PITCHING IS KEY LEAGUE - 2024  
     
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  1) - DRAFT  
  a) Maximum 24 players will be selected by each team at draft with six keepers bringing roster to 30.  
  b) Teams cannot have more than 6 picks per 5 rounds (i.e. -1-5; 6-10; etc.).  
  c) Keepers are submitted Friday March 22nd, 2023 by 9 pm Keepers will be posted by 10 pm.  
  d) Trades of keepers only are allowed after submission.  
  e) Worst team (by record) cannot draft worst than 4th; 2nd-worst team cannot draft worst than 5th; 3rd-worst team will not draft lower  
    than 6th; and the 4th-worst team will not draft lower than 7th place in lottery.  
  f) Lottery-slot protections are null & void if traded away.  
  2 - ROSTER:  
  a) Roster may consist of 25 on active roster; up to five on farm team.  
  b) Unlimited Disable List. Must activate player within 10 days of MLB activation or last player acquired is waived. Activation required date will be posted on roster.  
  c) Rosters are frozen at season's end or when a team is eliminated from playoffs until one week following MLB World Series.  
       
  3 - ROSTER MOVES:  
  a) Players may be placed on DL or sent to farm before week #1. Moves to the farm are a free move with no options used.  
  b) Four (4) pick-ups max per week.  
  c) Pick-ups based on record begins week #2 (April 7th, 2024). A maximum of two of pick-ups allowed on Sunday. No pick-ups after week #18.  
  d) Waiver wire begins the Tuesday of week #1 (order predetermined randomly following draft). - one maximum per day & four maximum for the week.  
  e) Pick-up order tiebreakers are based on head-to-head first followed by division record; conference record, BATS; PITCH; PA; record vs. common opponent.  
  f) All players have a maximum of three (3) options for the season.  
  g) All free agents claimed are automatically assigned to active roster (including waiver wire picks).  
  h) Players claimed and already on the MLB DL cannot be placed on PIKL DL unless they become activated and then return to MLB DL.  
  i) No player not owned by an MLB team or have participated in any level of MLB levels can be claimed/drafted.  
  j) Sending newly-acquired free agents to farm team requires using an option.  
  k) Claiming players with 3 options used already must go to active roster for at least one day.   
  l) Sending a player from starting line-up to farm or DL requires a line-up change.  
  m) Claimed, recalled or activated players slot into dugout of previous listed player unless designated to bottom of dugout as only other option.  
  n) Attempting to send player to farm or active roster through the DL requires an option.  
  o) After exhausting all three options, player must be moved through the waiver wire where get a chance to put a claim and awarded to team with lowest win total.  
  p) Roster moves (activations; options; trades or IL moves) must be before 1st pitch of earliest game of affected position.  
  q) If a team has three or more injured (or demoted) player in starting line-up, the Commissioner will notify team to make moves to ensure competitive balance. If no   
    moves are made, then the commissioner will fill the necessary holes. Same applies if an injured player remains in line-up for 3 weeks.  
       
  4 - WAIVER WIRE (and other moves):  
  a) Once a player is sent through waivers, teams have a 24-hour time limit to put in a claim for him (worst record goes first until team with best record).  
  b) Claimed player from waiver wire must go to active roster for at least one day.  
  c) Waiver claims are completed by 8 a.m. of affected day.  
       
  5 - REGULAR SEASON:  
  a) A 61-game season over 18-week schedule (no games scheduled during All-Star Week).  
  b) Two meetings versus division rivals (a 3-game and 4-game series) for 21 total games.  
  c) One meeting of a 4-game series versus conference opponents.  
  d) One meeting each against the opposing conference (3-games series).  
       
