Major Update(s) (Everyone Read)

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey All,

This update has important information regarding recent developments on free agents. This is a must read for all members.

Regarding the latest controversy, the Commissioner's Office has determined that all of these players will be free agents. Trades involved with these players have thus been voided. There are three trades, two of which had yet to be ruled on that have been voided, and the third involved the Angels and Orioles trade involving players like Huff. The CO highly suggests that the two squads involved there re-work a deal without Kendrick involved as the two teams undoubtedly made plans with the other players involved.

Getting to it, the Commissioner's Office feels that at the root of it, it is every team's responsibility to understand the protection of their players. While the CO can monitor every team, it is incredibly easy for teams to know their own players. It's simple: >50 games for a position player, >10 starts for a SP, >30 IP for a reliever or starter/reliever. At the end of the day, teams need to be held accountable.

With that said, the CO headed by Nick will be going through all of the rosters to check protection years. At the same time though, teams must update their own pages within 48 hours with correct protection years. If Nick gets to your team and finds it inaccurate, you will be at risk of missing out on free agency depending on the damage. Teams will also have a week to update their rosters on CBS. I understand that this requires activity, but it is imperative to be active to participate in this type of league. If there is any reason you can't get this done, let me know ASAP.

On that subject, free agency will be postponed this week as we sort this all out. All free agent weeks will be therefore be pushed back a week.

International free agents like Tsuyoshi Nishioka that are under 27 and came over this offseason will be deemed ineligible for free agency and will be treated like other international free agents that came over midseason. The reason for this is that it is essentially the same period in terms of the league, before the MiLB Draft. If a player that fits that description comes over between the draft and Opening Day, then that player will be a free agent.

In regards to player contracts, many figures are beginning to be released as we near arbitration. Please go to MLBTradeRumors.com and see if any of your players are there. Remember, any multi-year deals agreed to cannot exceed player protection. For example, Rajai Davis signed a two-year deal (with an option for a third - not recognized here though), but only has one year of protection left. He only receives the 2011 figure.

On another note, next year teams will not be able to bid on their own RFAs. On yet another note, the White Sox are available. While we have some candidates in mind, have anybody interested fill out an application on the board.

A lot to read here, but all very important. Thanks for your attention and good luck.

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone,

So as you all know, free agency has been suspended for the third consecutive week. While I know that might be frustrating and some of you may be getting anxious, the Commissioner's Office wants to be absolutely sure we have things right before we advance.

Before I get to the updated schedule, here are a few other points of note:

- NEW RULE: In trades, teams cannot deal more/less than four players than the other trading team(s). In other words, for example, I couldn't trade 7 players for 2 players, 6 players for 1 player, etc. The reason for this change is that it will limit "quantity over quality" trades that are difficult to interpret. Adding more players to a trade may make a deal better but it may not really have any impact longterm. Note that any deals that currently fail to follow these conditions (Mariners/Mets trade) will not be affected by this rule and this rule is considered in place moving forward for deals not yet agreed upon.

- CBS: Teams are expected to start having up-to-date rosters on CBS moving forward. Everybody should have access to CBS or if not, you have been sent the invitation for the site.

- Message Board Rosters: Like always, it is necessary for teams to update their rosters and salary cap figures within 48 hours. While in the offseason teams can be 10M over their cap or 5 players above the 50 man total (as well as below or above the 10 and 35 minor league limit, respectively), if you exceed any of these figures or don't have your roster updated and a member of the CO sees the error or failure to update, you will be held out of free agency for a week.

- Utilization of the CBox and Message Board: I'd just like to reiterate that while friendly trash talking is certainly allowed, anything that may be deemed inappropriate is viewed as a violation of the Constitution in respecting all GMs. If you have something to say to someone, contact them via PM or talk on YIM if you have a problem. Like I said at one point on the CBox, if there is a full blown conflict that violates this principle, the CO will react seriously, and both members involved will be removed from the league. I reserve the right to delete posts on either the CBox or Message Board if I find them offensive, and I am also able to look up the IP addresses of the individuals who make each post. So, when in doubt, don't say something that may be controversial.

- Trades: As always, make sure you post all contract information in each trade post. Teams are expected to give explanations as to why they did the deal and if the CO wants to ask for more information individually, the individual is expected to explain further. On another note, the CO is pretty busy in general right now, so please remain patient as we review trades and try to come up with the best decision. As always, if your trade is vetoed, it does not mean it is the end of a deal necessarily, as teams are given 48 hours to re-work.

Without further ado, here's the updated offseason schedule:

Monday, February 7 - Bidding on middle infielders and corner infielders will occur this week.

Monday, February 14 - Bidding on starting pitchers will occur this week.

Monday, February 21 - Bidding on outfielders will occur this week.

Monday, February 28 - The Rookie Draft will begin. Teams will have 6 hours to make their selections. Regular free agency (any position) will also begin.

At this rate, we will still be done in plenty of time before Opening Day (March 31).

That appears to be it for now. We have all 30 teams filled, and it's excellent to see 25+ logging in every day.

Keep up the trading and activity, and I'm looking forward to see how the 2011 season will unravel.

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey All,

So in the past week or so there has been a little unease as the Brewers and Mariners have both abruptly quit amidst rule disputes. While the reasons for them leaving are supposedly for other reasons, a contract concern over Prince Fielder led to the Brewers leaving, while recent contracts signed by the Mariners essentially led to him leaving.

But it's without a doubt that recent issues with other GMs played a part, so I'm going to reiterate this - regardless of who starts a conflict, there are serious consequences for an escalated ordeal, particularly if it takes place on the cbox. In other words, I won't allow any fighting on the cbox, be respectful of your fellow GMs.

With that said, there is a ripple effect in terms of the schedule of the league as well as the addition of a couple rules. Without further ado, here are some changes:

RULE CHANGE: In light of the Mariners backloading contract incident, teams will not be allowed to eclipse the salary cap for future seasons in the same way that they can't eclipse the current season cap. In the offseason, teams will be allowed to go over the cap of future years by the same 10M, but cannot exceed the cap in other circumstances. This is to limit extreme backloading of deals.

RULE CHANGE #2: This change has little to do with any controversy, but is just a small clarification. If a player is traded or signed by a team outside of the United States and is no longer affiliated with a MLB franchise, the team that owns the player here will be allowed to drop said player for free. The CO feels that determining whether or not a player will remain in the league is not the fault of teams here in this league.

