Manager's Meeting - 02/19/2008

IMPORTANT DATES
  • 02/25/2008 - EQUIPMENT (HELMETS, CATCHERS GEAR, HATS) REQUESTS DUE TO DAVE LUERA
  • 03/15/2008 - TEAM FEES & PAPERWORK DUE (FOR 14 PLAYERS)
  • 03/29/2008 - EQUIPMENT, BASEBALLS, SCOREBOOKS PICK-UP AT BAUM'S (10:00AM)
  1. Teams
    • Central (12 teams) - Bulls, Cubs, Dbacks, 51s, Orioles, Padres, Red Sox, Royals, Thunder, Twins, Yankees, Yellow Jackets
    • Senior (12 teams) - A's, Cardinals, Crew, Dbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Indians, Mets, Rangers, Reds, Tigers, White Sox
    • 40+
      • Weekday/night - 6 teams
      • Weekend - 1 team
  2. Field Status (Robin Badart)
    • Reid Annex - 4/6 start date will be impacted by Susan G. Komen Cancer Run, as well as Colorado Rockies spring training. Senior Division will either have a late 11am start at Reid if we get the ok to use the fields, or may be at Kino, or may be at secondary fields for Sunday 4/6. More information when available.
    • Kino - no official word on when we will be able to start using the fields. More information when available.
    • A question was asked about a tournament that the Roy Hobbs organization has been promoting for late September/October at Kino. I have confirmed that Kino is working with them, but Kino has assured me that Tucson MSBL field needs will not be impacted.
  3. Fees & Equipment (Dave Luera)
    • Registration fee is $230 ($315 for both divisions).
    • Team managers fee is $155 to compensate for work involved running the team. If managing TWO teams, the manager pays $215 total for both.
    • Managers must submit ONE check for their team for payment of fees, made payable to the league (Tucson MSBL).
    • Equipment and hat requests must be in by 2/25/2008, and any questions regarding payment of league fees should be directed to league treasurer Dave Luera, or you can email him at dluera@cox.net or call 850-7252.
    • Equipment distribution on 3/29/08 at 10:00am at Baum's.
  4. Umpire's Report (Jim Stone)
    • Umpire evaluations - managers are reminded that the main way to provide feedback on the umpires is the online umpire evaluation forms. You should ask the umpires for their names at the plate meeting, but even if you did not get their names you should still fill out an evaluation. Evaluations are reviewed both by the head umpires and the league, and also with the subject umpires if there is an issue.
    • Ejections/Profanity rule - the umpires have recommended to the league that this rule be modified to allow the umpires to issue a warning, and file a report to the league, instead of the current rule requiring immediate ejection. The league is reviewing the recommendation and will announce a decision before the start of the season. With regard to ejections, managers are reminded that it is their responsibility to 1) control their team and defuse situations before they get out of hand, and 2) make sure that players know the rules. Additionally, all players should be made aware that the league keeps records, and past offenses are considered when reviewing current ejections to see if more severe penalties are warranted.
    • Discussion - there was some discussion with regard to umpires choosing to "level the playing field" or calling games differently under certain circumstances. Jim Stone agreed that umpires should strive to call the games fairly and consistently throughout the entire game, and throughout the season. There are umpires who were not happy about the league's decision to change the 15-run rule last season without involving them in the decision, and this may have led to some of the incidents that were reported.
  5. Q/A, Other
    • Managers must make certain to get photocopies of driver's license for new players, particularly younger (25+, 27+) players, and these players should be marked on the team roster form to make it easier for the league to do age verification when rosters are submitted.
  6. Other
    • No March manager's meeting scheduled at this time