Due to civil unrest and financial instability in 2034, the American Baseball League disbanded, leaving North America and the Caribbean without a Major Baseball League. Two venture capitalists, Regan Sink, and Taylor Updegraff decided to pool their efforts into starting a league that would highlight the world’s favorite pastime, with teams being founded across Canada, the United States, Mexico, and various Caribbean nations.

1.2) Game and Sim Schedule

We will sim every day, or every other day if a ‘simmer’ is not available, usually around 9 - 11 PM EST. Our sims will be 7 in-game days. Please DM an Admin member if you are going to miss an extended amount of time or are unable to access your team.

1.3) Game Settings

Player Rating Scales

Scale for all ratings: 20-80
Show ratings > max: Yes
Overall and Potential ratings: None Displayed
Show BABIP on player page: Enabled

Coaching Settings

Coaching System: Enabled
Coach Hiring from other teams: Enabled
Base Coaches: Included
Coach cohesion impact: Minimal
Coaching contract extensions: Allowed
Owner goals: Disabled

Player Injury, Fatigue & Suspensions

Injuries: Enabled
Injury Frequency (Short & Long): Normal
Delayed Injury Diagnosis: Occasionally
Hide Injury Rating: Disabled
Position Player Fatigue: High
Suspensions: Enabled
Suspension Frequency: Normal

Player Personality Settings

Player Personality Ratings: Enabled and shown on player page
Player Morale System: Enabled
Team Chemistry System: Enabled

Player Development Settings

Player Aging and Development Speeds: 1.000
Development & Aging Target Ages: Default
Talent Change Randomness: 100
Player Development: Enabled
Development for draft-eligible players: Enabled
Player Development Lab: Enabled, Size 10
Lab Specific Ratings Changes in Completion Email: Enabled
Player Developmental Focus: Enabled

1.4) League Settings and Rules

PABL is composed of the Federal and Constitutional sub-leagues. Each sub-league consists of 2 divisions of 6 teams, for a total of 24 teams. PABL teams must be within Canada, Mexico, United States, or the Caribbean, and must be located in an area that could realistically host a major league baseball franchise.. Below are the league settings and rules for PABL.

League Rules

Designated Hitter: Enabled for both sub-leagues
SP can remain as DH when removed: Enabled
Minimum batters faced for Relievers: 3
Modified Extra Innings (Ghost Runner): Spring Training Only
Allow Ties: No

Roster Rules

Active Roster Size: 26 Players
Secondary Roster Size: 40 Players
Expanded Roster Size: 40 Players
Roster Expansion Date: September 1st
Postseason Roster rules: Enabled
Postseason Roster Eligibility: Secondary Roster
Spring Training Roster Size: 60 Players
Age limits for Active Roster: None
Foreign Players on Active Roster Limit: None
Waiver Period Duration: 7 days
DFA Period Duration: 14 days
Batter Injured List Duration: 10 days
Pitcher Injured List Duration: 15 days
Expanded Injured List Duration: 60 days

Minor League Settings

Minor League Option Years: Enabled
Maximum number of option seasons: 3
Maximum number of options in one season: 5
Player right to refuse minor league assignment: Enabled
Allow incomplete minor league rosters (Ghost Players): Disabled
Base Minor League Depth Charts & Pitching Staff based on: Potential

Rule 5 Draft Settings

Rule 5 Draft: Enabled
Rule 5 Draft Date: December 1st

Trade Settings

Trade deadline: July 31st
10/5 rule (veteran right to veto trades): Enabled
Allow trading of injured (> 7 days) players: Enabled
Allow waiver trades after the deadline: Disabled
Allow draft pick trading: Disabled
AI trade frequency: Almost Never
Allow trading with AI teams: Disabled

Amateur Draft Settings

Amateur Draft Date: February 1st
Amateur Draft Number of Rounds: 20
Draft Pool Reveal Date: 120 days prior (October 4th)
Advance Draftee Signing (Signing Bonus Negotiations): Enabled
Slot Bonus Baseline: $4.5 million
Number of draft rounds to negotiate: 5
Allow major league deals for draft picks: Disabled
Expansion Teams draft first: Disabled
Draft Lottery choices: 6
Draft Lottery teams: 6
Draft Lottery reveal: Draft Pool Reveal

