I. ORGANIZATION

A. THE GOAL

The main goal of The Major League (TML) is to promote friendship and have fun through playing Diamond Mind (TM) Baseball v11.

B. THE ORGANIZATION

The organization of TML 1978-1969 will consist of 20 teams in four 5-team divisions. The organization of TML 1968-1961 will consist of 16 teams in two 8-team divsions. The organization of TML 1960-1903 will consist of 14 teams in two 7-team divisions. The "Original 14" TML franchises are on the 1948 Retro League Directory under the "Contacts" tab.

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

TML Commissioner	TML Trade Reporter
Mike Landin	Pat Barry
E-mail: mlandin2204@gmail.com	E-mail: thetml@hotmail.com

D. BASIC OPERATING RULES

The basic operating rules shall be as follows:

1. We will use the current Retro season edition Diamond Mind (TM) Baseball (v11) season disk.
   • 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 rated players of which a MINIMUM of 25 MUST be RATED.
3. Each team will submit a completed roster before the beginning of the regular season.
4. All "no card" players (i.e., players with fewer than 25 MLB at bats and pitchers with fewer than 20 MLB innings pitched) do not count toward the roster size.
5. All players are owned from year to year by the same team unless traded or released.
6. Each team will select a home ballpark in TML 1978 and must remain in that ballpark for a minimum of five (5) seasons before a change is allowed (exceptions: a new manager will always be able to select a new ballpark and a new ballpark must be chosen if the current one is no longer available). Any switch from a Neutral park to an existing MLB ballpark will be subject to the 5-year rule. Note that any one MLB ballpark can only be in use by three (3) TML Retro teams for any one TML season. However, an unlimited number of Neutral parks are allowed.

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 Retro.

F. RULE PROPOSALS

Rule propoals can be sent to Mike Landin at any time.

II. SCHEDULE

A. THE REGULAR SEASON

The regular season will consist of 160 games for the TML Retro 1978-1961 and will consist of 154 games for the TML Retro 1960-1903.

The current season 1947 Retro 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 will make the playoffs, for a total of four (4) playoff teams in Retro years 1978-1969. For the Retro years 1968-1903 and beyond, the top two teams in each Conference will make the playoffs.
4. DIVISION TIE-BREAKER: For Retro years 1978-1969, 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 Conference 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 (or Conference) 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. CONFERENCE FINAL for TML 1978-1969: The first place teams in each division will play the other first place team in their Conference, with the teams with the better records being the home teams for games 1, 2, 6, & 7 (if necessary). If the two teams have the same regular season record, then use the tie-breaker as shown above in 4. For TML 1968-1903, the first and second place teams in each Conference will play each other, with the first place team being the home team for games 1, 2, 6, & 7 (if necessary). If the two teams have the same regular season record, then use the tie-breaker as shown above in 4.
7. TML RETRO CHAMPIONSHIP: The two Conference Champions will play each other to determine the TML Retro Champion. The home team for games 1, 2, 6 & 7 (if necessary) will be the Oceanic Conference Champion in the even-numbered seasons and will be the Atmospheric Conference Champion in the odd-numbered seasons. For the TML 1947 season, the Atmospheric Conference will be the home teams 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 (updated for 1958 and into the past)

1. All INJURIES will be ignored.
2. All rostered players with fewer than 25 actual MLB at bats are inelgible for play in the TML Retro and are placed on a "no card" list (see Roster Size).
3. For 1958 and into the past: Players with over 500 actual at bats or over 550 actual plate appearances are UNLIMITED in at bats.
4. For the 1959 season forward ... Players with over 500 at bats or over 550 plate appearances can be limited to their "50-at bat" limit or to their actual games played. Example #1: a player with 615 actual at bats and 152 games played is limited to either 650 at bats or he can sit out 8 games and be "unlimited" in at bats. Example #2: a player with 476 actual at bats, 555 plate appearances and 153 games played is limited to either 500 at bats or he can sit out 7 games and be "unlimited" in at bats. (Note: such a player is limited to the number of actual MLB games played; the number of games a player missed during the MLB season is irrelevant.)
5. All other players will be limited to their actual number of at bats, rounded up to the next 50 (e.g., 25 --> 50, 51 --> 100, 200 --> 200, 325 --> 350, 405 --> 450, 500 --> 500).
6. Any player with 25 or more at bats 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).
7. 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) can be used in any TML season from 1978-1973. The DH will not be used in any TML season from 1972 back to 1903 or beyond.

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 from 1978-1973).
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. Limits
   1. All rostered pitchers who pitched fewer than 20 innings in the MLB season are inelgible for play in the TML Retro and are placed on a "no card" list (see Roster Size).
   2. Pitchers who pitched 20 or more innings and had a MLB ERA below the TML cutoff ERA are limited to their actual starts (GS) and/or total appearances (GS+GR). Pitchers who pitched 20 or more innings with ERAs at or above the TML cut-off (see point c below) are limited to 90 games, no more than 40 may be starts if the pitcher started at least 1 game in the MLB season being replayed.
   3. The unlimited TML Retro cut-off ERA for: 1946: 3.81+; 1945: 4.11+. Click here for a table of unlimited ERAs back to 1904.
   4. In case of dispute, a pitcher's ERA shall be the ERA published on his Diamond Mind (TM) profile screen.
2. 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 one (1) actual START in order to be eligible to START in the TML.
   3. A STARTING PITCHER must pitch at least 3 innings, unless he gives up 2 or more runs.

