The Bergen Record

[AHEARN]

Khalil should know...he played with Ty Cobb on the Wayne Dodgers!

[hhascup]

Here's the blogs Darren Cooper wrote after his article in the Record:

njmg.typepad.com/varsityaces/2006/08/caretakers.html#more

njmg.typepad.com/varsityaces/2006/08/those_were_the_.html#more

[bobbyk23]

In response to Schnackenburg, I've always had respect for your opinion........BUT

I'm very happy that whatever our league is now called, that it is not the Met League. Then we'd have no place to play.

I'm sorry as well that the original Met League is gone......guess the dedication to keep it alive, with all those great baseball people.......wasn't enough!

Everyone who is no longer involved sure does talk a lot.........where's the action?!?!? There are plenty of us still around!

For those who think the NJABL is on the same level as the North Jersey Majors Met League.......I think you should take Baseball 101. The organization of the league seems to be great, but we are talking quality of baseball here.

I do agree that we did not keep enough of the Met League traditions going.......neutral site playoffs, more games......but everything in the AABC revolves around the regional playoffs. Let's get everyone involved and fix it!!

[RamapoValley]

Don't look back. The past was never as good as it seems. Live in the present, look towards the future. The leagues purpose is to to play baseball, at the highest level possible. Close to 200 players played in the league this year. Four teams went to regional tournaments. If we count Hackensack and our friends in our rival league, another three teams moved on to tournaments.

Amateur Baseball is far from dead in North Jersey. Legion is stronger than ever, the ACEBL is growing. You can sit down on the bar stool and talk about glory days, or you step out into the sunlight and play some ball.

I can only talk for Ramapo Valley but I am sure my fellow teams feel the same. We don't quit when things get tough, and whine about the past.

You want to make baseball stronger in North Jersey, step forward and help. Or you can stay in front of your computer screen trolling message boards.

Play Ball 2007 Opening day is not that far away!!

[oc33]

As a veteran of both the Majors and the Met League, I have to say that the article wasn't really terribly written. When I saw all the comments from everyone on here, I figured the guy was absolutely trashing the league and players. There were definitely some false statements in the article and blog, but in general it was well-written.

I don't think the comment in his blog about every fly ball being a 3-run error waiting to happen was necessary. I also don't know why Shnackenberg went off like he did in response to the blog. We all know this isn't the Met League. The Met League is a fossil at this point so we shouldn't be comparing this league to that.

I played in the Met League for a couple years out of college, then went to play for the Oakland Dodgers for a number of years in the Majors. I have to say, the Majors was definitely more "fun" to play in. The Met League had great talent, but didn't it just seem like it was being taken a little bit too seriously especially towards the end?? Summer baseball should be fun and that is the big thing that has been missing in this league for the last 2-3 years. If we could have the old North Jersey Majors back circa 8-10 years ago I would sign up for that in a minute. I remember how amazing and fun the playoffs used to be at Fair Lawn. Teams like Oakland, North Haledon, Allendale (remember them), Cresskill, among others.

I have so many great memories from the North Jersey Majors League and even 10 years later they still stick in my mind like they happened yesterday. There was a lot more commeraderie between teammates and even between competing teams back in the day. We can resurrect this league...let's make summer baseball fun again in North Jersey.

[chiefwahoo19]

