Name: 

IBL Team: 

  (ie. MAD for Monrovia Madness)

IBL Email:

Proposal I - SPLIT SEASON FORMAT

The IBL will use a split-season format. If the IBL has three divisions, the playoff teams shall be the winners of each division from each half, except that in the event a team wins both halves of a season in its division, the team in that conference with the next best overall record shall qualify for the playoffs as a wildcard. If the IBL has two divisions, the playoff teams shall be the winners of each division from each half, except that in the event a team wins both halves of a season in its division, such team shall have a bye. Otherwise, playoff seeding will be determined by overall (rather than split-season) record.

The Commissioner is hereby authorized to make such changes to the League Documents as are necessary to effect the goals of this amendment. Where an ambiguity exists, the Commissioner shall determine the outcome by himself, in consultation with others, or by league vote, as he so determines.

YES  

NO   

Proposal II - REALIGNMENT

The IBL shall re-align into two 6-team divisions per conference. The commissioner shall determine the realignment structure with due regard to existing rivalries, talent and ownership distribution (geographic, experience, or otherwise). No team shall be forced to change conferences without its consent.

Six teams shall make the playoffs as follows:

(a) the top two seeds shall be the division winners;
(b) the remaining four seeds shall be as selected in Ballot Item 2(a)

The scheduling shall be as determined by Ballot Item 2(b). The Commissioner is hereby authorized to make such changes to the League Documents as are necessary to effect the goals of this amendment. Where an ambiguity exists, the Commissioner shall determine the outcome by himself, in consultation with others, or by league vote, as he so determines.

YES  

NO   

(2.1) If Ballot Item 2 passes, a majority determination shall be made between the two following options. Please vote for one option even if you vote against Ballot Item 2.

Option A is that the second and third place teams in each division shall qualify for the playoffs. The first round shall be a five-game series matching the third place team from each division against the second place team from the other division with the second place teams having home field advantage. The subsequent round shall be seven-game series, with the division winners holding home-field advantage. The teams shall be matched up, if possible, to avoid intra-divisional match-ups; if such match-up avoidance is not possible in a conference, the team champion with the better regular-season record shall play the advancing team with the worst regular-season record. The Commissioner is hereby authorized to make such changes to the League Documents as are necessary to effect the goals of this amendment. Where an ambiguity exists, the Commissioner shall determine the outcome by himself, in consultation with others, or by league vote, as he so determines.

Option B is that the four non-division champions teams with the best record shall qualify for the playoffs and shall be seeded by regular season record. The first round shall be a five-game series matching the teams on a 1v4 and 2v3 basis with the higher seed having home field advantage. The subsequent round shall be seven-game series, with the division winners as top seeds. The teams shall be matched up, if possible, to avoid intra-divisional match-ups; if such match-up avoidance is not possible in a conference, the team champion with the better regular-season record shall (with home field advantage) play the advancing team with the worst regular-season record. The Commissioner is hereby authorized to make such changes to the League Documents as are necessary to effect the goals of this amendment. Where an ambiguity exists, the Commissioner shall determine the outcome by himself, in consultation with others, or by league vote, as he so determines.

OPTION A

OPTION B

(2.2) If Ballot Item 2 passes, the 162 game schedule shall be as follows: (i) each team shall play every division for 18 times; (ii) the other 72 games shall be as the Commissioner determines. In order to guide the commissioner's choice, please indicate which option you prefer. Please vote for one option even if you vote against Ballot Item 2.

Option C: No interconference play. Each team plays every non-division same conference foe 12 times.

Option D: 18 interconference games. Each team in a division plays the same teams there times (by division, rotating by year with home field opponents equally divided and rotating every cycle). Each team plays every non-division same conference foe 9 times.

Option E: 36 interconference games. Each team plays every other team three times (home field rotating by year likely by division, i.e. NC East at AC West and home v AC East in odd years, flipped in even years).

