2019 survey responses

• bold = good, regular = bad
• Players improvement
• Mostly all good. Late/missing umps were the worst
• Sportsmanship
• Collegiality
• Always competitive games
• It was my favorite year of TNB+50, though previous years were fun as well. Teams seemed more loose and easy going this year, though still competitive. It was also nice to get some new blood with the addition of the Goats and other new players. Also the playoffs at Mackenzie are the best. And I loved the makeup games! Those were fun.
• Great teammates
• Never having the same players (team) at every game. Position Players to win
• Umps the best. All the players are fantastic.
• many competitive games.
• All good: Current teammates, getting to know other teams, parity in teams (except expansion team, as expected). Championship game was great, not only the game itself of course, but the fun of under the lights, the PA people, music, two umpires, sportsmanship.
• Parity and sportsmanship
• Sportsmanship & commissioner Outstanding!
• League parity, sportsmanship (most)
• The games were fun yet competitive. Attitudes were very positive from teammates and opponents as well.
• Fewest missed games due to weather
• Wild card game & playoffs at Mackenzie
• Very few arguments
• Availability and quality of field - Good
• Play was pretty good. People I had come to games commented that it was like any other league except people moved a little slower.
• Positive parity of the teams
• We have a good level of sportsmanship throughout the league.
• The competition level has improved dramatically since our first year.
• Great people who love baseball
• Respectful attitude from both players and umpires. This makes the games fun while still competitive.
• team mates - both good and bad

What should be done to improve the level of competition?

• Nothing
• Huger strike zone
• No improvement needed.
• Pitching equality
• No clue
• Build up to add another team 2-3 yrs
• Hold spring training! Not sure on this one. I think we probably have the best over 50 players in the Valley, but I could be wrong. I think bye weeks knock teams out of rhythm, but unless we get a sixth team what can you do besides play 2 games every 4 weeks?*** ***I would be fine with that. I also think we should play into late August and do playoffs the first two weeks of September. I think that way you'll have everyone there for the playoffs and not off on vacation like many of us are prone to do in late August.
• I think there is for the most part great parity in the league which is nice.
• Practice
• No answer
• Try a 6th team.
• require steroid use
• I really can't think of anything.
• Nothing, it was a competitive league
• Nothing it is great the way it is. Dont screw up a good thing.
• Honestly don’t know?
• Expand to six so roster sizes can come down a bit. Use spare player pool if needed for vacation coverage.
• This is a tough question because we want a broader number of participants to widen the rosters. However, this also introduces a number of different skills and talents. I think the team itself should meet through the season at least a few times and discuss where they feel they are and what improvement steps they need to make. Also, I think ALL players need to asses their level of play and be encouraged to do extra work through the season to make changes, work on fundamentals or the like.
• shshsh
• Continue recruiting quality players
• No changes
• Nothing, i think the Goats will get better in year 2
• Nothing. Most games were tight. Very few blowouts
• Nothing
• Remove the age barrier for anyone who is willing to catch for 4 innings or more per game.
• I think level of competition is good.
• nothing
• Possibly allow players under 50 to pitch??
• Nuttin
• all seemed pretty good
• nothing - the league is what it is.
• Some Benjamin Button magic. Each year

• Bye weeks stink.
• Best could do with odd number of teams
• I think 5 is fine, but if we could expand without diluting competitiveness, I’d be fine with that too.
• Sure, the Goats only won 1 game, but I see a ton of upside with those guys and there's talent on that team. They could be the next Wonderboys. I like what I see so far.
• No one liked the bye weeks. But, what can you do.
• 1st year
• weeks off can be tough especially when combined with rainouts.
• Great having a fifth team, but did not like having by weeks.
• Dont like bye weeks
• It gave us some bye weeks, which initially I was concerned about not having enough games. It worked out fine!
• 6 teams might be perfect.
• Gave a week off once every few weeks
• Despite final W/L records, any team could beat the other team on any given night
• Would be better to have 3 games a week assuming umpires and fields are not a problem
• Get to face more teams and accommodate more players. Plus the “play in” game adds an interesting dimension
• More guys got to play
• It took a while for the new team to become competitive, but the expansion did introduce the opportunity for people to play more baseball, as subs during off weeks.
• I think the more teams, the better. It's nice to play against different types of teams. My only qualm with it is that I dislike byes. But it's obviously the only way to do 5 teams. Would be great to have 6 teams and eliminate byes, but obviously that would necessitate a 3rd field (or a 3rd night of the week), which might be tough.
• Expansion teams are often not competitive, but I think the Goats were, despite the final record. The playoff game they were in was a great game.
• the once in a while weekly break
• Great. It is good to see interest in the league expanding. Six teams obviously would help in schedualing.

