The HBWRL is split into two divisions: the Senior Circuit (SC) and Junior
Circuit (JC). The season is 20 games in length per team, and involves each
of the eight teams playing each team in their league four times, and each
team in the other league twice. Thus there is a total of 80 games in a season.
Each season is divided into six "mini-seasons," of four games each (or three
games per team) (regular play), or give games each (or four games per team)
(interleague play). As mentioned above, each team has three starting pitchers
and five relievers. Any pitcher that was a starting pitcher during his actual
career is eligible to be a starter or reliever in the HBWRL. Career relievers,
however, must be used as such. Career relievers include Dick Hall, Lee Smith,
Rich "Goose" Gossage, Elroy Face, Hoyt Wilhelm, Dennis Eckersley, and Rollie
Fingers. Each starting pitchers starts exactly one game per mini-season, and
is ineligible to pitch in the others, with the exception of the final game
of the mini-season during interleague play. For that game, a starter that
has already pitched may pitch again, but no particular pitcher may have multiple
starts in multiple mini-seasons.
Starting rotations may be altered, and pitchers delegated to and from the
bullpen, between mini-seasons, but not during one. Similarly, each team has
nine batters, including a designated hitter (DH). While the starting lineup
must be the same in each game, the batting order may be changed between
(but not during) mini-seasons.
The team with the best overall record shall be called the Regular Season
Champion. The team with the best record among the remaining six teams,
when division winners are excluded, shall be called the Wildcard Team. The
Wildcard Team plays the remaining division champion in a best-of-five
series, with the winner playing the Regular Season Champion in a
best-of-seven World Series. The higher-seeded team has home field for ALL
games
in the series.
If teams are tied in the standings, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head
season series. If the series is tied, then the difference between the
number of runs each team scored and allowed (runs scored - runs against) is
the deciding criterion. In the event that both of the above are tied,
then (runs scored - runs against) in head-to-head games is used. The fourth
tiebreaker is divisional record, and the 5th tiebreaker is strength of
schedule. Finally, if all three of the above are tied, the teams play a
one game playoff, with the location of the playoff game determined by coin
flip.
Trades may also be made between (but not during) mini-seasons 1-5. General
Managers may trade batters, pitchers, draft
picks, or any combination thereof. However, General Mangers may only
"release" and "pick-up" players during the
off-season. During the season, it is permissible to "release" and "pick-up"
players only to unload excesses, or fill gaps in, a
team's roster created by a trade that occurred between mini-seasons.
Rosters and Draft Rules
Each team may protect up to three batters and two pitchers. (Note that there
is no distinction for this purpose between starting pitchers and relievers.
Thus, while a team is entitled to protect only 2/8 of its pitching staff,
it is entitled to protect 100% of its starting rotation.) Each team decides
which players to protect without knowledge of which players will be protected
by other teams. No later than 24 hours before the draft, each player reveals
their selections for protected players. The teams then draft to fill their
rosters. A team may not draft a player for which it does not have room (e.g.,
you may not draft an unprotected second baseman unless you have on open roster
spot for him on your team). After the draft, teams will be allowed to "release"
and "pick-up" players, and propose trades, until the start of the season.
Team Names
The name of your team must be a location or your last name, followed by a
nickname. In general, the location must be in the United States or Canada;
exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Neither name may be
one that is already taken by an existing professional sports team or
HBWRL team. Team names that may be considered vulgar will also be
evaluated on a case-by-case basis.