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How many games is the season and when does it
start/end?
The regular season schedule will be at least 20 games for the 2008 season.
Opening Day this year will be May 13, 2008 -- with team practices beginning
as early as the day after the tryout (each team schedules their own
practices, and they aren’t very frequent). The playoffs begin at the end of
August and end in mid-September.
When are games played?
Games are typically played every Sunday plus one weeknight game (2 games per
week). We don’t schedule any games on Friday or Saturday. Sundays with holidays such as Memorial Day,
Mother's Day, 4th of July, Labor Day are usually "off" weekends.
Does it cost money to play?
Yes. We are a self-supported league. We pay for our own uniforms, as well as
our own league/team fees to cover fields, umpires (2 per game), baseballs,
insurance, league maintenance costs, etc. Uniforms run about $50 and
league/team fees run about $160 per player. But it varies by team. We'd
rather you know the costs up front because it is unfortunate when people get
drafted and then choose not to play because of cost. This hurts the team
which drafts that individual. In this league, since everybody pays, everybody
plays.
I want to be selected on the same team as my friend. What should I do?
Make a note of this in the "Questions and Comments" section of your
registration -- and ALSO when you check-in at arrival to the tryout. If you
or your friend are selected, you will both be
selected onto the same team. But keep in mind, this
may limit the likelihood of being selected, as the team drafting will need to
use up two of their draft picks.
I haven't played in a while (maybe even years). How competitive is this
league?
We are competitive. Almost all of our players have played some high school ball
and some played either college ball or amateur ball somewhere else at some
point. While we play to have fun, we play to win. At the same time, we
understand that new recruits may not have played in a while - sometimes even
years. Don't worry. Many of the veterans were in your position when they
first entered the league. We have developed some great rivalries
between teams throughout the years.
Every team will be trying to win, but 'Having Fun is Goal Number One'.
For the MABL 18+ division tryout, I play multiple positions. Which
position should I tryout for?
Due to time
constraints, we ask that players choose their "best" position and
tryout for that. Pitchers are in the greatest demand, so if you pitch, we
recommend you tryout there. If you play other positions, you can also list
them on your registration form.
I will not be able to attend the tryout, but I really want to play. What
should I do?
Register anyhow. But keep in mind, almost all spots
are filled at the actual tryout. Only remaining vacant spots are filled after
the fact. But people do get hurt, and there are typically a handful of
openings as the season progresses.
What do I
need to play? - All you need is a glove, a pair of spikes/cleats,
a good attitude, and the desire to play baseball. Yes some play with metal
spikes. We play with both metal and wooden bats. Since bats are expensive,
some players don't mind sharing but be considerate. Catcher’s gear and
helmets are provided by the teams. If you already have your own gear, then
you are ready to play now!!
How fast is
the pitching? - Most guys have already used up their arms by the
time they get into the league (otherwise they'd be in the pros). In the CMABL
you can see various speeds some ranging from junkballers
in the 60’s to the upper 80's. You may hear about some guy throwing 90 but if
this happens it will not last long because he will either be signed, blow it
out or the myth will be revealed and you will realize that he only throws 75 mph.
What
positions are most in demand? - All positions are in demand. Good pitchers are
like gold in the league (one definition of a good pitcher: more strikes than
balls) and have the highest demand. Catchers probably come next, especially
when those late season double headers roll around.
How do I get
on a team? - Each year an open workout (some call it a tryout)
is held in early April. Don't worry, the workout format just gives the team
managers a chance to look everyone over and try to match your skills with
their needs. After the workout, there is a draft, just like in the
professional leagues, with managers taking turns picking players. It takes us
about 20 minutes to make the picks and then we introduce the players to their
new coach. To obtain the latest
information on this years draft keep an eye on the draft page at http://www.cmabl.com/draft.html
What happens
if I do not get drafted? - Every effort is made to place players from the
draft on a team. In the event there are too many players in the draft to fill
existing team rosters, we will either form a new team from those left or form
a pool of players to be drawn from during the season in case a team runs
short on players due to injury or relocation.
Where do you
play the games (FIELDS)? - We use high school fields around the Charleston
area. In some cases we pay the schools for the use of their facilities using
your league fees. To see the list of fields we have used over the years go to
the Field Directions page for
locations.
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