(see section 4.2 for more details)

Attendance Settings

Visiting team’s gate share: 20%
Apply gate share to season tickets: Disabled

Financial & Free Agency Settings

Yearly inflation: 0% – 1%
Minimum days of Service for 1 Service year: 172 days
Minimum Service years before Free Agency: 6 years
Service years required for Arbitration: 3 years
Super 2 deadline: Top 22%
Non-escalating Arbitration: Disabled
Minimum service years for minor league FA: 6 years
Compensation for lost FAs: QO / Later Round Picks
Max 1 career Qualifying Offer: Enabled
Qualifying offer value: $21,050,000
Allow players to be posted as FA prior to eligibility: No
Allow Free Agents from other leagues: Enabled
Allow Free Agents to leave league: Enabled
Reset service time for FAs signed from other leagues: Disabled
Foreign players become FA on contract end
Allow players to be purchased by other leagues: Disabled
Allow contract opt-outs: Enabled
Minimum buyout amount: 10%

Team Revenue Settings

National Media Contract Baseline: $50 million
National Media Contract fixed? Yes, same for every team
Local Media Contract Baseline: $62.5 million
Merchandising Revenue Baseline: $25 million
Team owner controls budget? No, entire revenue available
Revenue Sharing: Enabled
Shared Percentage of income: 48%
Luxury Tax: Enabled
Soft Cap: 140% of league average payroll
Tax above Soft Cap: 20%
Cash Maximum: No Limit

Team Expenses & Salary Settings

Player Dev. Budget Baseline: $15 million
Scouting Budget Baseline: $10 million
Minimum Player Salary: $720,000
Contract Years Maximum: 10 years
Contact Extensions: Allowed after 3 years of service time
Salary Cap: Disabled

Team Promotion & Demotion

Promotion & relegation for teams: Disabled

Schedule Settings

Number of games per Team: 162
Season Start Date: April 1st
Typical Series Length: 3 games
Balanced Schedule: Enabled
Interleague Play: Enabled
Allow Rainouts: Enabled
Spring Training: Enabled
All-Star Game: Enabled
All-Star Voting: Enabled
Influence of Popularity in All-Star Vote: High
All-Star Game Roster Size: 33 players
Force all teams to be represented at the All-Star Game: Enabled
Hold All-Star Prospects Game (2 days before ASG)
Homerun Challenge: Enabled (1 day before ASG)

Playoff Settings

Break ties with tiebreaker games: Enabled
Alternate home field for final playoff round: Disabled
Custom Playoffs: Enabled

In each sub-league, the #1 seed will have a bye and the #2 seed will face the #3 seed in the first round (see section 2.2 for more details)

Stagger series start dates between sub-leagues: Yes
Fixed series start dates: No, based on previous series lengths

2. PABL League Structure and Rules

2.1) Roster Rules

2.1.1) Major League Level
                Active roster size is 26 max. 40 man secondary roster. No age restrictions. See 1.4 for Disabled List Rules and Spring Training Roster Size.

        2.1.2) AAA
                Active roster size is 28 max. There are no age restrictions in AAA Level. Rehab assignments will go here and count towards your roster size.

        2.1.3) AA
                Active Roster size is 28 max. Players 26 years old or older may not play in AA Level.

        2.1.4) A
                Active Roster size is 30 max. Players 25 years old or older may not play in A Level.

        2.1.5) SA
                Active Roster size is 30 max. Players 24 years old or older may not play in SA Level.

        2.1.6) R Level
                Active Roster does not have a limit. Players 23 years or older may not play in R Level.

        2.1.7) INT
                Since this is an International League, we do not have INT rosters. This means you have to draft your 17-20 year old players.

2.2) Schedule and Playoff Structure

2.2.1) Regular Season
                162 game structure with Interleague play and divisional play. 6 teams will qualify for the playoffs.

