Pre Season Tourney

[hhascup]

Ed, your right when you say that we didn't have any meetings. To be honest with all of you, I wanted to call more but when I called several Managers up, they told me that they couldn't make it and why do we need a meeting. Some had kids that played that day, others had work, etc. Their were very few that wanted to have a League meeting, so I sent out E-Mails to each of you to let you know what was happening. If you want a meeting every month or so, I can do that too!

As far as what John and Bob said, we did vote on several items on our League this season. This is the way I want to see it too.

These are some of the issues we voted on:

1. How many games we would play during the regular season (27, three against every team)

2. How many teams would be in the playoffs (8)

3. We all agreed to use the NCAA double elimination bracket for the playoffs

4. The higher seeded team would be the home team in each playoff game

5. The 1st two teams in the playoffs would go to the AABC Tournament and the 3rd place team would go to the NABF Tournament

6. We agreed to start our playoffs on a Wednesday instead of Thursday

7. We agreed to have two sites for the 1st few days of the playoffs games

8. We agreed on Hackensack & North Haledon with North Haledon being used after the 1st few days

9. We agreed about the Draft, the 1st place team gets the #1 pick then the 2nd place team picks then the 3rd place team. The 2nd round would be the same and we would have 5 rounds total. (Note: the 3rd place team Franklin Lakes decided to let the 1st two teams pick as their playoffs started a week later)

10. Several years ago, the By-Laws for the League was up-dated and they were passed at our meetings. Each item was read and voted on.

Finally, if you want a NEW President, I will be more then happy to step down.

Thanks, Henry Hascup

[ancienthurler55]

As I stated before - I was at that meeting and I agree - alot was accomplished in a short period of time.

Henry - from an old lazy 39 year old - thanks for devoting so much of your time and effort into - what I feel - was a very well run year in the league.

Stoney

[hhascup]

ancienthurler55 said:

As I stated before - I was at that meeting and I agree - alot was accomplished in a short period of time.

Henry - from an old lazy 39 year old - thanks for devoting so much of your time and effort into - what I feel - was a very well run year in the league.

Stoney

Thanks a lot Steve, You don't know how much that means to me coming from someone like you.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this past season until the playoffs.

At that time I was told that my 32 year old daughter Kimberly had MS. This just about destoyed me as she is also a single parent of a 3 year old boy. (her husband told her that he didn't want to be married anymore last year).

When my daughter told me about her having MS, my world stopped but I still had a job to do. I had to finish the tournament in Hackensack, announce games in North Haledon and complete the draft between Hackensack, Cresskill and Franklin Lakes.


Thanks again, Henry

[RamapoValley]

With people jumping and staying we need this person or that person to run this league let me point a few things out. Henry did a very good job running this league this year. Communication was excellent, we voted on many issues as he pointed out. We played with the tournament bracket that we voted on. The amount of games..etc etc. I think Henry did a outstanding job this past season.

Also some of the points brought up by former managers are valid. However times have changed and you are never going to get back the Met League of the 80's and early 90's. Both Hackensack and Maplewood folded, when no one stepped up to take over those teams. The current Hackensack team is really the Ridgefield Park Orioles.

It is the same story over and over again, the main person decides to step down, and no one takes over the team. Clifton,Oakland,Saddle Brook,Moonachie,Waldwick, Fair Lawn,Ramsey It is time for the players to take a more active role in their team, help out with the fund raising, the recruitment of players. There is no reason for any of those teams to fold they each had 20 player rosters, but no one stepped up to the plate.


Everyone has to understand, that once our season ends and we go into the AABC playoffs or the NABF playoffs, we play by their rules. As a league the past couple of years, we have had a hard time getting managers to attend meetings. If you want anything to change you have to make sure each team can send someone with voting power to the meeting.

For the record we do vote on how we want the league run, we just have no control over the playoffs. That would be the same if it was AABC,NABF,NABA.

[ancienthurler55]

Henry,
I had no idea... I am so sorry to hear tough news like that. I must tell you - the way you ran the tourny - you would never know the problems you were dealing with. Thanks again for making the playoffs run so smoothly.