F. ACTIVE ROSTER MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Every team must carry a back-up (i.e., a player rated) at every position on its active 25-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: 300 at bats; T.Smith: 100 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 154 games, or roughly 525-625 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 pennant race.

1. Any player flagrantly overused will be automatically released and added to the upcoming Draft Pool.
2. Any team qualifying for the playoffs with flagrantly overused players will be disqualified from the playoffs and the second (or third) place team in the division will take their spot.
3. 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 TML Retro Calendar and Important Dates.) If you know you ware 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 Retro 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 Retro 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 itials, visting team initials, season year. For example, if SB is home and EQ is visiting in TML 1962, then the series ID is: SBEQ62
2. Multiple stat files can be sent in one file, but should be appropriately named. For example, if SB is sending in their entire Period 1 stats, then something such as SB62_Per1_Results is acceptable, and preferred.
3. Series period deadline dates are published on the TML Retro Calendar and Important Dates. If you know you will be late, let the TML Statistician (Mike Landin) know before the deadline to avoid a lateness penalty.
4. Deadlines: If the home manager sends results after the period deadline date, he will be fined. Latenesss will affect his team's ranking in draft rounds by dropping that team's draft position in all rounds.
5. Stats will be updated on a nearly daily (sometimes hourly) basis on the TML Retro web page by the TML Statistician.

IV. PLAYER CONTROL and ROSTERS

A. ROSTER SIZE

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

1. During Period 3 of a season in progress, all teams are to send in their cuts by a date to be announced. All rated cut players will be added to the upcoming Rookie Draft. (Note that the cut players will remain on their respective rosters until the conclusion of the season in progress.)
2. Roster size is "unlimited" during the off-season month, but may never exceed 30 total players during the regular season.
3. All "no card" players (i.e., players with fewer than 25 MLB at bats and pitchers with fewer than 20 MLB innings pitched) do not count toward roster size during the regular season.
4. The actual trading of players is allowed between seasons only.
1. For any trade to be approved, both managers must be current on the payment of their calendar year TML Retro Dues.
2. Trades can be reported during Period 3 of a current season after the cut-down date, but will not take effect until that season is completed.
3. Trading for the upcoming season will "close" at 6 PM EST/EDT, five (5) days prior to the starting date of the season. At that time, all teams will cut their rosters to a maximum of 30 total players.
4. Draft picks can be traded, but only for the upcoming "Rookie Draft" and two (2) seasons into the past (e.g., currently, draft picks for 1946, 1945 and 1944 "Rookie Drafts" can be traded).
5. 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.
6. 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!)

B. ROOKIE DRAFT

1. The Rookie Draft will be held between Retro seasons. A TML "rookie" is any player on a season disk not already owned by a TML franchise AND meeting the following minimum usage requirements:
1. Batters: 25 at bats (AB)
2. Pitchers: 20 innings pitched (IP)
2. The Rookie Draft is in reverse order of finish, using the combined winning percentage of the three (3) just previously completed regular seasons (e.g., for the TML 1946 Rookie Draft, the records from TML 1947, TML 1948 and TML 1949 will be used). (If two teams are tied, then the team with the lower percentage from the closest season(in the example: 1947) will draft first. If still tied, then the playoff tie-breaker rules will be used.
3. Note that the current roster size for any team includes current rated players plus the players on that team's "no card" list.
4. NO CUTS WILL BE ALLOWED DURING THE DRAFT.
5. Draft procedure:
1. Each team will have five (5) firm draft picks in the regular draft regardless of roster size.
2. Teams may cut as many players as they wish up to a deadline of the 20th day or the Month of Period 3. No team may enter the draft with more than 30 rated players for the coming season ("no cards" do not count toward the roster size).
3. After the 5th round, only teams with fewer than 30 rated players may continue picking until they reach 30 rated players on their roster.
4. Once all teams have a minimum of 30 rated players on their roster, any team with fewer than 30 carded players will continue to pick until they have 30 rated players.
5. Any "no cards" on the roster at the end of the draft will not count toward the 30 rated players but will count toward a team's 30 man roster for the next season. (e.g., Sanford has 30 cards and 3 "no cards" at the end of the draft for 1955. When the 1954 database is produced and if all of Sanford's team is carded, then there are 33 on the roster. Sanford must cut at least 3 players by the 20th day of Period 3.)
6. No trades will be formally reported *during* the Draft, but teams may make "trades" with any picks being "picked" by the person who now "owns it" Then, after the draft has been completed, the trade is reported as "players for players."

V. DUES

A. DUES and DATES

Dues will be fixed by the Commissioners at a level that will cover League expenses. For the 2020 TML Retro year, which includes the 1948, 1947 and 1946 seasons, the dues are only $2.50.

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 Retro web page.

APPENDIX A

1940 "Unlimited" ERA = 4.71+

There is no carryover rest between series.

RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR TML 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
1-24	1
25-50	3
51-100	6
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 TIE-BREAKER PLAY

Below are the restrictions on player/pitcher use in the 1-game TML 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.)