Fantasy Baseball Keeper League Rules/Constitution
Posted by Mike Caprio February 5, 2009
In my 1st post on this site, I couldn’t convey any greater importance in establishing a “sound” structure for your Keeper League. By it’s very definition, a Keeper League should be a community for dedicated, faithful, and competitive fans of the game, looking to share that love and aspire to build a lasting Dynasty for 5 or more seasons.
Unfortunately I have left two competitive Keeper Leagues, and have seen another two collapse, under the pressure of colliding personalities and bickering…in most cases as a result of “faulty” and “inflexible” rules.
The Magna Carta it’s not, but your Keeper League Constitution should serve as the basis for fair and balanced play, with the flexibility to be adjusted based on future events and unforeseen circumstances. It should provide the basis for parity and serve as the ultimate arbitor of conflict.
Paul Kraemer, Jr. is the commissioner and author (though as the saying goes, success is the child of many fathers) of a Constitution that has stood the test of time, and in my opinion, should serve as a model for other Keeper Leagues across the Country. As the calendar turns to July, I will post our Fantasy Football Keeper Rules and discuss them in further detail. But for now, and specifically after today, it’s officially Fantasy Baseball season.
Highlights
Our Keeper Leagues vary in size from 14-20 teams in a league; the more teams, the more competitive the league will be, as roster depth plays a large role in Keeper League success.
We use a Head to Head/Points Per Action (PPA) point system, wherein teams are divided in divisions will play teams in their own division, as well as the rest of the league in weekly series’ throughout the season. At the end of each week, if you have compiled more points than your opponent(s), you will receive one win. Standings at the end of the season determine playoff qualification and seeding.
I have included a link to our constitution which serves as the basis for Imitation League Baseball (ILB) and several other successful Keeper Leagues. Thanks to Paul for allowing me to post this publicly.
Please feel free to use some or all of these rules to help build a competitive and long lasting Keeper League.
Fantasy Baseball Keeper League Rules
Prediction: Steelers to cover the 6 1/2 points, thereby officially beginning the Fantasy Baseball season.
Draft wisely and enjoy the Super Bowl.
Commissioner Corner Introduction
The key in establishing and maintaining a Keeper League really lie in the rules.
I have been in several Keeper Leagues, and without question, the longevity and success of the league depends on the constitution.
We’re lucky to have Paul Kraemer, Jr., who serves as the Commissioner in several successful and competitive leagues, to contribute to this section to answer and address key elements to drafting a successful constitution and addressing league disputes.
But let’s cover the basics for those who may be deciding on the best structure for a league.
When establishing a league, two of the most popular structures are Rotisserie (Roto) and Points Per Action (PPA). Each offer benefits and drastically change the value and strategy in developing both your roster and your rules.
Roto was “invented” in 1980, utilizing a 4×4 point structure (4 Hitting Categories; 4 Pitching Categories)
The original statistical categories measured were Batting Average, Home Runs, RBI’s, and Stolen Bases for Hitting, and Wins, Saves, ERA, and WHIP (Walk + Hits/Innings). Many leagues have added OBP, SLG, K, to create 5×5, 6×6, or even 8×8 categories.
In Roto, the team with the most, or the highest average, depending on the category, will earn the top “points”, and the team with the lowest total, or the lowest average will earn the lowest “points” per category.
Typically, in a 10 team league, the “Top Spot” for each category would earn you 10 points; the worst team team in each category would receive 1 point.
The total number of points wins the league.
PPA leagues will assign points (positive and negative) for a variety of different statistical categories. The average number of statictical categories in my Keeper Leagues is 28. PPA Leagues can either be Head to Head, where you compete weekly agianst other teams, or cumulative throughout the entire season.
If you surf the internet, you will find articles and commentary on the various strategies and benefits for each of the formats. The key is determining the best format for you and your fellow players.
More to come on strategy, rules, and a great constitution that can serve as the basis for your new leagues.
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