Pelham Twins Little League Baseball - 2008 Boys Majors

Below is a copy of the email I sent to team members on Thursday, March 27.

______________________________________________
From: Bell, Blake A
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 11:20 AM
To: 'jndskap2@aol.com'; 'andrea@zanrlaw.com'; 'vrahimis@optonline.net'; 'Janice.F.Ingram@gmail.com'; 'HeliconJI@yahoo.com'; 'Colleen@SunAndMoonFitness.com'; 'Porricolo@optonline.net' 'LisaOB2005@aol.com'; 'PMStriano@optonline.net'; 'JA_Parisi@yahoo.com'

Subject: Pelham Twins Little League Baseball - 2008 Boys Majors

Dear Team:

Last night the Managers of the nine teams that comprise the Pelham Little League 2008 Boys Major Division met to assemble the teams. At the end of this message I have listed our current roster. Our team, the Twins, is sponsored by Sun and Moon Fitness (thanks to Colleen Walsh!). I will be managing the team. At present we have no assistant coach assigned to the team. I would appreciate hearing from parents of team members willing to serve in such a capacity (or to provide assistance at practices and during games as necessary, particularly as first base coaches).

I apologize for the length of this message, but I am trying to provide you with all the information I received last night and to request information from each of you.

1. The contact information I have been provided for each of you is minimal (player's name, an email address and, in some instances, a telephone number). Please hit your reply button and send me a note providing me with the following: parents' name(s), address, home phone, cell phone in case of emergency and all email addresses to which you would like team communications sent. Once I have all of that I will assemble and distribute a full roster.

2. Last night I received uniforms for the players. I will communicate with you again shortly to arrange distribution of those uniforms.

3. The Little League Parade will be held the morning of April 12. I will provide you with further information in that regard as well.

4. Importantly, players will only be permitted to use wooden bats that comply with Little League specifications. The league will be providing each team with wooden bats in its equipment bag. If you wish to buy your player a wooden bat, you may first wish to have me address the matter with the league to make sure you are buying a bat that complies with the rules. Last night they indicated that bats should be no longer than 31 inches in length and 2-1/4 inches in diameter. However, official Little League rules say bats should be no longer than 33 inches in length and 2-1/4 inches in diameter. I will try to get some clarification. Bats can have no inserts, metal or otherwise -- simply plain, wood bats.

5. The schedules have not yet been set, but it seems highly likely that the first games will be held beginning April 13. The team will play all its games on Friendship Field or on Richie Bell Field. The league plans for each team to play two games per week, although this will be somewhat flexible. Ideally, each team would be expected to play one weekday game and one weekend game each week. However, League officials informed us last night that given the way the draft schedules are shaping up, it seems likely that each team in the league will have at least one instance where it will play two weekday games but no weekend game during that week. There will be games during the period April 13 - April 16. There then will be a week-long break during the Spring Recess followed by resumption of games on Monday, April 28. (Please note that until the schedules are completed this may be subject to some change, so stay tuned.)

6. The League informed managers last night that each team likely will be able to obtain field permits to conduct at least two practices before the season begins. Beginning Monday, March 31 at 8:15 p.m. we will be able to pick up equipment and obtain our first field permit from the League Office. Please watch your email closely late Monday and early Tuesday for additional information. You may be interested to know that for the last couple of years I have followed an informal practice of making myself available very early on weekend mornings at batting cages to throw batting practice to any players who might be interested -- just for fun and not as part of a "required" practice. I plan to do the same thing this year and will let you know as it develops.

7. Each team in the Boys Major Division has either 10 or 11 players. As you will see below, we have 10. The league worked hard to limit the number of players on teams so that players would have maximum playing times. Teams must have 8 players on the field to play. This year the league will allow a team in our Division to "borrow" a player from the opposing team if necessary to enable a game to proceed. The League has asked us to make every effort possible so that no player plays in the same position more than three innings a game (with the exception of pitchers whose playing time will be dictated by pitch count -- 65 pitches per game, but finish batter).

8. You may access the league's rules as follows:

Pelham Little League Rules Applicable to All Divisions: http://www.pelhamlittleleague.org/images/General_Rules.pdf

Boys Major League Special Rules: http://www.pelhamlittleleague.org/images/rules_majors_06.pdf

9. I will be crafting a Web site for up to the minute communications with you and your players. Once that is complete I will send you the information. In the meantime, please remember that you can obtain schedule, rules and other important information from the Pelham Little League Web site located at http://www.pelhamlittleleague.org/.

* * *

Here is the Twins roster so far. We may have one or two more players added in the next few weeks, but perhaps not.

Brett Bell
Steven Kaplan
Aidan Murray
Daniel O'Brien
Jack O'Connor
Joey Parisi
Ryan Porricolo
Thomas Porricolo
Alex Striano
Nick Vrahimis

I look forward to a great season with each of you!

Best regards,

Blake