Conventions, Guidelines, Etiquette, and House Rules

A. Introduction

Game Materials

Student Managers will be responsible for all issued materials, including but not limited to the scoring iPads, game boards, dice, roster cards, pens, pencils, erasers, and pencil sharpeners. Before each day’s games, managers will set up the tables and chairs in our classroom (arranged as indicated below) and then gather all of the gameplay items common to the table.  Managers will pick up their team’s roster cards from the roster storage box and check out an iPad for each table from the Commissioner’s desk at the front of the room.

Each table should contain:

• One iPad for scoring games using the iScore application
• One set of game charts
• One dice set (3 six-sided dice and one twenty-sided die)
• One dice tray for dice rolls
• One printed copy of the game rules and guidelines (this document)
• Pens/pencils and a pencil sharpener (as needed)

Each manager will have the following:

• A sleeved roster card set for their team
• A blank index card to indicate defensive positions and defensive ratings
• Their Player Usage and Rest Diary for their team, updated to the current day of games.
• One plastic tray for organizing bench players, bullpen pitchers, and any resting/unavailable players.

Room Seating Guidelines

To help keep the classroom organized, tables will be set up for each week’s games as follows:
The American League will be arranged in tables toward the hallway side of the room, and the National League will be arranged in tables toward the window side. Because the classroom is narrow, the AL and NL will have two rows of 4 tables on each side of the classroom with two tables in the middle of the classroom (1 for AL and 1 for NL).

Home team managers will sit facing the front of the room (toward the commissioner’s desk) and Away managers will sit facing the back of the room.  At the front of the room will be the Commissioner’s table.

General Etiquette

Because the room is small, and it could become quite loud, please refrain from loud talking and outbursts so as not to cause a distraction for others playing nearby. If you have completed your series or if you have a question/concert that needs the attention of the Commissioner (i.e. help resolving a play or a rules clarification), please raise your hand or come up to the Commissioner’s table.

Class and Game Attendance

Attendance for our class and the gaming sessions is mandatory as defined in the class attendance policy found in the course syllabus. This policy will be enforced strictly.

With respect to an absent student manager for a regularly scheduled gameday, the Commissioner (or a designate of the Commissioner ) may stand in as an emergency manager. In the event that there is no suitable replacement during gameday, games may be rescheduled on an agreed upon time between the two managers. Or the games will be played solitaire by the attending student. In this case, the solitaire player is expected to make good faith and sportsmanlike roster and game decisions for the absent manager. The decision to reschedule or play solitaire will be made in consultation with the Commissioner and the two team managers. Any missed games in the schedule must be played before the start next week’s games.

Each week, students earn up to 2 possible points as part of the gaming and simulation score: 1 for completion of the games and 1 for the blog/website game and series recaps. These are not eligible for makeup if you are absent and unable to play the games with your opponent. Furthermore, if your absence is unexcused, you will receive an additional 4 point deduction. (Note: As is outlined in RWU attendance policy and handbook,  2 or more absences (=6 class hours in the semester) may also result in a possible failing grade for the course).

B. House Rules

The gaming experience should be transparent, fair, and fun. Each student-manager should be clear in communicating and intention and exercise good sportsmanship in all games played. Good natured, well-intentioned competitive ribbing and non-abusive “trash talk” is perfectly fine. But there is a line: know your opponent and their limits to what they might consider “good fun.” Any mean-spirited taunting, name calling, bullying, abuse, etc. will not be tolerated. Any violation of this, or violation of any game and house rules, will result in a forfeiture of any game being played and, with repeated offense, earn the offender a failing grade for the entire course. The Commissioner considers such violations as equivalent to violations of academic integrity.

We will use the following general house rules during gameplay:

C. Scoring Games

Games will be scored on the provided iPad.

D. Pre-Game Checklist

1. Download the scheduled series games into the iScore app from MyStatsOnline. Be careful to download the games that are only applicable to you. Delete and start over if you’ve made a mistake.
2. Determine your active game-day roster and final starting lineup based on player usage and rest procedures as detailed in section F.
3. Order your cards in the lineup from top to bottom.
4. Give your starting pitcher card to your opponent
5. Organize your bullpen from the available relief pitchers and place them in the holder.
6. Organize your bench from the available position players and place them in the holder.
7. All inactive/ineligible players due to mandatory rest requirements must be stacked into an inactive card pile and placed away from the gameplay area.
8. Using the iScore app, mark the players used, batting order, and defensive positions. Check for accuracy. Add any missing information and adjust as necessary. Previously used lineups are usually downloaded automatically.
9. On the defensive position index card, mark your defense as follows:
   1. Position Players: the defensive position, defensive rating, “e” rating, and if applicable, throwing arm
   2. Catchers: include the “T” rating in addition to the above.
   3. Pitchers: include the endurance rating in addition to the above
10. Make this card visible at the center of the table for your opponent to see.
11. Make sure the dice, cards, and iPad all prepared, accurate, and ready before the first pitch.

