Our Perspective and Sayings

Our Perspective

We believe that there a= re at least 2 types of baseball programs. One is a CLUB program (which we MOST DEFINITELY aspire to be). The= other is a COMPETITION programs; which we are NOT and do not pretend to be.

As a baseball program, = we are MOST IMPORTANTLY friends who love the game and want to take field with friends who love that game as we play the game. We do NOT have false expectations about how good we are, or how good we can become or anywhere that baseball will take us. For almost all of us, those days are long gone forever and the game exists to serve our friendships. There are those who say that thi= s is not “real” baseball, but as any serious student of the game c= an tell you, the adult game originated among friends to enjoy their friendsh= ips and get exercise. “Bl= ood and Guts” baseball only evolved from big egos and greed. For us, the biggest “error” we = can make on the field is to do something that insults our friends, or demeans= our friends, or impairs their enjoyment of the game.

That is not to say that= there is not a place for COMPETITION baseball where the quality of play is the highest priority (which is not the same as “blood and guts” baseball which should be reserved, if at all, for professional baseball).= It is just that “that“ place is NOT “our” place!

Our players should not “goof off” on the baseball field. They should enough respect the g= ame and their fellow club members to take it “seriously, although not T= OO seriously”. Those players with “keener” competitive instinct” need to respect the fact that not all players play for the same reason. We ask that OUR players not only respect those differences, but also REVELLE IN THOSE DIFFERENCES and learn from those differences.

If a= ny of our players find that they cannot enjoy these differences, then if, before our next game (and before we start games that effect league standi= ngs for which rosters should be as “final” as we can make them), = we receive an e-mail requesting a refund of their registration deposit, then= we will refund their deposit less any outstanding charges. If this is you, t= hen please do yourself AND the rest of us a favor and withdraw from the leagu= e. There are other local leagues which have the “Competitive Perspective”. Do not let it reach the point where we have to take disciplinary action which requires a lot of “soul-searching” = and is NO FUN for any of us.

This was found on= the Brigham Young University Athletic Program's website.&nb= sp; Only a couple of words in a few sentences were altered to change it from = the college program to our program.

Gentlemen, when the league Management accepted your team's league fees to play here, they incurred certain obligations. Among other things, t= he league owes you a safe, prepared field to play on. The league owes = you a fair and balanced schedule. And, the league owes you a competently trained umpiring crew to fairly administer the <= span style=3D'background-position-x:0%;background-position-y: 0%;background-attachment: scroll;cursor:hand' id=3D"lw_1265431388_1">rules of the game.
And, when Team Management collected your leagu= e fees and accepted you on to the Team they also incurred obligations. Amo= ng other things, Team Management owes you a fair and unbiased administration= of each game. Team Management owes you a fair and unbiased opportunity= on offense and defense. And Team Management owes you any fair and unbi= ased construc= tive criticism that they feel is needed to raise an individual player's performance and the Team's performance.

When each individual player paid their league fees and joined the Team they also incurred obligations. You owe the Team your maximum effort on every play.&nb= sp; You owe the Team your maximum effort chasing down every fly ball hit over your head in the outfield. You owe the Team your maximum effort cha= sing down every bad hop ground ball that bounces off you and out of your reach. You owe the Team your maximum effort chasing down every thro= w or pitch that gets by you. You owe the Team ninety feet of maximum eff= ort four times per game running to first base.

And as a Team-player, each one of us owes his team-mates respect and encouragement. Each one of your teammates is going to take a called strike three or strikeout swinging at a bad pitch. Each one of your teammates is going to watch a ground ball go right between his legs. Each infielder is going to throw a ball out that's of the reach of the first ba= seman. Each outfielder is going to misjudge a fly ball and have it go over his h= ead or drop right at his feet or bounce out of his glove. Each pitcher = is going to walk batters and throw pitches to the backstop. Each base runner is going to get put out after making a base running mistake.<= /o:p>

And we are likely to see all tho= se things happen today. And when they do happen, we owe that player the courtesy of not noticing. That player knows exactly why it happened= a second after it happened. As his teammates we will need to pick-up = that teammate and play on.

If needed, Team Management will counsel that player with their unbiased constructive criticism.

Some of Our Sayings

Baseball relationships are much more important than baseball scores.

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The game is = meant to be enjoyed, play by play and inning be inning, by BOTH teams.

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Baseball sho= uld strengthen our souls as it strengthens our minds and bodies.

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Take the game seriously, but yourself much less seriously.

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We are not g= oing to the pros and we do not want to go to the hospital.

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We all have = to show up for work tomorrow morning.

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We want every player to be able to arrive at the field saying, “My team can win a= nd I can help!”.

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If God wanted baseball to be played with metal bats, then He would grow metal trees. ;-= )

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Dress and ac= t like you respect the game, your league, your team, your teammates and the other team.

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If I look “good”, then it will be the third inning before anyone realiz= es that I have no talent!

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Why do we ha= ve special rules? It’s because that is what friends do for friends.

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