The way the league was run this year speaks volumes about the job you did and the amount of professionalism you bring to your job. A job - I might add - that has zero compensation. (right?)

Now - if you can only get my dad another quality fight card in Asbury Park... (he still talks about that night and the guy who walked out after taking one punch)

best wishes to you and your family
Stoney

[hhascup]

Steve, thanks once again and I am also Ring Announcing tonight at the Hanover Marriott in Whippany.

Danny, I also want to thank you for ALL your support over the years, and the nice things you said about me.

Henry

[RickLutz]

Henry,
I think you do a good job running the league on a day to day basis. And you know myself and my kids have always liked you. All I'm saying is that someone like Jon Vatcher, in conjunction with you, could add alot to the league. He has been around North Jersey baseball and his teams have competed at a high level for so long maybe he has some ideas or insights and opinions that could benefit us. I know the old Met League is dead but Vatch was a main cog in that org. for years and he their are things that we are failing at that they did better and their are other things that they failed at that he could steer us away from. He also is a great recruiter who could really help expand the league both player and team wise.
Next, I was at that meeting where all these votes happened. But their was no official voting on # of teams in the playoffs. Many of the people there wanted less teams or a different format like suicide games but I don't remember a vote on # of teams in the playoffs.
And there was definitely no vote on the AABC or NABF thing. I personally, and some teammates also, would have rather gone NABF. (You can ask Danny White, I said at that meeting"We'll take the NABF bid right now and bow out of the AABC) and the general consensus was that Angelo will never let that happen. It was dismissed without any discussion. Scott was open to that idea also but he also stated Angelo will never go for it. Why can't we the league vote on what tourney holds more weight with us and where we want to go in priority order.
Lastly, Stoney, hello to you buddy and on a another level than this stupid baseball crap, Henry Im very sorry to hear about your daughter. None of this should be interpereted as a shot at you. Have a great rest of your summer. Rick

[demenna]

Henry,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I'm sure your daughter is a fighter like you and will make it through this tough time...

These posts regarding who should run the league are not designed to take shots at anyone ( especially you Henry)...I think these peolpe should be viewed as consultants in conjunction with our powers that be..

I feel that every team should designate a couple of decision makers, and have a meeting sooner than later. Vacations are winding down, sometime in Sept or Oct would probably work for everyone..

If we do this now, we will have something to look forward to next season.

[AZZ]

Henry,

First and foremost:

Please know that the Felician Sisters will be praying for you and your family. We at Immaculate Conception High School will be doing the same. You always present your self with class and dignity and this year was no different. Thanks for all you do for OUR LEAGUE!

Secondly:

As far as all the issues that have been brought up, I believe a "Get Together" would be a good start to perhaps decide as a league what OUR Priorities are and go from there. I offer the league my school as a meeting place. Perhaps a representative from each team, league officials as well as some other people such as Jon Vatcher and Bob Theim could be invited to discuss many of the points brought up on the forum.

I still look forward to May when I can put on a uniform and be involved in summer baseball. I don't want to see this league fall apart. I too would love to see my son play in it one day.

We all love it and we should do everything we can to have OUR LEAGUE prosper.

Thanks,
Joe Azzolino

[e-mail]

[RamapoValley]

Henry,
from all the players from Ramapo Valley, we will be thinking of you and your daughter and wishing you both the best. Since you have joined the league you have always given yourself to the league. I want to thank you for all the hard work you do.


Danny

[hacktroasts]

Danny,

First of all Hackensack never folded. I was coming back until I started questioning some of the issues of the league, I asked for an accounting of the money, how much in the bank, expenses, etc. I was then thrown out the the league along with the Hack. team because "I was a trouble maker". After telling them that on monday I was going to the prosecutor's office, Hack. was back in but on the condition that I not return. I'm sure that most of you had no idea that this occurred. Is this how you want the league run?

