Fellow baseball players. I don't often post anything on this board, but after reading Mr. Girard's comments, I feel compelled to say something. I have been in this league for about 12 years. This is my first year with the Cougars. For the most part, I'm having a good time. I play all the time, and yes I endure the frustrations that come with a team like this. I will say the enthusiam on the team is as much as any other team I have played on, albeit the talent is "somewhat" less. My point is this. Frank makes a very sincere effort in trying to put a team on the field. I try to help when I can. For this game we thought we had enough players. We had an injury and an illness at the last minute. We scrambled for players, but we were unsuccessful. As soon as we realized this Frank called the game. It's unfortunate that any player came from a long distance for not. We apologize for that, but it was just a situation that couldn't be helped. To say we need to increase penalties is really unfair. I think the Cougars try as hard if not harder (perhaps you can understand this) then most other teams to put a team on the field. Having said this, we again apologize for any inconveinence that we caused. T S
Tony, I respect your opinion, but you are on the side that was informed in a timely manner. It is easy to have that view when you aren't the one giving up family time and travelling an hour or more to get to a game that doesn't happen. There a many people in our league that travel regularly an hour or ninety minutes to get to these games. I am not just talking about this one instance or just Frank. This has happened more than once, and if it continues we risk losing many quality players that just don't need to put up with this. I managed the 2009 Silver Marlins and assist my current managers with the confirmation of players in attendance to each and every game, so I know what kind of a hassel it can be, but if you volunteer to be a manager, this is your resposibility. If you don't have 10 confirmed players for any game, then you get on the phone and call anyone and everyone you know in the division to ask for substitutes. You can certainly use the bulletin board to assist in this task, but if you don't get 10, then you need to get on the phones and make sure you do. If the Cougars would have had 10 confirmed players, the your "last minute injury and illness" would have left you with 8 players and there would have been no forfeit. That is the job as manager in our league. I don't understand how anyone can argue with that. This is not a personal attack. I am posting this to try to bring awareness to a festering problem that needs attention before it harms the league.