Now, the ripple effect on the league schedule.

All of the players won this past week by the Mariners will be awarded to the next highest bidder. The CO could also change other winning bids if priority lists are affected.

Also, the entire offseason schedule will be pushed back a week due to this fiasco as it would be unfair for teams given the changes. All starting pitchers currently posted will be eligible to be bid upon next week, but everyone MUST SUBMIT NEW BIDS to the freeagency account, as I will delete the current ones when I go on the account to re-determine the winners from the Mariners' players.

Moving free agency back will also us to confirm our newest members to the league taking over the Mariners and Brewers. Please welcome Ben who's a friend of mine here at Georgetown who will be taking over the Brewers. It also appears that we have a replacement for the Mariners lined up, but that has yet to be entirely confirmed. Regardless, please welcome our new members and remember not to begin negotiating trades with them as they get accustomed to the league.

Also, in terms of the spreadsheet, the CO is likely going to remain in sole possession of it in terms of editing it. I understand that it's not possible to view it if you don't have access, so I will try to change that.

I'd also just like to add that I will be going out of town this weekend, so it will be hard to reach me from Friday through Sunday. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please PM me and I will try to respond. In the mean time, good luck everyone.

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey All,

A few important things to read up here so pay attention.

First and in brief, free agency is open for all positions this week. Because of the draft, minor leaguers are not eligible to be posted and signed, but any remaining free agents are eligible.

Now to the MLB player draft. Monday at noon (today) we are beginning the draft of non-rostered minor leaguers, which includes players drafted and signed in the 2010 draft as well as international free agents who fit the required profile. The following links should be read and referred to when going through this process.

Draft Order/Lottery Results/Overview: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2010draft&action=display&thread=2813

Round 1 (where teams will make selections): pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2010draft&action=display&thread=3483

Round 2 (where teams will make selections): pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2010draft&action=display&thread=3484

Round 3 (where teams will make selections): pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2010draft&action=display&thread=3485

Overview/Rules: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=officialrules&action=display&thread=9

International FA Thread (noteworthy players to draft, does not include Japanese or Cuban players)/Int'l FA Rules: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1810&page=1

More Important Notes Regarding the Draft:
- Six hours per selection. If you're worried about missing your selection, PM a priority order of players you would like to draft to several commissioners to ensure your pick won't be missed.
- Players drafted are not eligible to be traded until June 1. The MLB doesn't allow teams to trade players for a year, and this rule is inspired by that to encourage prospecting.
- When drafting a player, post the following information: Player's Name, Position, MLB Affiliate, Draft or International FA

That appears to be all. Good to have 30 people in. This draft is going to require being active, so if you miss your selection, you're at risk of losing your spot. With that, good luck! Pirates, you're on the clock.

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone, please pay close attention to this update as it is very important with Opening Day here.
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First off, I'd like to apologize for not being entirely active in recent weeks. It has been a difficult time school wise, overall availability wise, and I had some things going on personally that have made fantasy baseball take a back seat for the time being. While I expect some of these to continue for the next few weeks, I will be on more to do what is necessary and I expect that most of the difficult tasks logistically have already been completed for the season.

With that said, here are a few key notes that are crucial to read up on:

- CBS: All of the requests that were made in the appropriate thread (http://pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=3523&page=1) have been honored. If there is a player that is on another team that you need, post that in that thread, and a member of the CO will get on that as soon as possible.

Also, there are SEVERAL excellent players that teams dropped during roster switching over the past few weeks that must be added. For those who are unaware, you should be checking CBS daily to make sure you're recording stats and it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to add these players! Notable unrostered players
include Teixeira, A-Rod, and Broxton, among many others.

Also remember that if your pitching staff fails to record 30 IP for the week, you will automatically lose all pitching stats for the week and very likely lose that week in any situation. The CO is also considering an AB minimum too for the same reason - to ensure that people are not tanking.

- Schedule: The 2011 regular season schedule will be the same as last year's schedule. For more information and the entire schedule, go here: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=newsfromthecommissionersoffice&thread=1422&page=1

- Spreadsheet: Everyone has been emailed access to the spreadsheet. You'll notice that it isn't updated, so please when you find time update your team's roster, salaries, and various transactions. For a direct link to the spreadsheet, go here: spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AsL1BFdCIzyydDRUeV94Q0VXVXRIU2NzblJyZWZoZEE&hl=en&authkey=CLCwr4sN#gid=2

- MLB Player Draft: As you should know, the draft has concluded. Several teams were forced to autopick for not selecting after a ridiculous amount of time. If that's the case, please add those players to your rosters immediately. For the entire draft, go here: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2010draft&action=display&thread=3588&page=1

- Free Agency: Free agency is now (still) open to all available players who are not rostered here. Any non-drafted drafted and signed minor leaguers may now be posted and bid on. Remember the guidelines for posting and bidding: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=officialrules&action=display&thread=6

- Trading: As always, trading is open. When posting a trade, however, please adhere to the following guidelines: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=tradereview&action=display&thread=3561

- OPENINGS: The Orioles are officially open, but having been the only team not to pay, any new owner would have to pay this season's fee. The Pirates may also be open, and there are several other teams the CO has their eye on for activity, so keep checking and being active on the message board AND CBS. If you know anyone who would like to join, let me know, and have them send me an email to [e-mail] while also giving them the link to the message board to sign up.

- Power Rankings: Anybody wanna do some?!

And with that, I don't believe there's much else to say for general league housekeeping, but...

GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY THIS SEASON AND HAPPY OPENING DAY! HERE'S TO A GREAT YEAR TWO OF PB'S FANTASY BASEBALL!!!

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone,

As you all know, we have a full league and have recently re-vamped the Commissioner's Office, and established a Trade Panel to evaluate all trades. Joining Eric B. (Diamondbacks), Jason (Astros), and myself in the Commissioner's Office is Calvin (Mariners), while Eric M. (Red Sox), Victor (Rangers), Kevin (Braves), and Harris (Yankees) all have roles on the Trade Panel with Eric, Jason, and I. On all trades, we will ideally have five voters, with a majority deciding the outcome.

In regards to Calvin's inclusion in the Commissioner's Office, the CO is making a concerted effort to checking rosters (both Proboards and CBS), and have already found a multitude of errors already on each team surveyed. If Calvin or any other member of the CO finds any errors on your roster, you will receive a PM with the errors and what you need to do to fix them. If you fail to respond to them in a timely manner, there will be penalties such as CBS roster restrictions, free agency suspension, to name a few. Continued disregard could ultimately result in expulsion from the league.

