Today we are celebrating the life and memories of one of our long-time players in the MWB league...Jeff Starke.  We were notified this week that Jeff has passed away after a long illness. He was a multi-talented athlete with a great sense of humor and enthusiasm for baseball. Jeff was a gifted utility player on the Braves and a member of their 2017 Championship team.  Additionally, his love for baseball extended to our league's vintage Sunrise Baseball Club. No grounder or throw was hard enough to get past his bare hands at second base!  His friendship, easy demeanor and prowess on the baseball diamond will be missed.  RIP Jeff!

All dates are tentative and subject to availability. All practice and opening day dates are also subject to CDC, State of Maine and City of Bath Covid-19 health and safety guidelines.

Indoor Practice - Coastal Performance:
Saturday, April 2 - 10AM - Noon
Saturday, April 9 - 10AM - Noon
Saturday, April 16 - 10AM - Noon

Outdoor Practice:
(NEW TIME) - MW45 - Saturday, April 23 - 3PM - 5PM
MW60 - Sunday, April 24 - 1PM - 4PM

Draft Day:
Wednesday, April 27

Opening Day:
MW45 - Saturday & Sunday, April 30 & May 1
MW60 - Sunday, May 1

Mothers Day Weekend: Saturday Games
MW45 (one game) Saturday, May 7th, Kelley Field - time TBA
MW45 (two games) Saturday, May 7th, OOB - 10AM & 1PM
MW60 (one game) Saturday, May 7th, Kelley Field - 3PM
MW60 (one game) Saturday, May 7th, OOB - 4PM

Postseason:
MW45 - First Round - TBA
MW45 - Second Round - TBA
MW45 - Championship Game - TBA
MW60 - TBA

Well, maybe not the games but at least the preseason planning has begun for the 2022 Maine Woods Baseball season. The league Executive Committee will meet on Monday, January 17th. If you have an issue you would like discussed at that meeting or any others you should contact your division representative.

Maine Woods 45 Representative: Ken Walsh - kwalsh@alfondyouthcenter.org
Maine Woods 60 Representative: Nava Spaulding - nava1908@gmail.com

It's a go. Dick Hill met with the Bath City Council early November and they approved the plan for some major improvements at the McMann Outdoor Sports Complex, including lights for Kelley Field. There are still some details to work out, but the process has begun and here are some of the details to pass along.

1. Maine Woods Baseball will not be the primary nonprofit organization administering this fundraiser. The nonprofit, Future For Our Fields will take on that role. It was the organization setup to raise money for converting the football field and track oval at McMann to artificial turf. That's great news because they have experience in this area and the desire to help facilitate the upgrades to the McMann complex, which includes new bathroom facilities as well as the lights. As an added bonus any donations made to Future For Our Fields for this project will be tax deductible.


2. On the same day Bath agreed to the fundraising campaign they also announced that Bath Rec had been awarded a large grant for improvements to their facilities. From what I understand, over $200,000 of that grant money will be earmarked for upgrading the bathrooms, which is timely because the bathroom upgrade was a necessity and going to be a big chunk of the overall fundraiser.


3. There will soon be a meeting between the members of Future For Our Fields and the individuals who are helping Dick with his fundraiser. Even though MWB is not the fiscal agent for this project Dick and his committee members will be tasked with raising a majority of the funds. Obviously the sooner the funding is secured the sooner the city can start planning the scope of the project, design work, hiring contractors and ultimately turn the lights on at Kelley Field. If you have any thoughts on how to raise the funds or you want to make a donation don't hesitate to contact Dick Hill directly (443-6669).

Mike Doucette - MWB

All dates are tentative and subject to availability. All practice and opening day dates are also subject to CDC, State of Maine and City of Bath Covid-19 health and safety guidelines.

Indoor Practice - Coastal Performance:
Saturday, April 3 - 10AM - Noon
Saturday, April 10 - 10AM - Noon
Saturday, April 17 - 10AM - Noon

Outdoor Practice:
MW45 - Saturday, April 24 - 1PM - 4PM
MW60 - Sunday, April 25 - 1PM - 4PM

Draft Day:
Wednesday, April 28

Opening Day:
MW45 - Saturday & Sunday, May 1 & 2
MW60 - Sunday, May 2

Mothers Day Weekend:
MW45 play Saturday, May 8th, 10AM - 1PM - 4PM  at OOB.

