101.1  A team may have a maximum of thirty-five (35) players on its final roster.   A roster must be divided into a major league roster with a maximum of twenty-five (25) players and a minor league roster with a maximum of ten (10) players. (990117/00)

101.11  Round Cards  A team may consist of a maximum of thirty-five (35) regular cards.  Regular cards (commonly known as Round Cards) are eligible for all scheduled games less injured days and required days of rest.

101.12  XB Cards  A team roster may consist of a maximum of thirty-five (35) XB cards.  XB cards (commonly known as Square Cards) are eligible for the actual percentage of games played with his Major League team(s) in the prior season.  For example, an XB player who played in eighty-one (81) of the one hundred sixty-two (162) games played by his Major League team is eligible for twenty-four (24) ABL games in a forty-eight game season.  For players who change teams during the MLB season, the numerator would include games played for both teams and the denominator would be based upon the total number of games played with the team at seasons' end.

101.13  Each team is required to have on the 25-man roster at least one backup player at each defensive position.  (11/2006).

101.14  Each team is required to have on the 35-man roster sufficient pitchers to start 48 games with appropriate rest between starts.

101.2  A team may move players between the major league roster and the minor league roster throughout the season.

101.21  An option will be charged to a player who moves from one roster to another and then returns to his original roster.    A player is limited to only two complete options per year.

101.3  Each time a roster move is made, the transaction must be documented in a Transaction Journal and must be witnessed by an opposing manager.  Multiple-move transactions must be documented and witnessed separately.  All transactions must also be reported to the League Transactions Coordinator.   All trades must be reported within 48 hours to all managers (2/04).

101.4  At the completion of the regular season game thirty-six (36) and prior to the start of regular season game thirty-seven (37), a team may expand it major league roster to thirty-five (35) players without any options charged to any promoted players.  Roster expansions do not need to be documented. (920105/92)

101.6  The American Baseball League is an annual league and the teams of the league retain the same players or the rights of players until specifically noted otherwise. (820401/82)

102:  PRIMARY DRAFT

102.1  The American Baseball League player base begins with the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Toronto Blue Jays.   Once the APBA baseball cards have been issued, all baseball players from these teams who are not claimed by current American Baseball League teams will become the Primary Draft.  The Draft is held on an announced date and after all League members have had adequate opportunity to view the players in the draft. (820401/82)

102.11  Each team may select non-carded players.  To be eligible, non-carded players must be in the organization of one of the teams mentioned in rule 102.1 on the last day of the regular season (usually the first Sunday in October).  ABL managers may select only two non-carded players from each draft.  Each team is permitted to protect only one non-carded player from each draft. (990117/00)

102.2  The order of the draft is determined by the overall winning percentage of all non-post season team in the prior season.   The team with the worst overall winning percentage is entitled to the first draft pick.  The rest will follow in order based on the lowest winning percentage.   The Fall Classic Series runner-up will be awarded the second-to-last pick in the draft regardless of winning percentage.  The team which loses the wildcard series (if applicable) shall draft just ahead of the team which loses the Fall Classic.  The Fall Classic Series winner or League Champion will be awarded the last draft pick in the draft regardless of winning percentage.  In the event that two teams have the same winning percentage, the team with the worst head-to-head record will receive the higher draft pick.  If the two teams tied head-to-head, the draft position of these two teams will be determined by a roll of the dice.

102.21 The order of the draft for the first round only shall be determined by a lottery.   The two division winners and the wildcard team (if applicable) are not eligible for the lottery and shall always pick as noted above.   The teams are ranked in order of winning percentage.   The team with the worst winning percentage shall receive 6 chances in the lottery, then the next team receives 5 chances, then the next team 4 chances, and so on.     The first team pulled from the pot shall receive the first pick of the upcoming draft.   Teams shall continue to be pulled from the pot in order to determine the remaining draft order.   Teams that have already been drawn shall be ignored if their name is drawn again.    

102.25  Expansion team(s) will make draft picks after the League Champion.  If two (2) or more expansion teams enter the League in the same season, a lottery will be held to determine the draft order after the League Champion.

102.3  Each manager is given five (5) minutes per round for the first three (3) rounds to select a player.  All subsequent rounds, each manager has three (3) minutes per round to select a player.  Failure to select a player within the given time period will forfeit a selection in that given round.

102.4  The length of the Primary Draft shall be determined by taking the total number of players available in the draft, adding 8, dividing by 8, and then rounding up to the nearest full round.

102.5  In the event that a manager is unable to participate in the Primary Draft; every effort will be made to reschedule the draft to a future date.  If arrangements are not possible, the absent manager may submit a list of potential draft choices to the League President.  All draft choices will be selected upon availability by the League President.  The League President shall not offer any guarantees no shall be held liable of any said guarantees under these circumstances.

102.6 Rosters must be finalized within 3 weeks of the draft date.  (11/2005)

103:  RETAINING THE RIGHTS OF PLAYERS

103.1  In the event that the APBA Game Company does not produce a card for a player held by a team, the manager may hold the rights to that particular player.  A Right (commonly known as a Contract) counts as an XB player on the team's roster and must be reported as such.

104:  TRADING PLAYERS

104.1  Trading players or the rights of players with other managers within the League is permitted at any given time during the course of the season.  Draft positions for future drafts are also permitted to be exchanged in trades.  Although it is not a League requirement, it is recommended that both managers, who enter into trades involving draft picks, should sign a Trade Agreement acknowledging the exchange.

104.11 A trade which is made after a team has published its roster (at the start of the season) must be documented in a Transaction Journal.

104.12   All trades must be reported to all managers within 48 hours of being finalized.

105:  UNCLAIMED TEAMS

105.1  A team without a manager will remain dormant for one (1) entire season.  If the dormant team is not claimed prior to the start of the second season, all players will become eligible to participate in the Primary Draft.  Dormant teams lose all draft rights for both, Primary and Secondary, drafts.   Active teams are not permitted to make trades with dormant teams.