When Tim and I began discussions about starting a baseball league last August, we never could have imagined that things would come together this quickly. We had that initial vision of what a league should be, and while there were some early flaws in delivery, we feel that we were able to exceed expectations on many levels. Now with a year under our belt, we are ready to start tweaking the machine, to ensure FY14 is above and beyond better in all facets for our teams returning, and new teams coming over to us.

It is tough to measure success in amateur baseball. Essentially, we are working to deliver a unique experience to everybody, ensuring the best baseballs, best umpires, the better fields, and best teams are competing at the right levels. Scheduling is tricky, and the ever-changing field situation always makes things interesting. We are fortunate to have such a great team of individuals working with us, and a manager base that makes the process a lot easier to handle. I consider things a success when players come up and start talking about what they love in the league. When managers, whose teams dont make the playoffs, say they had a blast and look forward to getting back out there the next season. When managers endorse us, and players are spreading the word, its an unbelievable feeling of accomplishment. In the end, it makes us want to do more. Our goal was to deliver something nobody had seen before in a Sunday baseball league, to exceed expectations and raise the bar... and when folks start spitting positive feedback on a regular basis, it keeps the wheels turning on how to improve the process. We will do more, that I promise. 

When I decided to have my own blog, I wanted a way to reach out and deliver insight or personal messages to the league. This is the perfect forum for me to deliver exciting news breakdowns, go into depth about new facets in the league, and also talk about topics that come up from time to time.

Our Spring season was amazing. We were hustling in December to get 12 teams on board so we woudlnt look foolish with our extreme social media launch, and what we ended up doing was delivering the largest amateur league launch in state history, at 52 teams. 52 teams, I will note, that completed their seasons. Sure, we had forfeits mixed in, as there is no way to completely avoid them with so many teams, but we were able to manage the number we had (4% of our entire schedule). We also had a 97% schedule completion rate, which is awesome. Our double elimination playoffs, added a new dimension to playoff baseball... and is a model that we will tweak for the FY14 season so that we can be a more well oiled machine. 

We've made a lot of friendships along the way, which I think is the greatest takeaway from this endeavor. I can honestly say that by face, I know roughly half of the league population. Considering there are nearly 850 players overall... that is a pretty remarkable figure to consider. I don't think that anybody runs a league as organized and with such a personal approach than us. We are available on the phone, text, email and even in person. On a weekly basis, we are also at the fields talking with teams, players and even our umpires. 

Our Premiere Wood was so competitive, that we received compliments from our managers, umpires and also local professional baseball personnel. In July, while still completing our regular season, we were receiving calls about Spring 2014 already. I can say that we expect some new faces in Premiere, and changing the structure some which will make the league more enjoyable for all involved. From a competitive nature, no other Sunday league can deliver the level of play that we can. Some may claim to, but I would pencil our last place team vs their champion, and guarantee a battle. You take any other league's last place team and play our champion, I'd guarantee we'd mercy rule them. That's how competitive we are. We want the best there, and think that we've attracted just that. With over 100 current collegiate players, over 30 pro players spread on teams throughout the state... any team in Premiere had the opportunity to win on any given week. Our top teams did not skate through the regular season or playoffs. We are looking forward to the new additions already giving verbal commitments for 2014. It is going to be lots of fun in April. 

For North & South Wood, we originally had planned for Low and Intermediate levels... but we lacked the number of low wood teams to fill out a league. We feel in the Spring, anything less than 8 is not a league. For Fall, less than 6 is also not a league to move ahead with. Who wants to play the same teams 3/4 times in regular season? So with that said, we opted to split the league into North & South, and it worked out fairly well. Both winning teams, Colt .45 and NJ Shockers, seem poised to make a jump into Premiere for FY14, which will increase the competitive level for Premiere as well as open up North & South for a new champion in FY14. 

Metal was also an area that we fell a bit short on. We ended up with 12 teams, but we had hoped for 16 split into a high and low division. Metal is more a dying breed these days, as we see a lot of new teams playing wood as the preferred choice. We like that, but we also know there is still a market for metal so we offer it and glad we did this Spring. Game 3 of our Metal Finals, was a moment that no other finals could compare to. Bottom of the 9th, bases loaded and 2 out, the New Providence Reds send catcher Pat Rooney to the dish down 6-5 to face Spring Cy Young winner Andrew Murin. All Rooney does in that moment, with the season on the line against the leagues best pitcher, is hit a walk off Grand Slam to win it for the Reds over the Twins. Of course I was in Newark for the other finals game that day, but Tim called me ecstatic with "you are never going to believe what you just missed!" It is those moments, that make this league so exciting to us. We are involved, we care, and we want to be there when those winning moments happen... to try and capture them for you. 

In all... we had a very fun and enjoyable season. The Somerville Giants and Pompton Chicos clashed in the Premiere Finals, which saw the Giants winning the overall title. The Giants then went on to play the SJ Mashers of the NJIBL, to which they won in a bottom of the 10th walk off, taking the State Title. The NJ Shockers cruised to a South Wood crown, and the Colt .45's team was equally as impressive in North Wood. Finally, as mentioned, the historic walk off grand slam that lead the Reds to the metal crown.

Currently, we are in a fall seaon that has brought 10 new teams to us. The Fall has been going fairly well thus far, and we are on track to complete all championship games by the first weekend of November, completing before the weather turns ugly. A fun 10 Game schedule, double elimination playoffs, stadium All Star Game... nobody offers this model, but us.

As we look towards the future... we are hopeful to see a lot of familiar faces back in 2014, as well as some new teams jumping on board. We've already received calls dating back to July, about teams looking to come to us in the Spring which is awesome. It's just great knowing people are buying into what we are trying to do, and support the movement. 

We have got big things planned for 2014. There is a lot of stuff we wanted to do this year, but with the uncertainty behind how many teams we'd have, it made it difficult to properly plan the league. Now as we push forward, we will continue to re-invent the wheel... offering more than you ever expected to get out of a Sunday league, and making the overall experience uncomparable. FY14 will be upgraded, and more in line with what we'd like to offer on an annual basis. 

Thank you to all our managers & players for making 2013 an amazing launch year, and we look forward to seeing you all on the field in April!

-Mike