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.

Don't miss your chance to knock off the rust or see if you still have game.

Message From The New League President

As the recently elected President of Maine Woods Baseball, I wanted to say thank you to the managers and board members for showing confidence in me.  I look forward to furthering the dream of the league…..”play baseball forever”.  Now that I’m President, I’ve been thinking about what the role of President should be for our league.  Basically, I think the President's role is to focus on the league as a whole and to let the managers continue to do what they do best……take care of the needs of their team. That’s not to say I will be hands off.  I will certainly lend my support and advice to the managers when necessary, but my main focus will always be on the league as a whole. Keep in mind when I say league, I am not only referring to Maine Woods 45. I also will be concentrating my efforts on Maine Woods 60, Fall Ball and the Sunrise Base Ball Club of Brunswick. Collectively we make-up Maine Woods Baseball, Midcoast Maine’s premier adult baseball league.

One of my goals will be to make sure Maine Woods Baseball remains strong, competitive and enjoyable. One way to do that is to continue to attract quality players with a love for the game of baseball. That is where I think my strength as President will benefit the league most. I have experience with player recruiting, social media exposure and team and league organizing. Not to mention I just plain love this league and take it as a personal challenge to make sure it is here for years to come. Another goal of mine is to be accessible to the individual players and be your voice at the league meetings if you have questions or concerns that are not being addressed by your manager.

Thank you for your time and attention and don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions, thoughts or general comments.

Michael Doucette
President, Maine Woods Baseball

Maine Woods Baseball, 2017 Fall Ball season was by all accounts a huge success. The Coastals won the season series 4 games to 2 and took home the bragging rights. For more information and highlights on the Fall Ball season be sure to check out the MW Fall page.

The championship Braves have their trophy and Sebasco Estates hosted another awesome event for Maine Woods Baseball. That means we are officially in "next year" mode. Have a safe and healthy off season.

The peaceful transfer of power to the Braves is complete.

The vintage baseball season is in full swing and still looking for a few regular players to fill out the roster. Here is your chance to play baseball using 1860 rules and having fun in the process.

Next Game: July 9th in Waldoboro - Contact John Coray for details - jpcoray@comcast.net

Latest News:

League fees remain at $195 for MW45 and $150 for MW60

You can now pay online through our mainewoodsbaseball.com website using a credit card.  We are using the secure PayPal software and accepts most credit cards.  The money will go directly to the MW45 checking account and you will receive an email receipt.  Mike Courts (League Treasurer) and the league will also have a record of it. Pretty neat stuff and you can pay now instead of having your manager badger you the first weeks of the season.  You will find the payment link under MW45 or MW60 at the top of the web page.

Dates to remember:
               Coastal Performance free indoor workouts.
                              April 1st, 10:15 - 12:15
                              April 8th, 10:00 - 12:00
                              April 22nd, 10:00 - 12:00
 
Outdoor league practice April 30th (Kelley Field).
 
Projected Opening Day May 7th.
 
As always, the league will purchase medical and liability insurance,  This year, we also will require every player to sign a standard waiver form.  This is a standard among all adult baseball leagues and the form is pretty common.  If you would like to preview it, please go to the website to view.
 
Finally, we are working diligently to post a schedule of games this summer so you all can plan vacations, etc.  It is challenging to accomplish it early because the recreation departments must take into consideration the Babe Ruth and Legion schedules too.  We will get it posted as early in April as we can.

Looking for some gift ideas for the Maine Woods Baseball player in your life? Or are you trying to build your holiday wish list? In both cases Maine Woods Baseball has you covered. Click on the gift box for some great ideas.

A lot happened in 2016 for Maine Woods Baseball. We were in a magazine and on television. We also saw the continued success of Maine Woods 60, Fall Ball and the beginnings of a very exciting vintage base ball squad. If you want to play baseball this is the place to be.

The final game of the fall league and final game of the season for Maine Woods Baseball was this past weekend. We started playing in March and finished in October....I would say there is plenty of baseball to be played in this league! Have a safe and healthy off season.

The fall season kicked off without a hitch and enjoyed beautiful weather this past weekend. The Mountaineers and the Coastals go at it again on Sunday, Oct. 2nd at 10AM. If you are interested email Mike at mainewoods45@gmail.com.