Diamond Club Meeting – September 21, 2017 - Mark Downey Report

Thank You

As we get going with efforts for the 2018 season, thank you to everyone for all the efforts and accomplishments of the 2017 high school season – many significant enhancements like the two new batting cage nets and new Storage Facility were provided last year!

Also, thank you in advance for all the efforts that the Diamond Club will provide this coming year in support of Mounds View High School Baseball.

Your efforts are significant in support of the high school baseball players. On behalf of all the Coaches and Players – Thank You! Know that we recognize and very much appreciate your significant contributions to the baseball program.

Players

Player Numbers: The number of players expected to tryout for baseball next spring will likely change between now and the start of the season. At the present time, here are the numbers anticipated to tryout based upon those that played last spring:

  • Seniors: 13
  • Juniors: 12
  • Sophomores: 22
  • Freshman: From SAYB lists and Summer Fun / Winter Clinic lists, I have 45 freshmen parents currently on the email distribution list. I sent an introductory letter to the parents of these freshmen recently. The number typically reduces down to 25-30 freshmen trying out.

Player Apparel: We will have an initial meeting with the Captains in September to discuss Player Apparel for 2018. It’s helpful, but not a necessity, to have a Captain’s parent involved to bring the parent perspective to the planning and design process.

Varsity Uniforms:The school purchased new varsity white (home) uniform tops for the 2017 season. The tentative plan is to purchase new varsity green (away) uniform tops for 2019. Thus, each uniform top will be replaced every 4 years.

Old Jerseys: The old white varsity jerseys, replaced by new ones in 2017, were offered to former players that wore them for a $25 donation to help defray the cost of producing any duplicate jersey numbers required. Twenty players requested a jersey; the $25 donation for each jersey should about cover the expense for producing 6 new jerseys.

Coaching Staff

All coaches from the 2017 season plan to return for the 2017 season except:

  • Alex Hinseth: Personal and professional time commitments.
  • Aaron Ogdahl: Personal and professional time commitments.
  • John Evangelist: New job; not available after school.

We expect to finalize our high school coaching staff over the next few months.

Financial

State of Minnesota Filing: The State of Minnesota annually provides a request for the Diamond Club to file renewal paperwork. I will provide to the Diamond Club Officers when I receive the request.

Summer Financial Activity: Activity since the last Diamond Club Meeting in May, 2017; all previously approved by the Diamond Club:

  • Scoreboard Championships Banner: The invoice for $1012.00 was paid through MVHS, and the Diamond Club reimbursed MVHS the same amount.
  • Batting Cages: The batting cages were purchased and delivered. The cages were $2093.47 and rope/carabiners to hang the nets were $115.90. The Diamond Club budget approved previously for this was $4000, so we were obviously able to spend significantly less than that. MVHS paid the invoice, and the Diamond Club reimbursed MVHS the same amount.
  • Storage Facility Shelving: I purchased one shelving unit, and also some boards to create some shelf space up in the rafters. The shelf unit was $74.98, and the boards were $35.87. The total was $110.85. The Diamond Club budget approved previously for this was $250. These were also paid for, and then reimbursed by the Diamond Club.

2018 Baseball Operations Budget: A proposed Budgetfor Diamond Clubconsideration.

  • Reminder that MV Schools pays for transportation, officials, uniforms and equipment that is essential to the program. This will include new game uniforms approximately every 4 years. MV Schools pays for Field maintenance supplies (e.g. Mound Clay, Conditioner, new Home Plate this year). In general, if it stays with the program, MV Schools will pay for it.
  • If it stays with the player, the Booster Club pays for it. The Booster Club also pays for large items such as a Maintenance Vehicle, screens and batting cages.
  • So, this proposed budget is for additional baseball operations items not covered by MV Schools; items the Diamond Club would fund if approved. This proposed budget includes a line item comparison to the 2017 budgeted and actual expenses. The 2018budget total is $5330. The 2017 budget approved last year was $6010, and we actually spent $5929.

Financial(Cont’d)

  • This proposed 2018 Baseball Operations Budget is just one component of the overall Diamond Club budget, and does not include Senior Bats, All-Star Series Ads, Senior Banquet, and any other Diamond Club authorized expenses.

