UCSSL MEETING MINUTES FOR MARCH 4, 2015

 

The following is a summary of the league meeting of March 4, 2015:

 

29 were in attendance; each team was represented with the exception of Creative Too.

 

Additional registration materials and sponsor fees were submitted to the league treasurer; managers were again reminded that the remainder of these materials, as well as initial team rosters (update last year's roster and re-submit for 2015) are due before the season begins.

 

Shirt order forms are due to Gary Wiese to ensure that shirts will be available by Opening Night in 6 weeks.

 

Associated Auto, sponsored this year by Paul Brody and David Levine, will be known as Avengers.  Bernie Maguire is the new manager for Contact Lens & Vision.

 

At the NJSSA meeting this Saturday, the commissioner will bring forward concerns expressed at our February UCSSL meeting including the need to have tournament rules specified in advance, possible managers' meetings in advance, and ways to encourage greater participation due to no additional cost for teams to enter the tournament.

 

Information for the NJSSA newsletter is due by May 15. Do we have a person of interest to keep our streak going?  Pictures are also wanted.

 

A schedule has been created for our new 4-5-4 structure in 50+ Division.  Usual delays by Union County Parks & Recreation make field selection unrealistic at this time, so we will do so at the April meeting (as we had always done until a few years ago).

 

A report from Rich Grossberg regarding the status of field procurement was read.  It is likely that our set of possible fields will be much the same as last year.  A suggestion was made to see if additional fields (#3 and #4?) at Rahway River Park might be available to us.

 

An update on the proposed 65+ Division in 2015 was given by Paul Brody.  It seems this league will finally happen in 2015.  A field (or fields) will need to be determined, perhaps at Rahway River Park or at 8th Ward in Linden.  60+ managers were asked to speak directly to their players who do not use email to generate additional participation.

 

The commissioner reminded managers to understand and carefully adhere to UCSSL league rules 1.1, 4.4, 5.6.1, 5.11.1, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.9 and 9.1.  Likewise, he will better adhere to 5.10.4 when scheduling fields for the final round of the playoffs in the 50+ Division, rather than the past practice of rotating fields.

 

Managers discussed several rule changes proposed since our last meeting.  The following changes to our rules were agreed upon with near unanimity:

 

2.6  Before play begins the umpire will draw a line 34" (one bat length) in front of home plate delineating the front edge of both the right and left-handed batters' boxes, just as they now draw a commitment line halfway between third base and home plate.  These lines will be redrawn if they become indistinguishable during the game.  Any batter stepping beyond these lines to hit a pitched ball shall be called out.

 

4.8  If a player in injured during an at bat, he is replaced by a player who has not yet played in the game or who played the first half of the game and has been removed from the game, if such a player is available.  If no such replacement is available, the next batter in the order replaces him at bat with no slot out recorded.  The replacement batter in either circumstance will assume the ball-strike count of the injured player.

 

5.1  In the 50+ Division only, games scheduled for any of the lighted Linden fields (Tremley, Memorial 2, Memorial 3) will begin at 6:30, with a 6:40 forfeit time.

 

8.6  This proposed change was tabled until the April meeting.

 

 

50+ Division managers agreed to the following accommodation:  All C division teams, when playing an A division team, will have the option to use an additional (11th) defensive player.

 

60+ Division managers agreed to the following:  Permanently disabled players must be identified prior to the season.  When batting, these disabled players cannot be forced out at first base on a throw from an outfielder.  No rabbits will be allowed to run to first base for them.

 

Additional rules were discussed without change.  A key reminder from these deliberations regarding rule 3.3:  Managers and/or assistants should be carrying at least one extra shirt to be used in the event a player arrives at the field without his own shirt.  A manager should not ask the opposing manager to waive this rule.

 

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, at 7:30 m.  This meeting will include selection of fields on the UCSSL 2015 schedule, and the distribution of rulebooks, scorebooks, softballs and checks for umpire fees.