        2.2.2) Tie-Breakers
                Tie-breakers will be determined by game 163 between the tied teams.

        2.2.3) Playoffs / Wild Card
                There is 1 Wild Card spot available per league. Regular season seeding will determine the Wild Card teams. Since there are only 6 teams that get to go to the playoffs, 3 teams in each league, this eliminates the need for a Wild Card Series. Because of this, every series will be a best of 7 set. Seeding will go as follows: 1 seed BYE, 2 seed v. 3 seed.

        2.2.4) Division Series
                The Division Series will be a best of 7 game set. The first 2 games are at home for the higher seed. Games 3 & 4 will be home for the lower seed (5 if necessary will also be a home game for the lower seed). Games 6 & 7, if necessary, will be a home game for the higher seed.

        2.2.5) Championship Series
                The Championship Series will be a best of 7 game set. The first 2 games are at home for the higher seed. Games 3 & 4 will be home for the lower seed (5 if necessary will also be a home game for the lower seed). Games 6 & 7, if necessary, will be a home game for the higher seed.

        2.2.6) World Series
                The World Series will be a best of 7 game set. 1 representative from both Leagues. The first 2 games are at home for the higher seed. Games 3 & 4 will be home for the lower seed (5 if necessary will also be a home game for the lower seed). Games 6 & 7, if necessary, will be a home game for the higher seed.

3. League Financials

3.1) General Structure

A number of things can impact your budget. We try to limit the difference it has on small markets compared to bigger markets. Yearly inflation is turned off. Baseline ticket prices are set at $37. Market size has an impact on your budget. Fan interest has an impact on your budget. The team owner does not decide the budget. The entire revenue is available. In the offseason, OOTP takes the average payroll of all the teams, and there is a 20% tax on teams that spend 40% more than the League Average. Scouting Baseline is at $10 million. Player Development baseline is at $15 million. There is a fixed national media contract. Local media contracts are on.

3.2) Free Agency Rules

Free Agency starts at the end of the World Series and the beginning of the Off Season. Teams may NOT engage in Free Agency during the Postseason. All Free Agents follow the same contract rules as outlined in section 3.3.

3.3) Contract Rules

You can sign a player for any amount as long as you have budget space for the player. The maximum length the contract can be is 10 years.

        3.3.1) Contract Options
        You can have 2 team options in a contract. You can have 2 player options. No option year can be worth more than the highest guaranteed year. You cannot have a vesting option. You cannot have a team option and a player option. Failure to follow rules will result in the option year in question to be guaranteed.

        3.3.2) Contract Bonus and Incentives
        All Contract Bonuses must not exceed 25% of the players Average Annual Salary. Performance incentives shall not exceed 550 Plate Appearances for hitters and 180 Innings Pitched for pitchers. Failure to follow rules will result in the difference between the Bonuses and the Average Annual Salary to be added to the guaranteed salary throughout the life of the contract.

        3.3.3) Contract Extensions

Players are eligible for contract extensions after they hit 3 years of Major League Service time. All contracts follow the same contract rules as outlined in section 3.3 , 3.3.1, and 3.3.2.

3.4) Being Over Budget and Penalties

The game penalizes you enough when you go over budget. You are unable to sign Free Agents, Draft Picks, make trades, sign Extensions, and sign staff. Avoid going over budget whenever possible.

4. Drafting Players

4.1) Rule 5 Draft

Players under 23 are not eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. The Rule 5 Draft will happen in the game file.

4.2) Amateur Draft

Draft class will be announced on October 4th, 120 days prior to the draft. The Amateur Draft will be held during the pre-season on February 1st. There is a lottery implicated with our Amateur Draft impacting 6 teams. This is to promote a competitive playing field and avoid tanking techniques. The team with the worst overall record the year before will have a 27.27% odds. The team with the 2nd worst record will have 22.73% odds. The team with the 3rd worst record will have 18.18% odds. The team with the 4th worst record will have 13.64% odds. The teams with the 5th and 6th worst records will each have 9.09% odds. All proceeding picks will be done in reverse seeding order. The 1st ever Amateur Draft will happen in reverse order of the Inaugural Draft. To find out how to draft a player, see 8.3.3.