  6 - LINE-UPS:  
  a) Line-ups and roster moves must be submitted by 11:30.p.m. Sunday nights.  
  b) If no line-up submitted, previous week's line-ups is used based on starting line-up from the last game of previous series.  
  c) Dates must be in chronological order even if player is moving from position to position throughout series.  
  d) In a 3-game series, game #1 is Monday through Friday; game #2 is Tuesday through Saturday; game #3 is Wednesday through Sunday; In a 4-game series, the schedule  
    is Monday through Thursday for game #1; Tuesday through Friday for game #2; Wednesday through Saturday for game #3; and Thursday through Sunday for game #4.  
  e) Only one game of a doubleheader can be used. If no designation, game #1 of doubleheader is automatically used (unless previously designated). Game-day, or before,   
    designation do not count as a change. If player does not show up in the designated game, the other game will not be used.  
  f) If players are forgotten or left off active roster, they will slot to bottom of respective back-up slots provided there is room on active roster.   
  g) Platooning players with the most starts in the series must be listed at starting position with other player(s) listed at back-up position in dugout. If using a player for  
    each game in a 3 or 4-game series, the player in game #1 must be listed as starter with the rest assigned to the dugout in desired order for PH duties.  
  h) Platooning players at DH with multi-position eligibility that is not listed specifically when in the dugout will use platooning player's position or previous week's position.  
  i) If using a player at multiple positions, list player in dugout with his dates and positions. Platooning player assumes spot in dugout for that game only.  
  j) Any batter being used as a SP cannot exceed the series amount's of games. If player has appeared as a SP; then player cannot appear as a hitter.  
  k) No batter can appears as a PH if already designated to start as a SP in listed game.  
  l) Starting players on the DL who will not appear for that week is not allowed  for the purposes of getting an ineligible back-up to appear at the starting position.  
  m) If a team has three or more injured (or demoted) player in starting line-up, the Commissioner will notify team to make moves to ensure competitive balance. If no   
    moves are made, then the commissioner will fill the necessary holes. Also applies to any player out for 3 weeks or longer.  
       
  7 - LINE-UP CHANGES:  
  a) Two changes and one flip-flop allowed (date or player) per game for starting line-up (hitters).  
  b) Dugout not subject to line-up change limit but must be done by game time of any affected game.  
  c) Change to a line-up can now occur up to game time of affected player(s) but only if no possible back-up has already played or is playing on affected day.  
  d) Flip-flopping a player from one position to another and doubleheader designation does not count as a change.  
  e) Players and positions involved must not have played for flip-flopping to be allowed in desired game.  
       
  8 - DUGOUT:  
  a) Dugout must be in desired order of player to appear as a pinch-hitter for DH or for extra innings.  
  b) Dugout order will be determined for tied games with available hitters left to be used.  
  c) Once dugout is submitted, there is no rearranging of order nor reassigning of position allowed.  
  d) For players being optioned (traded; DL'd; etc.) - replacement players can either assume same spot in dugout order as vacating player or go to bottom of dugout. Position  
    must be determined at time of trade or other player movement and must remain in effect until the week is over.   
  e) If moving a starter to the dugout to replace a moved player, he too must go to either the vacated spot or bottom of dugout and any new position stated at time of move.  
  f) Back-ups must cover originally assigned positions first in earliest game possible.   
  g) Back-ups must go into earliest game of series possible at earliest date possible.  
  h) Catchers back-up catchers only.  
  i) Outfielders back-ups outfielders only.  
  j) A 2B and SS can back-up both positon only if eligible at each position.  
  k) A 3B can back-up both 3B and 1B automatically.  
  l) A 1B can back-up 3B if the 1B is eligible to play 3B. Otherwise, 1B backs up 1B only !  
  m) Any 1B on DL not replaced in a submitted starting line-up cannot have a back-up 3B appear as a pinch-hitter.  
  n) Players listed at one position in dugout can start at another position.  
  o) Back-ups needed at DH will also draw from dugout for earliest game possible.  
  9 - EXTRA INNINGS:  
  a) Dugout order (with players available) is used when game is tied after regulation. Players needed for earlier games must be used first.  
  b) In a 3-game series, Friday is for game #1; Saturday for game #2; and Sunday for game #3 for overtime players to be used.  
  c) In a 4-game series, Thursday is for game #1; Friday for game #2; Saturday for game #3; Sunday for game #4.  
  d) If all batters are used and game still tied, back-up relievers are used in order of listing (BCL goes before BLR).  
  e) If game still tied, strikeouts by starting pitcher is used.  
  f) If still tied, team with better record gets the win.  
       
