Strat Tournament Players Club (STPC)
Rule Changes
All STPC in-game rules are posted to our website: STPC Consolidated Rules
=== 2022 ===
2022-1
T10.11, T10.2 – The qualification thresholds for 2022 are: Hitters: AB+W = 300
or greater (250 if he is rated as a catcher). Pitchers: To start, they must
have 110 or more IP’s and have Starter on their card. To relieve, they must
have 40 or more IP’s and have relief on their card.
2022-2
T10.2 – We are revising the additional condition for starter removal
that we added last year. It now reads: Any SP can be removed in the 5th inning
if he gives up 3 or more hits/walks in that 5th inning. (Note: whether they are
weak or not is no longer a factor.)
2022-3
T25.2, T25.3 – We have removed the requirement that an injury replacement (who,
due to an injury, is playing at a position that is not on his card [*]) must
remain at his position (unless he gets hurt). That requirement was locking a
fodder/pitcher onto the mound (under certain circumstances) and that was never
an intended consequence of the ‘no-move’ requirement.
[*] Sometimes players can be forced to play at a position that is not on their
card because an injury makes it impossible to legally cover all positions.
2022-4
Appendix B – We have added an appendix to the rules
doc (link above) that covers how we are going to handle players who qualified
as both hitters and pitchers. In 2021, Shohei Ohtani
qualified as a RH starting pitcher and a right-fielder. He’s just one guy – he
can’t play RF and pitch at the same time. But, in most cases, he can play RF
when he isn’t pitching and always uses his hitter card when he’s hitting (even
when he’s in the line-up as the pitcher). See Appendix B for details.
=== 2021 ===
2021-1
T10.11, T10.2 – Because of
MLB’s short season last year, the qualification thresholds have been
adjusted. Hitters: AB+W = 105 or greater (90 if he is rated as a
catcher). Pitchers: To start, they must have 45 or more IP’s and
have Starter on their card. To relieve, they must have 15 or more
IP’s and have relief on their card. [Applied only for 2021.
Repealed by 2022-1]
2021-2
T10.2 – We are adding an additional condition for
starter removal. If a SP is weak in the 5th inning,
he may be removed. [Modified by 2022-2]
2021-3
T10.2 – We are adopting SOM Rule 27.54: The
maximum number of innings a starter can pitch without fatigue is his POW inning
plus 2. For example, a SP with an endurance rating of 6 would
automatically be weak as he starts the 9th inning.
2021-4
T18.01 – We are broadening the application of the
remedy for when the offensive manager forgets to ask the defensive manager about
his defense (e.g., “How’s your defense?”) with a runner on 3rd and
less than two outs. The current remedy only deals with
bunts. The new remedy expands to include all situations where there
is a runner on 3rd with less than two outs and now reads:
If the defensive manager hasn’t stated his defensive positioning, the offensive
manager must ask the defensive manager about his defensive positioning before
bunting (sac or squeeze) or whenever [*] there is a runner on 3rd with
less than two outs. The defensive manager responds with the infield position
and optionally states which runners are being held. If the offensive
manager forgets to ask and the result would have been
different with the infield positioned differently, the defensive manager has a
choice of re-roll or accepting the result [**]. Note that the result
must be different with the defense positioned differently. For
example, a homerun would be a homer either way so there could be no re-roll on
that.
[*] Defensive positioning must be re-established with each new batter as long as this condition exists.
[**] Accepting the result means accepting what would have happened if the
infield were BACK.
2021-5
We are going to go another year without adopting
the MLB rule that requires a reliever to face three batters or finish the
inning. It will again be considered after the 2022 Worlds.
=== 2020 ===
2020-1
T0.04 and T0.05 – The PureStrat formula for conceding games is adopted for
all FTF Regions. This means the 10-Run Rule (Mercy Rule, T0.04) is
no longer needed. So, you may concede if you’re behind by N or more
runs where N = 13 – (the number of completed innings). You may not
intentionally walk hitters to achieve the concession threshold.
