Aug

26

Shorter Season?

Posted by Dave | Filed Under News | 

Much has been said and written about the length of the Cape League season and how it affects the comings and goings of the players. This year did not seem much different from any other year, but by the time the final game was played, the Cotuit Kettleers were not the same team that had played so well down the stretch. They were missing three positional players - Jason Kipnis, Kevin Patterson and Matthew Holliman and they had only one positional player on the bench. Sam Brown, a pitcher, was the starting leftfielder in the last game. Brown did not have an at-bat in his college season at N.C. State.

There seems to be a feeling around the league that something needs to be done to fix the problem. During the playoffs, Mike Roberts and Steve Englert both called for a shorter season.

It doesn’t seem likely that the season will start earlier so that it can end earlier. That would just move the problem from the end of the season to the start of the season. Teams would be even more dependent on temp players in June.

Would scheduling a few doubleheaders help ? Maybe every team could play two or three doubleheaders when they are playing a team from the other division. There would be a savings on travel expenses if Falmouth only goes to Orleans once. This doesn’t seem like a viable alternative for a few reasons. If the doubleheaders were scheduled only on weekends, there is still the issue of players work committments. Early games in Cotuit, Brewster and Y-D would have to be played at noon or 1:00. If doubleheaders were made to be seven inning games, there would still be a strain on pitching staffs. Also, from a revenue standpoint, fewer home dates means less revenue and the earlier start times that doubleheaders would necessitate would mean smaller crowds, at least for the early games.

Shorten the season by a few games ? I think each franchise likes the idea of 22 home dates for revenue purposes. Fewer home dates would mean less money when the hat is passed, less money generated by the 50/50 raffles and less money in concession and souvenir sales. Shortening the season from 44 to 40 games would mean two fewer home games for each team and that would mean a lot less money coming in from those sources.

If you were “Commissioner for a Day,” what would you propose as a potential fix ?

Comments

9 Responses to “Shorter Season?”

  1. CapeMan on August 26th, 2008 2:16 pm

    This is a tough one. The start date is really not the issue since so many players get in late; especially now with a longer CWS schedule.

    I think I might attempt at least one double-header for each team to start but I would have it so that you play the first game on the road and the second at home to avoid the full impact of 2 games on the same day at the same field. Falmouth could play in Cotuit for example at 1:00pm on a Saturday and then shoot over to Bourne for a 7:00pm game. Each team could do this once.

    I would then reduce the schedule by one game. Each team could survive playing one less game. You’d actually save on umpire fees, travel costs and baseballs. You could arrange a schedule where you played one team in the opposite division 3 times instead of 4 and rotate it accordingly year to year.

    Perhaps the All-Star game could then be slid up to the previous weekend from where it is slotted now. This would put more emphasis on the games after the All-Star break since more games would be played after this weekend than normal; yet the regular season would end a couple days sooner; giving the players more of a cushion and less stress about trying to get back to school. The All-Star is such an “end of the year mark” for so many players, scouts and teams that are out of the playoff mix. If you had more games after the break, it would feel more like a “break” than an “end of the season marker”. I think ending the season just 2-3 days earlier will make a huge difference…it would have for Cotuit.

  2. The Wicker Man on August 26th, 2008 2:37 pm

    I’m for it. Cut it to 38-40 games and avoid the crap that has gone on over the last few years with players leaving early

  3. jesse on August 26th, 2008 6:22 pm

    There would still be players leaving early because some of these guys dont know what a commitment is,some think they are superstars already and are only concerned about themselves.Good luck if you get drafted and play in the minors,its going to be a wake up call.99.9%will never win a ring in college and leaving their chance to earn one in the Cape, they will think about it later when they grow up. (maybe)The players are softer than ever thats why their giving alot of money to the kids from other countries………

  4. CapeMan on August 26th, 2008 7:59 pm

    I don’t think players leaving early was nearly the problem that it was last year. Players leaving early this year either signed pro contracts or had to get back to school on time…both legitimate reasons. While I think more left than I can recall to sign pro contracts, how can you blame them? It is up to the franchise’s to make that judgement call and take on that risk. There was a story the first week of the season on the league site about Chris Hicks from Wareham coming back for a 3rd season, hoping to pitch his way into a decent contract offer. He was awful and ended up signing with a couple games left in the season after originally thinking he’d sign a couple days INTO the season. Wareham was nice enough to give him that opportunity but also took a risk knowing that he could leave at anytime.

  5. Wille on August 26th, 2008 11:26 pm

    Let us not forget these young men are student-athletes first. They play year round in college in hopes of getting drafted and making a few bucks, because 5% of them will at least get a cup of coffee in MLB, and the rest will eventually get sent home wothout that opportunity.

    Most kids spend summer on beaches chasing tail while becoming beer experts. No criticism should exist.

  6. Greg on August 27th, 2008 12:58 am

    It should also occur to us that it costs money to light the lights, pay minimal salaries, wash uniforms and rent stadiums. Business models have to assume a certain number of home games. Even though this is a nonprofit, volunteer-based league, teams need games to draw fans, generate donations and eyballs for ads. So if you cut games, you cut revenues.

  7. CapeMan on August 27th, 2008 9:58 am

    Good point Greg but I’d submit that cutting 1 game and playing one double-header is something each team could handle. One less game is also one less time you have to turn on the lights, pay the umpires, wash the uniforms, etc.

    I just think something has to give before an embarrassing situation presents itself in terms of weather, a team being caught without enough players to field a team or any other matter that causes the playoffs to be a sham. There is room in the schedule to do it but I think the league has to be willing to sacrifice some things like limiting the days off before and shortly thereafter the all-star game, moving the all-star game up a weekend, etc. After playing almost daily during the season, it seems like there are an awful lot of days off just prior to and after the All-Star game.

    As far as not being critical of any of these players, I don’t think anyone take lightly the fact that these players are students first. However, while they are on the Cape, it is a two way street and these kids should take the responsibility of committing to their team seriously. These kids are given the chance to play in front of MLB scouts and against the best talent in the country. This is an opportunity not afforded to many; even at their high profile schools. In exchange, the league really only expects these kids to behave, play hard and fufill their obligation. The only complaints, even from those most hardened critics, is when a player “begs off the team early” for reasons other than going back to school, being hurt or to address a legitimate personal matter.

  8. jesse on August 27th, 2008 12:34 pm

    Capeman……..Thank you… well said

  9. Anonymous on August 27th, 2008 11:07 pm

    Concerning the All-Star game, I know at least one manager proposed that the game be moved back a weekend to almost the end of the season to help prevent players from going home early, keep players motivated, and to keep scouts around a little further into the season.

    That could also mean cutting the season short to end almost right after when the all-star game is currently played.

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