Does Your League Govern which classes you play?

[AWall13]

I don't play tournaments anymore because hard to get full weekends off so I'm not a classified player or registered at any level. Probably best description is a D player.

The place I play league ball has leagues 6 days a week. They have a C league when they can get enough teams, but most of the team they push those teams into a 6-8 team super d league they run one night a week which is highest they offer. Then most of the week they split D Comp and D Rec if they have multiple or classify as just D. Then an E league on Thursdays which is lowest they offer. My days off are Thursday and Friday so I play in a D league on Fridays and Thursdays, but was going to double up on Thursdays and play with a buddy's E team since different time slots, but league has a rule that noone on a D roster can play E. Are they really saying that if you play E out there then that is only league you can play there during the week and turning guys away becasuse they happen to only be able to play that time slot on thursdays from other nights?

 

[Redfuzzbutt]

One of our leagues here does that... E Rec, D, C, and B. League rule states that you can only play up or down one level on a seperate night. So if I normally play C, I could play B on another night but couldn't play D because the difference between D and B.
However, they rule that if you play any E Rec (men's or coed), you can not play any other league because E Rec is just for entertainment, not competitive.
I personally like the rule since I bounce around the D and C area and it keeps a lot of teams honest (because they monitor the **** out it all). Overall, sounds like your schedule just sucks when it comes to lining up with league ball.

 

[ilyk2win]

This is going to get a lot of mixed responses.......not all, but MANY leagues use a letter rating (B, C, D, E) that differ in meaning from tournament C, D, E ratings.

 

[rhound50]

Our league doesnt, other than bumping up teams that do well the season before.

 

[The Crimedog]

My one weeknight league has 4 divisions and typically I think the division winner moves up and the loser moves down, but there's also movement allowed if you want to go up or can make a case for moving down.

The "A" division used to be formatted where you can only have "2, A Players" your roster. So this meant that on your roster, you can only have 2 "super studs" on your team. the problem there was that the team who wins every year is a collection of some of the best players in the area who have been playing together for years. I was never a fan of the 2 A Players rule since you were basically telling a bunch of friends they couldn't play together, but then, they totally were anyway. They did away with the rule for this year (good), but they're going to load up even more (bad). Eh, we'll see, although I expect the A to be a two team race with the rest getting hammered in mercy rules nightly (including my team).

 

[kampy]

For my one team, we have no choice. Its one league and thats it. Could have solid "D" teams to super rec teams in it (Unfortunatly the past few years my team was on of the super recs...lol) In my DE league they do a good job of monitoring the teams and put them in the right division. For instance our M/W league has 7 different divisions with each one have about 8-12 teams. New teams go into the lower divisons (unless the director knows guys on the team) and the "tourney" teams go in the top. If a team plays really well in that division then they push the team up to the next one. Makes for competative league games.

 

[AWall13]

This is going to get a lot of mixed responses.......not all, but MANY leagues use a letter rating (B, C, D, E) that differ in meaning from tournament C, D, E ratings.

I know what you mean by this. Up until a couple years ago played in a church league that overall was probably best classified as E but there was 30-40 teams so they tiered it A, B, and C. C teams were awful. B teams were typical rec teams with every once in a while a stud because that's where they started new teams, then A teams were a little better quality. Top 3 or 4 would have some tourny players and be closer to D

Our league doesnt, other than bumping up teams that do well the season before.

Above church leage did same. Usually top 2 bottom 2. Some rose up and stayed others were habitual bouncers who won B every year then got beat on in A and went back down

For my one team, we have no choice. Its one league and thats it. Could have solid "D" teams to super rec teams in it (Unfortunatly the past few years my team was on of the super recs...lol) In my DE league they do a good job of monitoring the teams and put them in the right division. For instance our M/W league has 7 different divisions with each one have about 8-12 teams. New teams go into the lower divisons (unless the director knows guys on the team) and the "tourney" teams go in the top. If a team plays really well in that division then they push the team up to the next one. Makes for competative league games.

That's how most ASA places around here are. They hold either a monday or wednesday or whatever day league and it is what it is. If monday is the day you want to play then you come as you are and play whoever else wants to play mondays. Usually a team or two far above the rest.