Additional Possible Uses for Diamond Club Funds:Below are some possible uses for Diamond Club funds for the Diamond Club to discuss that I am aware of. There certainly could be other items that the Diamond Club wants to consider as well.

  • Screens for Infield during BP: Two large screens to protect fielders who are taking ground balls during batting practice on the field - $1300 total.
  • Windscreen: Recall the old windscreen was not installed in 2017; except for the batters eye area in dead center field. This was as a result of thewindscreen contributing to significant fence storm damage twice in the last few years. The Diamond Club evaluated alternative windscreen options with significantly more air pass-through last year. A manufacturer was found that produced a product that was determined by the District to be OK for high winds and fence structure. The cost of this windscreen was estimated to be $5000-$6000. For comparison, “standard” baseball field windscreen like that which we have runs $2000-$3000. The Diamond Club tabled the matter; to see how the fence would look in 2017 without the windscreen (and with the banners in place).
  • Paved Path from Back Parking Lot to Baseball Field: It is challenging for some people to navigate the uneven, and many times wet, grass area to get to the baseball field to watch a game. A paved path would obviously help. The District will provide an estimate of what this would cost shortly.
  • Fieldhouse – Week of March 12: The Diamond Club funds a Fieldhouse for the first week of full baseball practices (March 19). With this new “throwing practices only” week (March 12), there is the question of where to conduct these practices. My opinion is that if there is a no cost or very low cost Fieldhouse option, it is something to consider since it provides for a longer toss capability. But, if not, conducting these practices in the MVHS Gyms is fine. I am in discussion with Bethel on this, as we have shared facilities with them in the past, and their Spring Break is this week of March 12. It appears that something may be able to work here.

Financial(Cont’d)

  • Batting Helmets: Jon Jepko and I discussed the possibility of considering a change to how we handle player batting helmets.

Current Process The school provides helmets for each team. Each team has 8 helmets of various sizes that players share during games and practices.

Current Helmet: The Rawlings helmets we stock today are $34/each. The school buys 6-8 new helmets each year to replace old ones no longer usable.

Current Inventory:2017: 7. 2016: 10. 2015/2014 (Schutt helmets): 14

Options going forward:

Option A: Leave things as they are today. Players share helmets.

Option B: Each player is issued their own helmet at the beginning of the season, and they return them at the end of the season. Similar to how the football program helmets work. MVHS would continue to buy helmets; there would be a one-time requirement to purchase about 50 helmets to create a sufficient inventory of helmets for all players. I would need approval from MV Schools for this significant one-time expense that is not currently budgeted.

Option C: Each player is provided their own helmet which is theirs to keep. As with other items that stay with the participants, this would be funded by the Diamond Club (just like caps and socks are now).

C1: As with socks and caps, the Diamond Club funds a helmet for each player that is theirs to keep; no charge to the player. Players are issued a helmet when they make a team as a Freshman. If a player outgrows their helmet before graduating, or it becomes unusable/breaks (very unlikely), the Diamond Club would need to determine if there would be a charge (or not) for the replacement helmet.

C2: The Diamond Club charges players for helmets; they are theirs to keep.

Fundraising

Fundraising Dinner:

  • Our largest Fundraiser is obviously the annual Fundraising Dinner. As we have discussed previously, this event is much more than a fundraising event for the baseball community, and I believe we should strongly consider continuing it.
  • In past years, we have scheduled this event around TwinsFest in order to help secure a speaker from the Minnesota Twins. TwinsFest is usually the last weekend in January. I was just informed that due to the Super Bowl being in Minneapolis this season (February 4), TwinsFest will be moved a week earlier (January 19-21). Sunday, January 21 is also NFL Championship Sunday. One topic for discussion is the date for this event.
  • I have had very preliminary discussions with the Twins about possible Speakers.

Field

Storage Facility: As mentioned above, I installed some shelving in the rafters over the summer to store lighter items.

Batting Cages: In the past couple of weeks, I have removed the old batting cages, and installed the new ones. I did this now since there is work involved with adding rope and caribiners to secure the cages to the metal poles and cables in place. Thus, installation next spring will go more quickly. I will take the batting cages down for the winter in October. Anyone interested in some netting from the old cages – please let me know!

