With two conferences, four venues, two divisions in the north and 32 teams, it is obviously the largest and most complex schedule we have ever put together. Total number of teams in the league this year is 32 teams from 25 area chuches.
A special shout out to League Treasurer Tiffany Umbarger who has also become our unofficial 'schedule queen'.
North starts next Monday April 29th.
South starts the following Monday (May 6th).
Lord Willin'!
Total games scheduled is 384.
South Conference last scheduled games is July 8th, North, July 15th.
All-star Game Monday July 22nd.
Tentative tournament start date; July 29th
Good Guys V, Saturday Aug. 3rd.
The rules are final and reflect the final votes on the issue of walking a male batter to get to a female as well as the infield fly. Bottom line is that our 2013 rules are basically identical to the 2012 rules.
I will however, point out some key differences in content;
1. New Index for quicker location of pertinent sections.
2. Non-essential verbiage removed without losing key meaning and definition of the rule. (The rules are shorter.)
3. New revised ASA wording on the infield fly.
4. New line item protocol added under Injury protocol. (More below)
Note that by 'gentlemen's agreement', all four outfielders may not enroach on the infield dirt and should be stationed at least 12 feet from the infield dirt.
I want to add a few comments on the 'lively' discussion we've had over the last two weeks on the voting matters, but first the votes. The first wording of the walk rule was defeated 11-7. The vote to reconsider using ASA wording for the infield fly rule passed 16-6. The second wording of the walk the male batter rule was also defeated 9-6 with 2 abstensions
First, votes cast. Yes, simple addition shows that not all 32 coaches voted. The implications are obvious. We can't make coaches vote, but when they opt out of doing so, you never know what could or could not happen on issues that come up for a vote. As a rule, I do not vote unless there is a tie.
Both the two major issues voted on generated lively discussion at the Spring meeting as well as in private emails to me.
The infield fly rule has been a part of baseball since 1895. It has been a part of this league since my entrance into it in 1993. While sometimes ignored or improperly used, I obviously support keeping it and here's why. We remain a church league with the full gamut of individuals, saved and not, highly competitive to just here for the fun. The chaos of not having this rule would far outweigh the nuisance of trying to apply the rule correctly. I believe the ASA wording as well as the simple 3-2-1-0 helper aid can helps us all to properly apply the rule when it comes into play. Thankfully, that is not often. In all the games I was in last year, it may have only come up twice.
For the other issue of intentionally walking a male batter to get to a female, I received several strongly worded rebukes against this strategy being used in a church league. The sentiment, which I share, is that this fly's in the face of the Christian Fellowship and Brotherhood we generally excel at year in and year out. So while the rule did not pass, my prayer is that coaches would take a step back and under 'gentlemen's agreement', agree to not allow their pitchers to overtly or covertly walk a male batter to get to a female batter. That said, it remains technically legal to do so.
An important line item has been added to the Injury Protocol. I saw another news story a few weeks back that led to this decision. A man was hit by a line drive in the chest in a softball game and died a few hours later after refusing to allow a 911 call at the fields.
Therfor, I have added this line item to the injury protocol (Section 14), which is MANDATORY to follow anytime there is an injury; MANDATORY 911 call for any instance of a players head or torso being hit by a batted or thrown ball or bat.
Have a great Opening Night and I hope to see many of you at the ceremony as we kick-off season 35!
In Christ,
Doug Peterson
No comments:
Post a Comment