Maple Softball Message Board

[andystainless]

I have been working on a tournament format for next year that allows all teams to stay local, have competitive games every game, and most importantly WIN MONEY FOR WORLDS!!!!! Or for the teams that don’t travel, just win $$$$

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOUR TEAM IS INTERESTED. Also, Please spread the word as I am sure there are plenty teams that I am not aware of that would be a perfect fit for this local idea.


With that, I present my latest idea. My email is
I hope that if someone would like to critique this, they could do so privately with me. I have invested more time than you can imagine trying to figure this out so please think before you type. My goal is to make ZERO money! I am trying to get money back into the hands of the teams. I see sponsors disappearing and I thought this could boost the softball area with competitive ball as well as cash payouts!
Mike Macenko Cleveland World Series

What?- A series throughout the summer of 5 point gaining tournaments for cash prizes.
How?- NASCAR point system with PGA handicap merged into a softball format.
Tournament concept- create a tournament that C, D, and E can compete, and even out the field by having a handicap based on classification.

For the first tournament only, here is the point spread breakdown

C= -10 runs
d= -5 runs
E= -0 runs
The spread changes EVERY tournament!!!
If you place first or second in a tournament you win cash!! Your penalty for doing so well is (MINUS 2) to your spread for the remainder of the year. If you place 3rd or 4th, your penalty is (MINUS 1)
If you get double dipped in any tournament that sucks! ļ However you will get a (PLUS 2) credit for the next tournament.
Just to be clear, in week 1, if a C team (-10) plays an E team (even), the game starts at 10-0 in favor of the E team.
Let¡¦s say the C team wins the tournament that 1st week, and the E team gets double dipped that tournament. The next tournament, the C team would have a (-2) penalty for winning, and the E team would have a (plus 2) credit for getting double dipped.
In the next tournament if they happened to play, the score would be 14-0 in favor of the E team as opposed to 10-0 like in week 1.
Just like golf, your handicap will change based on your previous teams performance. If you finish in the middle of the pack, nothing adjusts with your handicap since I am trying to equalize the field.
Also, how much fun would it be to have spreads on the games (all at 1 complex) and be able to watch 4 games at a time and gamble on the outcome (only playfully as I do not endorse gambling).
The idea would be to have large tournaments throughout the year (20 plus teams), instead of the small tournaments when you end up playing the same teams 9 times during the year.
By having E play C and D, we are respectively improving the quality of softball in our area and can develop and find more high quality players who want to play at a World tournament and just might be on an E team because they just don¡¦t know what¡¦s out there.
I would approach 9 coaches to make up a rules committee to help get it started (3 C mangers, 3 D managers, and 3 E managers). Those 3 will help tweak the rules and vote on a 3 person rules committee. This way, you pick your poison.
This would be ASA play only.
Since there is a run spread, the divisions will stick to their own HR rule
C- 3HRs
D- 1HR
E- zero
At any time during the year you are able to ¡§move up¡¨ a class to compete at a different perspective but you must now abide by the new run handicap. If a team wants to move ¡§down¡¨ a class, it must be approved by the 3 people that you the managers yourselves elected on the rules committee.
MY #1 GOAL IS TO MAKE THIS FUN AND COMPETITIVE!! I AM HOPING THE BEST TEAMS WINNING PERCENTAGE IS UNDER 75% AND THE WORST TEAM IS NORTH OF 33%
Throughout the year, I would be giving away $17,500!!!!
Every tournament we would give out $1500.00 in CASH (or paid bids) paid to the 1st and 2nd place teams.
Grand Prize- Based on the point system after the 5 tournaments are over. We will pay out $10,000 dished out how the directors vote at the beginning of the year.
All stats for the World Series will be kept on and he will update the handicaps weekly so there are no surprises!!
We recognize that there are teams of different caliber in each division. Our #1 goal is to make as many games as possible a competitive game so that no team quits and every team should feel like they have a shot.
My colleagues will all go to bat to raise the appropriate funds needed but this won’t fly unless we have a minimum of 20 teams each tournament. I need to know if there is interest out there first. Then I will need to meet with the managers to talk in person.
I will let teams play in 1 or 2 tournaments throughout the year. They just wouldn’t be able to receive the $10,000 prize at the end but can certainly compete for the $1500.00!
I will try to avoid the major tournaments but no guarantees. Since the plan is to have 1 tournament per month starting in April.
I will say the ball we use will be below average. If I have to go to Dicks Sporting Goods and buy an Adidas softball I will. This will be a tournament that focuses on safety first and encourages DEFENSE!!!
Should there be enough interest/momentum, we could have an all star weekend as well with skills competition (HR derby and best arm etc…)

Any positive feedback is appreciated.
Ready, Set, GO!!!!!!!

Andy Markowitz
Integrity Stainless
216-287-1400 cell