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  Repealed by 2022-1]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.