Changes in store for senior baseball
Wood bats, draft
Big changes are in store for the Blaine
County Title Men’s Baseball League, which is entering its eighth season of
providing summer hardball.
Wooden bats will be used more frequently
and games will be played at Atkinson Park in Ketchum during the first part of
the season. Plus, a league-wide draft will form teams.
There are two reasons for the major
changes, league commissioner Curtis Bacca said Monday.
First of all, Founders Field in Hailey is
increasingly needed by Wood River American Legion and Babe Ruth youth baseball
during the first seven weeks of the season.
Secondly, the league’s competitive balance
has unfairly favored a couple of teams—the Snappers and Cobras—that have been
together without major changes for many years, Bacca said.
"We will conducting a draft from scratch
this season," he said. "This will keep the competitive balance close and all the
games interesting."
Bacca said he was informed in March by the
controlling parties of Founders Field—where the league has always played its
games—that Founders wouldn’t be available for the league until late July.
Disappointed, he said he was faced with
two choices—cancel the season or start the league July 25, six to eight weeks
later than normal.
He asked if the valley’s other full-size
hardball field could be used.
"I contacted Atkinson Park to see if there
were times available to play," Bacca said. "I was able to secure Friday nights
and Saturday mornings." That caused its own problems.
Bacca added, "The only problem playing at
5,800 feet elevation with a short fence and dirt infield is that balls would be
flying out of the park and murdering guys on the infield."
Using wood or composite bats instead of
aluminum bats solved the problem. "We’ll play games at Atkinson Park with wood
bats," he said.
Plans call for four teams playing 12
games, six with wood bats and six with aluminum. Games will be played at
Atkinson Park Friday nights and Saturday mornings from June 13-July 26, then at
Founders on Tuesday evenings, Friday nights and Saturday mornings from July
29-Aug. 23.
All payments ($185 per player) are due by
May 24 and the draft will be conducted June 1. The league is limited to the
first 60 paid players. You won’t get in the draft unless you’ve paid your fee,
Bacca said.
Sign up with Josh at Twist & Trout, 560
Washington St., Ketchum, 726-1021. And return your jersey from last year when
you sign up.