I. ORGANIZATION

A. THE GOAL

The main goal of The Major League (TML) Hi-Lo is to promote friendship and have fun through playing Diamond Mind (TM) Baseball (Version 11).

B. THE ORGANIZATION

The organization of TML Hi-Lo will consist of 14 teams, divided into two 7-team divisions: Red Division and Blue Division. The division assignments will be determined after the Team Pairing Draft is held.

1. All Members are required to adhere to both the letter and spirit of this Constitution.
2. Repeated failure to follow League rules and practices, gross incompetence, or a violation involving personal integrity, will result in expulsion.

C. OFFICERS

Board of Directors

Co-Commissioner	Jim Pertierra
Co-Commissioner	Mike Landin
Statistician	Mike Landin
Trade Reporter	Pat Barry

Hi-Lo Co-Commissioner	Hi-Lo Co-Commissioner	Hi-Lo Trade Reporter
Jim Pertierra	Mike Landin	Pat Barry
E-mail: pertierra1949@gmail.com	E-mail: mlandin@albany.edu	E-mail: thetml@hotmail.com

D. BASIC OPERATING RULES

The basic operating rules shall be as follows:

1. We will use the current season edition Diamond Mind (TM) Baseball season disk (in Version 11).
• NOTE: throughout this Constitution, any reference made to "rated" players are to those players that are on the Diamond Mind (TM) Baseball season disk.
• NOTE: throughout this Constitution, any reference made to "MLB" refers to Major League Baseball.
2. During the regular season, each team may have a maximum ROSTER SIZE of 30 players.
3. Each team will submit a completed roster before the beginning of the regular season.
4. Each team will use their last name as their "city" and is encouraged to come up with a clever nickname that reflects their team pairing (e.g., Rubs for Reds/Cubs, Sea Tigers for Tigers/Mariners, Jay-Rays for Rays/Blue Jays, White Backs for White Sox/Diamondbacks, AstroNats for Nationals/Astros, etc.). Each team will select one of the two home ballparks from their team pairing.

E. THE WEBSITE AND THE INTERNET

The TML maintains a website where much of the operating information for league business will be stored. Internet e-mail will also be used for TML News and TML News Flashes, as well as other league business such as submitting rosters and voting.

The league strongly encourages the use of the Internet for informal purposes, such as the proposition and discussion of rules proposals, trade offers, and general conversation.

Mike Landin will serve as statistician for TML Hi-Lo.

F. RULE PROPOSALS

Rule propoals can be sent to Jim Pertierra at any time.

II. SCHEDULE

A. THE REGULAR SEASON

The regular season will consist of 154 games for the TML Hi-Lo, broken into two "halves". The first "half" will be entirely against the opposite division (inter-division play) for 70 games and the second "half" will be entirely within the division (intra-division play) for 84 games.

The current season 2014 Hi-Lo Schedule is posted on the web page.

B. POST SEASON PLAY:

1. Each playoff will be a best-of-seven, except for the multi-tie division tie-breaker, which will be 1-game playoff (see 4. below). (See Post-season player and pitcher limits.)
2. Every effort should be made to play a playoff "face-to-face"; or over Diamond Mind(TM)'s "NetPlay" feature. If either option is not possible, MPs are to be used only if both Managers agree to play the series this way. If either Manager wants to be in control of his team, then the other Manager must send an MP to be used for the entire series. In this case, a proxy Manager can be designated.
• In the case of using MPs, if any playoff or championship comes down to a FINAL Game #7, then either Manager may ask that the Co-Commissioners and/or Trade Reporter play the game, using Manager Profiles from both Managers. (This request may be made at any time during the series.)
3. PLAYOFF TEAMS: The first place teams in each division for each "half" of the season will make the playoffs, for a total of four (4) playoff teams. In the case where the same team wins both "halves," then they automatically advance to the TML Hi-Lo Championship. In the case of a tie for any playoff berth, see point 4 below.
4. DIVISION TIE-BREAKER: If only two teams tie for their division title, then a 1-game playoff will be played, with the home team decided as follows:
   1. best head-to-head record; if still tied,
   2. best Divison record; if still tied,
   3. best overall ROAD record; if still tied (!),
   4. TML Officer "coin toss."
5. If more than two teams tie for any divisional playoff berth, then there will be a one game playoff, with the teams being "seeded", using the tie-breaker order above. In the case of a 3-way tie, the top seeded team will get the choice of being the home team for the deciding game(s) or going on the road to meet the winner of the first game (with the next highest seed being the home team). In a 4-way tie, the top seed will play the bottom seed, working in toward the middle (e.g., 4 at 1, 3 at 2). The higher remaining seed will be the home team for the next game. In a 5-way tie, the top three seeded teams will be granted a "bye," with seeds 4 and 5 (5 at 4) having a 1-game playoff. From there, proceed as in the 4-way tie-breaker above. (See special rules and guidelines for tie-breaker play.)
6. DIVISION FINAL: The first place teams for each "half" in each division will play each other, with the teams with the better "half" records being the home teams for games 1, 2, 6, & 7 (if necessary). If the two teams in the same division have the same "half" records, then use the tie-breaker as shown above in 4.
7. TML Hi-Lo CHAMPIONSHIP: The two Division Champions will play each other to determine the TML Hi-Lo Champion. The home team for games 1, 2, 6 & 7 (if necessary) will be the Blue Division Champion in the even-numbered seasons and will be the Red Division Champion in the odd-numbered seasons. For the TML 2014 Hi-Lo season, the Blue Division will be the home team for games 1, 2, 6 & 7 (if necessary).