Why?

• A chance to mow the lawn.
• The answer’s in the question. I did not play.
• Liked having a break, but should play every week
• Created ability of managers to borrow players to have enough to play.
• Rain out after a bye week,felt like 1st game all over
• I liked to play every week and with a rain out and July 4th break it was a bit much.
• Like to keep in a groove
• Need to play to get better as a team
• I want to play every game every week. But of occasional rest helps aging bones & joints.
• Took us from 15 to 12 games (if I did the math right)
• Just want to play ball.
• Sometimes it helps to heal some injuries.
• Rainouts cut the season shorter as it is. Bye weeks stacked against a vacation or July 4th could mean a 3-4 weeks between games.
• It's good to have the two week break for healing and then allow others (or the team) to work on fundamentals etc. However, if practices are not attended then the two week break can slow team momentum or overall performance.
• A week off once in awhile
• I hated not playing, but the off-week gives us the opportunity to make up rainouts.
• Nice to have a week off
• With the work/life schedule, some weeks it’s beneficial to have one less commitment. From a player standpoint, it’s difficult to maintain a “groove”
• One less game missed if I was out of town
• It’s a short season & with rainouts, there were times when a team would go a couple weeks without playing.
• "Hate" is a strong word. I definitely prefer to play every week, but understand that with 5 teams, it's necessary to have byes. If it could ever happen, I'd strongly prefer 6 teams to eliminate byes.
• occasional week off OK by me
• I hate not playing. I want to be out there every week.
• I look forward to playing weekly for a number of reasons. The off weeks were a bummer.
• Easier to plan family commitments plus heal up a bit. On the down side I do look forward to playing every week.

bold = positive

• It's a night league
• I’m fine with it.
• Involve more teams
• More is better
• Saturday is a tough day to get off work,but planned enough in advance
• I think the regular season should mean something, but it kind of does, because 3 and 4 are trying to avoid the wildcard.
• 1. Helped speed playoffs. 2. Opened up time in case of rainout.
• everyone has chance in "postseason"
• Why not?
• Schedule conflicts with other leagues led to anxiety on which team to let down if it occurred
• I liked the concept of all 5 teams contending.
• I'd prefer weeknight games but can make it work on weekends if needed.
• Better than 4
• The addition of the wild card game made the regular season more relevant, but also have every team an opportunity to compete in the post season.
• Weekends are tough to play
• Not the worst thing, definitely a first world problem Lol. With schedule planned around midweek baseball, it’s tough to accommodate a sudden unplanned Saturday game
• Penalty with opportunity. You don’t want to play it if you don’t have to. Rosters based on day of the week are a penalty issue. Win in the regular season.
• Fun to play a game without being pushed by darkness
• This league plays games on weekdays and the players need to available during the week. Not everyone is available to play on the weekends. It’s unfair to have a playoff game on a day when it’s not a given that everyone can be available.
• My reason for disliking it is completely personal and selfish. My other league plays only on Saturdays and Tuesdays and I will always have a conflict with a Saturday game in this league, unless games were moved to 2:00 or later (and I don't expect you to schedule games to accommodate me). I don't like the idea of playing the entire season and then having to miss the most important game of the year because of a scheduling conflict like that. I think every team misses players in the Saturday game for similar reasons. You shouldn't play certain nights during the regular season and then switch it to a completely different day for the playoffs. Just my two cents.
• best solution
• I get that there's a faction in this league that believes the best teams should be in the playoffs and the lousy teams should not, meaning no wild card game. I get it and part of me totally agrees. But players pay money to be in this league and part of me feels everyone should get to play in the "postseason". I can go either way on this issue. I thought the wild card game this year was a fun novelty.
• Considering the odd number of teams it made total sense.
• other life plans got in the way
• It would be better on a regular game nite. Hard to get everyone on weekends.

Why?

