HVBSA / Cal Ripken Draft Rules (Approved for 2009 Season)

It is the philosophy of the HVBSA to provide instructional, recreational baseball programs to their participants.  To do so effectively, there must be balance among the teams in each division of the league.   The divisions will run at their best when the available talent is spread evenly across each team and competitive balance is created.

The primary tool for accomplishing this balance is the annual player draft.  Given the importance of league balance and the central role of the draft in creating that balance, it is necessary to insure that the draft is a fair and open process.  The league uses a player evaluation process where team managers & coaches rate the players’ skill level based on their observations during the course of the season.  A uniform evaluation form is used to record these evaluations.  Therefore, it is critical for all team managers to take the time to submit their team evaluations at the end of the season.  The Player Agent collects and compiles the evaluations and creates a Player Evaluation Drafting Report, which is to be used as a basis for a fair and open draft.  However, due to the fact that we don’t always get 100% participation from all the managers the evaluations are not totally complete.  Therefore, each division coordinator will conduct a players rating meeting with all the managers in their division.  Every player registered per division will be evaluated and given a rating of (1 to 4) with 4 being the highest.   It is hoped that team competitive balance can be achieved by giving every team the opportunity to draft players whose skill level has been more thoroughly assessed. 

The Draft rules below are designed and intended to ensure that competitive balance is created among the teams in every division.  The Baseball Chairperson, Division Coordinator, and Player Agent will arbitrate any disputes arising in the draft.  Resolution of disputes is determined by a majority decision of the Baseball Chairperson, specific Division Coordinator, and the Player Agent.  These respective parties will have the final say on determining the specific division level for each player regardless of the player’s age.

Tentative Draft Times – Spring 2009

  • Babe Ruth – Thursday March 12th 7PM – Red Building
  • Majors – Saturday March 14th at 11AM – American Legion (Van Dyke Rd)
  • AAA – Saturday March 14th at 12:30PM – American Legion
  • AA – Saturday March 14th at 2:30PM – American Legion
  • A – Sunday March 15th at 1PM – American Legion
  • Rookie – Sunday March 15th at 3PM – American Legion
  • Instructional Division – No draft – Coaches meeting March 10th 7PM at Township Library, parents meeting to follow at 7:30PM. Teams will be assigned by township area.

Draft Rules

  1. Eligibility:

    All registered players of the association ages 6 through 12 are eligible to be drafted.  The league is divided into six divisions:

    • Instructional – All 1st Graders and Kindergarteners turning 6 prior to 4/30/2009. Will be drafted by neighborhood or school.
    • Rookie – All 2nd Graders and 1st Graders as needed (first graders should have played Instructional ball the previous year).
    • A Division – All 3rd Graders and 2nd Graders as needed.
    • AA Division - All 4th Graders and 3rd Graders as needed.
    • AAA – All 5th Graders and 4th Graders as needed.
    • Majors – 7th Graders age 12 as of 4/30, all 6th Graders and 5th Graders as needed.

  2. Administration: The participating Division Coordinator and at least one other member of the Administration Board in addition to the Player Agent will attend each division’s draft.  The Division Coordinator for each division will run their draft.  The Player Agent acts as a facilitator for the draft. 
  3. Attendance: Each team will be re-drafted every year with only the Manager and Coach’s children pre-assigned to a given team.  These players will be assigned draft order slots as detailed in Rule 9.  Each Division Coordinator will determine the team draft order in conjunction with the Player Agent.  The draft will be held in rounds “serpentine fashion” using the draft order in all subsequent rounds until the draft is completed.
  4. Process: Each team will be re-drafted every year with only the Manager and Coach's children pre-assigned to a given team. These players will be assigned draft order slots as detailed in Rule 11. Each Division Coordinator will determine the team draft order in conjunction with the Player Agent. The draft will be held in rounds "serpentine fashion" using the draft order in all subsequent rounds until the draft is completed.
    1. All players rated 4 must be drafted before a player rated 3 may be drafted. All Players rated 3 must be drafted before players rated 2 and all players rated 2 must be drafted before players rated 1.
    2. Once during the draft Managers may draft a player rated one below the current number being drafted.
    3. If the Manager and Coach both have sons rated 4, that team will be placed last in the draft order and forfeit its third round draft choice. If there are enough players rated 4 so that all teams receive two players rated 4 then the team will still draft last, but they will not have to forfeit their third round draft pick.
  5. Draft materials: The Player Agent will provide every manager with a Player Evaluation Drafting Report of all registered players. The player evaluation report will include a final player rating.
  6. Majors, AAA & AA specific process: As stated in item #5 all registered players will be assigned to a preferred division level that has been approved by each respective Division Coordinator and the Player Agent in concert with the Managers and Coaches of that division through a “Player Evaluation Meeting” prior to the draft. It is the option of the Division Coordinator to ask any other persons who may be of assistance with the evaluation process to attend the “Evaluation Meeting”. All players assigned to that division must be drafted. During the draft there are no exceptions to this process.
  7. Majors, AAA, AA, A, Rookie and Instructional draft order: The draft is open to all eligible players.
    1. Majors will draft all 7th and 6th Graders
    2. AAA will draft all 5th Graders
    3. AA will draft all 4th Graders
    4. A will draft all 3rd Graders
    5. Rookie will draft all 2nd Graders
    6. Instructional will draft all 1st Graders and age eligible Kindergarteners
    *** Eligible players are defined as players assigned to that division during the evaluation meeting noted in #5. Players may play down by parent request.
  8. Majors, AAA & AA Teams: Each team shall draft a maximum of 12 players. However, at the time of the draft 11 player teams may be drafted depending on the number of teams. Eleven player teams are preferred with the twelfth spot being held for late sign-ups.
  9. A, Rookie and Instructional Divisions: Each team shall draft a maximum of 13 players. This number can be modified by action of the Baseball Committee to meet the needs of the Association.
  10. Manager's Options: The child of the team manager will be placed on the parent’s team with the round of his assignment determined by the final player evaluation rating. These assignments will be made by the Player Agent in conjunction with the Division Coordinator prior to the start of the draft when the team Manager and Coach are identified. The division coordinators will confirm the player options draft positions with their managers.
    Coach's Options. Each team is entitled to one coach’s option. The child of the coach will be placed on the team the parent is coaching with the round of their assignment determined in the same manner used in the assignment of the children of managers. Where the coach’s option slot has already been filled by the Managers option, the next open slot will be assigned.
  11. Siblings: A drafted player who has a sibling must be claimed by the same team. The selected round will be determined by the players rating. There are two exceptions to this. " The first involves a written parental request, approved by the Baseball Committee before the draft, that the siblings not be placed on the same team. In this case, the sibling will enter the draft and be taken at any team’s discretion as an unencumbered player. " The second pertains to situations where a team is exercising a Manager’s option and is drafting a sibling. In this instance, the sibling will be selected with the pick determined in the same manner as the option. Where the proscribed slot has already been taken e.g. sibling would be 3rd round pick based on ranking but another optioned player has already filled that slot, etc. then the next open slot will be used.
  12. Late sign-ups: Player assignments will be made in order of receipt of registrations and assigned sequentially to teams in their drafting orders per requested division.