Bull League
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The Bull League is a professional baseball organization based in Canada and the United States. A total of 20 teams play in two constituent leagues, the Metropolitan League (ML) and the Lake League (LL). There are three teams located in Canada, and 17 teams located in the United States.
The Bull League was first created in 1989, and the ML and LL were formed in 1991. The Bull League is the major-level professional league within the Bull Baseball League, the overall baseball organization that includes the various minor-level leagues.
Each season, the Bull League determines a championship team through the Bull Cup Championship Series, preceded by two playoff rounds to determine the ML and LL champions who play for the overall championship. Teams play a 162-game season, and eight teams advance to the playoffs at the conclusion of the regular schedule. The playoffs begin with a best-of-five round, followed by two best-of-seven rounds. Games are occasionally broadcast on live streams through the league's Twitch channel, and made available later on YouTube.
The Bull League's (simulated) attendance in 2018 was 34,474,193, up 3.2% from the 2017 total of 33,399,885.[1]
Contents
League organization
Since the Bull League was first created in 1989, it has been an overall league within which there were two subleagues. From 1989 to 1990, these were the Central League and the Southern League. In 1991, there was a major reorganization, and these subleagues were replaced with the AEL and the LL, as it remains the case today.
The leagues have always had an equal number of teams, beginning in 1991 when there were 12 teams in total, 6 in each of the AEL and LL, divided into two divisions of 3 teams each.
The two-division, two-league format has remained in place to the present, even through an expansion to 16 teams in 1995, then later to 20 teams in 2012. In order to give more teams an opportunity for playoff success, wildcards were introduced in 2007, allowing teams that were not a division pennant winner to play in the postseason for the first time.
Teams
There are a total of 20 teams in the Bull League.
History
The fictional Bull League first formed in 1989, consisting of a 20-team league divided into two constituent leagues, the Central League and the Southern League, with ten teams in each. Like the current configuration, these two leagues were further divided into two divisions each, an east and a west.
Original teams
Bold indicates a team that is still active.
| Division | Team | City | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central League | |||
| East | Boston Britons | Boston, MA 
|
Became the Boston Brawlers in the Lake League East division |
| Brooklyn Tigers | Brooklyn, NY
|
Became the Chicoutimi Cinquantes in the Lake League East division | |
| Chicago Knights | Chicago, IL
|
Became Chicago Pit Bulls, moved to AEL then to LL West division | |
| New York Fastballs | New York, NY
|
Became the New York Minutemen in the Lake League East division | |
| Toronto Ducks | Toronto, ON 
|
Became the Toronto Nomads in the Lake League East division | |
| West | California Tidals | Los Angeles, CA
|
Name unchanged; Moved to American Eagle League West division |
| Nevada Speeders | Reno, NV
|
Name unchanged; Moved to American Eagle League West division | |
| Ohio Oxen | Toledo, OH
|
Name unchanged; Moved to Lake League West division | |
| Seattle Salts | Seattle, WA
|
Name unchanged; Move to American Eagle League West division | |
| Vancouver Metros | Vancouver, BC
|
Became the Montreal Metros in the Lake League East division | |
| Southern League | |||
| East | Detroit Lakes | Detroit, MI
|
Folded after 1990 |
| Houston Keystones | Houston, TX
|
Folded after 1990 | |
| Philadelphia Cubs | Philadelphia, PA
|
Folded after 1990 | |
| Picton Mounties | Picton, ON
|
Folded after 1990 | |
| Richmond Raiders | Richmond, VA
|
Became the Minneapolis Ravens in the Lake League West division | |
| West | Cleveland Team | Cleveland, OH
|
Team name unknown — Folded after 1990 |
| Kansas Cattle | Wichita, KS
|
Folded after 1990 | |
| New Jersey Team | Newark, NJ
|
Team name unknown — Folded after 1990 | |
| North Chicago Batmen | North Chicago, IL
|
Folded after 1990 | |
| Oakland Braves | Oakland, CA
|
Folded after 1990 | |
Creation of the American Eagle and Lake Leagues (1991-1993)
By 1991, the number of teams had been reduced to just 12, with three in each of the divisions, and the two major leagues within the Bull League were renamed the American Eagle League and the Lake League.