4.3) Round Time Limitations

We expect our GM’s to be active in the draft and present when their picks arrive. There is a reasonable timer set for every round, as we want to give you the best opportunity to make your decision and understand life circumstances. Failure to make a pick in your allotted time on multiple occasions will result in the Admins setting your Draft to auto. Time limitations are as follows: 1st round: 4 hours, 2nd-10th rounds: 2 hours, 11th-15th rounds: 1 hour, all subsequent rounds: 30 minutes

4.4) Draftee Signings

Draft pick signing must be completed by the in-file game date. You will receive a comp pick the following year depending on if a high-ranked pick did not sign. Remember to allocate enough budget space.

4.5) Draft Pick Trading

Draft pick trading is not allowed under any circumstances. Recently drafted players can be traded at the start of the following offseason.

4.6) INTFA Draft

Since we play in an international league with other existing leagues, there is not an International Free Agent Draft.

4.7) Posted Players

There are no Posted Players, they become eligible Free Agents.

5. Trades

5.1) Players

Recently drafted players may NOT be traded until the beginning of the following off-season. Players in your International Complex may NOT be traded. Recently signed players may NOT be traded until after June 15th. Players signed after Opening Day may be traded after the acquisition spends 1 month with their new team. All other players who are eligible for trades in accordance with their contracts and 10/5 rights.

5.2) Salary Retention

Teams can retain a maximum of 50% in trades. The amount of retention withheld can exceed 50% if multiple teams carry various percentages throughout the life of the contract. If a player has 2 years or less remaining on a contract, they can retain up to 100% of the contract.

5.3) Cash

Cash may be included in any trade as long as there is room in your “Total Money Available” budget.

5.4) Posting Trades

Trades are to be done through Stats+. Stats+ will then post a copy of the trade in Discord. Both GMs should export the trades in the same way they are presented through Stats+. If you are not able to export your trade, please message an Admin member as soon as possible.

5.5) Trade Deadline

The Trade Deadline will occur on July 31st. This will give GMs time to add their recently traded players to their rosters in time for Postseason Roster eligibility. If your recently traded player is not Postseason Roster eligible, please notify an Admin as soon as possible. The Commissioners can pause for a day to get extra deals in if they deem more time is warranted.

5.6) No Trade Clause

Any player can be offered a No Trade Clause. However, under no circumstances can a No Trade Clause or a player’s 10/5 rights be overruled.

5.7) Trade Veto

Admins reserve the right to veto a trade offer through Stats+ if the trade presents a competitive imbalance. Players in game can veto a trade in accordance with their contracts and 10/5 rights.

6. League Customizations

6.1) Team Name

We encourage you to customize your team name! We want you to feel like you have a say in the creative process and the history of our league. Please refrain from using slurs or offensive language in your name.

6.2) Team Colors/Logo

All colors on the table! 150 x 150 png. Please refrain from using slurs or offensive language in your logo.

6.3) Stadium Requirements

You can set stadium factors and dimensions to your liking. Stadium factors must have a minimum of:

Ball Park Factors
AVG Overall: .950

AVG LHB: .950
AVG RHB: .950
Doubles: .875
Triples: .850
Home Runs Overall: .900
Home Runs LHB: .900
Home Runs RHB: .900

Distances & wall Heights
Left Line: 325 ft away; 6 ft high
Left FIeld: 325 ft away; 6 ft high
Left-Center: 325 ft away; 6 ft high
Center Field: 400 ft away; 6 ft high
Right-Center: 325 ft away; 6 ft high
Right Field: 325 ft away; 6 ft high
Right Line: 325 ft away; 6 ft high

These distances match Field Dimension rules for current Major League Baseball. Or you can choose from one of the already pre-existing ballparks in OOTP that opened past the year 1960. Fenway and Wrigly are grandfathered in.