A few common errors to check for yourself include the following:
- If a player has appeared in ANY game in the MLB, his minimum salary is $400,000. The most common error is having that player listed as $300,000 on your roster. Now, if they were signed to an AAS deal or any other kind of contract, their salary does NOT change to $400,000. Follow their given contract - the only change is $300,000 to $400,000.
- List all salaries. Some teams have missing salaries for players.
- Add/drop/trade correct players on CBS. Many minor leaguers are on the incorrect CBS rosters, and some people have guys who are actually free agents in the league here sitting on their benches on CBS. That's just unacceptable.
- Update rosters after trades are approved on here. Only after a trade goes through can this be done.
- If a player signs a contract overseas (ie. Japan), you may release that player for free here.

Other larger concerns:
- Remember that you cannot exceed 35 minor leaguers or go below 10 minor leaguers. If a player is called up, there is leeway in whether or not you wish to have the player apply to these rules. For example, since Eric Hosmer was called up, the Phillies can choose to have him count towards his 35 or not (more likely not given his team's structure)
- If a team exceeds the 50-man roster limit, you have 48 hours to get under.
- Teams cannot exceed the salary cap in future years.
- Remember to post all salary figures in trades, as well as keeping the posts professional, for everyone's convenience.

But to address a larger point, the Commissioner's Office and Trade Panel have both agreed to eliminate the current 48 hour leniency policy on the salary cap, and establish that teams will NOT be allowed to exceed the salary cap under any circumstances. (In the offseason, teams will be allowed to exceed the cap and rosters, but those figures have yet to be determined, and the time to get back to the required limits hasn't been decided either, but will be roughly one month before Opening Day).

While those are the most pressing matters, the CO also wants every team to update the Google Doc spreadsheet. We are giving teams until the end of June to accurately detail their roster and transactions. If this will be a problem or you don't have access to edit the spreadsheet, alert a member or members of the CO.

On a lighter note, anybody interested in creating Power Rankings? How you go about it would be entirely up to your discretion - weekly? bi-weekly? monthly? random? Just another fun aspect to add to the league.

With all that, I believe that's all. Hope everyone will enjoy the real MLB Draft, starting tomorrow! And good luck the rest of the way!

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone,

Major trade deadline update here with a lot of important updates for moving forward as well, so read up!

Trade Deadline:

- Just to remind everyone, the deadline is officially this Sunday, July 31st, at 11:59 pacific time (so 2:59 a.m. in the east). All deals must be posted and agreed to by both parties by that time.
- Following the deadline, teams may still make player trades, but only through the waivers process throughout August. In brief, if there are no claims on a player placed on waivers after the trade deadline, the player may be traded to any team. Only minor leaguers who have never played in the pros, players claimed by the other team, or players who have cleared waivers as well may be traded in exchange.
- In the event a trade is vetoed, from now on the exclusive two day re-work period has been waived. In other words, teams may deal players involved in a vetoed deal whenever they so choose to whomever they desire.
- If a deal is vetoed after the trade deadline, the two (or more) teams will be given an abbreviated window to re-work. If the Commissioner's Office feels that a deal is thrown together for the sake of a veto just to extend their negotiating time, the teams will not get the chance to re-work.
- Another reminder - teams may not exceed the salary cap in any trades, but they will have 48 hours to get their roster back to 50 players if they exceed the roster threshold. Likewise, teams must always maintain at least 10 minor leaguers and at most 35.
- Last reminder - teams cannot deal any franchise or restricted tags with players, nor deal money or draft picks, which should be obvious if you've been here for awhile, and deals may be no more lopsided than four extra players to a side (in other words, a 5 for 1 deal is allowed while a 7 for 2 would not be).

I hope to see everyone make at least one deal this week! Get on YIM and get things moving!

Other MAJOR Updates:

- Salary Cap: This offseason, teams with $90M will have their caps increase to $100M for the 2012 season, while teams with $130M will be reduced to $125M (all other tiers will remain the same). The decision was unanimous among CO members, which includes small and larger market clubs, with the purpose of gradually evening the playing field. There are currently no other plans to shift cap tiers in the future, but it was seen as a necessity after starting the league with a difference in cap of $70M between the highest and lowest tiers, then $40M, and now $25M. While some members wanted to even the playing field entirely, we ultimately determined that the tiers are an integral part of the league and will remain.
- Salary Cap & Tags: The teams who had $90M in cap this season will still have the same four tags, while the teams at $130M will still have their two tags. Like when the Yankees dropped a tier last year, tags carry over from the season before, and then take effect for the next offseason. Beginning the following year, however, the entire $100M salary bracket (14 teams) will have one franchise tag and two restricted tags, while the $125M group will keep their one franchise and one restricted tag. In other words, the only change will be that the teams in the $90M bracket this year will lose a franchise tag in future offseasons.
- Activity: While I'm thrilled that the vast majority of the league logs in every day, there are still some complaints about activity among certain members. First, every team must update their salary cap, roster page, and Google spreadsheet after each transaction. At the same time, and especially important before the trade deadline, teams MUST respond to PMs, especially offers. If you don't like the deal, respond with a courteous decline, or if you're considering a deal, make that apparent to the other GM as well. It's unfair to those trying to wheel and deal to be held up. So to counteract that, the Commissioner's Office is instilling a process to allow GMs to report other GMs for inactivity privately that will help the CO determine if the GM should be replaced. Starting now, teams may PM me a report with the subject "Activity Report: team name being reported" with an explanation of how the GM hasn't been active. If I receive five reports from different GMs within a week's time, that GM will be given a warning. The second time this occurs, however, the CO may be forced to replace the team. It's only fair to everyone else.

Potential Future Changes (we'd like your input!):
- Salary Cap Floor: To ensure that teams aren't tanking, we are considering creating a salary cap floor, which would force teams to be over 50% of their cap at all times. If you think this is a good or bad idea, feel free to give your input to one or multiple CO members.
- Money in Trades: The CO is also considering allowing teams to offer to pay a portion of a player's salary to increase the possibility for potential trades. While this is currently unlikely, the thought is that a team trading a free agent can offer to pay 50% of their salary to allow them to move a player that would otherwise be very difficult to move. Again, this is currently unlikely, but any input would be appreciated.
- Any other suggestions? Let us know!

