CCNL Constitution
Updated 7/7/2026

Table of Contents

Structure. 1

Morals Clause. 1

Team Rosters. 1

Draft and Player Acquisition. 1

Playing the Game. 1

Player Usage. 1

Penalties. 1

Schedule. 1

Trades. 1

Free Agent (FA) Pool 1

Post Season. 1

Playoff Usage and Eligibility. 1

Playoff Schedule. 1

Attrition. 1

2021 Addendum.. 1

Structure

• The CCNL is a continuous ownership draft league and will consist of 24 individually owned teams.
• All CCNL games will be played via the internet, using the most current version of Strat-O-Matic CD-ROM computer baseball game.
• CCNL members are required to own the latest version of Strat-O-Matic CD-ROM computer baseball game, with card image.
• All super advanced options will be used.
• Injuries will be used for the maximum of the rest of the game only, whether regular season or playoffs
• The following Max Rules will be used:
• Bunt for base hit
• Improve base running realism
• Catcher Blocking the Plate Rule
• More base running decisions
• Doubles and triples option
• Realistic throwing errors
• Pitch around option
• Robbing a home-run
• Limited OF mobility
• Required menu/rules option menu settings will be set by the League Office prior to league files being made available each Play Month. Managers are NOT to change any of these settings, unless requested to do so by the Commissioner. Changing these settings constitutes cheating and you will be immediately kicked out of the league.
• Managers are allowed to set the following options to his or her personal preferences:
• Offense and Defense color
• Play by Play Color
• Play by Play Background and Sound
• Card image on will be the default. Only if BOTH managers agree, will the card image be turned off.
• Also, if both managers agree, they can use the Quick Play feature. But BOTH must agree.
• The CCNL will be made up of 4 divisions. Each division consists of 6 teams.
• The DH will be used in all games.
• Pitchers may not hit for any reason other than an injury that forces someone to take the AB, or if the DH is dropped during the game, forcing the pitcher to hit.
• Pitchers may pinch run.
• Team's names may be changed prior to the draft. These names may not be changed during the season. If a team changes hands, the new owner can choose a new team name before next season's draft.

Morals Clause

• All members will treat each other with dignity and respect.
• Under no circumstances will foul language used in a demeaning manner - whether via online chat or during any league communications - be tolerated.

Team Rosters

• Each team shall consist of up to 40 players. A team may never have more than 40 active players at any time.
• On February 5 MUST cut down to at most 28 players on your roster.
• No limitation on this cut, but make sure you have enough room for the picks you want to use in rounds 1-12 because there will be NO FURTHER CUTS. You can still draft past round 12 if you are short of 40.
• You can still trade after the final cut, but you CANNOT make another cut, for any reason. This might mean that you have to make sure your trade is even in players/picks swapped.
• When the rosters are entered into the game, the 5% will be added. The number of IP/PA shown in the game will be the usage limitation number so that there is only one source of the truth. The games usage will be multiplied by 1.05. Actual rounding up and down will be utilized based on how the game file adjusts.

Draft and Player Acquisition

• Each year 2 weeks prior to the Player Draft, a Ballpark draft will be conducted.
• The ballpark draft is optional.
• Any team must announce the Wednesday prior to the Ballpark Draft their intent to participate.
• The order of the Ballpark Draft will be the same as the Player Draft.
• Ballpark Draft picks are tradable.
• Team owners retain the right to a new stadium if the MLB team moves to a new ballpark or city.
• A team may never be in possession of:
• More than one ballpark
• More than one ballpark draft pick
• Both a ballpark and a ballpark draft pick
• A team does not own a ballpark draft pick until they drop their ballpark
• Draft-Eligible players are any players who played in MLB the previous season and received a player card for that season. COMPUTER-ONLY players ARE draft-eligible.
• Only players who had 20 Innings Pitched (19.2 rounds up to 20) or 50 AB on their card are eligible for the draft and/or to play in the league. The 5% that we add for usage does NOT apply in this case.
• The 5% is added after eligibility for the league is determined by the AB/IP limitation
• Prior to each season, a rookie free agent draft will be held.
• The order of the draft will be in reverse order of the final regular season standings, with the following exceptions.
• The CCNL Series champ will pick 24th in each round.
• The CCNL Series runner up will pick 23rd in each round.
• The runners up in the Semi-final Rounds will pick 21st & 22nd, with the order decided by reverse order of their regular season records.
• The runners up in the Quarter-final Rounds will pick 17th - 20th, with the order decided by reverse order of their regular season records.
• The runners up in the Wild Card Rounds will pick 13^th-16^th with the order decided by reverse order of their regular season records.
• Teams that have not made the playoffs that have tied will use head-to-head record for the tie-breaker. The Better record will pick earlier.
• If more than 2 teams are tied, the head to head record between all the teams will be used and best record picks earliest.
• The draft shall be scheduled for 12 rounds.
• Each team will have one pick per round. This pick may be traded or waived.
• Once a team reaches their roster limit, they may not continue to draft.
• Teams who have not reached their 40-man roster limit after 12 rounds may continue to draft until the roster limit is reached.
• Each roster must show 660 Plate Appearances AFTER the 5% allowance for each position (including DH). It is the manager’s responsibility to make sure that any trades made during the season enable his team to remain viable as far as usage.
• Each roster must show 1440 IP AFTER the 5% allowance. It is the manager’s responsibility to make sure that any trades made during the season enable his team to remain viable as far as usage. It does not matter if the innings are starter or reliever innings.