6.4) Stadium Restrictions

Although we encourage you to choose your stadium, we want to ensure a fair playing field across the league when it comes to customizable advantages. Or you can choose from one of the already pre-existing ballparks in OOTP that opened past the year 1960. Fenway and Wrigly are grandfathered in. Stadium factors will not exceed a maximum of:

Ball Park Factors
AVG Overall: 1.350

AVG LHB: 1.350
AVG RHB: 1.350
Doubles: 1.250
Triples: 1.250
Home Runs Overall: 1.150
Home Runs LHB: 1.150
Home Runs RHB: 1.150

Distances & Wall Heights
Left Line: 350 ft away; 25 ft high
Left FIeld: 350 ft away; 25 ft high
Left-Center: 400 ft away; 25 ft high
Center Field: 420 ft away; 25 ft high
Right-Center: 400 ft away; 25 ft high
Right Field: 350 ft away; 25 ft high
Right Line :350 ft away; 25 ft high

Any pre-existing OOTP ballpark can exceed limitations. Any stadium can be approved or denied by a Commissioner, both within and outside these limitations.

6.5) Minor League Affiliates

Just like our Major League affiliates, we encourage you to use your creativity in names, logos, colors, and where you’d like them to play! Please refrain from using slurs or offensive language in your names and logos.

6.6) Relocation

Relocation can take place in any country, city, or town as long as they are located in North America, South America, Central America, or the Caribbean. We would appreciate it if you take into consideration division alignments and other franchises already located in the area. We encourage GMs to pick a place where they want their franchise to be located.

7. Discord

7.1) Usage

The way we communicate is through Discord. All important information, including announcements from Admin, polling, trade discussions, draft results, sim time changes, sim results, and file announcements, will be on Discord.

7.2) Activity

We expect our GMs to be active in polling and occasional conversation. GM’s will be reached out by a member of Admin if they go too long without being active. We want everyone to be heard!

7.3) Participation Points

Participation Points are given out at the after the All-Star break and after End of Year Awards. Check updated points here: PABL Participation Points

7.3.1) How to Earn Points

5 Points earned for each season completed.
        10 Points earned for voting for All-Stars, voting for End of Year Awards, completing the Draft without time abuse, and completing the End of the Year Survey.
        15 Points earned for a 10 win improvement from the previous season.
        20 Points earned for a 20 win improvement from the previous season, winning GM of the Year, and for making the Playoffs.
        30 Points earned for winning the World Series.

7.3.2) How to Use Points
        5 Points used for giving a player a nickname. Can be used once per season. Please refrain from using slurs or offensive language in your name.
        10 Points used for turning a retired player into a coach. Can be used once per season.
        15 Points used for changing a Prospects' personality. Prospect must have spent 1 year in the team's organization. Prospects must not be on the 40-man roster. Prospects can have one negative trait turn into a neutral, or one neutral trait turn into a positive. There can only be 3 personality modifications per prospect. This can only be used on one Prospect per year.
        25 Points used to turn any Wrecked injury prone player to a Fragile injury prone player. Or Fragile injury prone player to a Normal injury prone player. Players older than 30 are not eligible. Can only be used on 1 player, once per season. Does not count as a personality modifier.
        45 Points used to rebrand following rules outlined in 6.1 and 6.2. There is a 5 year cooldown.
        50 Points used for buying a new stadium or new factors that follow rules outlined in 6.3 and 6.4. There is a 3 year cooldown period.
        50 Points used to buy 1,500 seats. Maximum of 60,000 seats. There is a 3 year cooldown.
        75 Points used to RNG a new Owner. GM must not have won the World Series within the past 5 years. Current Owner is at least 75 years old. There is a 5 year cooldown.
        100 Points used to relocate your team following rules outlined in 6.6. There is a 5 year cooldown.

7.4) Rules

Please follow Discord’s general guidelines. We want to provide a safe, fun, and customizable experience for everyone. Admin holds the power to mute and kick anyone who violates someone's rights or hinders the experience we are trying to provide to other players.