Lastly and again, I hope to see a lot of activity this week! Stay active, keep setting your lineups, but most of all, have fun with it!

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

2011 Season Wrap-Up & Beginning Offseason To-Do List

First off, let's all congratulate Harris for a fantastic championship season. Not only did he capture the title when it mattered most, but he was also able to pull off an astounding perfect season. Let it be our challenge to take him down!

Also, an extended congratulations to me (haha) for coming in second in an exciting four-team championship. The Dodgers and Royals made it interesting as well, and again, congrats to them and the other division winners (A's, Reds) as well. Remember, division winners get the next year free, while the runner-up collects $30 in addition to next year's fee, and the champion gets $130 and plays for free!

Now on to business. This weekend I aim to get a lot of the reloading for next year done. Calvin has made it is mission to scour rosters and make a free agent list by November 1st. Due to this, there will be no trading until that's done, for obvious reasons.

During this dry spell, this is your chance to post any suggestions you have for next year, or any questions on rules and such for clarification on anything. If there's something that's been said in these major updates, but isn't properly reflected in the Official Rules, let me know!

Also during this time, I expect all teams to update their rosters on the Google Doc (docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsL1BFdCIzyydDRUeV94Q0VXVXRIU2NzblJyZWZoZEE&authkey=CLCwr4sN&hl=en_US#gid=2). If you don't have access to it, let me know and I'll shoot you an invite to it. This means to make sure your roster is correct as if it was the last day of the season, so DO NOT remove free agents. Also if you could, please PM Calvin your list of free agents to help him out.

Now if you're bored and can't wait for the next season to begin, post some things on the General Board. Talk about the MLB playoffs, or anything else. Maybe somebody would like to do some kind of Power Rankings for the dynasty thus far?

We are also in the process of replacing Josh of the Twins who resigned last week. If you no longer wish to continue in the league, please let me know immediately so we can find replacements! I believe I've found someone to take over the Twins, but please forward me any inquiries from anyone who may be interested that you know of.

Somewhat on that subject, I will begin (and conclude) collecting payments for next year in November. While the Yanks, Nats, Royals, A's, Reds, and Dodgers are exempt, all 24 other teams must pay or you will be asked to leave the league. It's important we collect payments early to ensure we have a committed league throughout the offseason. I expect greater parity next year with the salary cap gap dwindling, but that can only happen with activity from everyone. To send next year's fee, send $20 to [e-mail] on Paypal.

Speaking of the offseason, expect free agency to start some time in December. There will be more info on that, as well as declaring your tags, and other offseason information in the next month or so.

A lot to cover, but it's imperative that you all read all of the information. As always I'm committed to making this league the best around, but it needs all of your effort too; it's cyclical. We had a great year and I expect next year to even be better as we've got a great group of GMs here. Can't wait for it all to begin! Stay tuned!

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey everyone, massive update here accompanied with an offseason schedule; make sure you read it all! Everyone will be held accountable to the information in this post.

First on the agenda - I'm looking for a new assistant commissioner. The duties that are required are to help primarily with roster checking (correct players, salaries, etc.). Basically whenever I need assistance if I'm too busy to address it. If interested, please PM me. Whoever I choose will have their fee for next season waived and will thus get to play for free.

Next, we have several openings. Given that Chad and Jim are likely taking over the Brewers and Orioles, respectively, that leaves the Twins, Indians, Angels, and Mariners available. If anyone knows of anyone who may be good for the league, show them the league and tell them how great it is! We have several people looking into joining the league and it will be first come, first serve with who gets what team. If you're a prospective GM, PM me your choice and copy the old roster into a new thread.

And lastly, BEFORE any trading can officially start, the following must be done by all teams:

• Update Proboards Roster (if you're a new GM, post the old roster and check through trades, free agency, releases to update; CO will help with process).
  
• Update CBS Roster (if you're not on there yet, let me know).
  
• Post your Contact Information here: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=contactinformation&action=display&thread=13
  
• Agree to the Constitution: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=leagueconstitution&action=display&thread=12
  
• Post ALL (including potential franchise and restricted) Free Agents in an original post in the board found here: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=1112offseason
  
• Update GOOGLE DOC SPREADSHEET with roster and contracts (if you don't have access to the spreadsheet, let me know ASAP): docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?pli=1&key=0AsL1BFdCIzyydDRUeV94Q0VXVXRIU2NzblJyZWZoZEE&authkey=CLCwr4sN&hl=en#gid=2
  
• Create and complete a TRANSACTIONS thread for your team (post this thread in your team's board).
  
• Post FRANCHISE and RESTRICTED tag decisions in the appropriate boards from the main forum page.
  
• Pay the $20 fee via Paypal to [e-mail]
  

The above tasks must be completed by Sunday, December 18 at 9:00 PM Pacific time (Monday, December 19, Midnight Eastern). The reason for this specific time is that it coincides with the end of the semester for me and I will have substantially more time to deal with all of the major happenings of the league over Christmas break and in January. This is also slightly earlier than last year, so we're going to be right on track and will be ready to go at a perfect time.

Now, without further ado, here is the tentative offseason schedule:

Monday, December 18 - Trading will officially reopen. Teams may begin trading now, but realize that the Commissioner's Office won't recognize and evaluate trades until this time. Teams CANNOT trade free agents unless they also trade one of their free agent tags and the team receiving the player and tag must use the tag on that player.

Monday, January 2 - Restricted free agency bidding will occur for this week, concluding on Friday, with announcements of winners that weekend. Teams will have 48 hours to determine if they will match the highest bid. Please refer to the rules on further specifics.

Monday, January 9 - Bidding on catchers will occur for this week.

Monday, January 16 - Bidding on relievers will occur for this week.

Monday, January 23 - Bidding on middle infielders will occur this week.

Monday, January 30 - Bidding on corner infielders will occur this week.

Monday, February 6 - Bidding on starting pitchers will occur this week.

Monday, February 13 - Bidding on outfielders will occur this week.

Monday, February 20 - The Rookie Draft will begin. Teams will have 6 hours to make their selections. Regular free agency will also begin (any position).

Note that these dates are subject to change, but this is the current expectation. Also notice that free agency has been extended and positions have been split up, as compared to last year.

In the mean time, please begin to start posting in the General Board, as well as the Suggestions board if you have any rule suggestions or if there is anything needed to be clarified. I'm sure if you have a question, someone else has the same one too. And although MAC is in charge of Power Rankings, if anybody wants to make any, be my guest! Feel free to change it up - GM rankings, team rankings, personality rankings? Be creative!

