Proposal to Eliminate Minor League Pitching Rule Soundly Defeated

A discussion in the Mantle world chat about the minor league pitching rule that was put in place effective with season 21 led to a proposal that the rule be repealed.  The rule requires that all teams must keep healthy pitching staffs at all minor league levels.  The proposal to repeal the rule was put up to a vote, and has been soundly defeated.

Final voting results are as follows:

Yes (repeal the rule) - 8 votes (30.8%)
No (keep the existing rule in place) - 18 votes (69.2%)
No preference - 3 votes (not included)
Did not vote - 3

Results: DEFEATED - current rule to remain in place

According to Mantle world rules, this rule must remain in place for at least another three seasons, and cannot be considered for repeal again until season 36.

Season 32 Hall of Fame Voting Results

Here are the complete results for Hall of Fame voting for season 32 (last season's votes in parenthesis):

Geoffrey Blair - 14 (11)
Marino Tejera - 9 (7)
Damaso Lopez 7 (12)
John Kim - 6
Mitch Ledee -5 (8)
Todd Webster - 4 (6) 
Omar Flores - 4 (1)
Tyrone Hamilton -3 (2) 
Omar Siqueiros - 3 (2)
Dick Orosco - 3 (2)
Jim Aurilia - 2
Don Yoshii - 2 (3)
Domingo Pizzaro - 2 (3)
Roger Heath - 2 (2)
Carmine Byrd - 2
Theo Davies - 2
Giovanni Gray - 1
James Barnes - 1
Midre Bonilla - 1
Yorrick Benard - 1
Johan McInerney - 1 (2)
John Blake - 1 (1)
Dennys Franco - 1 

Season 31 Hall of Fame Voting Results

Here are the complete results for Hall of Fame voting for season 31 (last season's votes in parenthesis):

Gary Blake - 14 (14)
Damaso Lopez -12 (10)
Geoffrey Blair - 11
Alfredo Valentin - 10 (8) 
Mitch Ledee - 8
Marino Tejera - 7
Todd Webster - 6 (5)
Domingo Pizzaro - 3
Pat Masao - 3 (6)
Don Yoshii - 3 (1)
Roger Heath - 2 (2)
Johan McInerney - 2 (3)
Tyrone Hamilton -2 (1) 
Omar Siqueiros - 2 (2)
Dick Orosco - 2 (2)
Kyle Stone - 1
Scott Hall - 1 (1)
John Blake - 1 (1)
Peter Pong - 1
Omar Flores - 1 (6)
Carlos Barcelo - 1
Tony Mendoza - 1

Season 30 Hall of Fame Voting Results

Here are the complete results for Hall of Fame voting for season 30 (last season's votes in parenthesis):

Gary Blake - 14 (14)
Damaso Lopez -10 (12)
Mark Parker - 10 (12)
Ahmed Sanford - 9 (13)
Alfredo Valentin - 8 (9)
Omar Flores - 6
Pat Masao - 6 (6)
Cesar Urbina - 5 (2)
Todd Webster - 5
John Kim - 4 (2)
Johan McInerney - 3 (3)
Dick Orosco - 2
Omar Siqueiros - 2 (2)
Roger Heath - 2 (1)
Esteban Moreno - 1 (1)
Dan King - 1 (1)
John Blake - 1 (1)
Dennys Franco - 1
Don Yoshii - 1 (3)
Yorrick Benard - 1 (1)
Tyrone Hamilton -1 (2) 
Midre Bonilla -1 (2)
Scott Hall - 1 (1)
Bey Meacham - 1 (2)
Jim Aurilia - 1 (1)

Season 29 Hall of Fame Voting Results

Here are the complete results for Hall of Fame voting for season 29 (last season's votes in parenthesis):

Vance Collier - 20 (14) (Elected)
Gary Blake - 14 (16)
Ahmed Sanford - 13 (12)
Damaso Lopez -12 (8)
Mark Parker - 12 (7)
Alfredo Valentin - 9 (8)
Pat Masao - 6 (7)
Johan McInerney - 3 (3)
Don Yoshii - 3 (3)
Cesar Urbina - 2 (3)
Omar Siqueiros - 2 (1)
John Kim -2 (1)
Tyrone Hamilton -2 (5)
Rob Becker - 2 (3)
Midre Bonilla - 2
Bey Meacham - 2 (1)
Scott Hall - 1 (1)
Dan King - 1 (1)
Esteban Moreno - 1
Roger Heath - 1
Harry Martinez - 1 (1)
Jim Aurilia - 1
Yorrick Benard - 1 (1)
Joseph Yoshii - 1
John Blake - 1
Pablo Ordonez - 1

No Cash in Trades Before Rule 5 Freeze Rule Adopted

An accepted (and subsequently vetoed) trade during the pre-season in Mantle season 29 in which cash was being included in the deal at the start of the free agency period led to a fair amount of discussion in the world chat.  A number of owners felt strongly that cash being exchanged in deals at this particular point in the season was giving the receiving owners an advantage during free agency.  This led to a proposed new world rule which was put up for a vote, and has passed.

Starting in season 30, cash cannot be included in any trade before the Rule 5 freeze day.  Any such trade that is offered and accepted should be vetoed by the other 30 owners in Mantle.

Final voting results are as follows:

Yes - 15 votes (65.2%)
No - 8 votes (34.8%)
No preference - 5 votes (not included)
Did not vote - 4

Results: PASSED - rule to be adopted starting in season 30

Commissioner's Challenge Award (S28)

The "Commissioner's Challenge Award" is given to the team that had the most wins during the season without making the playoffs.

I'm happy to announce the season 28 winner of a $5 WIS Gift Certificate is tecwrg of the Scranton Apollos, whose 88 wins was just two games short of earning a post-season appearance.

1) 88 wins - Scranton Apollos (tecwrg)
2t) 84 wins - Chicago Black Sox (tomq)
2t) 84 wins - San Francisco Oles (evegoe)
2t) 84 wins - Cincinnati Mini Men (raidersfan)
5) 83 wins - Oklahoma City Power Failure (coneheads)
6) 82 wins - Boston Minutemen (hawger)
7t) 79 wins - Colorado Springs Mile High Marines (brendanjod)
7t) 79 wins - Albuquerque Roadrunners (tedwmoore)
9t) 76 wins - Jackson Bootleggers (rugrat)
9t) 76 wins - Atlanta Blue (bkpeters)
11t) 72 wins - Iowa City Hawksux (bjschumacher)
11t) 72 wins - Washington D.C. Metros (jmaese)
13t) 71 wins - Baltimore Honey Nut Cheerios (iain)
13t) 71 wins - Toronto Eh's (mikeg740)
15) 70 wins - Buffalo Blizzard (sir_slamalot)
16) 63 wins - Rochester Rochy Road Rochstars (indiansrck27)
17) 61 wins - Richmond Generals (dgtrache)
18) 59 wins - Omaha Barn Owls (fireattack)
19) 57 wins - Pawtucket Patriots (dudejustice)
20) 56 wins - Florida Lockdown (welsh5)