We all want good things for our league. Most of us are in it because we love to play and this is the most competitive place for non professionals to do just that. Granted some individuals are better than others and the same goes for the teams. Speaking from what I have seen with my own team I saw good quality baseball this summer. Some won/lost records may have be bad but I felt the games were always well played and pretty close for the most part. Errors happen at all levels and our league is no exception. But to say a fly ball in this league is a 3 base error waiting to happen is just a bad assessment of the competition this league provides. This guy did very little research as far as the who s and whats involved in the game he covered. I hear Craven gets the winning hit, off the top of my head I say “Nate Craven, pitcher, pitched 40 or so innings for Ramapo Valley this year,” and I wrote zero articles this year, but holy shit I looked at their web page and there it was! hmmm seldom used, maybe if it was a 162 game schedule….
The league may not be what it once was (yet its still better than most) , but it is not warranted for anybody to go and rip it when its just a bunch of good guys looking to have some good clean fun with a great game. Its totally unnecessary to rip up a good amateur baseball league for not having huge attendance, perfect fields, and perfect lights. Yes the league merged at times to keep from folding, but how does that reflect poorly on those who are still around? I guess it was a better idea to fold both leagues. Things change, the league changed. No its not major league baseball or even independent minor ball, but that’s what makes it….AMATEUR! There are post season incentives, but lets not get carried away about what a NABF or AABC championship means on the large scale. Unless you have that big of a void in your own life, its not that big of a deal, I’m sure the NY Yankees can take the defending champs from either AABC or NABF.
Its Bulls*** for anybody, press or rival/fellow players to rip the league. Im sorry to the Marquee teams who had to leave for greener pastures that MLB took up all the top talent around. The Yankees and White Sox might have some bigger games to play next year but I ll go and see if they will be available to be the 9th and 10th teams in our league next year.
I see bad attitudes, feminine boys, and lack of commitment, but I do not see bad baseball in this league. Nobody should be ripped for putting forth an effort to play a game they love. Less ego and more fun is the key for our leagues survival. I wish this league the best in the future. I ll try to keep out my scrubs so the “Marquee teams can come back to their green pasteurs to get it up.”

Bruce Daddis #19 Former Indians Manager

[hacktroasts]

Because I still care...here goes

Bob & Ed, A Merchant/Hackensack game never drew just 6 people....NEVER. The finals at Breslin also NEVER drew less than 150 people. While I agree with a lot of what you are saying & admire your commitment to the league...those 2 points you were a little off base.

What is wrong with remembering the history of the 2 leagues? All I hear is the Met League is dead.. move on... get over it...WHY? Your history is very important...records are important..a connection to the past is important. But everyone is trying to cut all of that out like its a cancer....again, why? I'm not saying to focus on the past but don't forget it...both leagues Met & North Jersey Majors. You can't tell me that while eating all of those wings at that bar that someone doesn't say "Hey remember that game 8 years ago when so & so made that great play" Embrace the past, its part of who you are as a league.

The Met League didn't fold due to mis-management. I believe that after 30 years that it just ran out of gas. Players stopped playing until 35, the Record stopped printing schedules & covering games & every team except Hackensack was a one man show....when Paul, Russ Purdue, Bob Potts, etc stopped doing it..the team died!!!! The Met League was run incredibly well!!!!! A financial report every meeting, great By laws, want to know how many hits someone had during their 16 year career..we had it!! The only issue was a lack of vision which helped the folding but was not the main cause. But why have so many of the things that made the Met League great for so many years been pushed aside? Why..because it was the Met League & "we need to move on & get over it".

I want nothing more than for the league to be great again...I still believe that is possible but you need to have a vision for 5 years from now. When Ed said that this is an important year he is right...remember that you are only 4 managers away from being the like the Met League was in 2001. If 4 Managers in March say that they are done....what happens then?

You need to get back to what made both leagues great. Playoffs NEED TO BE AT ONE CENTRAL LOCATION WITH A SNACK STAND!!!!!!!!!! Fair Lawn, Lyndhurst(sorry, old habits). Get rid of this bye crap..you earn your spot & the playoffs are run by the league. Keeping records? Why not? Post season awards..MVP, best pitcher mgr of the yr..again why not? Don't show up at meetings..$50 fine. You need to attract more top high school talent so that they will come back & play when they are in college...make it so every other game that a HS kid must start the game & play 4 innings..both teams must do that so that its fair. Is Henry a one man show running the league? I'm not sure on that one. Stop letting teams fold into other teams so that they can get a shot at a national championship...Sorry Ricky. Are you voting on every issue?

There is more to say but I need to take my kids to the park. I hope things go well this off-season. Hackensack, you need to get your ass back in the league...you can chase whatever you want but do it in the Majors Met League

Jon Vatcher

[RamapoValley]

Jon,
and Mike as I know you read this board from time to time. It is clear that you guys still care about baseball in North Jersey. Instead of us trading posts on a message board, how about coming forward at meeting and trying to put some ideas into action. I am being serious about this, however past grudges have to be put aside on all parts.

It is a waste to have so many people who care about baseball to not be involved. The Met League was a great league with a great history. It would be great to start a league with that as the role model. There is no reason we cannot have a great league, and also enable teams to play in AABC and NABF Tournaments.

My email address is [e-mail], cell phone [phone]. Lets make this happen.

