Athletics: Welcome

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Division A team with the Devil Rays as their farm team.

In anticipation of expanding our league to include softball in 2007 and in order to improve our present minor and Tee ball leagues, we will be dividing our minor league into two divisions. The breakdown of Divisions would be as follows:

Division A:-Any player (boy or girl) little league age 9, 10, or 11 would be required to be in Div. A.

-No 6 yr olds would be allowed in Division A. Little league 7 and 8 yr olds would be allowed, if drafted, and they would like to participate in Division A.

-Scores will be kept, managers and coaches within the minors who are available (but not participating in a game) will umpire. Standings will be kept and a championship tournament will be played at the end of the season.

-An affiliation with a division B team will be assigned like a farm system to allow players to be moved as needed to fill rosters which are short for a particular game or if it is determined by coach or parent that a child would benefit from a different division.

-Try to develop rosters of about 10 players

-Two games per week, one practice

Division B:-Little league 6, 7 and 8 year olds only

- Completely machine or coach pitch

-After 3 strikes, coach may implement use of tee or soft toss

-Use of little league soft balls ( not tee ball balls)

-No scores or standings, but other previous minor league playing rules will apply.

-An emphasis on player development and basics of the game. Instructional league on proper throwing, hitting and fielding techniques including catchers but not including pitching.

-Two games per week, one practice

Tryouts and Drafting:

All players who sign up for participation in the minor league will be required to attend tryouts. Players will be evaluated by each team’s coaching staff. A skills strength score will be given between 1-3 for each of the following: Hitting, throwing, and fielding. These scores will be compiled and averaged to determine a skills strength figure for each player. Each teams’ manager will be given one free pick in order to secure an assistant coach. The manager and assistant coaches children’s skills strength figures will be calculated and the lowest coaches number team will get first pick and so forth until division A rosters have 10-11 players each. Division B rosters will then be picked in the same manner until all players are picked.

I believe this system will enhance our baseball players skills and let them play at a level where they can feel confident and proud. It will help us retain older players who might leave our league because of embarrassment and give confidence to the younger player who might not be ready to face a hard ball and faster pitching from an older player. Tee ball should be for the 5 and 6 year olds. We should encourage our 7 and 8 year old girls to play minor league ball to keep them involved in NSLL and still give them the skills to be applied to softball in the future. The 7 year old boys should be brought up from Tball & be developed and challenged.

Lets have a great season!

Tom Suedmeier
Minor League Director