Games Are Cancelled Today

Just got a report on the condition of the fields. No surprise, they are not playable.

Please cancel your games this evening. Let me know when you'd like to make them up.

Thank you.

Saturday 5/12 Player-Pitch Games Cancelled

As of yesterday evening, we did not have enough coaches/managers for our two player-pitch games this weekend. Understandable--it's a very busy time of year and Saturday is the last shopping day before Mother's Day. Many responsible fathers want to keep that day clear.

I made the decision to cancel these games with some advance notice in order to give managers time to send word out to their teams before the weekend arrived. If you have not done so already, please inform parents that this week's player-pitch games have been cancelled.

I was reluctant to cancel the games but even more reluctant to send 48 players, their parents, and a couple of umpires out to Dwight and Broadmeadow without the certainty that there would be managers/coaches prepared to lead, organize, and coach.

We have managers for next Saturday's games (May 19). Steve Brunelli and Steve Mortimer have volunteered to manage the game at Broadmeadow. Ken Thress and David Schumacher have volunteered to manage the game at Dwight.

There remain a few vacancies on the sign-up sheet. We need a manager from the Bees, Lugnuts, or Riverdogs on June 2 at Dwight. On June 9, we need a manager from the Mets, Bees, or Riverdogs at Broadmeadow, and a manager from the Lugnuts, Scrappers, and Sand Gnats at Dwight. If you haven't signed up to manage one of these games, please click here to do so.

Thank you all for your great work so far this season! I have heard very positive feedback from parents and players.

Still Some Openings for U8 Summer Baseball

I highly recommend Needham's summer baseball program for those players who enjoy the game, are hoping to continue playing into the summer, looking to benefit form top-notch coaching, and want to experience the game at a slightly higher level of competition than spring baseball in town.

There are no tryouts for the U8 teams, and all players are welcome. It is a travel program, with away games in nearby suburban towns. The season runs from the end of June through the first week in August. Families often have plans during this time--it is okay for a player to miss a couple of games and/or practices at this level.

My son played the summer after his Single-A season and he has continued since. It has been wonderful experience for him in terms of his baseball development, the friends he has met, and the pure fun of it all.

For more information click here. To register click here.

I'm happy to answer any questions you may have or you can contact Greg Atkinson, Director of Summer Baseball, at needatkfam@verizon.net 

On-Field Clinics Run by TJO

This Sunday, May 6, instructors from TJO Sports will be conducting an on-field clinic at Mitchell. The purpose is two-fold: to provide practice and instruction for our players and to demonstrate effective drills and coaching techniques for managers and assistant coaches.

The success of this clinic will depend on the active participation of our coaches. All managers and all assistant coaches are encouraged to attend--all hands on deck to the extent possible. The TJO instructors will plan and coordinate the clinic, but they are expecting coaches to run stations.

9:00-10:30 at Mitchell: Ironbirds, Mets, Muckdogs, Riverdogs, Grasshoppers.

10:30-12:00 at Mitchell: Storm, Blue Claws, Lugnuts, Scrappers, Sand Gnats, Timber Rattlers.

Kid-Pitch Games

We are beginning our kid-pitch games this Saturday, May 5.

At Broadmeadow we will have representatives from the Ironbirds, Muckdogs, and Mets take on representatives from the Bees, Riverdogs, and Grasshoppers. Steve Van Dam of the Mets will manage the team made up of the Ironbirds, Muckdogs, and Mets. Rob Kirschner and Keith Wilson of the Bees will manage the Bees, Riverdogs, and Grasshoppers. First pitch will be at 5:00.

Across town, at the same time, Dwight Field will play host to a combined Storm, Blue Claws, and Lugnuts squad, managed by Peter Brassard of the Lugnuts, who will face a team drawing from the Scrappers, Sand Gnats, and Timber Rattlers, managed by Dan Schwartz of the Timber Rattlers.

Please email the designated kid-pitch manager with names of the 3-4 players that your team will send, indicating who is ready to pitch, along with the name of the assistant that your team will provide.

And, if you haven't already, please sign up to manage one of the these games. Click here for the spreadsheet.

Some important guidelines for these games:

• Games will be four innings at the start of the season, with the option to play six at the end of the season.
• The games will be played with umpires calling balls and strikes and outs on the base paths.
• Nine batter Rule (Double-A rules) will be in effect for these games.
• Players will be on a 2-inning pitch limit.
• Games will be played like “real” baseball games except for stealing (Double-A rules).
• Everyone bats in lineup (continuous batting order so free substitution) but only nine players in the field.
• Same as regular Single-A games – no player should play the same position twice in a game except if the pitcher goes two innings. Catchers can also play two innings.
• Once a pitcher is removed from the game, they cannot pitch the remainder of that game even if they stay in the game in the field (Little League rule)

Heavy Rain on the Way

While the fields have been left open by Park and Rec, please be judicious about practices today. If there is standing water, heavy rain, or lightning, call your practice off. Be conservative.

Let me know if you'd like to reschedule/add a practice.

Opening Day and Team Pictures

We are now only two weeks away from Opening Day, April 29, 2012! The festivities will include the Little League parade, performances by the Needham High School band and dance team, ceremonial first pitches thrown out by members of the Needham High School varsity baseball team, a speech by Senator Scott Brown, and of course the Opening Day game (Majors, not Single-A--our games start the next day).

The schedule of events...

10:30 Single-A players should arrive and gather into teams at Greene's Field, where they will prepare to march in the parade.

10:50 Parade leaves Greene's Field and heads towards DeFazio. Managers and coaches should march with their teams, keep the team together and moving in the right direction. Parents should meet their players at DeFazio.

11:30 Parade arrives at DeFazio. All teams assemble at Small Field for the NHS band and dance team performances, first pitch, Scott Brown speech, National Anthem, etc.

12:30 Picnic. Free hot dogs!

1:00 Opening Day Game

1:45-2:15 Single-A team photos at the Defazio Tot Lot:

     1:45 Ironbirds, Muckdogs, Mets, Bees
     2:00 Riverdogs, Grasshoppers, Storm, Blue Claws
     2:15 Lugnuts, Sand Gnats, Scrappers, Timber Rattlers


Order forms for the team pictures will be delivered to managers, and managers should distribute them to parents prior to Opening Day. Parents should arrive at the photo shoot with forms filled out.