[hacktroasts]

Danny,

I DO appreciate the kind words & bringing back someone like Mike would be great for the league. I HAVE NO GRUDGES AGAINST ANYONE so I hope that you don't think that I do. Russ Purdue from the Wayne A's (a nasty guy on the field but a great guy off) once told me that everything is forgotten 24 hours after a game no matter what happened on the field...I try to live by that. Danny, I never liked you on the field but then again I never liked anyone on the field...I always needed to have a little hate thing going but don't ever think that that translated to anything off the field. I played to win which I'm sure rubbed some people the wrong way. I really respect what you do for baseball around here. Running a baseball program is harder now than it has ever been.

With that said...I'm not sure that I would fit in because I would expect the league to be run a certain way. Shirts tucked in, infield practice, same jerseys, no forfeits, meetings must be attended, guide/mentor young managers, talking to that guy from Belleville who was screaming for help, professional playoffs, recruiting young players, no throwing helmets/Ricky!!!...trying to get some buzz going for the league. VOTING ON EVERYTHING INCLUDING WHO IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEAGUE!!!! 26 games is not enough...maybe 30.

My interests are with the league excelling...not resurrecting the old Met League which I'm sure some people still feel. For those that do not know I was the main force to merge with the NJ Majors & people still to this day hate me for that thinking that we had other alternatives. So I may have a bigger interest than most in seeing this league prosper.

I would sit down with anyone who wants to improve the league but are most of the guys receptive to change? Not sure

Jon Vatcher

[bobbyk23]

Vatch,

I believe that your input would be MOST WELCOME by everyone who wants to see this league regain some of the "glory days" of both the Met League and the North Jersey Majors.

Feel free to give me a call.....201-993-2687

Bob Khalil

[RickLutz]

Vatch,
I want the league to prosper but I want whats best for my team first and foremost. I will recruit from now until May to win. Taking whoever is the best that fills a need. Also If you look at our team DeMenna, Dig, BK, Kev. Mont., Higgy, Sica, Crohan, Hulse, Lobban, KT, Spicer, Lamber, Guadango, Etc. are not from teams folding/merging. Lot of WPC guys. Only RC, Butch, and Bravo are. But Bravo was a Hack guy for you, and RC and Butch were Moonachie guys before Bloomfield and WPC guys to boot so you cant say we are a team of mergers. Wass a Hack guy too. People switch teams all the time. Thats the difference is 15 years ago they were franchises not teams. The same guys made up teams from age 18-35. 5 outs from Louisville this year. Next year we take it. You want in?? Rick

[RickLutz]

You know what I also think that the problem with the league is people thinking on a small scale. When I begin every season I don't hope to have fun and stay healthy, win some games, make the playoffs, maybe win the league, possibly travel. F U C K that. If that was the case I wouldn't play. I play to win the whole thing. My sights are on Louisville, or Houston. Thats it. Anything less s u c k s. I play to compete not for fun. If more teams played for the big picture then the drive to be better would show up on the field. If every team worried about making themselves better 1 player at a time then eventually teams would be better, competition would be better and with so much at stake people who run teams wouldn't sit back and let the whole offseason go by without meetings and questions being answered. I know DeMenna, Dig, and myself sure don't. You think we should have stayed in the league. We were 5 outs from the our 3rd trip to a World Series since 2001. I don't think it made a difference to our team. Maybe we will be back but I don't think we need it as you say.

[hacktroasts]

Rick,

I believe that you can accomplish all of your post season goals & play maybe 8-10 outside games & still be in the league. But I do understand why you did it...the AABC playoff format would piss me off too.

Need to get the kids ready...will talk to you later. By the way, I do believe that Bloomfield & Hoboken folded into you guys....right?

Jon

[chiefwahoo19]

As I have said before Im all for things fun for the league like MVPS CY Young All Star Games, etc.. Another idea for the table is that we have open tryouts in the spring with all managers/team reps present for all players interested in playing that have not been in the league with another team and at this tryout we employ a draft system for all teams to have a shot at the new talent. Just a thought. Whatever you guys are planning I will follow the lead, just keep us all posted on any meetings and I ll be there... this is all the baseball some guys have left so lets make it the best it could be.
Bruce Daddis

[hacktroasts]

Danny,

Do you & anyone else want to meet tomorrow/Thursday at maybe Fridays or Houlihans? Let me know

Jon