PSSBL Player Rights
Last Updated: 2/23/2007
The PSSBL is an amateur baseball league comprised by, of, and for the players and managers, hereinafter also referred to as “member” or “members.” (Bylaws 2.1.1)
Your Right to Attend Meetings, Vote and Hold Office
Each member in good standing (Bylaws 2.1.4) is considered a voting member. Members are encouraged to attend all official league meetings, unless all or part of a meeting convenes in “executive session”.
Members have the right to vote in all general elections. Typically the annual general election is held the first Monday of December at the Annual Meeting (Bylaws 5.1); this is when the league officers and Division Commissioners are normally elected. Every member in good standing is eligible to run for league office.
By majority vote, players have the right to select their respective team’s General Manager at any time of the year (Bylaws 3.10).
Number of Teams and Taxi Pool
Aside from age-eligibility, there is no restriction on the number of teams a player may play for across the various divisions. See the latest PSSBL member dues schedule as it pertains to playing for multiple teams.
Each paid PSSBL player is eligible to participate, free of charge, in the league Taxi Pool. Players on the Taxi Pool list are called from time to time throughout the season to be a fill-in player for shorthanded teams in age-eligible divisions. Many Taxi Pool players play an additional 2 to 4 games or more per season as a permitted roster substitute. However there is no league guarantee as to the number of Taxi Pool games for which a listed player may be called to participate. Refer to the PSSBL Taxi Pool Operations Policy.
Playing Time
Each PSSBL Division has its own standards and practices with regard to playing time. Some divisions require a minimum amount of playing time for each player. Other divisions have no such rules. At least one division has a “suggested” minimum playing time rule. Check the current PSSBL Game and Disciplinary Rules document to know how your division handles playing time.
Regardless of division requirements (or lack thereof), any player who perceives that he/she is not getting fair treatment from his/her manager should initiate direct but tactful discussion with the manager to find an agreeable resolution. If the situation cannot be resolved with the manager, the player should provide a written request to his/her Division Commissioner and/or the PSSBL Player Agent to review and monitor the situation for possible arbitration, hearing or other action.
Free Agency, Restricted Moves, Buddy Picks, Cuts and Trades
The PSSBL monitors and restricts certain player movement activity in order to prevent an undue aggregation of talent. Such an aggregation would be detrimental to the enjoyment of the game for the majority of players in a particular division.
We encourage each player to compete in a division(s) appropriate to his/her skills, experience, conditioning, and competitiveness. We also know that these will all change over time. As such, a player is free to seek to move to the division best suited for his/her particular circumstances. This can be achieved either through the Draft process, or by virtue of becoming a Buddy Pick in that division. Of course every player must meet the age-eligibility requirements of the division he/she may play for.
Each PSSBL player has the right to request an outright release from his/her team. If such release is granted, the player has the right to be selected as a “buddy pick” in another division for the following season. However a player must sit out one full season after requesting a release before moving to another team in the same division, unless a trade can be worked out between those two teams.
Each PSSBL player has the right to request a trade to another team in the same division. This may happen at any time of the year. Cross-divisional trades, by their very nature, are not possible. Typically, a mutually acceptable deal is arranged between the two general managers, but not always. There is no league guarantee that a player’s request to be traded will be honored. Occasionally trades can be facilitated by the Division Commissioner and/or the PSSBL Player Agent.
All trades must be approved by the two team’s managers, by the presiding Division Commissioner, and by the PSSBL President or Player Agent. The trade becomes official only when a fully executed PSSBL Trade Form is filed with the League President or Player Agent. Trades can involve players, draft picks, baseball merchandise or related merchandise. Trades cannot involve monetary consideration, nor an allotment of Buddy Picks. If a player, so traded, fails to report or to register for the team traded to, the trade shall be declared null and void.
If a player is cut by a team, he/she is an unrestricted free agent who may be picked as a “buddy pick” by any other team in any division. Should a player request an outright release or be cut by a team, that player may attend the next scheduled official PSSBL tryout(s) and re-enter the subsequent draft without restriction.
The Draft and Try-out Process
Normally, the PSSBL holds an annual tryout consisting of several sessions, and an ensuing draft for prospective members. The tryouts are open to any prospective new member, 21 years of age and older, male or female, and also to existing members who have been cut, released, or are seeking to play in a different division than the one they already play within. The tryouts are not open to Buddy Picks or to prospective Buddy Picks. Attending a tryout does not ensure that you will be drafted. A prospective player increases his/her chances to be drafted by attending more than one tryout session. Conversely, a prospective player may be drafted without attending tryouts at all, if all other requirements are met.