Thom Forbes

I just returned from the 55+ league meeting. There are a few major changes this year — for the good, I think — but the first order of business is to determine if all of the regular roster players from last year intend to return. All told, there were 15 of us, and I'd think it wise to keep it at that number. We do have some folks lining up at the door, so please let me know if you intend to play ASAP. Everyone on this email was a regular roster player last year and is guaranteed a spot this year. I'm also including Geoff Shlaes, who was on the reserve roster but came to most games and provided us not only with a roster cushion in case of injury but also with a liberal — some might say downright socialistic — approach to scorekeeping.

As with last year, we'll do our best to juggle the roster beforehand so that you'll usually get to play a full game if you show up.

Here are the rule changes:

1. Anyone 50 - 55 who played last year is grandfathered into the league but going forward all new players will have to be 55 sometime during the the year that they enter the league.
2. Sliding into a base will be allowed; if you overrun a base and are tagged, you're out. I think most of us agree that not allowing sliding last year was a bad idea. The NO CONTACT rule remains in force. It will be up to the umpire to determine if contact was avoidable, but the STRONG spirit and intent of the rule is that a runner should give himself up if it appears that he'll be out.
3. The season will begin April 27. Most games again will be on Monday starting at 6:30; one game per week and makeups will be on Thursday starting at 7:00.
4. We don't need shirts this year, so $75 each should cover the league entrance fee ($900), tips for the official scorer and incidentals (like a shirt for Mike Flaherty, which will bind him to us like Pesky to the Red Sox).

So, please email me ASAP about your intentions and send me a copy of your driver's license and a check for $75. I've got to get the money to the league by next Monday. At some point, I'll need you to sign the roster, too, but we'll figure that out when it gets warmer. Perhaps we can get in a few BP sessions on a weekend before the season starts this year.

The teams, by the way, are the same as last year — 8 in total.

I'm really looking forward to seeing you all again and picking up where we left off.

--Thom