  10 - ROTATION:  
  a) Starters appear in chronological order whether or not they were submitted in such fashion.  
  b) If two starters appear on same day, highest listed pitcher goes into earliest game possible.  
  c) The second pitcher must appear by Saturday and the third SP by Sunday in a 3-games series. In a 4-game series, the second pitcher must appear by Friday; the third  
    third pitcher by Saturday; and the fourth pitcher by Sunday.  
  d) At least one pitcher must pitch by Friday for game #1 in 3-game series (Thursday for 4-game series).  
  e) If pitcher fails to appear in game #2 or #3 or #4 of series, then highest-listed back-up appears in that needed game.   
  f) If a starting pitcher does not appear by then, first listed back-up appears in earliest game needed regardless of date.  
  g) If two or more SP's are needed on any given day to close out that particular game, the highest-listed SP goes into game.   
  h) Only one pitcher can be used twice in a series (regular season only). No SP in original rotation can be used as a back-up.  
  i) More than 1 (or all) SP's may appear on Monday and will slot into games based on order of submission.  
  j) Any SP also used as a batter cannot exceed series amount's of game.  
  k) Any SP listed in rotation or BSP cannot appear in game player has already appeared or is listed as a starting hitter. BSP will take spot if other SP appear simultaneously.  
  l) Once rotation is set there are NO CHANGES ALLOWED !  
  m) Additional SP may be added to bottom of back-up rotation if recalled or acquired or activated from DL.  
  n) Only SP at bottom of back-up rotation may be moved unless that pitcher is placed on DL in MLB (or traded in PIKL).  
  o) Other moves to the back-up starters must be from the bottom up.  
  p) Starting pitchers cannot be traded during the week once submitted.  
  q) The 3 or 3 rule is in effect for SP. Either 3 innings pitched or 3 runs allowed (earned or not) means the start counts.  
  r) SP must pitch 4 innings to get credit for earned run points.  
  s) If a SP is on MLB disabled list and not removed by PIKL team, he will be moved automatically to bottom of list.  
  t) Once a SP is placed on the DL, the first listed BSP moves into the rotation and is susceptible to chronological appearance rules unless a SP has already appeared in previous day(s).  
  u) The exception being if pitcher is scheduled to make a start during the week and is listed as probable starter in MLB.  
  v) SP are not required to go onto DL & removed from rotation if within the 10-day window of appearing.  
  w) If pitcher is day-to-day or gets his start pushed back due to rain, illness, personal, etc. then he remains in rotation and waits to see if his start is used or needed.  
       
  11 - RELIEVERS:  
  a) One reliever must be named as a closer (CL). A CL appears if SP pitches 6 or more innings but short of a CG.  
  b) One reliever must be named as long reliever (LR). A LR appears if SP pitches less than 6 innings.  
  c) Back-ups can be listed as back-up reliever (BRP) which can cover either positions as needed in earliest game possible or broken down into BCL or BLR.  
  d) Relievers can appear Monday through Friday for game #1 in a 3-game series; Monday through Saturday for game #2; and Monday through Sunday for game #3.  In a   
    4-game series, its Monday through Thursday for game #1; Monday through Frida for game #2; Monday through Saturday for game #3; and Monday through Sunday for   
    game #4. All appearances must go in chronological order.  
  e) If a reliever is placed on DL; demoted; waived; or other during the week, and is not replaced by PIKL team by week's end, then highest-listed BRP will assume that player's  
    postion. All others move up and replaced reliever goes to bottom of list.  
  f) If a CL or LR is started by PIKL team while not on active MLB roster, he will be flipped with highest-listed BRP automatically.  
  g) Relievers cannot be replaced or removed in games where an appearance is needed or needing/having a BRP appearance.  
  h) If a CL or LR made a start in previous week and is schedule to start the following week (or made two consecutive starts), then he must be replaced (removed).  
  i) No rearranging of BRP order; BRP can replace a CL or LR provided neither has appeared. The CL and/or LR is removed from series for the week.  
  j) Relievers can be added to bottom of BRP list. BRP can be removed from the bottom up only provided they have not appeared.  
  k) Back-up relievers placed on MLB DL can be removed if no other relievers have appeared nor are in waiting. Any RP claimed must be inserted at bottom BSP list.  
  l) Relievers cannot be traded until his stats are used or are needed for a SP.  
       