I hope that covers everything. If anything was left out, let me know and I will send something out to clarify. In the mean time, I look forward to getting things rolling and competing again with all of you!

PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone,

Just to let everyone know, I'd like to congratulate MAC on being named the new assistant commissioner. While I'm still trapped with finals, MAC is your go-to guy for roster issues, questions, and the what-not.

But in the mean time, it's necessary for me to remind everyone what's essentially due in just one week.

• Update Proboards Roster (if you're a new GM, post the old roster and check through trades, free agency, releases to update; CO will help with process).
  
• Update CBS Roster (if you're not on there yet, let me know).
  
• Post your Contact Information here: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=contactinformation&action=display&thread=13
  
• Agree to the Constitution: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=leagueconstitution&action=display&thread=12
  
• Post ALL (including potential franchise and restricted) Free Agents in an original post in the board found here: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=1112offseason
  
• Update GOOGLE DOC SPREADSHEET with roster and contracts (if you don't have access to the spreadsheet, let me know ASAP): docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?pli=1&key=0AsL1BFdCIzyydDRUeV94Q0VXVXRIU2NzblJyZWZoZEE&authkey=CLCwr4sN&hl=en#gid=2
  
• Post FRANCHISE and RESTRICTED tag decisions in the appropriate boards from the main forum page.
  
• Pay the $20 fee via Paypal to [e-mail]
  

While everything must be done by the 18th, if the money isn't in by then you're absolutely gone from the league. That's the most important thing to ensure we have a full and committed league for the whole year.

Likewise, the Angels, Mariners, and Brewers are being made available for prospective GMs. Again, with finals I'm going to need everyone's help to fill those spots. Let's get all of this done and have a great third year.

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone and Happy Holidays!

A few things to cover over the holiday weekend here:

- We still have two openings - Angels and Twins - and I need everyone's help to fill the vacancies. If they aren't fill before restricted free agency, the CO will act on their behalf, naming RFAs and franchise players and then choosing to match or decline the bids. We don't want a New Orleans Hornets situation on our hands, so help us out!

- Remember to get your Paypal payment in if you haven't already. I've talked to everyone who hasn't and I understand some people can't get it to me until after the New Year, but figured I would send out a notice.

- Trading is now OPEN. But before some teams can trade, you must complete the following if you have not done so already:

Proboards Roster:

Angels (Roster)
Astros (Update for 2012)
Brewers (Update for 2012)
Cardinals (Update for 2012)
Diamondbacks (Update for 2012)
Orioles (Post Entire Roster)
Twins (Roster)
Pirates (Update for 2012)
*White Sox (Minor Leaguers?)

- Teams also need to list protection years and salaries for some players, as well as complete contracts. Don't assume anything.

- To estimate arbitration figures and incorporate them in your salary caps for the time being, use this link: www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/11/projected-arbitration-salaries.html Likewise, if a guy isn't arbitration eligible yet, assume last year's salary or at minimum $400,000 for now.

- Reminder: if a player is released and is under protection (not a contract), the released figure is only applied for the one year and not future protected seasons.

- A lot of teams not listed need to clean up their pages too. Take off free agents from your roster, and extraneous clutter. Now to nit pick - add some color and other features to your clubhouses/roster pages.

CBS Roster:

Release all free agents if you have not done so.

Constitution:

Angels
Diamondbacks
Orioles
Padres
Phillies
Twins

Contact Info (remember to get YIM if you don't have it):

Angels
Cubs (need YIM!)
Marlins (need YIM!)
Twins

Google Doc:

I can't even tell. Change the dates at the top of each page to start with 2012 and don't insert the "$" sign, just put numbers in terms of millions (so $400,000 = 0.4).

Free Agents:

Angels
Astros
Brewers
Cardinals
Cubs
Dodgers
Mariners
Orioles
Padres
Rays
Tigers
Twins

Franchise tag(s)/Restricted tag(s):

Angels (FT, RT)
Brewers (FT, RT)
Cubs (FT, RT)
Indians (FT, RT)
Orioles (FT, RT)
Tigers (FT, RT)
Twins (FT, RT)
Mariners (FT, RT)
Marlins (FT, RT)
Rockies (FT)

Roster Archive:

Angels
Astros
Athletics
Brewers
Diamondbacks
Mariners
Marlins
Mets
Orioles
Padres
Phillies
Tigers
Twins


Now that I've taken my moment to be Grinch, I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanza, or any other holiday people celebrate! I'm thrilled with the group of people we have in here and thankful for all of your participation up to this point. I hope you all feel the same and I cannot wait for 2012 to begin! Let's make it this best year yet!

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone,

With Opening Day (Wednesday, April 4) right around the corner, there are several pressing matters that need to be brought up as we prepare for the regular season.

As mentioned before, teams must be entirely updated on Fantrax by TOMORROW night (technically Monday, midnight eastern). Remember that you cannot drop players from your roster that you're trying to get out of commitments for, and any player not on Fantrax WILL BE TREATED AS RELEASED, and will cost you half of their salary for every year they are under contract for. If other teams have your players, please PM me the transaction that needs to be completed (ie. trades) and I will do so as soon as possible.

If it appears, however, that a team is simply inactive, the CO will add players appropriately, and a search will begin for new GMs immediately. Several of you - we all know who you are - have been inactive and it is unfair for the rest of us and potential future owners to allow that to continue. It's an expectation that EVERYBODY signs on at least once every 24 hours, unless of course you let us know that you're out of town. Everybody is on the computer every day, and it isn't hard to spend five minutes at bare minimum on the board.

Moving on, everybody must be back at the appropriate roster restrictions by WEDNESDAY, a week before Opening Day, to allow the CO to make sure everyone is good for the start of the season. Notable restrictions include the 50 player limit, minimum of 10 minor leaguers, and maximum of 35 minor leaguers. Correct salary figures are also expected, which should all be available on Cot's. New salaries for players in the pre-arbitration part of their careers may not be up yet, but keep checking periodically until they are, and leave salary cap space for those figures.

Mac and I will also continue to check through rosters for correctness. Remember that in order for a season to qualify as a full year for guys under protection, players must EXCEED 50 games for position players, 10 starts, or 30 IP. If we find any errors with your club, you will receive a PM from us and the change is expected immediately. If there is an egregious error, we may be forced to implement penalties, which include suspensions from free agency, and salary cap penalties/fines (which is a new idea that we will look to implement).