Positive responses in bold

• Sun position. Bad mound. Nothing for kids.
• Accessable and open
• Good enough
• Sun on the left side
• horrible sun field on the left side. Can something be done about the sun?
• Too far
• No fence
• Only bad issue is sun at sunset: but that would be an issue everywhere.
• no real complaints but the sun and pitchers don't like the mound.
• The Classic TNB locale.
• Pitching mound horrible
• Sun and mound are both brutal
• Hate the sun.
• Just Is a good spot. Nice field!
• It's a nice venue, centrally located and easy to get to. Left side is rough re sun.
• The mound is horrible. It seems too high and the rubber drop is in what seems feet, not a few inches.
• Sun at left side of infield and long drive
• Great memories at Herlihy, but field conditions are deteriorating
• Don’t like sun playing 3rd or left field
• Infield a bit slow, tough sun, but whatever. Overall, the field is usually in decent shape and the availability of toilets is huge at our age
• Sun is a quality of game issue
• Dirt needs be worked
• It’s dangerous for fielders on the left side when it is sunny.
• The mound at Herlihy is a little rough at times, but that place will always have a special place in my heart. No complaints.
• convenient. that's about it. The REC doesn't respect adult baseball and they act that way
• I love the location but sometimes the maintenance of the field can be suspect. Especially the mound. And then there's left field/3rd base with the sun setting. There are drawbacks but I can be (and have been) happy there.
• Decent field, but it is 100% TNB.
• left field sun and pitchers mound
• Killer sun. Not much you can do about that.

Why?

Positive comments in bold

• Nice mound
• Fine
• Better location.
• sometimes grass is too high.
• Mound was better then herily
• Great loaction: do not like first base line. Overall, good field
• better sun angle, nice view, closer to home.
• Decent field, good location, nice for variety's sake
• Shorter commute. Less sun issues. Field condition could be better but late in the season all of them start to go to crap.
• nice field!
• Love the location, mound and scenery. No sun in your eyes. Turf is tough as are first base side foul balls..
• The mound is great and seems as though the sun is never an issue.
• Closer and minimal sun issue
• Nice field, easy to get to
• Field of dreams
• Decent enough.
• Nice field without sun in the eyes of fielders.
• No complaints. Better location for me personally. It's a smaller field, which makes it unique.
• I love playing there the field is OK
• Another nice setting and the sun is not nearly as brutal there. When I played there this year the infield grass was cut low for a change; when it's high forget it...singles become ground outs, etc. Perhaps a slight edge over Herlihy.
• Not the best field, bench areas and first base/right field fould ground basically absent.
• first base line and injury hill
• Grass on infield very long. Helps if you are a pitcher.

Why?

• Nice shape.
• Same
• Fantastic location, great field: Best field of those we played.
• Played there in the past. Great location and field.
• The mound is great and seems as though the sun is never an issue.
• Closer, no sun
• The best maintained field we played on this year short of Mackenzie
• Same as Hopkins
• Landers is an outstanding field. Probably the best actual playing field we play on, with the exception of Mackenzie.
• I like the field
• Can't think of too many issues with this place. Not the most level field in the world but whatever.
• Nice field, nice dugouts.
• always in good condition - dugouts

Why?

Positive in bold

• Nice field
• Liked a lot. Kids cane.
• Small field, lots of lost foul balls
• Rained out No idea
• Good field, good location: did not play much h there.
• even closer to home.
• Bumps at the bases suck but other than that it's a good option.
• Well-maintained, but gnats were annoying
• Nice infield
• Enjoy Beachgrounds. Decent playing field and a good mound. Plus, dugouts and no sun field like at Herlihy.
• Just don't like the location.
• possible chance to hit a homer, dugouts , good field condition

What other fields should we use along the I-91 corridor?

Longmeadow fields (Russell & Dipippo)

Asnuntuck

easthampton

SHHS, Frontier

Easthampton or SPRINGFIELD fields

Frontier has a great field and it’s close to Herlihy

DiPippo field Longmeadow

Easthampton High School

HS field in S Deerfield

Booster Field in Easthampton.

Why?