Postseason:
MW45 - First Round - August 15
MW45 - Second Round - August 22
MW45 - Championship Game - August 29 at OOB

As always this plan is subject to change. Also keep in mind there will be safety measures and protocols in place to help give players peace of mind and keep everyone virus free. The safety protocols will be released once the final details are hammered out and approved by the city of Bath and town of Brunswick.

NOTE: Time for all practices have yet to be determined. Contact your manager for more information.

Saturday, 20 June - MW45 rookie and manager practice and evaluation at Kelley Field.

Sunday, 21 June - MW60 rookie and manager practice and evaluation at Kelley Field.

Wednesday, 24 June - Rookie draft and roster confirmation by managers.

Saturday 27 June - Open league practice for MW45.

Sunday, 28 June - Open league practice for MW60.

Opening day MW45 scheduled for June 30, July 1st and July 2nd (weekday evening games)

Opening day MW60 schedule for July 5th.

The goal is to play as many games as possible between June 30th and August 30th with MW45 playing at least 10 games and MW60 hopefully playing 7 games. Weather and field availability will have a lot to do with the final number of games played.

I know June seems far off and we are all itching to get on the diamond, but I ask you to remain optimistic. It won't be long before we will be smelling fresh mowed grass and the leather of baseball gloves.

Below is the plan for opening day.

1. Opening day for Maine Woods 45 is tentatively scheduled for June 13/14th.

2. Opening day for Maine Woods 60 is tentatively scheduled for June 14th.

3. Scouting and rookie workout will be Saturday, June 6th

4. League wide outdoor practice will be June 7th for MW45 and MW60.
(MW45 - 10am to noon) - (MW60 - noon to 2pm).

5. Draft Day will be Wednesday, June 10th.
(unless players are assigned sight unseen before rookie camp on June 6th).

6. MW45 and MW60 schedules will be finalized by May 24th, if not sooner. The odds of playing the same number of games as last season is unlikely, but every effort will be made to play as many games as possible.

7. All MW45 & MW60 managers will communicate with their team to make sure players who committed to playing this season are still willing, and able to play. Things may have changed for some players given the current Covid-19 situation so we need an accurate head count.

8. Managers will discuss and formulate a comprehensive plan to help keep team players and equipment virus free and safe. More on that at a later date!

Based on the current coronavirus pandemic, State of Maine mandates, and input from league managers we are implementing the following plan.

1. May 3rd opening day is postponed.

2. MW45 opening day will be May 31st...if possible.

3. MW60 opening day will be June 7th...if possible.

4. Health conditions permitting, we will have outdoor practices and new recruit scouting on Saturday, May 16th & Sunday, May 24th.

5. Draft Day will be Wednesday, May 27th.

6. We will attempt to finalize the MW45 regular season schedule by May 15th.

7. We will attempt to finalize the MW60 regular season schedule by May 22nd.

Just to be clear....these plans remain tentative and are subject to change. We play baseball only when it is safe to be on the field, and State of Maine mandates allow us to do so. We will not put anyone's health at risk....period!

Spring training workouts and practice need to be canceled based on the latest mandate from the state of Maine. The countdown clock to May 3rd is still running but keep in mind opening day may be in jeopardy given the current status of the coronavirus pandemic. To recap....

1. April 4th, 11th and 18th, indoor workouts at Coastal Performance have been canceled.

2. April 22nd, draft day and league meeting will need to be done remotely or at a location were social distancing can be observed.

3. April 26th, outdoor practice at Kelley Field has been canceled.

4. May 3rd, opening day might be in jeopardy, and unless there are some major, positive improvements we might have to consider postponing it until mid, to late May.  A thoughtful decision will be made by the league in the next few weeks.