III. RULES OF PLAY

Use all rules as outlined in Diamond Mind (TM) Baseball Rules, with the following exceptions.

A. PLAYER USE

1. All INJURIES will be ignored.
2. Players with over 300 at bats are unlimited in at bats.
3. All other players will be limited to their actual number of at bats, rounded up to the next 50
   (e.g., 101 --> 150, 151 --> 200, 201 --> 250, 251 --> 300).
4. Any player is UNLIMITED in at bats if his published real-life slugging percentage plus his published on-base percentage (SPC) does not exceed .600 percentage. (Note: Published always refers to the stats on his Diamond Mind (TM) profile).
5. A player can only start at a position he is rated for as shown on his Diamond Mind (TM) profile screen, except for outfielders who can start and play any of the outfield positions. Diamond Mind (TM) will "penalize" any player for playing "out of position", but this has less effect with outfielders. LF and RF are nearly interchangeable, but putting a LF or RF into CF may be costly. (In emergency or unusual situations during a game in progress, such as ejections or lengthy extra-inning games, any player can play any position.)

B. MINIMUM ACTIVE ROSTER SIZE

Each team can carry its entire roster during a series, but a minimum of 25 rated players/pitchers must be active.

C. DESIGNATED HITTER

The DESIGNATED HITTER (DH) will be used.

D. PITCHERS AS PINCHRUNNERS and PINCHHITTERS

1. Pitchers can be used as pinch-runners but may NOT attempt steals.
2. Pitchers with fewer than 25 actual MLB at bats cannot be used as a pinch-hitter (or as a Designated Hitter).
3. Pitchers with 25 or more actual MLB at bats are limited to the same 50 at bat limitations as position players (i.e., actual number of MLB at bats rounded up to the next multiple of 50).

E. PITCHER USE

1. Usage
   1. There is no carry-over rest between series. All player and pitcher rest is to be "re-set" prior to starting a new series.
   2. Any pitcher must have at least ten (10) actual MLB STARTS in order to be eligible to START in the TML Hi-Lo.
   3. A STARTING PITCHER must pitch at least 3 innings, unless he gives up 2 or more runs.
2. Limits
   1. The ERA cut-off for the 2015 TML Hi-Lo season is: 4.30
   2. In case of dispute, a pitcher's ERA shall be the ERA published on his Diamond Mind (TM) profile screen.
   3. Pitchers with an ERA above the TML cutoff may appear in up to 90 games and those who started at least ten (10) games in the preceding major league season may start up to 32 times during the TML Hi-Lo season. All pitchers who appeared in more than 90 games are limited by their actual appearances. All pitchers who started more than 32 games are limited by their actual starts.

F. ACTIVE ROSTER MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Every team must carry a back-up (i.e., a player rated) at every position on its active 25- to 30-man roster. One player can back up more than one position. You MUST have enough AT BATS to cover every position for the entire season (e.g., J.Doe: 150 at bats; T.Smith: 150 at bats, as your only catchers will NOT do). Any outfielder can back up any of the outfield positions. You must be able to field a team for all 160 games, or roughly 550-650 at bats per position, depending on where you plan to bat the player in your lineup.)

G. OVERUSE

OVERUSE of starts (GS) and or appearances (GS+GR) for pitchers and players subject to at bat (AB) limitations will be dealt with on an inidividual team-by-team basis by the TML Board of Directors, taking into account the amount of overuse, type of player, and impact on the "half" pennant race. Most likely penalty: disqualification.