OPTION C

OPTION D

OPTION E

Proposal III - DEVELOPMENTAL DRAFT

Each team shall be allowed a single slot for as yet never-carded players. Such players may only be selected in the Development Draft, which shall be held contemporaneously with the IBL Draft. Picks in the Development Draft may not be traded and players selected in this draft may not be traded until such layer obtains a card. If a player in the Development slot is to be carded in the subsequent season, such player may be shifted to the 35-man roster at the end of the IBL season (contemporaneous with end-of-year releases) or released. If such player will not be carded, at the end of each season, each team shall (by the deadline for releases) determine whether to retain the player then filling the Development slot or whether to release such player and to participate in the upcoming Development Draft.

The Commissioner is hereby authorized to make such changes to the League Documents as are necessary to effect the goals of this amendment. The order of the Development Draft shall be determined by the Commissioner and shall closely mirror the then-current structure of the IBL Draft. Where an ambiguity exists, the Commissioner shall determine the outcome by himself, in consultation with others, or by league vote, as he so determines.

YES  

NO   

Proposal IV - DRAFT ORDER

The order of the IBL Draft shall be determined by playoff appearances in the prior three seasons. Within each of the four tiers (0 appearances, 1 appearance, 2 appearances, 3 appearances) additional rounds will be in the inverse order from the first round. Nothing herein shall alter the application of IP penalties. This provision shall be effective for the draft following the 2002 IBL season.

The Commissioner is hereby authorized to make such changes to the League Documents as are necessary to effect the goals of this amendment. Where an ambiguity exists, the Commissioner shall determine the outcome by himself, in consultation with others, or by league vote, as he so determines.

YES  

NO   

Proposal V - HIT AND RUN: BB

When a player hits and runs and a walk, the play shall be considered a foul ball and such player may not hit and run again in such plate appearance.

The Commissioner is hereby authorized to make such changes to the League Documents as are necessary to effect the goals of this amendment.  Where an ambiguity exists, the Commissioner shall determine the outcome by himself, in consultation with others, or by league vote, as he so determines.

YES  

NO   

Proposal VI - DRAFT LOTTERY

Effective with the draft following the IBL 2002 season, amend the first clause of the second sentence of Section 4.5 of the Owner's Manual from: The initial draft order will be determined by lowest to highest winning percentage in last year's IBL season ... to: The initial draft order will be determined by a draft lottery.

YES  

NO   

(6.1) If Ballot Item 6 passes, a majority determination shall be made between the two following options. Please vote for one option even if you vote against Ballot Item 6. Add the following language for the Draft format, depending on whether Option F or Option G. is selected:

Option F. The order for the teams not making the playoffs in the previous IBL season will be determined randomly; the order for the teams making the playoffs in the previous IBL season will be determined by lowest to highest winning percentage; ... [i.e., the language about the IP penalties remains in]

Option G. The order for the teams not making the playoffs in the previous IBL season will be determined randomly, with each descending spot being determined by a drawing in which the team with the worst record will have fourteen "balls," and each successive team with a better record will get one fewer ball, and the team with the best record will have one ball; the order for the teams making the playoffs in the previous IBL season will be determined by lowest to highest winning percentage; ...

OPTION A

OPTION B

Proposal VII - MINOR LEAGUE ROSTER

Each team will have a FIVE-man minor league roster, in addition to the team's player roster (currently 35-man), for ANY player who is uncarded, including players at any level of Minor League Baseball and those selected in the previous years MLB Amateur Draft. Such players may only be selected in the Development Draft, which shall be held simultaneous to the IBL Draft. The order of selection will be in ascending order of winning percentage, with adjustments made for forfeits and IP penalties. Picks in the Minor League Draft may not be traded.

A player may be maintain on this roster until one of the following occurs:

1) The player is carded in TIG. Once a player is carded in TIG he is no longer eligible for the minor league roster, unless he remains uncarded for two consecutive seasons at which point he may be transferred to the minor league roster or enter the minor league draft.

2) The player completes his third consecutive season on the minor league roster. Once a player completes his third consecutive season on any minor league roster, he must either be transferred to the 35-man roster or released to re-enter the minor league draft. 3) The player is traded or released. Players on the minor league roster may be traded in the same manner as any other player.

4) Transferred to the 35-man roster. A team may choose to place or transfer an uncarded (minor league) player to the 35-man roster in lieu of maintaining him on the minor league roster at any point during the season.