The premier place to play utrip around here is a bigger complex and run multiple classes and multiple divisions on same nights. Thats the one I'm referring to

 

[AWall13]

One of our leagues here does that... E Rec, D, C, and B. League rule states that you can only play up or down one level on a seperate night. So if I normally play C, I could play B on another night but couldn't play D because the difference between D and B.
However, they rule that if you play any E Rec (men's or coed), you can not play any other league because E Rec is just for entertainment, not competitive.
I personally like the rule since I bounce around the D and C area and it keeps a lot of teams honest (because they monitor the **** out it all). Overall, sounds like your schedule just sucks when it comes to lining up with league ball.

I do work crap schedule and tough on ball. Its a snake schedule I work days on saturdays and afternoons on sundays so tournaments are out. Then afternoons mondays so I cant play mondays, then midnights tuesday and wednesday so can only play early games and the league alternates times so that's half the schedule.

Playing E in no way is an attempt to sand bag. I have a good bat and can hit for enough power I've played some C and D ball and caught or played first and bat keeps me around but enough bat control to hit backside and line drives so dont hit many DBO's in E. Also, my knees are awful so don't have the same range in outfield I used to and lateral movement in infield is tough now so E is only time I play defense and don't feel like I'm hurting the team.

I understand why there are rules and don't care for the sandbagging I see either, but for me its about playing in the field and fitting more ball into my schedule. Just wondered if others had same problems

 

[marshall]

One of my leagues "tries" to police it, one doesn't care at all. The one that tries also has nothing to do with tourney ball, only within the league. It's only D and E (Men's and Coed), and if you are on the roster on a D team (men's or coed), you cannot play on an E team (men's or coed) and vice versa, doesn't matter if it's a different night or not. I wouldn't say they police it all that well because I've never seen or heard of anyone getting caught. But they say if they do, the player and coach is suspended for 3 games. Also, when they created this rule about 2 years ago, they split up D and E at separate parks so you couldn't jump over to a different field right after your game.

 

[CATMAN18]

Are you talking about Canton?

 

[AWall13]

Are you talking about Canton?

Yes. Ive heard rumors of the same deal over the past few years, but was told they actually plan on policing it this year. Along with the other rule changes (no foul to waste, IEO, etc.) Ive been out there long enough to see how things work and doubt they will stick to it (especially after the cluster of the bat check rules last year). More so just curious on if other places threaten it and don't follow through like Canton has before, if they actually do police this year, or if its typical greedy canton that won't turn away a dime

 

[ns09]

Sounds to me like they're trying to stop sandbagging. Back when the league I played in had multiple nights only 2 players from the "upper" league could play in the lower.

 

[crdawg2521]

We have levels yes but it's really not a problem around here. Our open league night has players from E to A in it, which is quit a range but overall it's a very competitive league.

 

[KW19]

We have a competitive men's league and a men's rec league. You can play both, but the rec league can't have more than 5 guys from competitive league on the roster. Near impossible to control, but we've never had a major issue. At the end of the day, it's all about playing for fun.

 

[CATMAN18]

The trouble with Canton is they let these work teams dictate how things are going to be. I know a few years back we could only play on Thursday nights. I think they are trying to crack down on tourny players only. I am sure Pete that owns the bar will not like to hear that they are chasing more people away. I know a lot of people who have played up there for a lot of years and they are getting frustrated with the way the city runs it. The place was a lot better when it was privately owned.

 

[AWall13]

The trouble with Canton is they let these work teams dictate how things are going to be. I know a few years back we could only play on Thursday nights. I think they are trying to crack down on tourny players only. I am sure Pete that owns the bar will not like to hear that they are chasing more people away. I know a lot of people who have played up there for a lot of years and they are getting frustrated with the way the city runs it. The place was a lot better when it was privately owned.

We talked a little before. At one time I was playing with a super D team and alot of the guys on our team said they were only allowed to play in that league there. They were sponsored players and tourney players. I was just young and talented and wanted to play more with my Uncle Mike but their talk worried me enough about playing other nights I never signed that super D roster

 

[CATMAN18]

The trouble is they are losing teams every year, they need to find a way to bring people in. I talked with Pete and Billy Stoyonavich that rent out the bar and they have been complaining of lower attendance for years now. We met with the city last year and said they need to lower prices or at least do some work to the fields. That fell on deaf ears. I have been playing ball up there since 1986 and it is nothing like it used to be.