Danny, I know that for whatever reason, you don't like me, that's OK. I hated Bill Ingraham, total jerk but was good for the league, same with Bob Potts, we didn't like each other but he was great for the league. My intentions are what is best for the league & that this league survives. There are still old Met League people who believe that I am the sole reason the Met League folded. I pushed that because it needed to be done. The Met League didn't fold because of mis-management, the league was run extremely well, the league folded because of a lack of vision.....a 27 year old was an aging veteran when we folded where in past years guys played until 35. If you don't want me involved because you don't like me, well...that's your issue. I would think that you want what's best for the league. At the time of the merger, the 2 combined leagues had baseball cornered in this area. What happened? As Ed stated, the Stan Musial league doesn't need us, WHY!!!! 5 years ago we were the only game in town. I didn't push to fold up the Met League to see this thing dissolve in 6 or 7 years.

Henry, I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter, my friends wife is going through the same thing, my thoughts are with you & your family.

I WOULD NEVER EVEN THINK ABOUT ANYTHING WITH THE LEAGUE WITHOUT YOU INVOLVED. But, correct me if I'm wrong, you seem to be doing everything yourself....too much work for 1 person. I loved working with you that 1 year.

Was Joe Prussien(President) voted on? If not, why? Danny, I know that you & Angelo may have problems with me being involved with the league again but you have to start thinking about what is best for the league & put your personal feelings aside. I would never have accepted a league official being put in without a vote.

Jon Vatcher

[Farbone]

Henry,

As I said to you when you first informed me of your daughter's sitaution, my family's thoughts and prayers are with you and yours during this difficult time.

I echo Mark's words, and am sure that she is as tough as you and will make the best of an unlucky sitaution.

If there is ANYTHING that I, my family, the players or the Troast club members can do, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Even though we both know that I have thanked you many, many times for your efforts with our league, I wanted to thank you one more time.

You position is one that more than often is taken for granted, and I believe that is a testiment to your sucess.

You make things go in such a smooth and steady manner that no one realizes that hard work that goes in to it which in turn makes the summer run seamlessly.

My very best regards to you and yours.

Respectfully-

Scott Farber

[stars36]

Henry,

From me and the Teaneck Stars our thoughts and prayers to you and yours. You have put in long hours for this league and we want you to stay. You have helped the Teaneck Stars throughout the season and we want to thank you for that.

Jorge
Teaneck Stars

[hhascup]

I want to thank you ALL for your Thoughts and Prayers. I will try to arrange a League meeting sometime in September if that's alright with everyone. Maybe we can have it at the Felician College if it's alright with Azz.

I would make it sooner but I do have some good news, my youngest daughter Kathy is getting married on September 3rd.

Also, Rick, if you remember at the meeting, we were going to have the top 6 teams in the playoffs, with the other teams having suicide games to determine the last two spots.

Most everyone stated that the 1st 8 teams should be in the playoffs and Andy said he would agree to that as well and his team was in 10th place.

We then took a vote and the people at the meeting agreed to an 8 team Tournament.

Thanks one again, Henry

PS- I have to go to the fights now, talk to All of you tomorrow.

[RamapoValley]

Jon,
let me state from the beginning that I do not have a problem with you. Anything that happened between us was between the lines, and is over once the game is over. I am very upset to hear the conditions that you are stating why you left the league. If that is the case, I wish you would have informed me as I would not want to be part of a league that acted in that manner.

I do want to speak to you, and I will be looking for your phone number. Let no one be mistaken I am not involved in the decision making of this league, no more than anyone else. The NABF was a side project that I put together that I thought would help this league.

As far as the Met League, yes it was a good league with many fine features. However as having a young team at the time I was in the league. The schedule was always made with giving me a lot of early games, while certain teams such as Clifton got a sweetheart schedule. I had other issues in the league, and my team's voice was never heard. I do believe in teams having control over the league they play.

To go back to the point that some think I have a major say in how this league is run. I want to point out that after a few teams complained I was ordered to take the message board of the leagues website. My response was to create this site, at my own cost to have a place where every team in this league, former players, and managers and fans can be heard.


Danny White