1. Any team qualifying for the playoffs with flagrantly overused players will be disqualified from the playoffs and the second place team in the division will take their spot.
2. There are no exact guidelines (ABs, GS/GR) as to what constitutes flagrant overuse. As U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart in Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964) once said about pornography, "But I know it when I see it, ...". Overuse will always be dealt with on a case-by-case basis to ensure fair competition on a level playing field.

H. MANAGER PROFILE (MP)

For each series in a given period, the visiting Manager must e-mail a Diamond Mind (TM) Manager Profile (MP) to each of his opposing teams by the starting day of the series. This deadline will always be on the first day of the month. (See the 2014 Hi-Lo Calendar and Important Dates.) If you know you are going to be a day or two late, then you are to contact your opponent(s) to open a line of communication. No matter what, an MP must eventually be sent. (Words similar to: "Use the MP in the database" and "My MP is good to go in the database" are not acceptable.) If an MP (or a note of lateness) from the visiting manager is not received by the first of the month, then the MP is late!

1. Prior to sending out each monthly league database, Diamond Mind (TM) "Contingency MPs" will be created for all teams by the League Office, thus requiring that every team send out an MP to their opponents.
2. CONTINGENCY MP: If a visitor MP is not received by the due date (and after some attempt to contact the manager involved has failed), then use the "Contingency MP" that is already included in the database. Play the games using that MP and send an e-mail to the STATISTICIAN noting that a "Contingency MP" was used for the series.

Prior to beginning to play any TML Hi-Lo series:

1. Import the opponents proper MP.
2. Re-set player usage for all teams in the database.

I. STATISTICS

Diamond Mind (TM) will tally a multitude of statistics, wihch will be posed on the TML Hi-Lo web page.

J. REPORTING PROCEDURES

At the conclusion of a series, the HOME Manager must e-mail each series stat ".zip" file (created by Diamond Mind(TM) using export statistics) to the STATISTICIAN and to the VISITING MANAGER. The HOME manager must include the VISITOR's MP used in the series. (It is required that you "cc" the stat file to the visiting manager.) Failure to comply may result in a penalty.

Note that in Diamond Mind(TM), when you go to export stats, the MPs that are highlighted on Screen 1 are the ones that were used on the games that will appear for export on Screen 2. Just export both screens and you will satisfy the above. (Screen 3 contains roster moves and is not to be included in the export.)

1. Standard series naming convention: Home team initials, visting team initials. For example, if VO is home and PA is visiting in TML Hi-Lo, then the series ID is: VOPA. Or, one can combine the monthly stats into one file, such as: VO_February. It is important to include your 2-letter team abbreviation in naming your stats to distinguish the file from other TML American leagues.
2. Series period deadline dates are published on the 2014 Hi-Lo Calendar and Important Dates. If you know you will be late, let the TML Hi-Lo Statistician (Mike Landin) know before the deadline to avoid a lateness penalty.
3. Deadlines: If the home manager sends results after the period deadline date, he will be penalized. Latenesss will affect his ranking position in the next Team Pairing Draft by dropping that team's position.
4. Stats will be updated on a nearly daily (sometimes hourly) basis on the TML Hi-Lo web page by the TML Hi-Lo Statistician.

IV. PLAYER CONTROL and ROSTERS

A. TEAM PAIRING DRAFT

1. "The Who Needs 'Em Rule:" each MLB team will have its roster trimmed. The following will be deleted from the rosters: batters with fewer than 100 ABs, pitchers with ERAs over 5.30, all pitchers with fewer than 20 IP, starting pitchers with fewer than 10 GS and relievers with fewer than 30 GR.
2. Players who played on one or more MLB teams will be placed on the team that they played the most.
3. The Team Pairing Draft will be held between Hi-Lo seasons. The MLB teams will be paired up with the highest winning percentage team being paired with the lowest winning percentage team, working in toward the middle, until there are 15 such pairings.
4. For the inaugural TML Hi-Lo season, a random manager drafting order will be determined with the Co-Commissioners picking last.
5. The Team Pairing Draft is in reverse order of finish of the previous full Hi-Lo season, except that the TML Hi-Lo Champion will draft last, with the other division champ(s) drafting ahead of the Hi-Lo Champion, in reverse order of record. If any of the remaining non-playoff teams are tied, then head-to-head record is compared, the lower drafting first. If still tied, the best road record will draft first. If still tied, then a TML Officer coin-toss will decide.
6. Once the order of drafting has been determined, the draft itself will be held via e-mail.
7. At the conclusion of the Team Pairing Draft, the Orphaned Pair Draft will be held in which each team will select one (1) player off the unchosen pairing, in reverse order of the main Team Pairing Draft order.
8. At the conclusion of the Orphaned Pair Draft, there will be a 24-hour period in which entire team pair franchises can be traded. Formal trading of individual players can begin following this 24-hour period, up until the posted trading deadline (which will usually be 5 days before the start of the Hi-Lo season).