Heading into the season, remember that there are now both pitching AND hitting minimums teams must reach to be eligible to win hitting or pitching categories. Teams must reach a minimum of 30 innings pitched and 125 at-bats. Failure to reach these levels in at least one fourth of your matchups will make you ineligible for the lottery.

Among other housekeeping items, please let me (and Mac) know if there are other pressing matters that need to be addressed. In the mean time though, remember to have fun! That's what this league was created for and hopefully provides to all of you. Remember to be conscious of what you say on the board, especially on the cbox, and if you have any personal issues with anyone, please keep that to PM or YIM. If someone is continuously a problem, please let me know if they step over the line significantly with you.

With that all said, I cannot wait for the season to begin! Should be a great year with a great bunch of owners here. Check out the divisional power rankings polls and vote, and hopefully we can have a league season preview as well. If anyone wants to post their own rankings to generate discussion, it is certainly encouraged, as I hope you all will continue to check in here for more than just potential transactions. Anyway, enough ranting, baseball season is almost here!

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for continuing to be patient with me as I recover from surgery. I will be in and out over the next week but by Thursday I hope to be further along.

In the mean time though, there are a few things that need to be addressed that require everyone's attention.

First off, as you should all recognize, Kevin quit after being penalized for inappropriate comments to fellow league members. This was nothing new and the CO had had enough, after countless warnings, but apparently that was still unacceptable to him. While he was an excellent GM, he caused problems at times that really were unnecessary and was disrespectful to a lot of individuals here. Please recognize that similar conduct will not be tolerated and there will be a zero tolerance policy against significant disrespect on the boards and cbox.

Combined with his departure and the inactivity of some other members, the CO has adjusted the Trade Panel to the following individuals: Blue Jays, Nationals, Padres, Rangers, Red Sox, with the Astros and Rays as alternates.

On the topic of replacements, I'd also like to welcome Christian and Ty, taking over the Braves and Yankees, respectively. They come in highly recommended as strong GMs so we shouldn't miss a beat with who they're replacing.

The Mets, Mariners, and Indians, on the other hand, all remain open and we are seeking replacements immediately. If you know of anyone potentially interested please do not hesitate to get them in here!

Moving on, there are a couple of slight changes to be made moving forward. In future scoring periods, beginning this week, the at-bat minimum will decrease to 100 from 125. While the original rule was made in good conscience, the bar was set too high as too many teams have found it difficult to reach this total. Please note that this change will not affect prior results. On that note, I will go through the past three weeks results on Fantrax and make sure they are accurate, as I have yet to do so recently.

The second change we're looking at isn't immediate, but in the works regarding salaries of players in the pre-arbitration portion of their careers. Every year players who have yet to reach arbitration have their salaries renewed right before the year, with the figures not apparent until after the season has started, which poses a problem for us. While some of these players might have specific salaries/contracts already (ie. Matt Moore), most go year to year, so the CO and TP are looking at putting together a specific salary for these players so we all know their salaries well in advance of the season starting. Right now we're proposing $480,000 for the first season, $520,000 for the second year, and $600,000 for the third before arbitration. Note that for players with injuries that might be further in their service time than their protection here, you will use the previous year's salary if it exceeds that of the salaries proposed, and likewise, "super two" players will be held to those salaries as well. More information on this will be made later.

Also in other news, next season the Rangers will move up a salary tier while the Astros will move down one, if that hadn't already been determined.

That's all folks. Please keep checking the boards every 24 hours, and keep setting those lineups. If you're not on here, you're inactive! Let's start seeing more activity from everyone!

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone,

I'm happy to announce that it appears that we're full. Within the past week to accompany recent additions Ty (Yankies) and Christian (Braves), we've welcomed Tyler (Indians), Rob (Mets), York (Mariners), Aidan (White Sox), and the return of last year's champion Harris (Tigers). I have also been in contact with three other people who are interested, so we're building up a solid group of people on the waiting list.

For all of the new guys, check out the following link to make sure you do everything you need to do, or else we'll have to contact those on the waitlist: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=newsfromthecommissionersoffice&action=display&thread=5683&page=1 New teams are allowed one free drop.

Everybody also should have received invites to Fantrax, which is obviously where lineups are set and everything is officially held. Remember though, that NOTHING is to be done on Fantrax before done here. For new guys and old, make sure all of your draft picks have been added, as some of the previous inactive teams failed to add them (I've tried to add them personally in some cases but I have no idea how many are left).

For both new and old GMs alike, remember that the new GMs cannot negotiate deals for a week as they get accustomed to the league. Tyler was given the okay early and Harris will be allowed to deal immediately as well. Others will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on how often they are on the board and other factors that would indicate that they're ready.

Now with that all said, Mac is going to be returning to doing team-by-team evaluations to make sure everything is accurate, particularly with salaries. Make sure that on your pages you indicate the full duration of deals, protection, etc. For new GMs, you might need to do a little research and cleanup of previous GMs' lack of detail (which is part of the reason why they're gone).

With that all said, I'm excited with where we are now. In case you haven't noticed, we're up on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pbfantasysports and on Twitter @pbfantasysports, so like and follow us! Usually leagues like this falter after the first and second years, but I'm proud to say that it looks like we're well positioned to be more active than ever. Everybody remember to try to log in every 24 hours or so, and let's start seeing some more deals! If anyone at any time has any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone, quick, but very important update here regarding the Google spreadsheet.

The spreadsheet has been made over completely, and requires everyone to open it and plug in their roster information. As opposed to before, the spreadsheet only includes the current roster - not past transactions - with a place at the bottom to include released players that affect the cap for this year and moving forward.

I have created pages for everyone with correct salary caps and formulas. All you need to do is the following:

• Plug in your team name at the top.
  
• Insert current roster (do NOT create new rows/columns, there are enough for you to use, it will corrupt the formulas otherwise).
  
• Insert salaries in millions of dollars (for example, if a player's salary is $4,000,000, insert 4 in the appropriate box).
  
• Use "PROT" to symbolize future protection years.
  
• Consult my page (WSH) which is next to TEMPLATE for an example of exactly how you should fill out your page.
  