The reduction is teams was seen as practical because at the time the games were simulated, one game at a time, using Earl Weaver Baseball, a baseball management simulation game. It was was a lengthy process to play out even a day's worth of games in this method.
Labor Dispute (1994)
As with real baseball, there was a "labor disruption" which led to the cancellation of the 1994 season. No records remain for any games from that season and the season is officially considered to have been not played.
Following the "labor disruption" the league was effectively suspended and no games were simulated until 2016, when the league transitioned to OOTP17 and resumed operations.
The League is Reborn (1995)
The Bull League resumed operations and following a reorganization of teams and leagues, including an expansion from 12 teams to 16 teams, the 1995 season was played out.
Further Expansion (2012)
See main article: 2012 Expansion
In 2012, the Bull League expanded from 16 teams to 20, the number it originally had in 1989.
Reorganization (2018)
See article: 2018 Reorganization
Although in many years there are some name, location or branding changes among the teams, the 2018 season saw a major reorganization, with several teams swapping leagues as a result of relocations.
The historic San Diego Seagulls, which moved to Anchorage to become the Anchorage Aces in 2017, completed a move to St. Petersburg, Florida and were renamed the St. Petersburg Admirals. With the move across the continent they were shuffled into the AEL East. The Jacksonville Ravens left the AEL altogether in their relocation to Minnesota. They were renamed the Minneapolis Ravens with a change of logo, and joined the LL West.
At the conclusion of the 2018 season, the American Eagle League was renamed to the Metropolitan League.
Season structure
Throughout the year, there are a number of important events that define the structure of each baseball season in the Bull League.
Spring training
See article: Spring training
Spring training is a series of exhibition games and baseball practice camps that each Bull League team holds in the spring every year, before the start of the regular season. The purpose is to allow the teams to field the most competitive possible rosters for the regular season, by both having returning veterans warm up and work out after a winter without playing time, and to allow rookies and minor league players a chance to try out for a spot on the roster of the parent club for the upcoming season.
The spring training schedule lasts roughly 5-6 weeks, beginning in April, and occasionally involves inter-league play between AEL and LL teams.
Regular season
As of the 2019 season, the regular season schedule consists of 162 games, beginning on the first day of April, and ending at the end of September. Prior to 2019, the regular season was wither 100, 82 or 80 games long, and began in mid-May.
An All-Star Game is played in early July.
The goal of each team during the season is to win as many games as necessary to secure a playoff berth, either by winning the division title, or by having one of the next best team records below the division title winners in each league. Occasionally, additional tie-breaking games are required to determine a clear order in the standings at the end of the season.
First year player draft
See article: First year player draft
In early June of each year the league holds an annual amateur player draft. College and high school players who are of eligible age and service may be drafted by Bull League teams according to an order set the previous season and based on their final standings.
The draft is the primary way for North American players to enter service into the league.
All-Star Game
See article: Bull League All-Star Game
At about the mid-way point through the regular season, the teams break for five days in order to play an exhibition game called the All-Star Game. This match features the best players from both the American Eagle League and the Lake League, as voted on by fans and team managers.
Until recently, the winner of the All-Star Game would determine which league's team would have the home-field advantage in the final round of the playoffs.