Positive comment in bold

• Much fun !
• Fucking loved it
• Game statts later
• Can’t be called by darkness
• Not a fan of playing under lights
• even though we lost, it's special to play there.
• Where was that
• Duh-------Night game. McKenzie is a great field: played there before.
• great field, not crazy about night play.
• Lights, PA (for championship), quality of the field and infield dirt
• Do you really need to ask? Lol. Great field conditions. Lights mean you can just relax and play. Plus it was freakin playoff baseball!
• Atmosphere?
• Awesome venue w lights for longer night games. Enjoy much of extras like line-ups, anthem, scoreboard and walk-up music.
• Awesome. Great field
• Well-maintained, incredible atmosphere
• Just awesome
• Great field, lighting. Loved the experience
• Super fun
• fun to play night game without an end time due to darkness
• There’s nothing like playing under the lights. Also, the playing surface is spectacular.
• 9 innings on a beautiful August night? Forgive me for saying it was a... homerun. I'll show myself out now.
• perfect
• All Star treatment, lights, foul lines, very well maintained field...just love it!
• Bad News Bears go tot he Astrodome. Championship game was the most fun ever with the PA, music, and scoreboard.
• good exposure for league
• Great atmoshere, feild is in excellent shape plus the bathroom is close by.

Comments on umpiring

• Pechie is slow, too small of strike zone.
• Fine
• Umpires did a great job
• inconsistent, but mostly good. I think the umps need to be told repeatedly to call a liberal over50 strike zone. Pesch is a bit thin skinned, but what else is new.
• very inconsistent strike zone with some umps.
• Strike zone changing though game, inconsistent at times.
• I thought it was fine. Just the one incident with "pesci". Yes, we players on the goats barked and we should not. But I also thought he let himself get talked out of a decision he made. Once he makes it, then that's it...move on. If he's unsure of a call, then go to the gentlemen's review etc. But, that's me.
• Overall, umps were terrific. Some strike zones were questionable at times.
• Inconsistent strike zones are frustrating, but I understand the guys are human and not perfect. Certainly better than having no ump. Glad they show up
• Inconsistent but no more so than other leagues
• I really hate to say this, but Harry has become more difficult to work with over the years. He brings too much commentary into is umpiring and he is overly sensitive to any comments that players make.
• I never say a word to the umpires during games and I will never ever blame an umpire for a loss. That being said, I have just a few minor criticisms about a few issues with the umpire. My problem with the guy who did home plate in the championship was that his strike zone was totally inconsistent. Neither team had any idea what a strike was or wasn't. Was literally the only negative of an amazing night. Another issue is the way Pesci manages games sometimes. I love Pesci to death. Have been friendly with him for 15+ years. But he often times leaves contested calls completely to the teams to sort out amongst themselves, washing his hands of it. That's not how the gentleman's call should work. If the managers absolutely can't agree, the umpire's original call should stand and the game should resume. It's pretty annoying waiting 10 minutes for the game to start up again while Pesci gives a dissertation on what he saw. If he just went back to his original call, I (and most other players) would simply accept it an move on. It seems like Pesci wants everyone to be happy with the call, to his detriment in my opinion.
• Well, its a hard job (being the lone umpire) and in so many ways those guys were great this year. There were times this year (and in past years) when there have been inconsistencies in umpiring (sometimes multiple times in the same game). I guess I want the umpire to lay down the law and that's it an we ALL have to respect that; no waffling or looking to the teams for rules clarifications, etc. That happens from time to time. It would be great to have two umps, but I get that it's expensive.
• pitches 3 plus inches outside are called strikes, pitches at the neck/shoulders called strikes
• Some times they show up late.

If unhappy with manager, why? (4 replies)

• Good guy.
• If you captain a team called the fainting goats, more power to you
• He failed to provide heroic and cliche pep talks before games. He refused to share his baserunning signs, even to our baserunners. His mound visits consisted of advice such as "throw better pitches" or "that double you just gave up: don't do that again." He wants to change the team name to Alter Cockers. I could go on and on...the league has to step in and do something.
• He does a really nice job

comments (15)

• I know scheduling is difficult
• Love it b
• Continue the mission of all abilities and fair play
• No reason for discomfort.
• We're expanding, which is great. The quality of play is pretty damn good. And it seems to be attracting a good crew of players who are competitive and talented and fun to play with/against.
• what's not to be comfortable with?
• Patrick keeps it no drama, focus is on we are adults playing a game, a game we all love and want to play, and appreciate being able to play. I'm looking forward to joining the Over-70 League in a couple of decades :)
• Please dont change anything. Other than they bye week it is as close to perfect as you can get. Great players, managers, characters even the umpires.
• Great Leader & Love of Baseball!
• I think it's well managed. If there's help needed in some areas, then perhaps others can assist.
• The only change I recommend is actively making up rain outs
• Just enjoy the league, no complaints
• No complaints. Glad just to be playing
• I hope to see the league continue to grow and maintain it's respectful level of play.
• so far it is well run with players who care.