  12 - TRADES:  
  a) Trading of any picks is not allowed during the season.  
  b) Claimed players can be traded only after notice by commissioner of acquisition and after appearing on claiming team's roster.   
  c) Traded players must be moved to same level on new team as was on previous team's unless he is on the PIKL DL but no longer on MLB DL.  
  d) Amount of options remain on each player regardless of amount of times he is traded during season.  
  e) Players cannot return to same team via trade in a span less than eight weeks and not from the same team that originally acquired. Off-season counts as a one week.  
  f) Teams can trade only within a six-game radius of each other. Records based on current record during trade.  
  g) Offseason trades are allowed one week following MLB World Series.  
  h) Once players are acquired during offseason, they become automatic keepers.  
  i) Trades are not allowed after trading deadline until one week after MLB World Series.  
       
  13 - POSTSEASON:  
  a) Eight teams advance to playoffs - two division winners and two wild cards (regardless of division) from each conference.  
  b) No pick-ups in playoffs!  
  c) Seeding is best division winner versus lowest seed in each conference; the other division winner plays the best wild-card team.  
  d) Tiebreakers within the division will be considered first before inter-conference tiebreakers.  
  e) Head-to-head record is the first tie-breaker; followed by division record; then conference record; offensive points; pitching points; record versus common opponent.  
  f) Lower-seeded team must submit line-up by 9 p.m. Higher-seeded team gets until 11 p.m.  
  g) Higher-seeded teams get three changes per game.  
  h) Championship seeding is based on record!  
  i) Each round is a best-of-five game series. First team to win 3 games advances.  
  j) Hitters must appear Monday through Wednesday for game #1; Tuesday through Thursday for game #2; Wednesday through Friday for game #3; Thursday through  
    Saturday for game #4; and Friday through Sunday for game #5.  
  k) Relievers must appear Monday through Wednesday for game #1; Monday through Thursday for game #2; Monday through Friday for game #3; by Saturday for game #4;  
    and by Sunday for game #5.  
  l) Players in dugout needed for extra innings are used on Weds for G#1; Thur for G#2; Fri for G#3; Sat for G#4; and Sun for G#5.  
  m) Starting pitchers can appear Monday through Friday in any order for Games #1 and #2; Monday through Saturday for games #3 and 4; and Monday through Sunday for   
     game #5 (a pitcher going on Sunday can appear in game #5 only).  
  n) Two starting pitchers may start twice in a postseason series but not in back-to-back games and not twice in the first three games of a series.  
  o) No starting pitcher can be named for 2nd Start if only 1 start is deemed as possible after Wednesday.  
  p) All options are removed and teams can rearrange rosters between rounds only.  
  q) Players can be moved during the week only if player is placed on MLB disabled list.  
  r) If SP is placed on MLB disabled list, then 1st listed BSP assumes originally designated game.  
  s) If more than one game is needed to fill for injured SP, then next BSP listed goes into next available game needed.  
       
  14 - AMENDMENTS  
  a) Any ruling or situation not already listed needing Commissioner's attention shall take and become precedence.