2020-2
T25.2 – We will now use the SOM outfield adjustment
chart when forced to play an outfielder out of position (due to
injury). Here’s how the last part (of the first paragraph) of T25.2
now reads: If playing an outfielder at a position that is not on his
card but at an another outfield position, he would not have max-bad defense but
instead would have the same arm and error rating with his range rating adjusted
as follows: CF playing LF or RF - no adjustment, RF playing LF – no
adjustment, RF playing CF – add 1 to range, LF playing CF – add 2 to range and
LF playing RF – add 1 to range. If there are two possible
adjustments, take the one that yields the best range. Note: use of this exception is
optional. You can still cover for the injured outfielder with a
max-bad defender if you can’t cover all positions with moves.
2020-3
T10.11 – If a SP is pinch-hit for before the 6th inning
and a non-pitcher gets hurt in the same inning, the new pitcher can enter the
game into the same line-up position as the injured player. Whoever
PH for the pitcher (or the subsequent pinch-runner) may either stay in the game
or be replaced by someone that allows all defensive positions to be
covered. We will no longer require that the pinch-hitter/runner be
able to cover the position of the injured player to make this double-switch.
2020-4
We are not going to adopt any of the new MLB rule
changes for the upcoming season. However, we are going to consider
(for the 2021 Season) adopting the MLB Rule that requires a relief pitcher to
face three batters or finish the inning.
Policy Changes
The Move-1 Rule will be reinstated starting
with the 2020 Season for the FTF Regions. You may move the points
for a tournament (except the Regional) from another FTF Region into your region
by notifying your Region Director before the earlier of these two dates: Your
Regional date and the sending region’s Regional Tournament date.
DRAID – STPC will adopt a new 64-bit computer program called DRAID
as its official tournament draft aid. DRAID will be used whenever a
dummy team is needed to balance out divisions. DRAID DAT files will
be used for posting drafts and for calculating APS. DRAID will be
made available to any STPC Member who wants it. We owe immeasurable
gratitude to Stan Suderman for all he has
done for STPC including developing the first website and for providing his own
personal drafting tool (DSIM) to members who wanted it. STPC would
not exist today were it not for Stan so be sure and thank him the next chance
you get.
=== 2019 ===
2019-1
T10.11 has been modified. With the part that has been changed
highlighted, it now reads: Hitter
Eligibility and Usage. Position players
must have 300 AB+W (at bats + walks). If the player has a catcher rating on his
card he needs to have only 250 AB+W. Players with no
position on their card are 1b-5e30. Unless forced by an injury, players may
only play at positions that are on their card (See Section 31 for
exceptions). Teams must have a back-up
at each position (See
T31.10 for details including the exception for players with no injury on their
card). Position players that started the game may not be replaced
until the sixth inning unless injured or the opposing manager changes his
pitcher. (In this later case, changes may not be made until the new pitcher
takes the mound). A relief pitcher entering the game before the sixth inning
must bat in the same position in the lineup as the pitcher
he’s replacing except that a relief pitcher may enter the game in the spot of
an injured player if the batter (or subsequent pinch runner) who pinch hit for
the pitcher can cover the position of the injured player. Pitchers may pinch run for position players. Pitchers may not pinch hit for position
players. Exception: If a position player
pinch hits for a pitcher and the opposition manager changes pitchers, a pitcher
may pinch hit for the pinch hitter. If
you hit for your pitcher in the bottom of the 5th inning, the pinch hitter may
stay in the game. Unless forced by an injury
(See T25.2), a manager may not remove a player from the game if doing so makes
it impossible to cover all defensive positions.
Exception: You may pinch hit or pinch run for your last eligible
pitcher.
2019-2
T31.10 has been modified. With the part that’s changed highlighted, it
now reads: For a team to be legal, it
must be possible to field a team where each player is playing a position that
is on his card and, prior to any substitutions, it must be possible for any one
of the starters (that
can be injured) to be injured and be replaced in the line-up while
legally covering all defensive positions (after possibly moving players around
to positions that are on their card). An extreme case of a legal team would be
4 starting pitchers, 12 relievers and 9 position players where each position
could be legally covered and one player had each
non-pitching position on their card.
