January 31, 2022
MINUTES MVUDSS BOARD MEETING 1/31/22
IN ATTENDANCE: S. Baranick (SB); R. Barnhart (RB); J. Hansell (JH); G. Stevenson (GS)
ABSENT: R. Schemp (RS)
1. Action Items
a. RB – determine availability of Stote Microcells vs. Rocks – completed.
6 doz. 44/400 Rocks for 2022 Spring Season and 6 doz. for BKMT5 (games & HR derby) from BSN Sports were purchased by SB on 12/26/21 and were received on 1/14/22.
(Subsequent to the Board meeting, in response to all the complaints received from players regarding the 44/400 balls, SB/JH agreed that we would use backup 44/375 Rocks until such time as new 44/375 Rocks could be purchased.)
b. RB – need 2 umpires. Paul Scholz, who was a referral from Monday player Robert Carreon umpired his first games on 1/31/22. SB has spoken to Scholz and he is available to umpire full time. SB has also spoken to Darin Rossi whose recovery is going well and has a target date of returning to umpire on 2/28/22.
c. SB – purchase 2 pitching screens. —
Pitch Safe – Pitch Safe Pitching Screen, $299, Sold Out
Sock Net Hitting Screen, $329
Unique Sports and Bownet Sports – too flimsy, not easily transportable, or cumbersome to set up/break down.
Options:
(1) Adrian Williams (AW) offered to allow us to try one of BLD’s screens, which was utilized during one of the 1/31/22 games. It is similar in size/structure to the existing MVUDSS screens. The screen is also lighter in weight. AW offered that he can get the league 2 screens. There is no setup/break down required for the BLD screens, although storage might be an issue. AW did offer the possibility of storing the screens at BLD.
(2) Buy parts from Pitch Safe (vendor for our current screens) and have them repaired. GS offered to do the repair work on the screens. SB will get the screens to GS who will assess what parts need to be ordered. We may be able to use BLD screens until the existing screens are repaired.
d. JH – Assign January (3 weeks) equipment responsibility to board members — DONE
Note: Feb (3 wks), Mar (2 wks), Apr (2 wks), May (4 wks).
During the Board meeting, JH communicated the equipment assignments for the 3 weeks of games in February (league is dark on 2/21).
Equipment assignments for February: 2/7-RB; 2/14-JH; 2/28-GS.
(Subsequent to the Board meeting, JH sent the Board a text and e-mail with the above responsibilities.)
e. XMAS 2022 Tournament – The Board discussed whether to hold a 2nd XMAS tournament. A significant amount of work is required, complicated by the fact that the Monday league also conducts the BKMT in February, which is in too close of a proximity to the XMAS tournament. SB indicated that Adrian Williams, GM at BLD/Perris, is putting his tournament schedule together for 2022 and requires input from us as to whether we will be holding the XMAS tournament for 2022. Although not unanimous, the general consensus of the Board is that we will not conduct this tournament for 2022, but consider holding it in 2023.
2. Players
a. Waiting List Players (in eligibility order):
11/8/21: John Reis (3), league age 67, 1B, to WL only (not in pool)
b. Roster Openings (in roster opening order):
1/10/22: White, the New Gray (C) missing a 6 — Mike Fagan quit
1/10/22: Royal PITA x 4 (D) missing a 1 — Al Shelley quit
1/10/22: Sammy’s Cafe missing a 5 — Art Venegas quit due to knee replacement
1/16/22: Marooned (A) missing a 6 — Steve Baranick, IF(1B/C), to pool
c. New Players
1/10/22: Robbie Robertson (1) to White, the New Gray (C) (replacing John Buchanan (1))
1/10/22: Gary McLaughlin (3) to The Mashers (E) (replacing John Gullatta (2) to pool)
1/10/22: Mike Coltharp (3), OF, to pool (available 12:00 pm games only)
Note: Refer to Assigning New Players to a Team Policy A.6.3).e. & f. dated 10-10-18
3. 2022 Spring Season
a. Game schedule completed. — 16-game season running from Jan 10 – May 23 (assuming no cancellations) and no games scheduled during the Top Gun Winter Classic in Bullhead City, AZ. Schedule approved by BLD.
b. 2022 General Liability Insurance check sent to SSUSA Leagues on 1/14/22. JH indicated that the original invoice only contained 8 teams and had to be revised. He also indicated that in reviewing the CERTS (3), the endorsement page on one of the CERTS was incorrect. He notified Stephanie Hopkins of SSUSA who indicated she would contact the broker to get it corrected. JH will forward a copy of the three CERTS to SB when he receives the corrected CERT.
