Equipment drop-off procedure (July 26)

From Dennis, the procedure for dropping off our equipment after our playoff games Saturday

Since every team plays at least one game in the tournament on Saturday, July 26, you should just bring your equipment to the fence where you enter the west Homecroft field (by the cul-de-sac) when you are through playing on that day.

The losing team at Highland should drive their gear to the drop off point.

Please take a few moments to empty the bags of any old line-up cards, water bottles or other garbage that might have collected, and try to dump the dirt out if possible.

Also, when returning the equipment, please point out any defective items.

If your last game is rained out, please deliver your equipment to me at the Hillcrest Rec Center storage area between 6:30-7:00. Just walk down the service drive and look to your left for an open door in the corner.

Rule clarification (for coaches)

This is for us coaches. The rules on the HGRA site need a minor update. Here's the official rule on pitching ...

No pitcher may pitch more than two innings or six outs per game. The innings or outs must be consecutive. For example, getting the third out in one actual inning and the first two outs in the next actual inning is considered to be one “inning pitched.” No player may play more than two innings at any one defensive position, except catcher if no other player wishes to catch. Adults are not permitted on the field. Each team plays three (3) outfielders.

Coach clinic Thursday, Pitching Clinic Monday

There's a coach clinic Thurs:

HGRA Baseball Clinic will be held this Thursday, April 30, from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the new Macalester College Fieldhouse on snelling Ave. Enter from the west side of the building - I will be there to direct you to the clinic.

And a pitching clinic for all players Monday 6:30 pm at Expo.

Bill Mauer: Throwing drills

Bill reviews throwing drills

1. 6-10 feet apart, elbow in glove
2. Point elbow and toss
3. Point, proper throw
4. Use the legs -- heel click
   

Bill Mauer: when is the bat too heavy?

If you can straight arm the bat for 30 seconds, you can use it.

HGRA web site: Schedule and coaches manual

HGRA's web site is quite well maintained. It's easy to find even if you forget "http://hgra.org", just google on hgra baseball.

It has several important references

1. HGRA BaseBall Coaches Manual: An excellent guide to teaching baseball
2. Directions to the fields
3. Schedules: we're the Majors
4. The Rules

A few things to note from the rules (Majors):

• Maximum 6 innings, but no inning can start after 8:15pm
• Maximum 10 batters. The 10th batter can't strike out, if there are too many pitches the umpire can ask the batting teams coach to pitch.
• No lead offs.
• Max 2 steals per inning, no stealing home, no steals on an overthrow.
  
• If a player scheduled to catch the next inning gets on base, the player making the previous out may be inserted as a pinch runner.
• Each team must designate an official scorer. This person (a fan or coach) must verify the score at the end of each half inning with the official scorer of the opposing team.

We use the infield fly rule. This rule exists to stop the 3rd baseman or shortstop from intentionally dropping a fly ball and then getting an easy double play due to a force on 3rd. It's a judgment call by the umpire, it would be poor form for a coach to request the call be made. They can make the call when

• there's less than two out
• there's a force out situation on 3rd base.

If the umpire invokes the rule then the batter is out, just as if the fly ball had been caught. Runners play as they would for a caught fly ball.

Bill Mauer: fielding the fly ball

How to move to the right, the left, and to the ball straight overhead.

Bill Mauer Coaching videos: Batting Drill 1

This drill teaches hitters to go straight to the ball, and not to loop around. The goal is to swing quickly and make early contact.

Coaches: a note from Dennis Merley

This coaches note went out today:

1. The field we use at Highland Senior is the one that is tucked into the corner of Snelling and Montreal. Of the two softball fields, it is the one to the north.

2. The field we use for games at Homecroft is the west field, which is the interior field. It is the one at the end of the cul-de-sac, not the one that borders the street.

3. Minor League teams play 10 kids in the field. Please rotate them as evenly as you can.

4. Minor and Rookie teams should consider having a coach, parent or older sibling standing behind the catcher to retrieve balls that get by. It will really speed up the game. Have that person stand at the backstop.

5. All leagues (except t-ball) - know who is going to catch the next inning and get the gear on them while your team is still batting so that they are ready to go - this will speed the game up a lot!

6. If there are any cap or uniform issues, let us know. Some parents have tried going to local suppliers to ask them to give them smaller or larger shirts. Since they don't have the HGRA artwork, and since it is an infringment on our trademark, we are the ones who should take care of this.

So it appears we can get replacement cap or uniforms if there's a big sizing issue.

Tuesday Groveland practices moved to Aldine

The Major League Seals and other teams practicing

Groveland has decided to use their fields on Tues evening. We can use the field on 5/1/07, after that we have relocate.

Teams that had Tues pm practice there may use the field at Aldine Park, which is located on Aldine Ave. (between Snelling and Fairview), one block north of Marshall. The field is in rough shape but Dennis has asked the city to clean it up a bit.

Here's a link to a map.

--
John Faughnan (assist coach)
651-336-5548
jfaughnan@spamcop.net

Pitching clinic Mondays 7pm Expo School softball field

The Pitching clinic is Mondays, 7pm at the softball field behind Expo school. The first clinic is 4/30/07. This clinic is for minor or major league players.

Here's the notice from our web site:

Any Minor or Major Leaguer can drop by the Carondelet softball field (next to Expo School) at 7:00 on Monday nights for an hour of free pitching instruction. If your child wants to learn to pitch or improve their skills, let our high school and college pitchers from our Penguin Baseball program work with them.

--
John Faughnan (assist coach)
651-336-5548
jfaughnan@spamcop.net