a manager never likes to write this, but the 55+ peppers are down from 15 players last year at this time to 12. actually, until june, we have a playing roster of 11. that's way too few.
we could use two good players. three would be perfect.
we need the players for three simple reasons: to fill out positions on the team, to stay competitive, and to avoid forfeits this summer.
we did get, on paper, four guys in the off-season draft and free agency. but we lost seven over the winter. that math works against any team.
i say we got four guys "on paper" because one apparently won't join us after all, a second will arrive in june.
our first choice in the draft, and the league's first overall pick in its first-ever draft, seemed perfect: 6-feet, 180-pounds, 56, a lefty pitcher and outfielder who said he runs 4 miles a day. he had big league tryouts in his past, and interviewed well by three managers who talked to him, saying to each of us that he was eager to play. but the day i drafted him was the day he disappeared: he has not replied to about eight emails and phone calls and one regular letter. it's a puzzle. i hope he's ok.
departures in the 55s can come suddenly, maybe more so than the other divisions, and, given the age involved, can be harder than the other divisions to replace. many guys who are 55+ are, sadly, eyeing the rocker, retirement or florida. in our case, we lost one guy to free agency, and others to knee replacement, home issues (retirement planning, actually), a hand broken by an inside fastball followed by complications, one who said he's tired of baseball and wants to ride a bike this summer. reasons are as varied as the guys who leave.
i'm biased, obviously, but i think we've got the makings of a good team this year. in fact, before the first pitch, i'd argue that we're already better than our 4-10-1 squad last year. that's because we've got two new starting pitchers who can go seven innings, and the third to arrive in june. i believe we're as strong up the middle as any team in the league. we can hit. the new position players we picked up look to be a help. and our spirit's fine.
a few days ago, i asked the peppers players to help me find three guys and now i'm appealing to all of you.
this winter, i approached about 30 guys to play in the division, and recruited three who said they'd hit the "join us" button on the league's website. unfortunately each was between 50-53.
i've also put posters up asking for 55+ players at four ymcas (troy, e.greenbush, clifton park, glenville), at the three batting cages in the area (all-stars, frozen ropes and hayner brothers' barn), and at goldstocks' sporting goods.
the problem with posters is they don't glow neon, they don't speak. people pass by without looking. they require pitchmen.
so what am i hoping for?
i'd like guys who are ex- or current athletes, people who've played some baseball, and who are in fairly good health, usually the younger (between 55-60) the better, but i won't look askance at 65+-year-olds who can still play.
narrowed, i'd like clones of, oh, tom maney, ralph caputo, jerry solomon, mike aiello, pete geannellis, ron smaka, etc. but in reality, guys in decent shape who know the game and can still play some.
good places to find such players? ymcas, health clubs, swimming pools, batting cages, winter sports leagues (basketball, volleyball, bowling), even in lines at the movies or at food markets, or on old rosters that you may have in scorebooks you've shelved.
how to recruit? that's easy (reeling them in is harder). just two questions. ask a guy who looks like he's 55 and a former or current athlete: "you ever play baseball?" and if he says yes, then say, "like to play again?" if he says maybe, describe the league and take his number and ship it my way. (my email address below.)
think of it as practice for the time that some of you become managers. or simply a good deed done.
unfortunately, since the time for free agency and the draft have passed, the 55+ managers can only take guys whom we now call "community players," that is fellows who did not play 45+ ball last season or have not played for several seasons before last season or have never played in the league. the eight or so fellows from the 45+ division who chose not to be in the 55+ draft this winter are not now eligible to play 55+ ball this summer.
next year's draft promises to be perhaps double or maybe triple the size of this year's and so, should we need players next year (one hopes not, but this is the 55+ division), then the issue of not enough players should not be a problem for the current eight teams.
for now, if your uncle used to pitch for billy bean's A's in oakland (and not connie mack's in philadelphia) we're interested.
many thanks in advance to you all. my email address is mhart44@me.com.
