- What’s the difference between your league and Little League?
Our league, Poughkeepsie Babe Ruth, is affiliated with Cal Ripken for the
twelve and under divisions and Babe Ruth for thirteen and up. In Little
League players don’t get to steal bases until they are over 12, but in
Poughkeepsie Babe Ruth, base stealing is introduced in our 9-10 Minors
Division and leading in the 11-12 Majors division. Also, our 11-12 Majors
players play on our 50-70 field which is larger than the
Minors but not quite as big as a big league field. The pitchers mound is 50 feet away and the bases are 70
feet apart. A big league field is 60 feet from the pitchers mound and 90 feet between the bases. The
“in-between-” field dimensions allow the players to adjust to playing on a bigger field and learn real
baseball at an earlier age.
See Cal Ripken/Babe
Ruth Rule Differences for additional information.
- I’ve seen flyers and advertisements for other leagues near me. What are your league
boundaries?
We operate mainly in the Town of Poughkeepsie, south of Spackenkill Road. The official boundaries
for the league are Fishkill to Hyde Park.
- My child participates in another sport also. When are the games usually played?
Tee ball games are played twice during the week. Rookie, Minor and Major games are played one day during the
week and one game on Saturday. We have been in contact with Soccer to coordinate scheduling for our younger
divisions.
- How long is the season?
Opening day is usually the third Saturday in April and play continues through early June
with playoffs for our Minor divisions on up. For our Minors and Majors, All-Star Tournament play begins
in mid-June and continues through mid July, depending on each team’s success.
- Are there other opportunities to play besides the regular season?
Yes. We have a Fall Ball program aimed at ages 8 to 15. Emphasis is on
fun and instruction. Practices begin mid-August and play continues until the
end of October. We also offer clinics with local baseball facilities over
the winter to keep players’ skills sharp as well as opportunities for Travel
teams for some ages.
- My child has no equipment. What will they need to start?
At the very least your child should have their own baseball mitt. Bats and helmets are provided at each level
and catcher’s gear is even provided for Rookies on up. Of course, each child loves to have their own unique
bat, so to find out how to choose the right bat please check our website for our guidelines from Babe
Ruth International. A bag to carry all of their gear is recommended for Rookies on up. We provide shirts at
every level but not baseball pants. Two pair of gray pants are recommended, but white or black can work as
well. Belts and socks are provided to players in the Minors on up. For cleats, be sure they are made for baseball, not
soccer. Baseball cleats allow the player to pivot on their front toe for
batting, while soccer cleats do not.
- My child’s brother/sister needs to do community service in order to satisfy a requirement
for school or religious instruction. Is there anything they can do to fulfill this requirement?
Yes. As a not-for-profit organization we rely on volunteers. Our biggest need is help in the concession
stands at Red Oaks Mill field, but we have a number of committees that may be able use their assistance as
well.
- My child is 6 but has been playing baseball with his big brothers for a while now. Does
he have to start in tee ball?
We've split the Rookie Division into Coach Pitch (6/7) and
Player Pitch (7/8) so he/she will be in the Rookie Division. It was felt
that T-Ball was not appropriate for most 6 year olds.
- My child is 8 but seems ready to play with 9 and 10 year olds in the Minors Division.
How would that work for registration?
We believe splitting the Rookie Division into two groups (6/7 year olds
and 7/8 year olds based on an evaluation) will give 8 year olds a better
opportunity to play in a real game situation similar to Minors. They will
also have a better opportunity to play all positions (including
Pitcher/Catcher/SS) and be leaders on their teams than they will have in
the Minor Division playing with older players.
- Can you give me more information on the Rookie Division ?
There will be two divisions for Rookie. Rookie A (Coach
Pitch for 6/7 year olds) and Rookie AA (Player Pitch for 7/8 year olds). Some
of the details are still being worked out but the current plan is:
Rookie A (Coach Pitch) will be the same as our past Rookie Division. As the
season progresses, the players will begin to pitch as well.
Rookie AA (Player Pitch) will play games with umpires and have playoffs
like the older divisions. We believe this will be more interesting and
exciting for the players and better prepare them for Minors. This
division will play under the Cal Ripken 8 year old All-Star rules which are
similar to Minors rules. See
8U 2011 Rules for
more information.
There will be an evaluation day for all 7 and 8 year olds
to determine which division is best for the 7 year olds and also to allow us
to make balanced teams for the Rookie AA Division.
For more details see our Rookie Division page.
- My child is 10 and had a huge growth spurt. Should he stay in the Minors or can he move up
to the Majors?
Our league is all about allowing players to challenge themselves. While
height isn’t an indication of skill, we do allow players to "play up" if
desired.
-
Do you allow players to "Play Up" into the next
division or in a younger division ?
Every
season there are players that would like to play at the
older
age division
(and the
younger
age
division). Please contact us (info@pokbaberuth.org)
before completing the online registration so we can override the system if
needed to get your child into the appropriate division.
In the end, we’ll work with you to determine which Division is best for your child.
- My son is 12 and pretty good. Are there tournament opportunities?
Yes. Our All-Star teams have captured the 8U, 10U and 11U Division championships in the last couple of years
and have advanced to state tournaments. In addition, our leagues are incorporating more travel-team style
games in the regular season to expose players to other area leagues.
- If my child has a problem with another player who do I talk to?
Please go to your coach, If you’re not satisfied please contact the league president.
- Who do I contact if my child didn’t receive a uniform or is missing items from the
uniform?
Contact your coach.
- Great! Where do I sign up?
Check out the website registration page
at http://www.pokbaberuth.org/register.html