This is very simple and easy to do. Took me 10 minutes to plug it all in. Remember to consult Cot's for players' salaries you are unsure about, including ANY players that have appeared in the pros and are near the beginning of their protection. I know it may be annoying but I promise that you will value it as a useful tool for yourselves and everyone else. Please try to complete this within the next week. Again, it is simple to do, and I've walked you through it here, so there shouldn't be any excuses or confusion.

- PB

SPREADSHEET LINK: Hey Everyone, quick, but very important update here regarding the Google spreadsheet.

The spreadsheet has been made over completely, and requires everyone to open it and plug in their roster information. As opposed to before, the spreadsheet only includes the current roster - not past transactions - with a place at the bottom to include released players that affect the cap for this year and moving forward.

I have created pages for everyone with correct salary caps and formulas. All you need to do is the following:


Plug in your team name at the top.
Insert current roster (do NOT create new rows/columns, there are enough for you to use, it will corrupt the formulas otherwise).
Insert salaries in millions of dollars (for example, if a player's salary is $4,000,000, insert 4 in the appropriate box).
Use "PROT" to symbolize future protection years.
Consult my page (WSH) which is next to TEMPLATE for an example of exactly how you should fill out your page.



This is very simple and easy to do. Took me 10 minutes to plug it all in. Remember to consult Cot's for players' salaries you are unsure about, including ANY players that have appeared in the pros and are near the beginning of their protection. I know it may be annoying but I promise that you will value it as a useful tool for yourselves and everyone else. Please try to complete this within the next week. Again, it is simple to do, and I've walked you through it here, so there shouldn't be any excuses or confusion.

- PB

SPREADSHEET LINK: Hey Everyone, quick, but very important update here regarding the Google spreadsheet.

The spreadsheet has been made over completely, and requires everyone to open it and plug in their roster information. As opposed to before, the spreadsheet only includes the current roster - not past transactions - with a place at the bottom to include released players that affect the cap for this year and moving forward.

I have created pages for everyone with correct salary caps and formulas. All you need to do is the following:


Plug in your team name at the top.
Insert current roster (do NOT create new rows/columns, there are enough for you to use, it will corrupt the formulas otherwise).
Insert salaries in millions of dollars (for example, if a player's salary is $4,000,000, insert 4 in the appropriate box).
Use "PROT" to symbolize future protection years.
Consult my page (WSH) which is next to TEMPLATE for an example of exactly how you should fill out your page.



This is very simple and easy to do. Took me 10 minutes to plug it all in. Remember to consult Cot's for players' salaries you are unsure about, including ANY players that have appeared in the pros and are near the beginning of their protection. I know it may be annoying but I promise that you will value it as a useful tool for yourselves and everyone else. Please try to complete this within the next week. Again, it is simple to do, and I've walked you through it here, so there shouldn't be any excuses or confusion.

- PB

SPREADSHEET LINK: docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsL1BFdCIzyydDRUeV94Q0VXVXRIU2NzblJyZWZoZEE&authkey=CLCwr4sN&hl=en#gid=44

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone - very important update here.

I will be studying abroad in Barcelona starting September 4 through December 21, and will obviously be less active during this time. As a result, I am seeking assistance for a variety of tasks, but fortunately - as many of you should know - once the season concludes, significant offseason activity won't begin until January anyway.

Still, it is vital to have a few people in place to maintain the consistency of the league, and I'm requesting for an individual or two to step up in my place to aid in running the show. Even if you are currently a member of the TP or CO (Mac), please PM me and either confirm that you can remain in the same capacity you're in now, or if you need to be replaced in your role. Likewise, if you haven't been in a league leadership role but (1) are active, (2) have extra time to devote to the league, (3) recognize the necessity to maintain organization and neatness, and (4) are interested in assuming a role/greater presence in the future, do not hesitate to PM me and outline your availability and willingness to help (and to what capacity). To keep this league on pace in being what I consider the best dynasty around (many of these types of leagues fold after the first or second year, so I hope the continued existence and activity encourages you to remain as active as ever!), it requires the participation of everyone!

Anyway, before you jump to help, here are the tasks I envision needing help with while abroad:

• Completing weekly free agency. (Shouldn't be difficult given lack of significant free agents)
  
• Completing waivers (Again, not difficult, just need to recognize when to go on waivers account to post results)
  
• **Review teams at-bat and innings pitched minimums to determine teams eligible for draft lottery/draft order.
  
• **Reviewing Proboards rosters and the Google spreadsheet. By the start of the offseason, all rosters/salary caps should be checked for accuracy. (Is Tyler's list of impending free agents complete?)
  
• **Filling league. Inactive teams need to be replaced sooner rather than later. TWINS/PIRATES/BREWERS? MARINERS? - Remember to send new GMs to this thread to get them officially in: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=newsfromthecommissionersoffice&action=display&thread=5683
  
• **Day-to-day questions/concerns from league members.
  

Remember, a huge part of this is maintaining organization, neatness, and consistency. For example, taking notice of capitalization, spacing, etc. in posts/titles is important for professionalism and for new members to adapt to the league easier.

Even if you don't wish to have a part in the administrative part of the league, there will be some activities considered necessities to show that you are still active. Come the offseason, the following posts must be made in a timely fashion:

• Your free agents after the season (regardless of tags), here: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2013offseason
  
• Players you are placing your restricted tags on (if applicable), here (deadline to do so TBD): pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2012restrictedtags
  
• Players you are placing your franchise tags on (if applicable), here (deadline to do so TBD): pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2012franchisetags
  
• NEW for this offseason: if you wish to release a player under protection (ie. they don't have an official contract for the next year, and therefore, with no cap penalty), post those players here (deadline to do TBD): pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2012nontenders
  

Other than that, here are a few other reminders/things just to toss around:

• Remember that if you exceed the salary cap/roster limit in any transaction (like a trade), you must post the moves you will make to correct the issue within the post to ensure that we know you will get back under the limits.
  
  
• Power Rankings - anyone want to do any?
  
• Questions or Suggestions - ask away! Via PM or in the suggestions thread: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=suggestions&action=display&thread=5861&page=1
  

A lot to read here, but thanks for paying attention. With the playoffs coming, good luck to everyone in the weeks ahead, and thanks again for your cooperation!

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

Hey Everyone,

First off, congratulations to Amy and her Padres for winning her second title in three years! Truly a fantastic achievement, but, no offense, hopefully someone else will sit on the podium next year! Also congratulations to Donavan and his Rays for winning the AL pennant, and the Nationals, Astros, Indians, and Rangers for also winning their respective divisions.

