The 55+ Marlins are scheduled to play two games this week and four next week so we can try to field a healthy and representative team for playoffs beginning two days after we play 4 days in a row. How in the world are we going to pitch 35 innings in 6 days, let alone play all those innings and make all those games? I hope the GMs consider our capacity and how we might be more able to enjoy the end of our season if we extend it. Take two extra weeks and start games early if we need the daylight. Please.... We love the game. Let's have fun with it, not choke it to death.
Jim Ansel
PS This is a great league! I am very grateful to all the GMs and to the league officers for the opportunity to play at our age. Thank you.
If you took a vote, I believe that the mass majority (in the 55+ division) would like to extend the regular season by two weeks, and start the playoff games at 5:45 or 5:30 pm, if need be. The Platinum Marlins have played 9 games in the past 10 weeks, and are going to be asked to play the next 6 in the next 2 weeks. Does anybody really want to do this? One of the games is even scheduled on a Saturday???
Your concerns about the schedule are being heard & worked on.
Got a message earlier today from John Reel. The short of it was that he asked the 55 managers how they felt about extending the regular season one more week (from July 31 through Aug. 4th). He also asked us which games would we want pushed from the last two weeks to that week.
About four replies I saw from the managers agreed to extend the season a week and suggested games to move. John is waiting to hear from all the managers, and then, he said, he'll be working on stretching out the schedule. He aiming to finish it by mid-week.
Whoever is involved in adjusting the season-ending schedule should put Dennis Lane on their speed dial and try to schedule games at Watervliet HS. The field is in great shape and it absorbs rain better than any field in the area. Being in this extraordinary situation due to a spring and summer of rain, the division should not be held captive to the Satellite field and the C diamond.
Hello men.....
I didn't get the memo till too late and made the road trip yesterday to New Scotty to find a beautifully dry, completely playable field...
Why can't we use New Scotty??
Pete G
I drive by New Scotland every time we have a game at Satellite and every time except once, there was no baseball being played at the New Scotland Field. It is very superior to the Satellite Field and I have wondered why we don't play at NS Field more often.
The answer is simple gentlemen ~ $$$
Satellite is cheap ~ and New Scotty is not...
You get what you pay for in this case as it is built into the season plan and budget...
Pay more next year to request such be the case and depending upon circumstances at the given time can probably happen...
But yah, it's a money issue...
Thanks Mark, Also an issue ; I have to book NS by March 1, the local youth have Tuesday -thru Friday reserved and Saturday is for the community. (week day slots re $80 weekend days are $120.) We booked every possible dates allotted to us. somewhere the youth teams decided not to play at New Scotland. the 55's booked all Mondays. the 45's booked all Sundays and pay up front with no refunds. the 45/55's in turn pay for Satellite up front but on a seasonal basis. The more we use it the cheaper the per game cost. the 45 and 55 divisions also pay for pre game and ongoing maintenance that the school won't do or do well. this total cost per game is still lower than NS.....
Satellite also gives us the ability to work on the field instead of watching water evaporate or holes become pits and IF rock hard. However that aspects has been thrown for a loop as our maintenance plan tok an unexpected jolt in April when the previous contractor got otherwise employed. Scott , his dad, has ably filled in when he could. Rain has exaserbated things. I apologize for what has been frustrating for all involved. I know too the Out field , though improved form previous years, remains a concern. to top rings off the School has not been diligent on mowing , with broken equipment and rain I suppose, and the water main had some leaks. (We always had restroom access via the key in the safe box on the shed.)
While we could have moved the whole schedule off, one division or both, there is no way to recoup the pre paid fee. moving to NS means paying an extra $80 , moving to Watervliet HS, means an extra $50 , etc.
Lately Satellite has had some attention. Scott is replacing dirt , fixing holes with clay and mowing the IF in addition to putting up the OF fence. The rubber realignment is on his list.
For next year in my mind a few things will have to occur. A long term plan of capital maintenance and improvement. At least costing that out. this might include discussing permanent fencing, bench shades, and a bull pen area. A plan for pre game and ongoing maintenance. we have invested in equipment and supplies , we need committed manpower. A commitment for the school to do their part in a timely manner. which might include turning the water on, mowing the surrounding grass, and keeping the restrooms clean.
Even with these issues covered we need to think about taking up some very good offers either on the table or in the works at the Legion , WHS another locales. Also efforts to expand use at the Central Park fields of late need a similar review as Satellite. Our other main field is Bob Moore and that relationship ,shaky last year, has improved. The 18 and 33's play there just has the 45 and 55 's play a preponderance at NS. Scheduling and field contacts work well with this split. Not to say occasional mixed use isn't off the table. Commissioners have been good about that point.
The 55's also are growing. When begun some 7-8 years ago we played entirely at Satellite and New Scotland , now they won't hold us. Perhaps the 45's will maintain their team total. Diversity in fields helps us. We must be cautious on giving up on fields altogether but spreading out is good. Few fields offer us unlimited use with maintenance control. but other fields give us a turn key operation where we do nothing but play. we'll find a good mix at a tolerable price. I look forward to the off season discussion.