8. New Members

8.1) Getting a File

Once invited into the Discord by an Admin member, a Commissioner will reach out with a Quick Start Code. Copy the entire message and open OOTP25. Look at the bottom and hit ‘Quick-Join Online League’.
Then paste the entire Quick Start Code sent by the Commissioner into the blank box and hit join.

Wait for it to load, keep your computer awake, it might take a moment. It is a big new world you are stepping in!

Select your name. After you load in, go to ‘Manager Options’ to set your password. This allows only you to access your team.

Now you are ready to start playing in the PABL!

8.2) Importing a File

When importing a new file, hit the ‘File’ drop down menu and select ‘Online League’. Then select ‘Download Latest League File’.

This will give you the most up-to-date file. Remember to download the latest file after every sim, before you begin your GM duties.

8.3) Stats+

An admin member will give you a link to Stats+. You will sign in using your Discord credentials. Stats+ offers information about the league and is perfect on-the-go. This is where we will post our Trade Block, submit and offer trades, Draft, and vote for end-of-year awards.

8.3.1) Trade Block

To add a player to the Trade Block, you will first go to your team by clicking on your team name from the home screen. From there, you should be able to see your rosters. Click on the player and a pop-up of their ratings should appear. On the bottom of the pop-up will be a Green + with the word ‘Block’. Click on that button and now the player is added to the block.

You can confirm that he is on the block by seeing a Red - where the plus sign used to be. Arrows will also appear next to players' names who are on the block.

If you want to write a short note about the player: Click on the player’s name in the pop-up screen. This will open a new window with more information about your players. Click the “Block +” button and another popup window will appear. Simply write your note, hit Save Note, and Add to Block.

To view the Trading Block, click on “League” and a drop-down menu will appear. Simply click on “Trading Block” and it will take you directly to the list of players other GMs have posted.

You can post your Trade Block to Discord by hitting the “Post My Trade Block” button on the top of this page.

8.3.2) Trade Tool

As well as completing the trade in game, we use the Trade Tool to execute deals. To access the Trade Tool, click on “League” and a drop-down menu will appear.

This will take you to the Trade Tool. Your team will appear on the left and the team you intend to trade with will appear on the right. It will look like this:

Here you can choose your team from the drop-down menu by clicking on ‘Choose trading partner’. Cash can also be included here. After choosing your team, you can choose the level of which the agreed players are on. When you have built out your trade, you can submit it by clicking on the “Review Proposal” button. Another popup menu will come up (acting as a warning for final review).

Here you can add a note if you’d like by clicking on the + sign. After hitting ‘Yes’. A timed confirmation window will appear.

You can check if your proposal was correctly sent by going to the Trade Tool and hitting “Pending”. Here, withdraw a trade you propose or accept a trade sent to you. All trades will then be published by Stats+ on Discord.

8.3.3) Draft

To access the Draft, click on “League” and a drop-down menu will appear. Click on draft and it will take you to the draft order and summary if the draft is currently active.

From here, click on Pool/My List. From there, you can look at and evaluate players, as well as build your list. To add players to your list, click on the + by their names.

After you add a player, it will ask you to save your list. Remember to always save your list after editing. To speed up the draft process, you can select List Pick and it will automatically draft the first player available on your list. Auto Pick lets the computer decide who you get. Selecting both will allow the computer to pick for you but only after your list is empty. Remember to update your list often as players get selected by other teams.

8.3.4) Awards

End of year awards will be presented through Stats+. We expect our GMs to be active in award voting. Admin will reach out to GMs not participating in award voting.

8.4) Exports

We expect our GMs to be up-to-date with exports. Follow the same steps in 8.2 for exporting. However, you will select ‘Export Your Team via FTP’ on the last step. This will give the Commissioner all of your GM moves for the upcoming sim. Remember to save often. Inactive GMs will be given a warning before kicking.

8.5) Recommending a Friend

We want to keep PABL a fun experience for everyone, so if you know someone who would fit well, please let us know! As we have a limited number of teams, please confirm with an Admin member before inviting a friend.