7 th District VFW Baseball 2019 DISTRICT MANUAL
2019 District 7 Baseball League Information COMMITMENT DATE The commitment date to have a team compete in the 7 th District is March 23 rd, 2019. CONTACTS It is the responsibility of each team / Post to make updates to contact information annually using the link provided by the 7 th District coordinators. LEAGUE FEE There is a change in how fees are collected this year. To secure a spot on the schedule, a $300 deposit, payable to the 7 th District VFW Baseball, must be submitted on or before March 23 rd. Please mail checks to Mike Smith's attention at Totino-Grace High School, 1350 Gardena Ave. NE, Fridley, 55432. The total fee for this season will be $1400. If your team meets all the required deadlines and requirements for the 2019 season, a $150 refund will be issued to your team s account. PRESEASON MEETING The 7 th District VFW Baseball preseason meeting will be at 6pm on Sunday, April 7 th at Totino-Grace High School in the Library Conference Room right outside the southwest corner of the school building (1350 Gardena Ave. NE, Fridley, 55432). There is only one preseason meeting all teams must be represented. At this meeting we will schedule for the 2019 season, finalize league fees and insurance, and cover our league rules. GAME SCHEDULING The deadline for finishing any scheduling will be Monday, April 22 nd. It will be the responsibility of each team to have their schedule posted on our VFW Baseball Hub page by this date. The Hub can be found at www.mnbaseballhub.com and then clicking on More and then Other Leagues to get to 7 th District VFW. Each team should have credentials from the previous year to make changes for its team. To get more information on how to operate the Hub, the help link (also listed on our 7 th District webpage) is: http://help.sportsengine.com/ Games are able to begin the weekend of, May 24, 25, and 26 th. League Fees are due prior to the first game. Copies of each coaches concussion certification is also due before the first game. They can be US mailed or emailed to Mike Smith (mike.smith@totinograce.org).
No games can be scheduled for July 10 th. This day is to remain unscheduled and only used as a rain make-up date. The second rain make-up option will be during the day of July 11 th. All games must be completed before 6pm on Thursday, July 11 th. VFW RULES All games shall be played under Minnesota High School Rules, except as laid out in the 2019 V.F.W. Junior Baseball manual. This manual is electronically distributed to each team annually and will be available at: www.7thdistrictvfwbaseball.org PITCH COUNT The MSHSL pitch count guidelines will be used as a guide for 7 th District VFW teams in the regular season. Each team will track, monitor, and enforce this rule with its own pitchers. In the District Tournament and State Tournament, pitcher limitations will be based on innings as described in the 2019 State VFW Baseball rules. *** ROSTER SUBMISSION STATE VFW RULES *** The following are the deadlines for submission of documents to the VFW State Baseball Chairman. The documents must be received by the state chairman by the dates listed. Failure to get them in by these dates will because for not allowing the team to play any district or state playoffs. The required documents are on the VFW website. To make it simple, these are fillable forms that can be printed. You can USPS or email these to Rick Bugbee. JUNE 1 PRELIMINARY ROSTER & CONCUSSION TRAINING These also will be complete and legible, typed only. Concussion training is for head coach and at least one assistant. If I have a copy of yours that has not expired you do not need to send another one. JULY 1 THE FINAL ROSTER You only need to send one if you have made any changes to your initial roster. Rick Bugbee, 2825 LAKEVIEW DR, FERGUS FALLS, MN 56537 email rickbug@prtel.com TEAM PHOTO SUBMISSION Team photos will also be due June 10th and can be emailed (mike.smith@totinograce.org) Team photos are used for the post-season tournament program. You will need a caption listing the team members / coaches with your photo.
ROSTER CHECKS At each team s first game you teams are required to produce copies of a birth certificate for each player on each team. Each team must provide the opposing team a roster with your team members names and birthdates. A Preseason Roster Check Form is available at: www.7thdistrictvfwbaseball.org UMPIRES Marc Fioravanti and the Eastside Umpires assign each 7 th District league game. If you have questions regarding umpires, or need to make a change to the schedule (rain outs, etc.) please contact Marc at mfior@msn.com or 612-961-1783. For any rain outs, the home team must notify umpires more than one hour before the scheduled game. Any costs for late notifications (or the absence of notification) will be the responsibility of the home team. INSURANCE The 7 th District purchases insurance for each team (as part of the league fees). It is the responsibility of each team to ensure all players complete the required insurance waiver form. CONCUSSION TRAINING State law requires all youth coaches to complete concussion recognition training. Each program is responsible for verifying this training is complete. (There are a number of online training options available.) Email your coaching staff s concussion certificates to Mike Smith prior to your first game. POSTSEASON / DISTRICT TOURNAMENT SEEDING MEETING The League post season playoff meeting will be at 8pm at St. Anthony Village High School (3303 33 rd Ave. NE, St. Anthony, 55418) on Thursday, July 11 th. The league playoffs will begin on Sunday, July 14 th with a single-elimination round. The best two-ofthree round will follow the next day before the District Tournament begins on Friday, July 19 th. The 2019 State Tournament is in Brainerd, August 7 to 11.