Playing the Game

• Prior to the start of each month, teams are required to designate a number of players as inactive, in order to bring their Active Roster to 26. Active rosters must have at least 2 players rated at each position and must contain a minimum of 5 pitchers who are eligible to START. (Must be rated as Starter or Starter/Reliever)
• If a team has 4 * starters, they may carry only 4 starters.
• Minimum of 11 pitchers on roster during regular season.
• Minimum of 10 pitchers on roster during post-season.
• Teams must send their Computer Manager, with “STARTERS SCHEDULE” prior to the upcoming month. The following schedule will be adhered to, subject to adjustments by the commissioner when circumstances require it:
• All trades & Free Agent requests in by the 25^th
• Games & next month’s CMs due on the last day of the month
• New .lzp file sent out by the 1st
• The Starter Schedule created in the CMs must be strictly adhered to unless the starter in question is used up. You cannot alter the Starter Schedule during the month unless a scheduled starter is used up.
• All players designated as inactive prior to the start of a month must remain inactive until the completion of the current month.
• EXCEPTION: If a player is used up during the month, he may be replaced by another player from the inactive list. Player for player, pitcher for pitcher.
• If using up a player depletes you at that position or deprives you of carrying 2 players rated for the position, you MUST replace him with a player that plays the position.
• A used up starting pitcher cannot be replaced until the series in progress is completed.
• Active rosters expand to 28-man during final block.
• Make sure, prior to the start of each game, that the “Create Game Files” option is turned on.
• Upon completion of each series, the Hosting team manager is required to upload the Game Files to the league cloud. All files must be posted immediately upon completion of the series.
• You must send the export files, box scores, and play account files.
• Retain copies of these files outside of the Strat-O-Matic game file folders because invariably the cloud fails at some point in the season and we don’t want to have to replay games.
• If you pinch hit for a player, you must have a player eligible for the replaced position, regardless of point in the game.
• When the game crashes, and a play or plays are lost, you use what is in the saved game file. You DO NOT change entries to try and match what one or the other person saw as lost.

Player Usage

• Players are limited to 105% of actual usage (ABs plus Walks, a.k.a Plate Appearances for fielders or IPs for pitchers). We accept rounding that the game shows. The limits will be added into the league rosters prior to the start of the season.
• You may use a fielder up to his limit for Plate Appearances OR his limit for ABs, whichever you reach LAST. So, if a player's adjusted ABs are 105, and his adjusted PAs are 125, he might reach 125 PAs in our season before he reaches 105 ABs. In that case, he may continue until he reaches 105 ABs.
• Pitchers who are not rated as Starter, may not perform in that role, Pitchers who are rated as a Starter only may only pitch in relief under the following conditions:
• It is the 9th inning or later AND
• The team has no remaining Relief rated pitchers available AND
• The starter being used will have sufficient rest to make his next start
• Starting Pitchers must have at least 4 days of rest, unless they are rated with an asterisk, then they may start on only 3 days rest.
• A pitcher may not appear in a game as the DH unless there is a demonstrated usage issue requiring it.
• A player may not field a position for which he is not rated, EXCEPT:
• If your player is rated in the outfield, he may play another outfield position per SOM rules.
• If an ineligible player appears in a game, and said infraction is caught by the opposing manager before the next At Bat, then the UNDO LAST PLAY function will be used to revert to the point in the game just prior to the infraction taking place and the infraction corrected. If that is not feasible, then the managers will agree on how best to resolve the issue.
• Any player who has exhausted his allowed usage will be removed from the team's SOM computer game roster for the remainder of the regular season.

