live coached games.

12: Out of Position: In the playoffs players cannot start or be substituted in at positions they are not defensively rated for, unless there is no one else available to play the position. Outfielders are the exception to the rule. They are allowed to swap positions amongst the outfield only. The Strat-o-matic adjustment ratings for outfielders will be used to determine ratings for out-of-position outfielders.

13: Online Playoff Games: The DBL Championship series will be coached live in DBL chatroom. If one of the owners is unable to have chatroom or netplay access, each game will be run Computer vs Computer. Round 1 and Round 2 should be played in a weeks time. All games should be managed in the same manner by both owners involved. Any playoff game can be coached head-to-head via netplay or chatroom so long as both owners can meet in those ways. If owners can not find a way to meet online to manage head-to-head, they will be requested to send a CM for the computer to autoplay those games. There is a 2 week allowance for the DBL Championship series to be played, as that series more than any other should be played head-to-head if at all possible.

14: Replacement Manager: If a manager of a playoff team cannot manage his games live he may select a replacement manager to manage for him and he must inform the opposing manager and commish. A manager may also send a CM to play an opposing manager who wants to manage live. The manager who wishes to send the CM rather than manage live must give emailed consent of those wishes before the games will be played as a live-managed team can hold a sizable advantage in many ways.

1: Draft Length And Order: There will be a 19 round re-entry draft at the beginning of the season. The entire draft will be serpentine order from team with fewest wins to the team with the most wins regardless of playoff appearence. Tie breakers for draft order will be division records, then home-field record. The 1st 8 picks in round 1 will be established via draft lottery. The lottery results will only apply to round 1.

2: Player Protection: Owners will be able to protect 15 players for the following season. Players that aren't protected will be released to free agency and included in the re-entry draft. The 15 player keeper list will be due approximately one month before the re-entry draft.

3: Inactive Players: In addition to the 15-player keeper list you can retain up to 3 players on your Inactive list as well as up to 3 Prospects from your Prospect roster.

4: Prospect Players: In addition to the 15-player keeper list and your maximum of 3 Inactive list players, you can retain up to a maximum of 3 Prospects from your Prospect list. A prospect by DBL terms is a player who has a minor league affiliation and no major league experience by Prospect draft date. This includes college and high school players who have been drafted AND signed by DBL Prospect draft date even if they have not played in the minor leagues. Foreign league professional players do not qualify as DBL Prospects. Foreign leagues are pro leagues and are not a minor league affiliate of any MLB team. Foreign leaguers would fall into the following DBL seasons re-entry or Prospect draft after they attain some major league or minor league experience.

5: Prospect Draft: Each season there will be a 2 round Prospect draft. The Prospect draft will take place prior to the re-entry draft, typically during Major League Spring training. Each team will have 2 Prospect draft picks, but should you select 2 players and still have 2 Prospects from the previous season who will retan their Prospect status, you will only be able to keep a maximum of 3 and will need to release one of those 4 players. If you foresee that you will already retain 2 or more Prospects from the previous season, you have the choice to select 2 more Prospects to "upgrade" on your keepable Prospects, or you may decide to decline either or both Prospect selections. Also keep in mind you do have until midnight the night after the re-emtry draft to trade any excess prospects you may have. Any released Prospects who retain Prospect status will be eligible for one of the following seasons drafts but may not be claimed as a free agent.

6: Available Players: Any player who was not "Kept" on a DBL teams complete roster will be available for the re-entry draft. You may even select players who played in foreign leagues or missed a year/s with injury so long as they have had ANY past major league experience. Players who are selected but did not play in the majors the previous season can ONLY be designated to your teams Inactive list. Any player who made his 1st major league appearance the prior MLB season is also eligible in the draft.

7: Uncarded Player Retainment: An uncarded player who is on your team's roster from the prior season can be retained as one of your 15 keepers but can only be designated to your Inactive list if you intend to keep that player. If an uncarded player is not protected prior to the re-entry draft he becomes a FA and eligible for the re-entry draft.

8: Extra Picks: Teams that have picked up extra draft picks still have a limit of 34 players on their active roster. Teams that go over the 34-player roster limit during the draft, but still have draft picks remaining, may still participate in the draft, but they will be required to release to free agency any extra players they have after naming their 34 active players and designating up to 3 players to their Inactive list. This will take place after spring training when you are allowed to test all your players before designating them Active or Inactive. The released players may then be picked up as FA's and are keeper eligible the following season by any team.

9: Absent GM: If a GM cannot be available on an on-line draft day, he should supply another owner or commissioner with detailed draft instructions and understand that this system is imperfect and that the owner or commissioner is in no way responsible for draft mishaps. If an abscent GM does not provide a list for an on-line draft date then his picks will be selected by the computer draft feature in SOM. A GM who is absent and does not provide a draft list to another owner or the commish and does not send an email preparing the commish for their absence is subject to immediate removal and replacement as owner in DBL.

1: Location Name: A franchise location can be a City, District, Region or State in North America including USA, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.

2: Location Moves: Franchise locations can be moved at an owner's request without a league vote, but only if the new location will align geographically with the division they are currently in. If a franchise location move requires a division or league change, that owner is responsible for finding another owner willing to trade divisions/leagues with them.

3: Team Name: An owner can name their team as they so desire as long as the commissioner or other league members don't consider it offensive.

1: Commissioner Unilateral Power: The DBL commissioner shall be empowered to act unilaterally in the best interest of the league

2: Losing On Purpose: An owner should never try to lose games on purpose. If an owner is suspected of losing games on purpose, the commissioner will send an email to that owner asking him to state his reasons for his strategy of the games in question. If the commissioner finds the owner's reasons unsatisfactory, the commissioner will send the owner a warning to desist immediately from his current strategy which the commissioner interprets as losing on purpose. If the same owner is suspected again of losing games on purpose, the commissioner will send an email to that owner asking him to state his reasons for the strategy of the games in question. If the commissioner finds the owner's reasons unsatisfactory, the commissioner will remove the owner from the league. Interpreting a strategy that is considered losing on purpose by the commissioner is a subjective interpretation, however the commissioner has to apply the guidelines below before accusing an owner of such a strategy:

1. Over a 2-week period an owner has replaced his best starting pitchers for starting pitchers that are much worse.
2. Over a 2-week period an owner has replaced his star position players for position players that are much worse.
3. A commissioner should be aware that it is NOT the intent of this rule to punish the following types of strategies: owners who like to experiment by occasionally starting prospects over their regulars; owners who mainly use their default CM over long stretches of games; owners who are resting players due to usage problems; and lastly, owners of playoff bound teams who are resting players to protect them from injury for the playoffs.
4. The commissioner should be aware it IS the intent of this rule is to punish those owners who are blatantly losing games for the following reasons: to end up with a better draft pick for the following season; aiding or conspiring with other teams to assist in determining the playoff outcome for a season; and lastly, outright sabotage of the league.

3: One Team Per GM: At no time shall a manager be running more than one team.

4: Common Courtesy Rule: If an owner does not respond to their email in a two week period (this includes email from other owners who may be proposing trades) and/or does not contact the league that they will be gone for a substantial period of time, the commissioner will try to contact him by e-mail, and if there is no response the commissioner has the right to replace him.