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Rule 5 Draft
The Rule 5 Draft is a yearly draft, typically held in December, wherein major league teams can select certain players who are not protected by their teams. The draft was originally intended to prevent teams with better financial situations from hoarding young players. In OOTP, you can choose whether or not you wish the Rule 5 draft to be in effect.
Thisscreenconsists of the following sections:
Note: The above links will not work within the in-game help. However, they all simply link to sections lower in this page, so if you are reading this in-game, just scroll down to find the appropriate section!
Note: Rule 5 drafts can only be enabled in leagues that have affiliated minor leagues! If you don't see this option, you might not have any minor leagues associated with the currently selected league.
The Rule 5 draft was designed to prevent teams from stockpiling young players in their minors, when other teams would be willing to let them play in the major leagues. The draft typically takes place after the end of the season. There are a number of rules about which players are eligible for the Rule 5 draft described below. OOTP's implementation of the Rule 5 draft does not match the real-world version of the draft in every way. Here are the ways in which the OOTP Rule 5 differs from the real world:
Another way of looking at this rule is this:
A player not on a team's secondary roster is eligible for the Rule 5 draft if the player was age 18 or younger when he first signed a contract and this is the fourth Rule 5 draft since he signed, OR if he was age 19 or older when he first signed a contract and this is the third Rule 5 draft since he signed.
Players who are eligible for the Rule 5 draft are designated by a pound sign (#) on the Transactions page. You can also see a player's Rule 5 eligibility on the Contract and Status sub-screen.
The Rule 5 draft progresses in reverse order of the team's final record in the previous season. The draft process is just like any other player draft in OOTP, with one notable difference: only a team with an available slot on its secondary roster can select a player. If a team does not have an available slot, its turn is skipped. The draft continues until all teams have either selected a player or had their turn skipped. Most Rule 5 drafts are relatively short affairs, with only a few teams selecting players.
Thisscreenconsists of the following sections:
- Configuring Rule 5 Drafts
- Rule 5 Draft Overview
- Rule 5 Draft Roster Rules
- Rule 5 Draft Eligibility
- Running the Rule 5 Draft
Note: The above links will not work within the in-game help. However, they all simply link to sections lower in this page, so if you are reading this in-game, just scroll down to find the appropriate section!
Configuring Rule 5 Drafts
At the time of a league's creation, you have an opportunity to enable or disable the Rule 5 draft in the Rules page. After a game has already started, you can change these settings by navigating to: OOTP Menu >> Game Setup >> League Setup >> Rules tab.
Note: Rule 5 drafts can only be enabled in leagues that have affiliated minor leagues! If you don't see this option, you might not have any minor leagues associated with the currently selected league.
Rule 5 Draft Overview
The Rule 5 Draft is a league event that will be noted on your calendar. Once the draft pool is announced, eligible players will be visible on the Draft Pool page. The Draft Poos screen is available either in the League Menu or in the Transactions area. There will also be a link on the Manager Home page. Over the next 30 days, you can scout players and develop your strategy for the draft.
The Rule 5 draft was designed to prevent teams from stockpiling young players in their minors, when other teams would be willing to let them play in the major leagues. The draft typically takes place after the end of the season. There are a number of rules about which players are eligible for the Rule 5 draft described below. OOTP's implementation of the Rule 5 draft does not match the real-world version of the draft in every way. Here are the ways in which the OOTP Rule 5 differs from the real world:
- In the real world, teams pay a fee for selecting a player. This fee does not exist in OOTP.
- In the real world, a minor league phase of the Rule 5 exits. It does not exist in OOTP.
- In the real world, there are rules under which players selected in the Rule 5 draft are offered back to their original teams. In OOTP, Rule 5 draft picks are never offered back to their original franchise. You simply have to obey the roster rules defined below.
Rule 5 Draft Roster Rules
There are a number of roster rules relating to Rule 5 drafts:- A team that wants to select a player in the Rule 5 draft must have at least one spot open on its secondary roster.
- A player selected in the Rule 5 draft must remain on the selecting team's active roster or disabled list for the entire season.
- A player who was drafted in the Rule 5 draft can be waived. If he is claimed, then the player must remain on the claiming team's active roster for the remainder of the season.
- A player selected in the Rule 5 draft can be traded. The team that receives the player must keep the player on its active roster for the remainder of the season.
- A player selected in the Rule 5 draft must spend 90 days on the active roster. This rule prevents teams from picking players and then dumping them on the disabled list for an entire season to avoid using an active roster spot. This rule can extend into the following season if necessary.
Rule 5 Draft Eligibility
A player is eligible for the Rule 5 draft if he meets the conditions listed below. Follow the links to learn more about some of the terms used below:- The player has at least three but fewer than six years of professional service time, and the player was age 19 or older when he first signed a contract.
- The player is not on the team's secondary roster.
Another way of looking at this rule is this:
A player not on a team's secondary roster is eligible for the Rule 5 draft if the player was age 18 or younger when he first signed a contract and this is the fourth Rule 5 draft since he signed, OR if he was age 19 or older when he first signed a contract and this is the third Rule 5 draft since he signed.
Players who are eligible for the Rule 5 draft are designated by a pound sign (#) on the Transactions page. You can also see a player's Rule 5 eligibility on the Contract and Status sub-screen.
In addition to the players on the 40 man roster, the game automatically protects players on the MLB DL. Players on the minor league DL are not automatically protected. Accordingly, to prevent an abuse of this automatic protection by GMs in online leagues it is suggested that all uninjured players on the MLB DL whose time on the DL is up are assigned prior to the Rule 5 draft. For players on the minor league DL GMs will need to check their Rule 5 eligibility status on the player's contract & status page because they will not appear on the transaction screen.
Running the Rule 5 Draft
Once the date of the draft arrives, you will have to go to the Draft Order and Rulesscreento complete the draft. You can safely navigate through the game and still come back to the draft screens through the Rule 5 Draft link in the League Menu, but you will not be able to advance the date in the game until you deal with the draft.
The Rule 5 draft progresses in reverse order of the team's final record in the previous season. The draft process is just like any other player draft in OOTP, with one notable difference: only a team with an available slot on its secondary roster can select a player. If a team does not have an available slot, its turn is skipped. The draft continues until all teams have either selected a player or had their turn skipped. Most Rule 5 drafts are relatively short affairs, with only a few teams selecting players.