Penalties

• Penalties will be assessed for overuse, tardiness and any other behavior that infringes upon the spirit of the league, unless the league office grants specific permission to do so.
• A Usage Committee has been established to evaluate all overuse issues and determine the penalties, using the guidelines outlined below. They have the discretion to adjust penalties based on individual circumstances. (This is not new, but was left out of the Constitution in error)
• The Usage Committee currently consists of: Mike Scholtes, Mike Quintereo, & Chris Wiseman.
• All over use infractions must be reported by manager to Commissioner for potential leniency for infraction, if league officials find infraction prior to this no leniency will be considered
• It is every managers responsibility to manage their teams over usage therefore the following excuses will no longer be tolerated:
• I became distracted and lost track of my player
• I was using an old league file that was not updated
• I just messed up and did not realize my player went over
• Player Overuse: Managers are expected to act in the spirit of fair competition, as such, if a player is overused by even 1 AB/PA or IP, the penalty will be as follows:
• A team forfeits its right to the playoffs if they have 3 or more overused players.
• One player Overused
• Suspension of the player for the rest of the season
• Suspended for playoffs based on overuse occurred (1AB/IP = G1 suspension, 2 AB/IP= G1 & G2 suspension 3 AB/IP entire series)
• Penalties are assessed on a point scale. Like in golf, you want a low score:
• Each player at 1 AB/PA/IP is equal to 1 pt.
• Each player at 2 AB/PA/IP is equal to 2 pts
• Each player at 3 AB/PA/IP is equal to 3 pts
• Each player at 4 AB/PA/IP is equal to 4 pts
• Each player at 5 AB/PA/IP is equal to 5 pts
• And so on...
• An IP over is a full IP
• Penalty table is as follows:
• 1 pt lose a 6th round pick
• 2 pts lose a 5th
• 3-4 pts lose a 3rd
• 5 pts lose a 2^nd
• 6 pts lose 1st
• 7+pts player is removed from team and placed in next year Draft
• Commissioner's along with Usage Committee discretion after that - removal from the league is always an option
• Two or more players Overused
• Suspension of the players for the rest of the season
• Suspension of all over used players for playoffs
• Players Overuse will be combined to determine penalty (IE player 1 is 1IP and Player 2 is 2 AB’s over = 3 combined points Etc Etc)
• Penalties are assessed on a point scale. Like in golf, you want a low score:
• Each player at 1 AB/PA/IP is equal to 1 pt.
• Each player at 2 AB/PA/IP is equal to 2 pts
• Each player at 3 AB/PA/IP is equal to 3 pts
• Each player at 4 AB/PA/IP is equal to 4 pts
• Each player at 5 AB/PA/IP is equal to 5 pts
• And so on...
• An IP over is a full IP
• Penalty table is as follows:
• 2 pt lose a 6th round pick
• 3 pts lose a 5th
• 4 pts lose a 4th
• 5 pts lose a 3rd
• 6 pts lose 2nd
• 7 pts lose 1^st
• 8+pts lose 1^st and 3rd round picks (at any time a player is over by 7 IP/AB they are removed from team and placed in next years draft as well)
• Commissioner's along with Usage Committee discretion after that - removal from the league is always an option
• The Commissioner/Usage Committee may reduce penalties after reviewing the circumstances of the overuse.
• You must complete all your games by the 25th of each month. Since you start on the 1st of the month, this gives you 24 days to complete all your games.
• It is your responsibility to make sure your games are played. If an emergency arises notify the league and we will find someone to play your games. But this will not be tolerated on a consistent basis.
• If you are unavailable to get your games played, and a series gets autoplayed, and as a result you or your opponent(s) overuse player(s), the team causing the autoplay will be assessed any penalty points that occur for both teams.

Schedule

• Each team will play a 162-game regular season schedule.
• Each team will play 12 games against every team in their division.
• Each team will play 6 games against each team in 2 of the other divisions.
• Each team will play 5 games against each team in the remaining division.
• Games will be played in monthly blocks and the games must be completed during that “Play Month,” approximately 27 games.
• Once all games are finished the rosters will be updated for trades.
• Once the new rosters are sent out, each manager MUST send the computer manager, which will include the “Starter Schedules” for the upcoming play period. The league office will then send out Rosters containing all CMs for the month and up to date stats.
• League games will be scheduled within the SOM game itself, but the managers can play the games anytime within the "Play Month".
• ALL games must be played between two human opponents.