(Corrected CERT has not been received as of 2/9/22.)
c. Projected balance: $444.52
d. SSUSA rule changes for 2022:
(1) Illegal Softball Rule Language (Rule 3.5.F.1): If an illegal softball is discovered after a player has completed his turn at bat, and before the next pitch, the batter is out, all outs stand, and the other runners must return to the base held prior to the pitch (SSUSA approved 11-1).
By unanimous agreement, without formal vote, the Board accepted this rule.
(2) Courtesy Runner (Rule 8.5.(5)): UMPIRE shall prevent entry of courtesy runner after pitch has been thrown to batter (SSUSA approved 12-0).
By unanimous agreement, without formal vote, the Board accepted this rule.
SB will inform umpires of their responsibility regarding these rules.
(Subsequent to the Board meeting, SB informed the umpires.)
4. Players Leaving The League During A Season
GS raised the issue that the Board needs to inform all managers, in writing, when a player leaves the league so that he does not waste his time contacting a player that has left the league and/or attempt to pick up such a player who is not, otherwise, eligible to play in the league.
Without formal vote, but by unanimous consensus, the Board agreed to this suggestion.
SB will inform all managers of such occurrences.
(Subsequent to the Board meeting, SB informed the managers.)
5. BKMT5 – 2022
a. BLD cost: $25/team fee, $35/game field rental cost, $100 insurance setup. $6 gate fee.
Projected Net Profit: $1,705 (based on 12 teams). Net profit for BKMT4 was $4,400.
b. As of 1/31/22…
| BKMT4 (2020) | BKMT5 (2022) | ||
| Divisions | 5 | 4 | |
| # of Teams | 22 | 12 | |
| # of Games | 35 | 21 | includes HR Derby |
| Field Rental/Game | $30 | $35 | |
| HR Derby | $400 | ??? | |
| 50-50 Raffle | $95 | ??? | |
| Donations | $420 | ??? |
c. So far, 14 teams. 2 paid.
d. Because of the difficulty of getting Rock balls (44/375), and the scarcity of “younger” players, it may be a last minute decision as to whether the HR Derby will be held. The issue remains open.
e. Monday player Joe Jennings inquired of JH if he would be eligible to play in the BKMT5 tournament. Jennings turned 59 in January 2022. Without vote, but by unanimous consensus, the Board agreed that a 60’s team can have up to two (2) 55-59 years old on the team.
(Subsequent to the Board meeting, JH texted Jennings regarding this decision, and told him that currently there are no 60’s teams signed up for the tournament.)
f. Head Umpire – Ron Barnhart
HR Derby Coordinator – GS will conduct the HR Derby if we have one. So far, only 3 teams under 70.
g. Need backup balls
6. Revisit Rule 8. Pickup Players
JH proposed revisions to this rule, which were discussed in the 12/20/21 Board meeting and carried over to this Board meeting. JH presented the following in the 12/20/21 Board meeting and, again, in today’s Board meeting.
JH indicated that he has been thinking about the MVUDSS league policy regarding this issue where a player must be on the lineup card in order to be picked up for a “missing” player in light of a recent example he saw where a player had to leave early and a manager was attempting to pick up a player from the stands. The manager was told that he could not pick up anyone. JH suggested the Board, for the following reasons, consider changing this rule:
a. One of the many objectives of the Monday league is to have fair and competitive games, not just at the start of the game, but throughout the entire game. There are reasons during a game, where, through no fault of the manager a player needs to leave during a game (injury; player needs to leave early, but didn’t tell the manager because he felt the game would be finished before he had to leave; etc.). JH feels a team should not be penalized for this.
b. SSUSA permits teams in their tournaments to have as many as 20 players on their roster at a tournament. This gives managers flexibility should they “lose” a player(s) during tournament action. MVUDSS, since its inception, and for all the right reasons, limits team rosters to 12 players. There is little flexibility for the Monday league manager if a situation such as in 9.a. above occurs. MVUDSS current rule is that a manager must have a replacement player listed on the lineup card in order to be able to pick up a player during a game. A manager must generally be prescient for this to occur.
c. JH proposed that consideration be given to modifying the pickup player rule as follows:
(1) If a manager starts a game with 11 or 12 players and loses a player at any time during a game, the manager may select any available player whose rating is equal to or lower than the lost player.