Below is our preseason status as of 3-25-20. The coronavirus outbreak may currently be putting spring training in jeopardy, but we remain optimistic that baseball season is right around the corner.

Current Status:

1. Coastal Performance is closed until further notice. In addition, the state mandates that all fitness and gym facilities stay closed until at least April 8th. In other words, our April 4th spring training workout is canceled due to current coronavirus restrictions. The countdown clock has been reset and we hope April 11th works out for those willing and able to practice indoors.

2. If conditions don’t change drastically we may need to consider canceling the remaining Coastal Performance dates. We suggest you check the website or stay in touch with your manager so you don't miss any updates.

3. Currently we are still hopeful that opening day will be May 3rd. If anything changes we will let you know ASAP.

There have been some questions raised about our preseason schedule and opening day so I thought I should share the following information so we can all be on the same page. I have been in touch with Coastal Performance and the Bath Rec. Department and based on conversations and correspondence with them this is where we stand as of March 19th.

Coastal Performance is currently closed but hopes to open in a couple weeks. As long as there are no setbacks we might be good-to-go on April 4th for anyone who is willing and able to practice indoors. If anything changes last minute it will be easy enough to cancel one, or all the dates and look forward to the league wide outdoor practice on April 26th.

Bath Rec fields are closed and due to reopen in a couple weeks. According to the Bath Rec Department, they did not see any problem with us starting our season on Sunday, May 3rd given the current situation. Of course that could change at a moments notice! Their suggestion was to schedule games, make plans to play and adjust our schedule as needed. Good advice.

To summarize, and in my opinion....It's too early, and there are too many unknowns to cancel Coastal Performance now, or delay the beginning of the season in May. We continue on the path of planning, practicing and opening the season May 3rd, but assess week to week and plan accordingly. Fingers crossed that we kick off the season on time, but keep in mind we take the health and well being of all our players seriously. In other words.....if we need to postpone or cancel the season we will!

I welcome your thoughts and input.  mainewoods45@gmail.com

Mike Doucette - MWB

Our Maine Woods 45 season came to a ceremonial close on Sunday at Sebasco Harbor Resort when the Pirates were officially presented with the league trophy by last years champions. A classy transfer of power and a great end to the season. Everyone have a safe and healthy off season and be ready to go in 2020.

1. March 31st the 2019 registration process winds down.

2. April 6th indoor workouts begin (see attachment).

3. April 13th 2nd indoor workout scheduled.

4. April 20th last indoor workout.

5. April 23rd is draft day. Keep in mind we can't always guarantee a roster spot. It all depends on the number of available spots, but if you want to increase your chances of being drafted it is recommended you attend one or all the indoor workouts. It gives managers a chance to meet you, and it gives you the opportunity to ask questions. If you are not drafted, but still hope to play this season you can request to be placed on our wait-list. Spots always open up during the season due to injury, attrition or unforeseen circumstances. Un-drafted players are also offered any available roster spots in Maine Woods 60....our 55+ age division. Request more information should the situation arise.

6. April 28th league wide outdoor practice at Kelley Field in Bath.

7. May 5th season begins.....field conditions permitting.

**Note** Any additional practice is at the discretion of the manager and handled on a team-by-team basis.

By: Bob McCreary

Provided by: Baseball By The Yard

I'm not a fan of marathon baseball practices. Occasionally, a two-hour practice may be needed but usually 90 minutes has been my limit for practice time from the youth levels on up to high school. It takes a lot of pre-planning but if a coach organizes things efficiently, 90 minutes is all you need. (Note: For help with timing and planning, check out my age-level appropriate practice templates by clicking HERE.)

One way to trim down practice time is to "kill three birds at a time" so to speak. Pre-practice warm-ups is a great example. To maximize your team's warm-up routine, be sure to include all three of these components:

Warm the body up. Of course, the purpose of pre-practice or pre-game warm-ups is to get the body warm and loose to allow for peak performance and to reduce the chance of injury.