Trades

• Trades may be made freely until the end of the July Play Month.
• The trade deadline for the Play Month is the 25^th of the month.
• Teams may not make any trade that would place their current roster above the team roster limits.
• Once a player has been traded from a team during the play season, he may not be traded back to that team until the completion of the current season.
• Draft picks may not be traded except during the off-season. Then, only draft picks for the immediately upcoming draft may be traded. During the off-season, draft picks may be traded up to and including draft day.
• After a trade has been agreed upon, all parties involved must submit the trade proposal to the League Office. If the trade is approved by the league office, the trade will be listed on the website. Do NOT announce your trades to the league directly.
• At the conclusion of the current Play Month, all approved trades will become Official, with the League Office actually moving the players to their new teams prior to the release of the next block league files.
• Trades which have been approved may only be rescinded if ALL managers involved agree prior to the roster update for that month. Teams will retain full rights to any player that they acquire through a trade, until that team either trades, or releases, the acquired player.

Free Agent (FA) Pool

• You can claim a Free Agent from the available players pool only for the purposes of alleviating usage issues that would lead to overuse penalties.
• All CCNL eligible players who are not on a CCNL roster, at the conclusion of the Free Agent/Rookie draft will be placed in the Free Agent Pool.
• You can claim a FA if you use up a player AND you do not have a player on your roster who can replace him in that position.
• He has to be 100% used up, either AB or PA. The exception is a pitcher who has less than 1 full IP left. You can get a usage guy for him, but you cannot use the pitcher you are replacing for the rest of the regular season.
• You can get that player for the next series, even if it is within the block, though you will have to wait for the league office to get the transaction into the game.
• The FA you claim must be pitcher-for-pitcher or hitter-for-hitter.
• Free Agents may not be used in the playoffs.
• Once cut from a team, a player may not be picked up by any other team.
• If two or more managers option the same player, the first manager to make the claim gets the player.
• All free agents taken during the season will be returned to the free agent pool at the end of the season.
• Once you pick up a FA, you may cut him later to pick up a different FA.
• You can NOT trade a player that you picked up as a FA.
• All FAs will be cut at the end of the season.

Post Season

• The following teams make the playoffs (total of 12 teams):
• Each division winner (4 teams) received 1^st round bye.
• If there is tie for division winner, the tie breaker procedure (below) will determine the division winner and the loser becomes the 2^nd place team.
• The next best 8 teams will play in the Wild Card Round.
• Tie breaker is same as above
• Tie breaker is a 1-game playoff. Home team is determined by the tie breaker procedure below.
• Any tie breaker game takes place THE NEXT DAY AFTER the regular season ends.
• There is no off day for starting pitching, but you do have to reset the days off to account for relievers.
• Wild Card Round
• The 4 division winners receive a bye.
• If there is tie for best record, the tie breaker procedure (below) will determine which division winner(s) get the higher seeds.
• The remaining 8 playoff teams are seeded by record, with the same tie breaker.
• Highest seed hosts lowest seed and so on.
• There will be re-seeding after each round.
• Tie Breakers
• If there are 2 teams tied for the final Wild Card spot, then there is a one game playoff to determine who gets the wild card spot with the loser out of the playoffs. Home team is determined by the tie breaker procedure below.
• If there are 3 teams tied for the final playoff spot, the tie breaker procedure will determine which team gets a bye in the first game.  That team will host the winner of the one-game playoff in another one-game playoff to determine the final playoff team. This method will also be used if 3 teams are in a tie for both Wild Card spots. One team gets a bye in to the playoffs, the other 2 have a 1 game playoff to get in.
• If there are 4 teams tied for the final Wild Card spot, the tie breaker procedure will determine which teams are home for one game.  The winners play each other in one game with home team based on the seeding from the tie breaker procedure. This method will also be used if 4 teams are in a tie for both Wild Card spots. The 1-game playoff determines which 2 teams are in the Wild Card Series.
• Any tie breaker game takes place THE NEXT DAY AFTER the regular season ends.
• There is no off day for starting pitching, but you do have to reset the days off to account for relievers.
• CCNL Series
• Top seed hosts lower seed
• You name a 26-man roster for each series.
• Reset Days Off at the beginning of the series ONLY.
• Playoff usage and eligibility is the same as for any series.
• Usage is 40% of actual ABs & IP on card for entire playoffs, always rounded down (even .9 rounds down).
• EXAMPLE: Pitcher with 50 IP can be used a MAX of 20 IP for entire Post Season.
• Tie Breakers:
• Head-to-head record
• Total runs scored minus total runs allowed.
• Wild Card Round (seeds 5-12) best of 3 series. All games hosted at the higher seeds home field.
• Division Series will be best of 5. Higher Seed hosts games 1, 2 and 5.
• Semifinal Series will be best of 7. Higher Seed hosts games 1, 2, 6 and 7.
• The CCNL Series will be a best-of-7 series. Higher Seed hosts games 1, 2, 6 and 7 with the winner being crowned CCNL Champions.