Now let’s move onto 2013. In this message you will find a preliminary offseason schedule, preliminary MLB player draft order, the deadlines to complete certain tasks, and several vital rule changes that affect all. Let’s get to it.

First, our primary objective is to fill the six remaining vacancies. After a personal disagreement irrelevant to the league, we are now looking for a new GM for the Indians, in addition to the Tigers, Twins, Brewers, Pirates, and Cubs. By the time many of you read this, I will have posted several inquiries on many popular baseball and fantasy baseball websites such as Fangraphs, Fantasy Café, Rotoworld, and more, but filling six spots isn’t an easy task, and if you have friends you want to get in here, by all means get them in!

Now on to a few rule clarifications and NEW and IMPORTANT rules (they will be posted elsewhere as well, however, understand that in the future anything posted here is considered to be in effect for the league):
• It is unacceptable to exceed the salary cap and roster restrictions of 50 total players (or go below 10 minor leaguers, or above 35). You are, however, allowed to submit bids and complete trades that initially put you over, with 48 hours to officially get under. In conjunction with that though, when submitting bids or completing trades, you MUST outline a specific plan to get under. For example, if signing Albert Pujols pushes me over the salary cap, within my bid (or in a separate PM), I must say that I will release such-and-such that definitively gets me under the cap. I hope this is clear.
• Before a particular deadline outlined below, teams may “non-tender” contracts of players who are within their protection years that they do not wish to keep, much like how the same process works in the MLB. Note that this does not include players already signed to long-term deals as they are subject to these contracts and are not considered protected. Again, only players within protection or signed on minor league AAS deals. Please post said non-tenders here: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2012nontenders
• NEW! This may be highly controversial, but with the best interest of the league moving forward, I have decided to cap all outstanding salary cap penalties from releases at $5,000,000 per year. Many people are inheriting teams saddled with cap issues, and likewise, this will eliminate some issues with record keeping (note that this isn’t personally motivated as I don’t have any future salary cap penalties!). Once this amnesty has been made, however, regular rules apply, and releases could in theory push you back over that $5,000,000 threshold; this is a one time act.
• With the Houston Astros joining the AL in real life, it is unclear as of now whether that change will occur here. My initial guess is yes as we would like to remain as realistic as possible, but that requires a significant number of logistical hurdles to overcome, including schedule changes. Fortunately, that should not really affect anything in terms of individual offseason planning for anyone given that rosters are the same between the leagues.
• There are currently no salary cap changes for the 2013 season (go here for the correct numbers: pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=rulechanges&action=display&thread=4566) but there WILL be changes for 2014 as we try to eventually even everyone out, or at least closer together. If your team in real life is on the lower end of the higher tier, expect to be lowered, while the opposite is true in the lower tier.
• Do people want the fee to increase to $25, with proportional upgraded winnings?

If you have any pressing rule questions, notice any disparities, or think a change is needed somewhere, DO NOT HESITATE to contact me. For the coming year, I’m looking to expand upon the Commissioner’s Office to add to Mac, Jason, and me while also altering the trade panel. Please PM me if interested.

Now to the PRELIMINARY OFFSEASON SCHEDULE:

If you are new to the league or haven’t done so already, there are a few important check-lists to read-up on:
• New GM To-Do Checklist - pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=newsfromthecommissionersoffice&action=display&thread=5683
• Google Spreadsheet Dos and Donts Primer - pbfantasybaseball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=newsfromthecommissionersoffice&action=display&thread=5813


Monday, December 10 – The following tasks must be COMPLETED prior to this date:
• Pay $20 via Paypal to [e-mail]
• Update Contact Information, Agree to the Constitution (if you hadn’t already)
• Update Proboards Roster; Archive 2012 Roster
• Update Fantrax Roster
• Update Google Spreadsheet
• Non-tender decisions must be made.

Monday, December 17 – The following tasks must be COMPLETED prior to this date:
• Post ALL of your free agents in the designated thread. Non-tender decisions must have already been made, and included in your list of free agents.
• Post your designated FRANCHISE tag
• Post your designated RESTRICTED tag(s)
• Trading will officially reopen. Teams may begin trading now, but realize that the Commissioner's Office won't recognize and evaluate trades until this time. Teams CANNOT trade free agents unless they also trade one of their free agent tags and the team receiving the player and tag must use the tag on that player.

Monday, January 7 - Restricted free agency bidding will occur for this week, concluding on Friday, with announcements of winners that weekend. Teams will have 48 hours to determine if they will match the highest bid. Please refer to the rules on further specifics.

Monday, January 14 - Bidding on catchers will occur for this week.

Monday, January 21 - Bidding on relievers will occur for this week.

Monday, January 28 - Bidding on middle infielders will occur this week.

Monday, February 4 - Bidding on corner infielders will occur this week.

Monday, February 11 - Bidding on starting pitchers will occur this week.

Monday, February 18 - Bidding on outfielders will occur this week.

Monday, February 25 - The Rookie Draft will begin (draft order TBD). Teams will have 6 hours to make their selections. Regular free agency will also begin (any position).

I hope that covers everything necessary! PM me, Mac, or Jason, with any questions.

- PB

[Nationals GM (Preston - Old)]

To clear up salary confusion, the LO has agreed that it's in everyone's best interest to increase the minimum league salary to $500,000 immediately. This mean's that any contract below that figure, whether $400,000, $480,000, or something similar (for ALL players, minor league players included) will now be $500,000.

At the same time to counteract projected team salary increases, every team will now have their salary caps increased by $5,000,000. As a result, here is the following breakdown of the tiers:

� Tier 1 - Yankees, Angels, Cubs, Dodgers, Mets, Rangers, Red Sox, Tigers, White Sox, Phillies
� 2012 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 2 - $130 million
� 1 Franchise Option
� 1 Restricted Option

� Tier 2 - Astros, Blue Jays, Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Giants, Mariners
� 2012 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 3 - $120 million
� 1 Franchise Option
� 2 Restricted Options

� Tier 3 - Orioles, Reds, Rockies, Royals, Twins, Indians, Athletics, Marlins, Nationals, Pirates, Rays, Padres
� 2012 Salary Cap Amount for Tier 4 - $105 million
� 1 Franchise Option
� 2 Restricted Options

In the future for next year, we're projected salary cap increases to $135M, $125M, and $115M, respectively, as we attempt to promote parity. More will come on that later.

But in the mean time, these new changes take effect immediately, so please update your appropriate pages immediately.