I'm not sure that everyone saw John Reel's posting after the 55+ managers meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 30th. Here's his posting:
"no draft, expansion to two new teams inviting eligible players to work out at frozen ropes on three dates. (Posted elsewhere later.) GM's are also calling these eligible players in hopes of recruiting them. will go to an extreme unbalanced schedule two tiered playoff ala 45's. BOD has to approve all this on 7th. but thats the plan. i hope many decide to play in the division. seems like many want to. John Reel
Jim Jordan is having a catch in heaven with Bill Jones. open league, no draft, entry fee is tough, be good. "
A slightly longer version of John's message is below. The decisions that the 55 managers made will need to be approved by the Board, as John noted, on Feb. 7th.
The seven managers at Tuesday's meeting discussed the pros & cons of a draft vs. no draft for more than two hours. Each guy wrestled with the issue of how we might fairly spread out talent so that (1) each team gets the players it needs, (2) teams that need strengthening get it, and (3) that every guy who wants to play 55 ball can.
The point behind the first two goals was to try to strengthen and help anchor teams that need players; work to create parity in the division so that competition is improved and aim to cut mercy-ruled games as close to zero as possible. The third goal speaks for itself: to offer room for whomever is eligible and wants to play.
The math was troublesome: The existing teams need an average of about 2 players, or 14 total, for the season. But upwards of 53 players are eligible.
We knew we had to expand by one or two teams, but we had to settle the question of whether we do that through a draft or open recruitment where players and managers can seek each other?
We also discussed at some length the feelings of the 45+ players about the draft. Many of those feelings, expressed here over the past two weeks or so, were unhappy ones. Those feelings were important to us and we weighed them.
In the end, we voted to end the two-year-old draft (I believe the vote was 5-2) and begin a staggered recruitment.
That means that over the next 12 days or so each manager will call players on the 53-man list trying to get recruits to help fill his team's needs. Teams that finished lower in the standings will call first.
Players can obviously say yes or no to any invitations they get. If they say no, their names go back into the pool, leaving themselves open to being called by another manager (or not being called at all.) Managers cannot make agreements to take a player until it is their turn to recruit. The first recruiting began on Wednesday, and the next teams to recruit will take place roughly every two days. The managers' calls should end by about Feb. 14th
There will be an overflow of players who do not get invitations. To try to remedy that, Don Ball has offered to start a new team, and one other player with managing experience may be asked to start a second.
Don has arranged group workouts for players who do not get invitations, who decline them, or who may be interested in playing but were not on the list. Those workouts are slated to take place at Frozen Ropes on Monday Feb. 12th at 8 p.m.; Thursday, Feb. 22nd, at 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 3 at 10 a.m.
To make the competition stronger, we also plan to borrow from the 45s and set up an unbalanced schedule and have a two-tiered playoff system.
Playoff games will be based on the final standings. The stronger 4-6 teams will be in the upper, or Billy Jones Group, and the weaker 4-6 teams will be in the lower, or Jim Jordan Group. Teams will play best-of-three games for titles in each. The point behind the two-tiered playoff is to eliminate first-round wipe-outs, to give each team a better chance at a title, and to extend the season slightly, by anywhere from two to six games over previous seasons.
We borrowed that last idea of "more games" from a recommendation by Fred Pidgeon who said last season, " I just want to keep playing. I don't care if it's for a title or not. When you get older, playing, just playing as much as you can, is what you care about." Thanks, Fred. Playing's why we started this league in the first place.
The managers also talked about starting an over-60 Saturday division, one that would be more recreational than competitive. Players would choose up sides and play, more or less like when they were eight. John Reel started such a division about four years ago, to see how it would go, and it was a hit. News on that to come.
-Mike
-- Edited by mikehart on Thursday 1st of February 2018 03:20:51 AM
First a word of thanks to the managers in the 55+ division, for hearing the masses and being willing to change course in mid stream. This is a perfect example of how the democratic process should work. The masses made their voices heard to the men that represent them in the governing process. They met to discuss their options, and were open to all reasonable compromises. In the end, they came up with a plan to make the most people happy. This plan will be heard by the Board of Directors (our judiciary branch), and if approved will be implemented ASAP. Great work gentlemen. I am very proud to be a part of this organization! I wish you all luck in the upcoming season! With the influx of new blood and talent, the baseball played in this division should be at an all-time high.
Can't wait to get started on our preseason workout program!
I would like to make an important clarification to Mike Hart's post. Mike writes that the overflow of players who do not get invitations to join one of the existing eight teams in the division can join an expansion team. The actual arrangement is that any player moving into the 55 division, any free agent in the division as well as any player currently on a roster who is concerned about losing playing time can join an expansion team.
I and the soon-to-be-named manager of the second expansion team will work together to try to create two well balanced teams that will be ready to compete in the 55+ division. Looking forward to the season.
Thank you Mike. I think the combination of the open entry, the expansion teams and the season/playoff format that John Reel has designed will make the division more enjoyable for players and teams of all levels.
I think it was important for players, GMs and board members to have their input during the process. Now that the new direction has been set, I hope we can all put on our uniforms and play some competitive, friendly baseball. See everyone in a few weeks.
How does one get onto the list of eligible players, I tried to play last year but was too late for the draft, would like to re-join the league, outfielder, good stick and good wheels, Tom Warner