Once the Minor league draft is completed, any player who is not carded and goes unselected in the draft is not eligible to be signed as a free agent.

The Commissioner is hereby authorized to make such changes to the League Documents as are necessary to effect the goals of this amendment. The order of the Development Draft shall be determined by the Commissioner and shall closely mirror the then-current structure of the IBL Draft. Where an ambiguity exists, the Commissioner shall determine the outcome by himself, in consultation with others, or by league vote, as he so determines.

YES  

NO   

Proposal VIII - ROSTER PROTECTION LISTS

At the end of the regular season, each team will submit to the Commissioner their list of 25 protected players from the team's season-end 35-man and minor league rosters, following releases. Unprotected players are eligible for selection in the Rule 5 draft, to be held concurrently with the IBL and Minor League Drafts. The draft will consist of a maximum of 3 rounds or until each team has lost 3 players in the draft to other teams.

The order of selection will be in ascending order of winning percentage, with adjustments made for forfeits and IP penalties. Each team is allowed to pick a the lesser of either 3 selections or the number of team roster vacancies. Each team may only lose no more than two players in an given round and a 3 players through the course of the entire Rule 5 draft. Immediately following the selection of a player the selecting team's protected roster is expanded to accommodate the player, preventing his selection by another team.

Players selected in the Rule 5 draft must be assigned to either the IBL 35-man roster or the Minor league roster. Roster eligibility requirements must be adhered to when assigning a player to the minor league roster.

The Commissioner is hereby authorized to make such changes to the League Documents as are necessary to effect the goals of this amendment. The order of the Development Draft shall be determined by the Commissioner and shall closely mirror the then-current structure of the IBL Draft. Where an ambiguity exists, the Commissioner shall determine the outcome by himself, in consultation with others, or by league vote, as he so determines.

YES  

NO   

Proposal IX - EXTRA STARTS LANGUAGE

In section 2.1 "Extra Starts", change "or relieving a fatigued pitcher" to "or making a relief appearance in a game in which the starting pitcher was injured, ejected or fatigued."

YES  

NO   

Proposal X - GAMES STARTED LANGUAGE

Insert into the league documents at appropriate place(s): "In addition to other rules regarding rest, a pitcher may not start a game if he pitched on either of the two days immediately preceding the game to be started."

YES  

NO   

Proposal XI - MINIMUM USAGE LIMIT

Throughout the league documents, increase the minimum usage to be retained (currently 75%) to a number selected in 11.1. These limits will be effective for the IBL 03 season.

YES  

NO   

(11.1) Please vote for one option even if you vote no on Ballot Item 11. The selection shall be made the Commissioner in an attempt to reflect the views of the league as expressed in this question.

The new usage limit shall be:

OPTION H: 80% 

OPTION I: 85% 

OPTION J: 90% 

Proposal XII - MAXIMUM USAGE LIMIT

Throughout the league documents, decrease the maximum usage to be retained (currently 133%) to a number selected in 12.1. These limits will be effective for the IBL03 season.

YES  

NO   

(12.1) Please vote for one option even if you vote no on Ballot Item 12. The selection shall be made the Commissioner in an attempt to reflect the views of the league as expressed in this question.

The new usage limit shall be:

OPTION K: 125%  

OPTION L: 120%  

OPTION M: 110%  

Proposal XIII - HARD CAP LIMIT

EVEN IF THIS BALLOT ITEM PASSES, IT WILL ONLY BE IMPLEMENTED IF BALLOT ITEM 12 PASSES. For those places where a 150% hard cap exists in the league documents, reduce such hard cap to 133%. These limits will be effective for the IBL03 season.

YES  

NO   

Proposal XIIII - GAMES STARTED RATIO

Throughout the league documents, decrease the ratio of games and starts from its current 2.0 to a number selected in 14.1. These limits will be effective for the IBL03 season.

YES  

NO   

Please vote for one option even if you vote no on Ballot Item 14. The selection shall be made the Commissioner in an attempt to reflect the views of the league as expressed in this question.

OPTION N: 1.5    

OPTION O: 1.25  

OPTION P: 1.2