E. Post-Game Checklist

1. Check the iPad scorecard and stats for completeness and accuracy.
2. If playing another game in a series, return to the Pre-Game Checklist to start a new game (section D above)
3. If the series is complete:
   1. Upload the game results to MyStatsOnline.
   2. Organize your team roster cards neatly and re-sleeve them.
   3. Return the team roster cards into the storage box at the Commissioners table, ready for the next week of play.
   4. Put all game materials, dice, and charts back neatly into the gamebox.
   5. Home Team Managers: Enter the public series recap and game summaries for each game into the MyStatsOnline website.

F. Player Rest & Usage

For the sake of realism and balanced play, players should not be used more often, and it what manner, as how they were used in real-life. A simple set of guidelines governing player usage are to be followed.

Player Usage Diary

Players are considered fully rested and eligible for participation in game play at the start of the regular season and at the start of the postseason (playoffs). From these two starting points, player usage should be tracked and all managers will track usage in each game of the season on the Player Usage Diary. Before each series, and each game, eligible and ineligible players will be identified using this sheet as a guide. Opposing managers may request an inspection of their opponents diary at any time and it is best practices to share this information openly.

The diary sheet contains 17 slots for position players and 10 slots for pitchers (marked with a “P”). To setup a team diary:

• For position players, write down the names on your roster, starting with a most-used lineup in the position player slots
• Compute the total plate appearances (AB + BB) and mark this number to the left of each position player.
• Mark players who are “ironmen” (over 600 plate appearances) with an asterisk (*) to the right of their name. These players never need to sit unless injured.
• For pitchers, write down your eligible starters first in the most likely order for the starting rotation.
• Mark all pitchers with an “S” to the left of their name who are eligible to start a game.
• Mark pitchers who are “ironmen” and eligible to pitch on 3 games rest with an asterisk (*) to the right of their name. This information can be found on the default roster sheet.

Only 25 players may be active and eligible for any game.

Starting Pitchers

Starting pitchers should not be used as relievers and relief pitchers should not be used as starters, unless the pitcher has ratings for both modes on his card. Starting pitchers whose name on the roster sheet is followed by an asterisk (*), may start with only three games of rest between starts. Pitchers with no asterisk need four games of rest between starts. Pitchers who are resting between starts are not part of the game-day roster for any of the games in which they are resting and may not be used under any circumstances.

Certain exceptions may be made by the commissioner on appeal by the team manager in the case of a starter who, as a result of injury or being pulled early in a previous start.

Relief Pitchers

Relievers cannot make more than two consecutive appearances. If a reliever is used in two consecutive games, the player must rest for at least one game and is not eligible for the game-day roster of the game on which he is to rest. No exceptions.

Position Players

Before each game, and in front of your opponent:

1. Select the starting lineup and starting defensive positions for the game. Position players should be used only at the fielding positions listed on their cards.
2. Have your opponent roll one 6-sided die and check the STARTING LINEUP USAGE CHART to determine which three players may need to be rested.
3. For each of these players, check the total plate appearances and then refer to the proper section of the PLAYER REST CHART, and, if necessary, oll the 20-sided die to see if the player must rest.
4. If a player that is to be rested is the last player available rated to play a position, he may start the game. Do make a note of this and try, if possible, to give this player a day off for the next game. Consult with the Commissioner.
5. If a player is to be rested, he does not start the game but may remain on the 25 man active roster if so chosen by the manager. If all other available players have been used in the case of an extra-inning game or late game injury, he may enter the game as a pinch-hitter, pinch-runner, a late-inning defensive replacement, The player may only be used when all other available players have been used and only when the substitution is appropriate (i.e. same defensive position, etc.).
6. Any player who has rested for three or more consecutive games is considered fully rested and is eligible to start or play in a game. Any lineup usage check for this player may be ignored when the player is fully rested.