Postseason
See article: Bull Cup Championship Series
| Bull Cup Championship Records | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Series wins |
Last Series won |
Series played |
| New York Dragons† (LL) | 5 | 2008 | 5 |
| Montreal Metros (LL) | 4 | 2018 | 7 |
| Ohio Oxen (LL) | 4 | 2016 | 5 |
| Chicoutimi Cinquantes (LL) (Team folded 2016) |
3 | 2005 | 4 |
| Calgary Inferno† (ML) | 2 | 2017 | 6 |
| Minneapolis Ravens† (ML to LL, 2018) | 2 | 1996 | 5 |
| California Tidals (ML) | 2 | 2013 | 4 |
| Nevada Speeders (ML) | 1 | 2001 | 6 |
| Miami Storm† (LL to ML, 2018) |
1 | 2000 | 3 |
| Chicago Pit Bulls† (ML to LL, 2012) | 1 | 1991 | 2 |
| Pittsburgh Iron Pigs† (LL) | 1 | 2002 | 2 |
| Seattle Salts (ML) | 1 | 1992 | 2 |
| Boston Brawlers (LL) | 0 | – | 1 |
| St. Petersburg Admirals† (ML) | 0 | – | 2 |
| † indicates the team has had a name or location change - see team article for further details. | |||
At the conclusion of the 162-game regular season eight teams will advance into the playoffs. These teams are the division champions for all four divisions, plus four wild card teams, being the next two best teams by win-loss record in each league.
There are three rounds of playoffs in the bracket:
- Elimination Round, a best-of-five series between the 1 and 4, and 2 and 3 seeds within each league.
- The Metropolitan League Championship Series and the Lake League Championship Series, each a best-of-seven series to determine each league's champions.
- The Bull Cup Championship Series, a best-of-seven series to determine the overall Bull League champions.
The Elimination Round wildcard was introduced for the 2007 season. The division winners are always seeded #1 and #2, with the wildcards seeded #3 and #4. Prior to 2019, all rounds were best-of-five.
Beginning with the 2018, the team with the best record will determine the home-field advantage in the Bull Cup Championship Series, ending the long-standing practice of awarding the advantage to the league which won the All-Star Game in that year.
Off-season
During the off-season, many organizational and administrative events occur in order to prepare for game play the following season.
- In October, the players file for free agency, and salary arbitration hearings take place. Award voting also takes place.
- In November, the annual winter meetings are held. During this period, trades and rule changes may occur. Shortly after the meetings wrap up, the Rule 5 draft takes place.
- In December, the Hall of Fame balloting period takes place.
- In January, the Hall of Fame inductees, if any, are announced.
- In March, the preseason begins, and the schedule for the next season is released.
Awards
The Bull League recognizes outstanding players in a wide variety of categories annually at the end of each season.
Carl Simms MVP Award
See article: Carl Simms MVP Award
The Carl Simms MVP Award is given to the most valuable player in both the LL and the ML. Until 2017, pitchers qualified for this award. The award is named for Carl Simms, a Hall of Fame player who won the most valuable player award a record five times during his career.
Sandy Koufax Award
See article: Sandy Koufax Award
The Sandy Koufax Award is awarded to the best pitcher in both the LL and the ML. Relievers also qualify for this award. The award is named for Sandy Koufax, a real-life pitcher who played for the Brooklyn Dodger (later Los Angeles Dodgers), winning the National League's top pitcher award three times, was named MVP, and was the youngest player ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, at 36.
Woodchuck Trophy
See article: Woodchuck Trophy
The Woodchuck Trophy is the Bull League's award for the top relief pitcher.
Rookie of the Year Award
See article: Rookie of the Year Award
The Rookie of the Year Award is given to the top rookie players in the LL and the ML. Pitchers and position players both qualify.
General Manager of the Year
Manager of the Year
League rules
| Level | Major |
|---|---|
| Designated Hitter | Yes |
| Roster limit | 25 (Expands to 40 on September 1) |
| Age range | Min. 18 years |
| Disabled list | 10 days / 60 days |
| Waiver period | 7 days |
| DFA limit | 15 days |
References
- ↑ 2017 Season Was Best Yet for Fans. BNN. http://bullleague.org/highlights/2017-season-was-best-yet-for-fans/. 26 January 2018. Accessed: 26 January 2018.