Use baseball movements. I grew up with mostly "static" stretching like bending over and touching your toes and pulling your arm across your chest. Research shows that these "static" type stretches are not very effective and may even increase the chance of injury. Watch professional athletes warm-up with their trainers and you will see lots of "dynamic" style warm-ups that involve moving the body in ways similar to how it will have to perform during competition. Short sprints, squatting, shuffling, arm circles, trunk twists, hip flexor work, and quick feet movements like "karaoke" drills all involve movements our players will need to do on the baseball field. Warming up the body while using baseball-related movements kills two birds with one stone. However, you can add a third by doing the following:

Add skill work. Coaches always struggle to find enough time to add all the skill work that needs to be addressed during practices. Along with wasted time, this tends to be a big reason for long, drawn out practices. Take care of some of it during your warm-up routine and you can trim down those marathon practices.
Here are six ways skill work can be added to your warm-up routines.

1. Rundowns. If you are going to have them run sprints, do a rundown relay drill so they can work on all the finer points of a properly executed rundown. Don't use base runners.
   
2. Hit and run. While sprinting, have your runners look to the left upon take off as if they are watching the pitch. After four or five steps, have them look to the right as if the ball was hit into right field. They should be able to do this and still run in a straight line.
3. Zig-zags. This running drill replicates an outfielder drop-stepping and running after a ball hit over their head. Have them use their gloves since they will be wearing it during the game. No balls or throws needed. Just footwork and head work.
4. Run/shuffle and squat. With gloves on, players replicate running or shuffling to their left or right and then squatting down to field. Don't use balls. Check for proper footwork and glove/hand placement. Great for pitchers who need to work on fielding bunts.
5. Short sprint and shuffle back. This replicates a hard, aggressive turn around a bag and then the return shuffle back with their eyes on the ball.
6. Shuffle and Catch. Players shuffle left or right in-sinc with a partner facing them about 8-10 feet away. As they shuffle, the ball gets tossed (underhand) back and forth to the players. Use bare hands or gloves and allow them to work on a basic baseball skill – catching while moving.
   

Each of these drills involve several little things that improve the skill of your players. Instead of organizing a specific drill for them later in your practices, add them to your warm-up routines and start trimming some time.

Below is a portion of the email I sent to my MW45 team last fall. I thought I would share it here because it explains why I've decided to move over to the Senior Division. No, I am not yet 60....even though I may look it, but as long as you're somewhere north of 55 years old you are welcome to consider a move to MW60.

If you are contemplating a move, might I suggest you not be swayed by the misconception that MW60 isn't very competitive and they don't play many games. That couldn't be further from the truth. In 2018 they played a 15 game schedule. Plus many of the players could still hold their own in MW45.....in fact some play both divisions. They also possess the attitude this league was built on. They play baseball for the sheer joy of the game! Like I said, don't believe everything you hear.

As always, thank you for your time and please read on.

My Fellow Giants,

Thank you for another awesome season filled with fun, camaraderie and competitive baseball. It's amazing how quickly the season flies by......it is also amazing how quickly a decade flies by! I can't believe I have been playing in this league since 2007. I have enjoyed 11 amazing seasons and two championships of Giants baseball, but sadly my Maine Woods 45 run is headed for retirement. This has not been an easy decision to make, but I am writing to say I will not be returning to the MW45 Giants in 2019. It was a tough decision because of the friendships and connections I have made over the years......on the Giants and in the league as a whole. I cherish all the fond memories, laughs and friendly ribbing we have enjoyed season after season and I think MW45 is the best league in the Midcoast and the state.

You might be wondering why I have come to this decision? Well, I think I am ready for a change. One thing for sure, that change has to involve baseball. For that reason, I think the logical choice for me is to move over to the Senior Division. MW60 is struggling a bit right now and needs some new energy and blood. The Senior Division has come a long way from the days of a modified 5 on 5 on 5 format to being able to field 3 teams. I would hate to see that progress lost. If we all want to live the dream of playing baseball forever it is in our best interest to do what we can to help MW60 succeed. For that reason I am making the jump to the next division. Yes, I probably will miss all that MW45 has to offer, but on some level I am ready to enjoy the more laid-back attitude of Maine Woods 60 and to get back to playing baseball just for the sheer pleasure.