GOFL meeting, 2008 - ninth team to join

Greater Ottawa Fastball League organizing meeting January 23, 2007 at I4C Offices in Kanata.

Attendees:
Adam Brown (WC Electric)
Tony Riches (Manotick)
Steve Edgerton (Manotick)
Dave Tubman (Team Easton)
Sam Oliver (Stittsville 56ers)
Dan Bradley (Stittsville 56ers)
John Craig (Stittsville 56ers)
Derrick Bulley (Ottawa Blitz)
Neil Cooke (I4C Victory)
Shawn Williams (I4C Victory)
Eric Rosenquist (I4C Victory)
Matt Greer (Quyon Flyers)
Gary Hargrove (Orleans Gators)
Shannon Borho (Blackburn)
Anil Hayne (Blackburn)
Dave Norris (Umpires)
Harry MacIntyre (Umpires)
Note: Bob Templeton couldn’t attend the meeting, but indicated that he was willing to continue as President and be available to arbitrate any disputes that may arise.

Umpires:
- Dave Norris is once again the League Umpire in Chief, with Harry MacIntyre as his Deputy UIC. Dave Herbst is the Zone UIC, and George Finlay is still the assignor/treasurer.
- There will be a “letter of understanding” to be signed.
- Dave asked for a copy of the league rules once finalized.
- As last year, they indicated that doubleheaders where possible would be preferable and the league agreed to accommodate when diamond time permitted.
- Umpire fees are $48 per man per game for league games, $40 per man per game for showcase.
- George Finlay will schedule umpires, and be the contact for rainouts and make up games. The league will supply the schedule to George and the UIC for scheduling. Any make up games / cancellations will be the responsibility of the home team.
- Post dated cheques are due, payable to the Eastern Ontario Umpires Association as follows: 50% of regular season fees by May 1; 50% of regular season fees by June 10; one playoff game fee prior to start of playoffs. Balance of fees to be paid following playoffs.
- Softball Canada rules in effect with ISC pitching rule.
- Illegal bat rule to follow ISC legal bats list. Teams to "challenge" through the umpire when they feel an illegal bat is being used. Team reps agreed to monitor their teams for illegal bats.
- Dave asked for clarification on two items: Mercy Rule and Discipline for Ejections (see below).

League meeting:
- All eight teams from the 2007 season are returning.
- One new team tentatively joining for 2008: Blackburn Bombers 'franchise'. Shannon to confirm by the end of January. Shannon indicated that the team will be primarly comprised of new players to the league, with a few exceptions. There was no objection to Blackburn joining.
- Home diamonds and nights are as follows:
· West Carleton Electric: Fitzroy Harbour on Tuesday nights
· Manotick: Manotick on Wednesday nights
· Stittsville 56ers: Stittsville on Wednesday nights
· Team Easton: May & June: Stittsville on Wednesday nights; July - Sept: Stittsville on Tuesday nights
· Ottawa Blitz: Manotick on Wednesday nights
· I4C Victory: Carp on Thursday nights
· Quyon Flyers: Quyon on Tuesday nights
· Orleans Gators: Orleans (Pierre Rocque Park) on Thursday nights
· Blackburn: Monday night, but trying to confirm the diamond. Looking at North Gower and Greely. Team name may change depending on sponsorship/location
- Regular season will begin the week of May 5, running for 12 weeks.
- Teams will play an unbalanced schedule of 20 games. 18 games will be played throughout the 12 week regular season. 2 games will be played in a “Showcase Weekend” setting
- Showcase date to be determined, but likely the last weekend in May or first weekend in June. Blackburn to tentatively host the event.
- Adam will work on a draft schedule and circulate. Doubleheaders will be used where possible. Stittsville asked for one game a week wherever possible.
- Game Cancellation: If a team needs to cancel a game due to lack of players, 24 hour notice should be given to the opposing team’s coach/captain. Less than 24 hours will result in a forfeit. If a visiting team fails to show up with enough players or cancels too late to notify the umpires, then the visiting team will pay for the officials’ fees.
- Game reports can be sent to Adam the next day so the website and blog can be updated. Report should at a minimum include the score, the winning & losing pitchers and any home runs hit.
- Sam will keep the league statistics once again, with some help. He will be advising as to what format the game information should be submitted in. It will be up to each team to keep accurate statistics to make this work.
- It was agreed that league will once again choose year end "all-star teams" as voted on by team representatives.
- Each team is responsible for their own diamond fees, umpire costs, balls, etc.
- Each team will contribute $100 to the playoff fund, with $600 going to the playoff champion and $300 going to the finalist. The I4C Trophy will be awarded to the Playoff Champion. Blitz and Quyon still owe Team Easton and Manotick owes WC Electric from 2007.
- Playoff format:
· 8th place hosts 9th place in single “play-in” game
· Quarter-Finals, best-of-three: 1st vs. Qualifier from above, 2nd vs. 7th, 3rd vs. 6th, 4th vs. 5th
· Semi-Finals, best-of-five: Top remaining seed vs. Lowest remaining seed, 2nd remaining seed vs. 3rd remaining seed
· Finals, best-of-five: Remaining two teams
- Playoff extra innings: If a playoff game is tied, the ‘international rule’ shall begin in the 8th inning.
- Tie Breaking: 1) Points (2 pts for win, 1 for tie) 2) Wins 3) Head to head 4) Run differential in head to head competition 5) Coin flip.
- Tony will organize the order of softballs for the league, through the Softball Canada office. Each team to determine the number of balls (in dozens) they need and email Tony. League will use green balls this season, as this is the standard ball Softball Canada is moving to. White balls from 2007 may be used until exhausted.
- "8 man rule": In order to reduce defaults, teams will be allowed to start games with 8 players. There will be no “auto-out”. If the ninth player shows up late (or a lucky fan is found), then the team can insert this player in the ninth position in the line-up. However, if a team has 9 players and one is ejected, the team will then forfeit the game. If a team has 9 players, and there is an injury and the player cannot continue, the team may still play with 8, but then the auto-out will apply.
- "Mercy rule": Games in regular season are 7 innings long and can end in a tie. There are no time limits. Based on feedback from the umpires, the mercy rule will no longer be optional. Run rule will be 7 run lead after 5 or 6. This also applies in playoffs.
- "2 out catcher rule": Will be optional in the league.
- "Discipline": The league consensus was as follows: first ejection, player at a minimum receives a "yellow card" - next ejection automatically results in one game suspension. However, each ejection will result in an umpire's report, and team rep's report being sent to the Prez for his review and decision.
- There are no restrictions to team rosters (i.e. Senior and Junior players are eligible, etc). Once a player participates in the league for one team, he cannot play for another team in the league that season. Players must play at least one game to be eligible for playoffs. NOTE: Exceptions to this rule will be reviewed by the Prez for consideration.
- The subject of insurance was discussed. The league itself has no insurance, but each team is strongly encouraged to purchase liability insurance through a provider such as the OASA (www.oasa.ca). The cost is very reasonable (around $30) but would protect the team "management" in case of a lawsuit.
- The teams agreed to join the ISC II Home League program and the GOFL will send a representative(s) to the Eastern Ontario Challenge Cup in September 2008 in Fitzroy Harbour. Teams will be offered the invite spot(s) based on regular season standings. Winner gets a berth to the 2009 ToC in Iowa.