Does anyone actually agree with the equalizer rules being truly equal? Been playing this game a long time now and still don't believe that a 55M team is equal to a 50AAA team or like we saw this weekend a 60M+ isn't equal to a 50AAA team.

If you have a better idea other than just a generalized vague statement of dissatisfaction, write it up and submit it for consideration by the National Rules Committee ... We'll be happy to consider your proposal and "..see if you can count to seven.." for a change ... Rules Committee meets once annually, historically just after Thanksgiving ...

The part of the equalizer that I don't like is when the higher-class team has to give 5 runs or extra player and play the lower-class homeruns. It should be one or the other. Why get double penalizes for signing up for tournament that doesn't have enough teams in your class. Don't mind as much in seeding but don't like in bracket games

Dave,

Not sure what the "See if you can count to seven" comment is about but I don't really know how to improve it. Hence the discussion here because tourney after tourney guys are talking about the same things one of the big ones we hear every weekend is the "Equalizer" discussions.

I have yet to meet or discuss with a single player at a tourney that feels a 60M+ is equivalent to a 50AAA team. Which really isn't even an equalizer discussion because there were no equalizers given. But it's always the same conversation, what is truly the difference between AAA, Major and Major+ is the hitting. With today bats and balls it's not even about the HR's it's about the ability to consistently hit up and down the lineup for average. Most guys at the Senior level in 50,55 and even 60 can still hit HRs with the equipment we have, it's the OBP is what really separates the AAA, Major and Major+ teams not the HRs. Major and Major+ team all have overall better hitting teams than AAA, the inconsistent hitting of AAA is what prevents most of them from moving up to Major. There are of course other factors but what I see tourney after tourney is defense plays a little role it in, so does consistent HR hitting ability but the biggest advantage those teams have over AAA is their ability to up and down the lineup consistently place the ball and get on base. There should never be a circumstance where a 60m+ team plays a 50AAA team even up. I get the rules about it's 2 age groups so it should be even up but when you have that team running a 5 man all weekend and beating up on every 50AAA team they played is just wrong. The only team they lost to was the team that was registered as a 50M team that somehow right before the schedule was made was reclassified as a 50AAA team by someone even though almost every player on that team played on a 50M team last year. There was even some guy running around bragging about how the was going to love playing 50AAA after being on a 50M+ sponsored Suncoast team last year.

At the very least that 60M+ should have been playing 50M teams and using equalizers not playing 50AAA teams..

Any proposal for a Rules amendment to pass needs to "..count to seven.." votes among the 13 voting members of the Committee ... As another refresher item we mention here frequently, Message Board commentary is specifically excluded from consideration for Rules Committee sessions Agenda purposes ... Write it up and formally submit it if you wish ...

Dave,

I see what you meant now. As I said, I'm not sure how to make that rule change and doing this more as a discussion so that maybe something can be suggested and come up with a better idea to submit. I currently don't know what that is but I personally don't think a M+ should ever play a AAA regardless of age difference and the players on the 60M+ were in agreement that I spoke to.

When a 65AAA team (11 Players) plays a 60AAA team (10 Players), the equalizer is 5 runs to the 65AAA team, Fine, but why do they still get 11 players? It's a disadvantage to the 60 AAA team when the 65 AAA team gets both. IN ONE TOURNAMENT THEY GAVE THEM the 65AAA team THE 11 PLAYERS AND RUNS, IN ONE TOURNAMENT THIS PAST WEEKEND THEY ONLY GOT ONE OR THE OTHER, WHICH SEEMED MORE REASONABLE, AS THE HOLE UP THE MIDDLE IS WHERE MOST HIT FOR AVERAGE.
Love an explanation! This weekend was fair, end of last year giving both and runs seemed unfair. Thanks.

leo ... EVERY team is entitled to play with its NATIVE DEFENSIVE ALIGNMENT based on its age division ... For men's teams 60+ and younger, that's ten (10) defensive players ... For teams 65+ and more senior, that's eleven (11) players ... That concept IS NOT an equalizer issue, despite how frequently it is misinterpreted ...

HMMMMM... counting the votes to seven..
I'm sure DD is not involved in that part :)

We are always having to do this in our tourneys. The director likes to do this to give the teams a chance to play other teams instead of all the same teams in our division. One thing I have never understood or agree with
is when you just give home team to them team giving up the equalizer. Just because they have to give up 5 runs shouldn't automatically give them the advantage to be home team. Just my.02...flip a coin please

Papa T,

We have to do that all the time as well but when seeding is based on records and then first tie breaker is runs given up skews both of those when you're playing teams you wouldn't be facing in bracket play. I can see if you only have like 4 or 5 teams in a division to mix them up a bit but now when you have 12 teams in the bracket

Major plus is considered the “cream-of-crop” for several reasons and in a league of their own. One of many reasons is that success and talent breeds success and talent, it’s contagious. In major plus there are no holes or weak spots, (and usually a deep bench), whereas the lower division teams always fall short of that. I will always feel that “skill trumps age”.

Not sure if there is a fix or solution, but the cream rises to the top…

HSquared,

Exactly the point I was trying to get across. Like you said there are no weak spots in the lineup of Major+ and very few if any on Major teams. AAA teams generally have multiple weak spots or are just inconsistent which is why they are AAA. Major+ should never play AAA...

One consideration - eliminate AA and Major Plus. Have 2 divisions and try not to co-mingle them. Combine only one age bracket up or down, when necessary. For example, a 60M team should be able to be competitive with a 55M team. Only use equalizers when there is an age difference. Just a thought...

I've said it before, the run rule should be: you can have your extra run if you can earn it. So once you reach your 5th run your team is allowed to attempt to score the the extra run if you can. Leave the home run the way they are for each team and play ball.

Brian that is a good and interesting way to handle the 5 run spot. I have always thought the HR situation should be 1 up. If you are playing a team that hits a bunch of homers and your team can keep it in the park...that's the equalizer. If you want to keep up with them HR for HR then so be it.

Papa t - I believe the primary reason for the higher rated team giving 5-runs as an equalizer is to avoid the scenario of the visiting team staying at bat all day as many M+ teams are capable of doing