Warming up the bullpen...
A ranked game is a full game against another league member: 3, 6 or 9 innings, on any official field. No quitting early. If someone rage-quits, the other player can report it as a win.
Either player turns in the scorecard. The other player confirms it from their Mailbox, and only then does Elo move. Scorecards that are never confirmed never count.
Wrong score? Never played? Hit Dispute and say why. A commissioner reviews it and either lets the score stand or voids it. Screenshots or clips of the final scoreboard settle most arguments.
You can only report 3 ranked games against the same opponent in 24 hours. It keeps friends from farming Elo off each other. Go find a new challenger.
It's baseball. Somebody won.
Trash talk is part of the backyard. Harassment, cheating, exploits and smurf accounts are not, and get you benched from the league.
Every ranked game uses these settings so everyone plays the same game. Set them in the lobby before first pitch. Turning in a scorecard means you both played on them.
| Setting | Ranked | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Game Mode | Classic | The real game. No gimmick modes in ranked. |
| Innings | 6 | Long enough for comebacks, short enough to run it back. |
| Errors | Off | Games are decided by players, not random bobbles. |
| Swing Spot Assist | Off | Earn your contact. |
| Pitch Mode | Classic (no Crazy Pitch) | Keeps pitching skill-based. |
| Birthday Boost | Off | No random stat boosts. |
| Hot / Cold Players | Off | Every kid plays at their normal level. |
| Time Limit | Off | Play all 6 innings. |
| Home Field | Home player's choice | Home team picks any field. |
| Day / Night | Home player's choice | Purely cosmetic. |
Neighborhood Cups use the same settings. Finals may be played at 9 innings if both players agree.
Everyone starts at 1000 Elo in Tryouts. After 5 games you land in a rank based on your rating, and from there it's up to you.
Beat someone better, gain more. Before every game we work out each player's chance to win from the Elo gap. An upset pays big. Beating someone way below you pays a little.
Win big, gain a little more. The winning margin adds a bonus: +0% for a one-run game, up to +50% for a 9-run blowout.
Tryouts count double. Your first 5 games use a K-factor of 64. After that it's 32.
change = K × margin_bonus × (result − expected)
expected = 1 / (1 + 10^((them − you) / 400))
Win chance before first pitch: 30% · margin bonus ×1.13