Playoff Usage and Eligibility

• Usage will be set to 40% of a player's actual AB/IP for the ENTIRE postseason.  We will no longer use 10% per round.
• The 26-man playoff roster can be changed between series.
• Free Agents picked up during the season are not eligible for the playoffs.
• Starter-only pitchers are NOT allowed to relieve
• Give Scheduled Days Off will be checked in the league file under league settings.  Days Off will only be done at the beginning of each playoff series.  The game will determine pitcher fatigue (Starter/Relief) based on the Super Advanced Starting Pitcher Rest Chart which is based off how many innings the pitcher threw in the prior game.  See chart below.
• Starting pitchers may pitch in relief -  In the playoffs, starters can be used as relievers.  Strat will default to starters that do not have a relief rating to a rating of 0.   

SUPER-ADVANCED STARTING PITCHERS REST CHART
	Previous Outing		Pitcher	Pitcher
	Innings Pitched		with *	w/o *
	1		1  Day	1  Day
	2		1  Day	2  Days
	3		2 Days	2  Days
	4		2 Days	3  Days
	5		3  Days	3  Days
	6		3  Days	4  Days
	7		3  Days	4  Days
	8		3  Days	4  Days
	9		3  Days	4  Days
	10	or more	4  Days	5  Days

• Playoff dates will be scheduled at the start of the season so that the playoffs don’t drag on for months. There will be a reasonable window of time in which to finish your playoff games, so if you are in contention, be prepared to schedule playoff games.

Playoff Schedule

For starting pitchers, days off must follow the schedule.

• September 29 – Regular Season ends
• September 30 - Off Day/1-game playoff if needed
• October 1 – Off Day/1-game playoff if needed
• October 2 – Wild Card Series Game 1
• October 3 – Wild Card Game 2
• October 4 – Wild Card Game 3 (If Necessary)
• October 5 – Off Day
• October 6 – Division Series Game 1
• October 7 – Division Series Game 2
• October 8 – Off Day
• October 9 – Division Series Game 3
• October 10 – Division Series Game 4 (If Necessary)
• October 11 – Off Day
• October 12 – Division Series Game 5 (If Necessary)
• October 13 – Off Day
• October 14 – Semi Final Series Game 1
• October 15 – Semi Final Series Game 2
• October 16 – Off Day
• October 17 – Semi Final Series Game 3
• October 18 – Semi Final Series Game 4
• October 19 – Semi Final Series Game 5 (If Necessary)
• October 20 – Off Day
• October 21 – Semi Final Series Game 6 (If Necessary)
• October 22 – Semi Final Series Game 7 (If Necessary)
• October 23 – Off Day
• October 24 – CCNL Series Game 1
• October 25 – CCNL Series Game 2
• October 26 – Off Day
• October 27 – CCNL Series Game 3
• October 28 – CCNL Series Game 4
• October 29 – CCNL Series Game 5 (If Necessary)
• October 30 – Off Day
• October 31 – CCNL Series Game 6 (If Necessary)
• November 1 – CCNL Series Game 7 (If Necessary)

Attrition

• If more than one manager needs to be replaced at the beginning of a new season, an attrition draft may be held prior to the rookie/free agent draft. Only new managers will participate in the actual draft. The new managers will draft from a combined pool made up of the players from the dissolved teams. No rookies or free agents are involved in this draft. New teams will draft after the non-playoff teams in the rookie/free agent draft. The commissioner reserves the right to forego the attrition draft if it is deemed unnecessary and continuing teams will retain their draft positions.
• Manager-less teams are not eligible for the playoffs. If a team is promoted to the playoffs because of a manager-less team, then that team will be treated as a playoff team as any other playoff team.