 

[AWall13]

The trouble is they are losing teams every year, they need to find a way to bring people in. I talked with Pete and Billy Stoyonavich that rent out the bar and they have been complaining of lower attendance for years now. We met with the city last year and said they need to lower prices or at least do some work to the fields. That fell on deaf ears. I have been playing ball up there since 1986 and it is nothing like it used to be.

I have always wondered why we were paying so much and then having to pay ump fees on top of it and the fields were not better maintained. At one point teams were leaving to cheaper leagues in ypsi, ann arbor, taylor, romulus, etc but most of those have folded or drastically downsized as well and the better comp was always in canton. I thought they'd end up with a monopoly with everywhere else folding but they are still losing teams. Don't know where people are going

 

[sjury]

Seriously?? I can tell you where all the people are going. In today's world when you have kids it's not a two night a week practice and a Saturday morning game... it's practice every night, tourneys on the weekends and that's if you are in one sport. Video games, work schedules, etc etc are all interfering with Softball. Plus, and I'm not sure if SBF guys will understand, softball to most is 100% recreational. They don't care what bat they are using, and wear whatever tshirt the bar gives them. Conservatively half the softball players have never been in a tourney, or bought a bat from anywhere but Walmart.

SO... when you do get a night to play ball with your cousin's uncle's brother and 8 guys from the Crab Shack, the last thing you want is to get into a league that has a bunch of assclown tourney players talking smack and blowing up the middle. Everyone sees these teams as garbage, and says "OH Well, get better." To the average guy playing one night with friends, having fun, is more important then getting better. But getting beat by 30 runs a night as some tourney team takes batting practice isn't fun. So they say forget about it.

Back in the day, you never played with more then one or two guys from your tourney team, except maybe in the city or at a parks competitive league, now days all you play with is your tourney team, and then complain when the area doesn't have enough leagues for you. C/D leagues are for you and your tourney friends and the e/rec leagues are for you and a couple bar flies from the Stumble Inn. And you play against your tourney friends and talk smack to each other and have some fun. But most guys are so competitive their egos can't handle losing.

 

[G&Tbats]

only if you play tournments. then you cant play e league.
also no a and b tourney guys allowed in our c- league only c major.
which thet did away with, c major.

 

[AWall13]

Seriously?? I can tell you where all the people are going. In today's world when you have kids it's not a two night a week practice and a Saturday morning game... it's practice every night, tourneys on the weekends and that's if you are in one sport. Video games, work schedules, etc etc are all interfering with Softball. Plus, and I'm not sure if SBF guys will understand, softball to most is 100% recreational. They don't care what bat they are using, and wear whatever tshirt the bar gives them. Conservatively half the softball players have never been in a tourney, or bought a bat from anywhere but Walmart.

SO... when you do get a night to play ball with your cousin's uncle's brother and 8 guys from the Crab Shack, the last thing you want is to get into a league that has a bunch of assclown tourney players talking smack and blowing up the middle. Everyone sees these teams as garbage, and says "OH Well, get better." To the average guy playing one night with friends, having fun, is more important then getting better. But getting beat by 30 runs a night as some tourney team takes batting practice isn't fun. So they say forget about it.

Back in the day, you never played with more then one or two guys from your tourney team, except maybe in the city or at a parks competitive league, now days all you play with is your tourney team, and then complain when the area doesn't have enough leagues for you. C/D leagues are for you and your tourney friends and the e/rec leagues are for you and a couple bar flies from the Stumble Inn. And you play against your tourney friends and talk smack to each other and have some fun. But most guys are so competitive their egos can't handle losing.

Are you saying that there is no grey area in softball anymore? its group A of the guys who take a rec hobby too seriously and play 4-5 days a week and buy full uniforms and $300 bats and group B of the one night warrior swinging a hammer and throwing back a few pops. Then group B gets tired of getting beat on?

I don't care for tournaments because I hate sitting around and double eliminations turning into an all day ordeal with most of it spent sitting around. I prefer to play my games and go home. The tournaments I do play are usually small local tournaments that are 4 game guarantees and such. So by the definition I do not play tourneys so I'm not a tourney player. Skill wise I can hit at a high level either for power or base hits but my legs are shot due to injuries to both knees and hamstring so I don't move well and don't play much defense other than in E or D rec without feeling like I'm hurting the team. My problem was my schedule and you only have so much control over your schedule and what levels are offered on the nights youre available. Its pretty stupid that just cuz youre free thursdays and E is what they offer you cant play the other nights your free or you play the other 2 but cant play thursdays