B. ROSTER SIZE

Roster size is outlined under section I.D.2 above.

1. The actual trading of players is allowed between Hi-Lo seasons only.
1. For any trade to be approved, both managers must be current on the payment of their calendar year TML Hi-Lo Dues.
2. Trading for the upcoming season will "close" at 6 PM EST, five (5) days prior to the starting date of the Hi-Lo season. At that time, all teams will cut their rosters to a maximum of 30 total players.
2. For a trade to become effective, it must be reported to the Trade Reporter (Pat Barry) with a "cc" to the other manager, who in turn confirms the trade.
3. No Manager may offer a player he does not own. Illegal trades will be dealt with swift, punitive and overwhelming force through the use of a "Terrible Swift Sword" by the Board of Directors! (Especially, the Co-Commish Jim Perterra, who will want to whack any offender!)

V. DUES

A. DUES and DATES

Dues will be fixed by the Commissioners at a level that will cover League expenses. For the 2015 TML Hi-Lo year, the dues are only $5.00.

• Note that each TML manager will only pay dues once per year, no matter how many TML American leagues that they participate.
• 2015 TML Dues Received Listing
• Dues are made payable to: Mike Landin

1. Dues for the upcoming season must be postmarked no later than December 1st of the current calendar year.
2. No Dues money will be refunded after January 1st, prior to the start of a new season, AND to any Manager that has made a trade effective during the upcoming year.

B. DUES FOR ACTIVE MANAGERS

• Dues will cover the maintenance and costs of the TML Hi-Lo web page.

APPENDIX A

"Unlimited" ERA = 4.31+

There is no carryover rest between series.

RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR TML Hi-Lo POST SEASON PLAY

The structure of the Playoffs are outlines in Section II.B of the Constitution. Below are the restrictions on player/pitcher use per series in the TML Playoffs:

Playoff At Bat Limits

Actual At Bats	Playoff At Bat Limit
101-150	9
151-200	12
201-250	15
251-300	18
301+	Unlimited

REMEMBER: All injuries are ignored, but ejections are to be enforced.

RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR TML Hi-Lo TIE-BREAKER PLAY

Below are the restrictions on player/pitcher use in the 1-game TML Hi-Lo Tie-Breaker Playoff:

For Players:

1. any *overused* player is ineligible and cannot be carried on the active roster;
2. any player who has unused ABs can be used up to his TML AB limit;
3. any player who has reached his TML AB limit and had 301+ MLB ABs can play, without regard to ABs, in any tie-breaker games;
4. all remaining players (i.e., those who have reached their TML AB limit *and* had 300 or fewer MLB at bats) are limited to 1 additional AB above their TML AB limit per tie-breaker playoff game.

Example: Doe (TML AB limit: 250 ABs) has used 244 at bats (6 extra unused at bats). He can be used in tie-breaker playoff games until he reaches 250 ABs, after which he is limited to one (1) additional AB per tie-breaker playoff game.

For Pitchers:

1. any *overused* pitcher is ineligible and cannot be carried on the active roster;
2. any pitcher who has unused GS/GR can be used;
3. any pitcher who has reached his TML GS limit *and* had 20+ MLB GS can start *once* in the entire required tie-breaker playoff games;
4. any pitcher who has reached his TML GS+GR (i.e., total games) limit *and* had 20+ MLB GRs can appear in relief in each required tie-breaker playoff game;
5. all remaining pitchers are ineligible and cannot be carried on the active roster.

Note #1: In the event of the maximum of two (2) tie-breaker playoff games, a team would have to use two different starting pitchers.

Note #2: There is no carryover rest between 1-game playoffs (except for the noted "rest" for starting pitchers in Note #1 above.)

Note #3: Each team is held responsible for any *overuse* incurred to any player or pitcher in violation of the items listed above.

PLAYOFF STATS: you are highly encourage to play this 1-game playoff in person, or over "NetPlay." Either manager can ask the Board of Directors to play the game in proxy or using an MP. (These stats will count as part of the regular season and be totaled into each team's composites.)