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| Play Ball! With the Valley Wheel Over-30 BASEBALL League........ Adult Over-30 League Baseball Players Wanted! America's Pastime -- The Real Deal: 9 innings, fast pitching, hitting, stealing, rounding third..................... scoring, full uniforms and umpires. Stay in shape and make new friends. 15 Sunday evening games from the end of April until the end of August; except Holidays. Enjoy competition and camaraderie with a great bunch of guys who enjoy the game as much as you do. All are welcome regardless of experience. Everybody plays and everybody has fun. Be part of something special. Something that happens once a year and once in a lifetime. Don't miss out. Accepting registrations now for the 2010 season! CLICK HERE>>>>> Monday April 12, 2010: Great infield drills, outfield and batting. New players are really showing their stuff. Everyone seemed to be a good fit for the league. Being over-30 really levels the playing field as there are no stars here. We are still looking for new players. You need to send in your registration forms and league fee to get on the field. Once we have your registration you'll be put on the e-mail list for practices. You have until 4/20 to decide if you are in the draft or withdraw your registration. So, get your registration in and come check it out. Get me your phone number and I can tell you a lot more about the league. Contact Jim -- wheel12@comcast.net or 413-433-4308 Team Practice / Open Practice Sunday, April 18 Draft Tuesday, April 20 Opening Day Sunday, April 25 How do I get on a team? Join us and have some fun, print out the registration forms, a copy of your driver’s license and send them in with your league fee as soon as possible so that you can join us for an open practice. It's as simple as that! Each year a number of teams will need players. We have open practices scheduled in March and April for league rookies. Don’t worry, the open practices aren't tryouts, they just give the team managers a chance to look everyone over so that we can draft even teams. It gives you a chance to meet some of the guys and see if this is right you. You may withdraw your registration at any time up until the draft on April 20 so you have nothing to lose, come check it out. (Note: No one who has attended a practice has ever withdrawn their registration, you'll be addicted.) New players can register at anytime up until the draft. After the draft is held, league fees are non-refundable. If a player Ian’t drafted his fee is refunded and he is placed on a waiting list. Every year we take a number of players off the waiting list to join us in the first half of our season as we lose players who may be out for the season due to injury or personal reasons. After April 20 we encourage prospective players to take in a game and check out the action. If you like what you see and think you will fit in, send in a registration form (no fee required) so we can get you on the waiting list and be able to contact you. How is the Valley Wheel Over-30 Baseball League different from other leagues? Other leagues are formed by a manager forming a team and placing them into a league. The result of this style league is very strong and very weak teams; teams that are 14-1 and others that are 1-14. This is no fun for either team. The Valley Wheel was formed by a large number of individuals coming together to form a league. Most players come into the league not knowing anyone. You'll meet great guys and form lifelong friendships. One of our goals is to have parity among teams. The focus of the draft is to create teams of equal strength. We’ve used a modified draft each year with the great help and understanding of all Managers to work toward this goal. The game of baseball is more fun knowing you have a 50% chance of winning every week. Even competition where you can do battle every week rather than a blow out. Where even the best teams lose four out of ten games and the worst teams can win four out of ten games. This coming year the draft will be delayed until just before the start of the season where all players in the draft can participate in open practices so that they can be evaluated by the Managers to better meet our goal of having teams of equal strength. What is the competition like? Players may compete in the league for as long as they feel competitive. However, a minimum proficiency to play the game is expected so that the game remains fun and competitive for the player, his teammates and the opposing team. It doesn’t matter what you have for playing experience, but you must have playing ability. If a player is a sure out, that isn’t fun for the player or his teammates. Players should be able to hit over the Mendoza line. (.200). If a player can’t reliably make fielding plays, that isn’t fun for the player or his teammates. Players need to be able to hit, run, throw and field their positions. We have players that played college baseball and some that have never played baseball, everyone else is somewhere in between. Age is the great equalizer, there are no stars here. We are all trying to win, but enjoying the game is our number one priority. The pitching similar to high school level. Some pitchers can throw in the 70's and low 80's. The best pitchers can throw strikes, and can change speeds and location to keep the batters guessing. Can I play with my friend? We do not allow new “teams” into the league, we will allow two or three (max) players to play to together and be drafted together. Just let us know on your registration form. Returning players who would like to play with a friend, your best bet is to put yourself into the draft along with the new player(s) and be drafted together. How much does it cost, what do I need? We start with practice 3 to 4 time at the end of March and in April. We play one game per week on Sunday evenings, except for Holiday weekends. We’ll be playing a 15 game schedule from the end of April until the end of August . Most game times will be 4:00 PM. (see the 2010 Schedule) Rainouts will be made up on a Wednesday or Thursday evening. All teams make single elimination playoffs. The league will supply ball fields, umpires, balls, full uniforms (except pants), catcher’s gear, metal bats and helmets which must be worn while batting, on the base paths and coaching the bases. Pants: Must be gray with no stripe. Get your own or regulation pants can be purchase for $22 or heavy duty reinforced pants with heavy elastic waistband for $32. The league fee is $200, add up a few rounds of golf, a few times skiing, the cost to play hockey or tennis, a night on the town or take in a Major League game and you have to agree you get more than your monies worth. For new players the league fee includes a complete uniform except pants. (jersey, cap, socks and belt.) You must supply a glove and cleats. Both molded cleats and metal spikes are allowed. You can use your own bat. Wood bats or -3 metal bats are allowed. 2009 Season -- Final Standings Final week of the season Sunday August 16, 2009 Cubs 12 at Angels 2, Forest Park #1, Springfield 4:00 PM Athletics 14 at Orioles 20, School Street, Agawam 4:00 PM Play-off Finals Sunday August 23 Orioles at Athletics, Powder Hollow, Enfield 3:30 PM Angels at Cubs, School Street, Agawam, 3:30 PM Playing baseball around the valley.... We're an adult recreational baseball league. We play ball around the valley. We play in Springfield, Agawam, West Springfield, Enfield CT and Easthampton MA. We would like to acknowledge those cities and towns for their support in making this league a success. This is a great alternative to softball. Learn more about the league on the About Us page and from the articles and league survey. |
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