2019 District 7 Baseball Playoff Manual TOURNAMENT MANAGERS Troy Urdahl Mike Smith Post #230 Post #494 W: 612-706-1105, C: 612-229-6324 W: 763-586-6333, C: 612-719-7815 Email: turdahl@stanthony.k12.mn.us Email: mike.smith@totinograce.org PLAYOFF INFORMATION SEEDING: The following methods for seeding will be used: 1. Overall league record 2. Head-to-head 3. Division record 4. Runs allowed PLAYOFF DATES AND LOCATION: A single-elimination playoff round will be on Sunday, July 14, 2019 at the high seed s field. Remaining high seeds will then host a best two-of-three second round that must be completed on or before July 18th. The 7 th District VFW Baseball District Tournament (final eight) is on July 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23 at a site TBD. The 2019 State VFW Baseball Tournament information will be provided when it becomes available. HOME TEAM DESIGNATION: 1. The higher seeded team in each bracket will be designated the home team (until the championship game) and will choose its dugout. 2. The champion of the winner s bracket will be the home team in the first game of the championship series. If an if needed game is played, the visiting team from the first game will be the home team in the second game. Teams will not change dugouts.
INFIELD / OUTFIELD: Each team is allowed 10 minutes for its infield / outfield prior to each game. The home team shall take its infield / outfield first. OFFICIAL BALL: OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT BALL: A varsity-grade baseball (NFHS approved) must be used at all times in the District 7 VFW baseball tournament. OFFICIAL SQUAD: OFFICIAL SQUAD SIZE: The official squads for tournament participation shall be 20 players, two youth managers, and three coaches. All players must meet VFW age requirements and must be listed on the official team roster submitted to the 7 th District Youth Activities Chairman. The official squad may include less than 20 players (number who dress for games), but teams may not include additional managers, coaches, or VFW representatives to the maximum listed above. One coach in uniform is permitted to occupy each coach s box. Personnel in each dugout shall be limited to the members of the official squad plus one additional person (additional coach or VFW representative). UMPIRES: Umpires will be assigned by the organization used to secure umpires. Marc Fioravanti has been assigned the 2019 7 th District tournament games. INCLEMENT WEATHER / UNPLAYABLE SITE Options: 1. Due to weather and/or field conditions, if needed, game start times will be moved back to allow games to occur on the originally scheduled day. 2. If weather / field conditions will not allow games to be played, games will be moved to the following day. 3. All games follow NFHS rules for weather delays and complete games. If weather interferes with play so that the game is called (ended) by the umpire, it is a regulation game: a. If five full innings have been played, or if the home team has scored an equal or greater number of runs in four or four and a fraction turns at bat than the visiting team has scored in five turns at bat; or b. If play has gone beyond five full innings. If the game is called when the teams have not had an equal number of completed terms at bat, the score shall be the same as it was at the end of the last completed inning; except that if the
home team in its half of the incomplete inning, scores a run (or runs) which equals or exceeds the opponent s score, the final score shall be as recorded when the game is called. If the game is tied when the game is delayed or If five full innings have not been played (or if the home team has not scored an equal or greater number of runs in four or four and a fraction turns at bat than the visiting team has scored in five turns at bat), the game is suspended. When conditions allow for the game s continuation, it will begin in the spot the game was suspended. The score, number of outs, count on the batter, lineups, etc. shall remain the same (legal lineup changes are permitted). TOURNAMENT PROGRAMS: Teams are asked to provide roster and photo information for a tournament program. Tournament programs are coordinated by the 7 th District VFW officers. TICKET INFORMATION ADMISSION INFORMATION: Ticket prices during each round (day): Students/Seniors: $3.00 Adults: $5.00 Tournament passes: Students/Seniors: $8.00 Adults: $13.00 * Wrist bands used for admission must be worn * TOURNAMENT DUTIES: Host Program / Field: 1. Concession Stand product, staffing, and sales 2. Ticket takers for ALL games (excluding final championship game(s)) 3. Scoreboard and public address workers 4. National Anthem for games with American flag properly displayed 5. Field maintenance a. Materials b. Staff Tournament Directors: 1. Organization for tournament seeding meeting, brackets, umpires, coordination with 7 th District VFW officers 2. Email updates and communication to participants 3. Starting cash / cash box, gate receipt management 4. Wrist bands for admission and signage
5. Baseballs for the championship game(s) 6. Tournament trophy and medals 7. Reservation of a block of hotel rooms for the state tournament (to be paid for by the qualifying team) 8. State tournament information for District Champion 9. Coordination of finances for the District Tournament 10. Webpage updates Finances: 1. Tournament use fee for host field(s) at $100 per game ($1,500) 2. $500 site manager stipend 3. Host site keeps all concession stand, merchandise revenue