(2) If a manager starts a game with 11 or 12 players and loses a player at any time during a game but chooses not to replace that player if that player is rated 5 or 6, then during the same game loses a second player rated 1-4, the manager cannot replace that second missing player.
(3) If a manager starts a game with 10 or fewer players and loses a player at any time during a game, the manager forfeits the right to pick up a replacement player under these revised rules. The exception to this will be if a manager starts a game with 10 or fewer players, but identifies a replacement player on the lineup card with an appropriate rating, he may pick up a replacement player.
Without formal vote, but by unanimous agreement of the Board, the Board approved the adoption of items 6.c.(1) through (3) above.
SB will modify Rule 8. accordingly and inform league managers of this change.
(Subsequent to the meeting, SB modified Rule 8. and informed the managers.)
7. Rule 8 – Further Changes
Paragraphs 2 and 3, identified below from the existing Rule 8. were discussed.
In the case of Paragraph 2, it was felt by the Board that this rule should apply to all rating classifications and not just for 1-rated players.
Paragraph 2 — When a local team already has three (or more) rostered 1s by virtue of having replaced a 2-rated player(s) from its roster with a 1-rated player(s) from the waiting list, it may not pick up a 1 to replace a missing 1 unless it falls below two 1s. (This rule only also applies to 1-rated players.) Without vote, but by unanimous agreement of the Board, this paragraph will be modified to reflect that it will apply to all rating categories.
In the case of Paragraph 3, the Board could not see where this rule had any continuing relevance.
Paragraph 3 — In the case of a doubleheader, a local team may pick up one player one (1) Draft Position higher than the Draft Position of only one of the missing players, but ONLY to get that team to ten (10) players. The expectation is that a manager will make every reasonable effort to pick up players in the usual manner when missing players during a doubleheader before utilizing this rule. Managers will be on the honor system in this regard.
Without vote, but by unanimous agreement of the Board, this paragraph will be deleted from the rules.
SB will revise Rule 8. accordingly to reflect these changes, and will notify all league managers.
(Subsequent to the meeting, SB modified Rule 8. and informed the managers.)
8. New AED Program Manager to replace Mike Fagan
SB will contact Mike Graves to determine if he would be willing/available to assume this role.
(Subsequent to the Board meeting, SB spoke to Mike who accepted the role.)
9. Code of Conduct Policy – Public Urination
As a result of two (2) recent incidents of public urination at BLD, witnessed by Board members, the Board requested that JH prepare a MVUDSS Code of Conduct. JH reviewed the content of the proposed document, and with some recommended changes the Board approved, unanimously without vote, to include this document with official league documents, and communicate the Code of Conduct to all league players, coaches and umpires.
SB will make reference to the Code of Conduct in the league Rules. The Board also requested JH to prepare an email to all players, coaches and umpires addressing the Code of Conduct and public urination.
(Subsequent to the Board meeting, JH prepared this document and SB emailed to all parties.)
10. Resignation of R. Schemp from Board and Identifying New Board Member Candidates
Long time MVUDSS Board member Rod Schemp submitted his resignation from the Board on 1/7/22, which was officially accepted by the Board at this meeting. The Board acknowledges and thanks Rod for all of his hard work, dedication, and commitment, and recognizes the significant role that he played and contributions he made during his tenure on the Board toward making the Monday league the success that it is today.
The Board discussed a number of possible candidates during the meeting. After reviewing these names, the Board requested that JH speak to Ed Rushing (ER) to determine if he would have interest in serving on the Board.
(Subsequent to the Board meeting, on 1/31/22, JH spoke to ER. After speaking to ER about the role/responsibilities of Board members, ER expressed his strong interest in serving on the Board. After texting Board members about ER’s interest, the Board confirmed ER’s appointment to the MVUDSS Board. JH again spoke to ER on 2/2/22, during which he informed ER of the Board’s appointment, at which time ER accepted. Welcome to the Monday Board, Ed!)
Open items from previous meetings
11. 2022 Fall Season
Schedule – No local DHs and no OOA games during Huntsman Games in future fall seasons. RB indicated that the games start on 10/3/22, with the 60-65’s playing 10/3-10/7. No specific dates set for other age groups at this time. Item remains open. —- since 11/12/21