FAQ
How old do I have to be?
Age requirements vary in each division.
MABL National (Sunday Morning 9am – 12pm) – 18 years or older
MSBL American (Sunday Afternoon 1:30pm – 4:30pm) – 25 years or older (5 players can be age of 23 but cannot pitch)
MSBL Mountain (Tues or Thurs Night 7pm – 10pm) – 35 years or older (5 players can be age of 33 but cannot pitch)
MSBL Cactus (Monday or Wednesday Nights 7pm – 10pm) – 45 years or older (5 players can be age of 43 but cannot pitch)
You must attain the required age on or before 12/31 of the current season year.
To get the 45+ division up and running a few years ago, the league allowed certain players not of the appropriate age to be grandfathered in to play in that division so we could have a minimum of four teams. Now that the division has grown, we are no longer allowing any grandfathered players to play in any division they were previously eligible for. All players must be of age to play in each division.
When is your season?
Teams generally start getting together to practice around February. Our season runs from the beginning of April through the end of September with playoffs typically ending by the first week of October. We do not have a fall/winter season.
How do I get on a team?
Click here to put yourself in our player pool. Teams needing players will check the league player pool. You can also go to our forms link to get a copy of the registration and medical waiver forms which you’ll have to fill out before you can play.
The other alternatives are:
“Buddy Pick” – Most new league members join a team to play with friends, a family member, etc. The team that picks them up uses what is called a “buddy pick” to add them to their roster. Unfortunately, this requires that you know someone who is already playing in the league …
Team managers – You can contact the team managers to see if they are looking for players. Click here to view the team manager directory.
Check us out – Drop by the Reid Annex on Sunday mornings during the season, and meet some of the guys. You can usually find a team that would like to pick up someone, or somebody who knows a team that needs players.
Can I play if I used to play professionally?
You are considered a professional or former professional if you were ever paid to play baseball. That includes the major leagues, minor leagues, pro teams from another country, etc. We welcome ex-professional players in our league, possibly with some restrictions depending on the last year that you played as a professional. For example, a former professional pitcher might not be allowed to pitch in the league until they have been out of pro ball for at least 3 years.
How do I bring in a new team?
To bring in a new team, you must attend the pre-season manager’s meetings, the first of which usually takes place in late January or early February. We post all information on our facebook page.
How many players are required for a team?
There is no minimum requirement, all teams pay a TEAM fee. The more players you have, the cheaper the fee for each player. However there is a 20 MAX player cap on each team. If you have more than 20 players with stats come the playoffs, you will not be eligible.
How many teams are there?
Depends. Usually there is anywhere from 25-35 total teams across all 4 divisions.
What does it cost?
Team Fees:
Early Bird: $3,800
Regular: $4,500
Late Bird: We have removed the late bird. This gives the league time to help organize teams of players left without team.
Fees cover league expenses which include umpire and field fees, baseballs, and insurance. $10 of the fee goes to MSBL National, and also pays for “Hardball” magazine which is the quarterly publication of MSBL. Team managers get a reduced fee if they enter game stats within 10 days of each game.
Uniform costs are additional, and vary from team to team. Most teams have major-league style/quality uniforms.
Teams can get a business to sponsor them to help with some or all of the cost.
How many games do you play?
Typically the season will be 18 regular season games, followed by a double-elimination tournament. This guarantees all teams 20 games minimum, with more possible if you advance in the tournament/playoffs.
Where are games played?
Games are played in Tucson on city and county fields. Most of our games are played at the Reid Park Annex, which has 5 full size fields (4 lighted), and at the Kino Sports Complex, which has 7 fields (4 lighted) that we use.
We also make use of other fields around town in order to schedule all of our games, including local parks and high schools.
I thought this was a Sunday league… Why do we have a week night game?
Although the majority of our games are scheduled on Sunday, we occasionally have games that take place during the week. If a game is rained out and has to be rescheduled, many times it will have to be rescheduled for a weeknight. It may also be due to field availability issues and the number of teams we have in our league.
All teams should expect to have some weeknight games on their schedule.
I’m joining mid-season – do I still pay the full fee?
This will be determined by your manager since he already paid the team fee.
How are ties broken in the standings?
Ties are broken by applying the following criteria in the order given:
team with fewer or no forfeits advances
head-to-head W/L record
head-to-head run scoring differential
overall run scoring differential
How do I add players to my team?
Prior to the roster freeze date of June 30, you may add players to your team at any time. You may select players from the online Player Pool, or use “buddy picks” to add to your roster. After July 1, you may only add players if your team roster falls below 14 players. To prevent teams from bringing in “ringers” late in the season, a team needing to add players after July 1 must make their request for players to the league. The league will assign players to teams on a first-come first-served basis from the league player pool.
To add a player, the following should be completed before the new player participates in a game:
have the new player fill out registration paperwork, copy of driver’s license, etc.
have the new player sign the team medical waiver
collect the player fee (Player Fee Calculator)
arrange for a uniform/hat for your new player
submit the new player name and jersey number to get your online roster updated
turn in money and paperwork, including an updated roster with your new player to a board member
Can I switch teams?
The league does not encourage players switching teams. If you feel that you have a situation that warrants special consideration, you should submit your request in writing to the board. Under no circumstances may players switch teams after the roster freeze date of July 1.
How do I file an insurance claim for an injury?
**Note: at the present time, the league does not provide any insurance coverage for injuries sustained during league practices or play. The league only has liability insurance which does not cover player/participant injury.
Any personal insurance claims will have to be submitted to your personal insurance provider.
I want to leave my team and start a new team. Can I do that?
If you wish to leave your prior season’s team and start a new team, you can submit a request to the league board. If your request is approved, keep in mind that league rules do not allow you to take any other players from your former team to form the new team.
Looks like rain – are we playing?
Players should check with their managers to see whether or not a game is cancelled due to weather. Keep in mind that just because it is raining in your part of town, it may not be raining at the field.
Managers should call a league official and/or check the league web page latest news link for the latest information.
How do I get a password for my team?
Players do not need a password to look at scores, standings, stats, news, etc. The team manager or the person designated to input game results, stats, etc. must have a password. To get a password, email the webmaster and identify yourself and your team and instructions will be sent to you.
One of my guys quit or got hurt. Does he get his money back?
No. The league does not refund player fees. If the player who is quitting can find a player to take his place, the new player can take the place of the one who is quitting and part of his fees can be refunded to the player who has quit at the discretion of the manager of the team. The team manager must get permission from the league treasurer before requesting replacement of a player who has paid with a new player who has not paid. New league members must pay the MSBL National portion of the player fee, which is not transferable.
One of my guys quit or got hurt. Can someone new play in his place?
A new player can be added to the roster if it is before the roster freeze deadline. If after the roster freeze deadline, a player can only be added if the roster drops below 14 players. The team manager must get permission from the league treasurer before requesting replacement of a player who has paid with a new player who has not paid. New league members must pay the MSBL National portion of the player fee, which is not transferable.
Can I play on teams in different divisions?
Yes. You can play on a morning division team, an afternoon division team, and a weeknight division team (if age eligible). Your player fee will be higher.
What Is MSBL “Hardball” Magazine?
Your Tucson MSBL league membership fee includes access to the online MSBL National Magazine “Hardball”.
I have more questions!
If you have more questions, please contact us and we will get back to you with an answer as quickly as possible!