EXAMPLE: If you had two players who only had 2b and ss on their cards
AND you had no other players who could play 2b or ss, this would not be a legal
team because you would not be able to cover all positions should one of these
two get hurt.
2019-3
The Mercy Rule (T0.04) has been modified. It now reads: The trailing team has the
option of ending the game if they trail by 10 runs or more when a Mercy Rule
condition first exists. A Mercy Rule
condition exists whenever the home team is ahead by 10 or more runs after 4 ½
innings or any time after that. And, a Mercy Rule condition exists whenever the visiting
team is ahead by 10 or more runs after 5 innings or at the completion of any
inning after that. When a Mercy Rule
condition first exists, the trailing team may continue the game but then loses
the option of invoking the Mercy Rule for the remainder of that game. However, the trailing team may choose to
invoke the Concession Rule (T0.05) (if applicable). Intentionally walking batters to increase the
run deficit is prohibited. [Repealed by 2020-1]
=== 2018 ===
2018-1
The Concession Rule (T0.05) has been modified. It now reads: If someone is getting badly
beaten, he may concede the game at any time (*). If the conceding team’s starting pitcher was
pulled from the game (via pinch hit, pinch run or if pulled from the game for a
reliever), they must record (on the pitching sheet) a zero for each unused
eligible reliever. Exception: this
penalty is not applied if the starting pitcher was injured. Starter/Relievers do not get a zero if they
are required to start within the next three games. Intentionally walking batters to increase the
run deficit is prohibited.
(*) For FTF tournaments, the Tournament Director must approve the
concession. For PureStrat
Tournaments, you may only concede if you’re behind by N or more runs where N
equals 13 minus the number of completed innings. There are no concessions in NetPlay Tournaments.
2018-2
The Mercy Rule (T0.04) has been modified. It now reads: The trailing team has the
option of ending the game if they trail by 10 runs or more. If the trailing team is the visiting team, at
least 4½ innings must be completed. If
the trailing team is the home team, at least 5 innings must be completed. Intentionally walking batters to increase the
run deficit is prohibited. Mercy
conditions can come and go during the course of the game
but the margin must be at least 10 runs at the time the option is invoked. If the trailing manager opted to continue the
game and the margin falls below 10 runs, the Mercy Rule would no longer apply
but the Concession Rule might apply.
=== 2017 ===
2017-1
A starting pitcher may not be removed from the game
only because he’s weak. This repeals the new rule from last year. So, starting pitchers may be replaced if: a) They’ve pitched 5 innings or b) They’re injured (see T25.2) or c) They’ve given up 4 or more runs. See T10.2 for details.
=== 2016 ===
2016-1
Whenever a roll of the 20-sider is used to determine
home/away for a series, the winner of that die roll gets to choose whether he’s
home or away. See Section T0.16 of the
STPC Consolidated Rules for details.
2016-2
A starting pitcher may now be removed from the game when he
becomes weak. So, if a 5 dot SP gets
weak in the 5th inning, he can be removed from the game even if he hasn’t given
up more than 4 runs. See Section T10.2
for details. [Repealed by 2017-1]
2016-3
A pitcher who is eligible to either
start or relieve and who was used in relief in his last outing, must rest at
least 3 games before starting. See
Section T10.2 and T27.52.
=== 2015 ===
2015-1
In the Case Studies Section of the rules, the remedy
that is applied when an illegal pitcher is used (was Section T31.2) has been
changed and there is now a difference between the remedies for illegally using
starting pitchers and relief pitchers. T31.2 has been split so that now T31.21 deals with
the illegal use of starting pitchers and T31.22 deals with the illegal use of
relief pitchers. The main difference is that now the starting
pitchers can stay in rotation if an illegal starter is used when the offended
manager accepts the result. This change does not affect how illegal relief
usage is handled. See Section T31.21 and T31.22 for details.
=== 2014 ===
2014-1
T19.2 – You may hit and run with 2 outs.
2014-2
T10.11 – Back-ups are required for all position players,
even if they don’t have an injury on their card. [Repealed by 2019-1]
2014-3
S23.3 [D2] – You may only try for lead again if the pitcher or
catcher is replaced and they have a worse hold or arm.