Turtle Cover: I should be getting an old large Boat Lift cover donated that I plan to use to cover the Turtle for the winter. This will be a better option than the old thin plastic cover we have been using the past couple of years.

Field Maintenance:I will do some weekly maintenance throughout the fall with the infield grass (mowing), ag-lime weed control and ag-lime dragging. All other work can be done on our Field Setup Day in the spring – items such as adding ag-lime to some areas, a new home plate, and mound clay work.

Outfield Fence: As always, it will be re-installed this fall following the fall sports seasons.

Graffiti: The inside of the 3B dugout experienced some Graffiti this summer. The MVHS Custodians were able to remove it right away.

Schedule / Baseball Season

Schedule – Website: As events are scheduled, I add them to the home page of the team website; so this is a good source for upcoming events.

Season Start: The season starts Monday, March 12, 2018; the same week as the Mounds View Schools Spring Break. I recently sent a letter to all parents with that information, and how we approach this.

Week of March 19 - Fieldhouse:

  • Full baseball practices begin the week of March 19. The NSC has offered us the opportunity to use their facility again as we did last two years. Based upon previous Diamond Club discussions, the NSC is considered a great option in terms of cost (significantly reduced for us), proximity and parking, and it is an outstanding facility to conduct our practices.
  • Other options that we have previously evaluated include Bethel, Macalester, Hamline, U of M, St. Thomas, Vadnais Dome and the West St. Paul Dome. In past years, these were not available and/or cost prohibitive.

Schedule / Baseball Season (Cont’d)

  • We are in school the week of March 19; thus the usual 2:00PM – 5:00PM practice time at the NSC will not work. We have requested 3:00PM – 6:00PM - this may or may not be possible. We may be limited to using the facility up until 5:00PM; we could possibly start at 2:30. Either way, we would provide a bus immediately after school to the NSC, and parents would be responsible for picking their son up following practice. Students could also drive themselves to the NSC after school.
  • Funding for this Fieldhouse is included in the 2018 Proposed Budget previously addressed.
  • Last year, we agreed that it did not make sense to pursue any Fieldhouse time beyond this first week of full baseball practices. I think the same approach applies again this year given the timing of the start of the season being relatively late in March.

2018BoysState basketball Tournament: Some years, the Boys State Basketball Tournament overlaps with the start of the Baseball season. In 2018, it is the same week as our first week of full baseball practices (March 21-24). I hope it becomes a conflict for those baseball players also playing varsity basketball!

Pictures: We’ll do team/individual pictures for all teams at practice on Friday, March 30.

MVHS Field Setup: MVHS Field Setup will be Saturday, March 31 for V/JV only. B and Freshman teams will help put up the McCullough and Bucher batting cages with SAYB at another time during a regularly scheduled practice as we have done in past years.

2018 Game Schedules: The 2018 conference games (16)for all 4 teams are on the Suburban East website ( As non-conference games are scheduled, they will be added. I hope to have the scheduling of 4 non-conference games for each of the 4 teams completed in October.

SAYB Day: This obviously works best to be on a Saturday. This year’s varsity Irondale game will be at MVHS on Saturday, May 5. I would propose that we do SAYB Day on this date.

SAYB Pitch-Hit-Run Day: Will be Saturday, May 5. This is an event we annually provide support to SAYB through all of our players spending an hour running the stations. It is the same day as our varsity game vs. Irondale, so the varsity players will work an hour prior to pre-game activities that day.

Senior Day and Teacher Appreciation Day: We will schedule these two events when the Varsity schedule is completed with the 4 non-conference games.

Schedule / Baseball Season (Cont’d)

Season End Banquet: I believe the Diamond Club has already reserved this for Sunday, May 20 at Dellwood Country Club.

Grad Party Open Houses: Reminder to Senior Parents to please consider the baseball schedule when planning Grad Party Open Houses.

Miscellaneous

Summer Fun: The Summer Fun program went well as always; we had 120 participants. We had 14 high school players work the Summer Fun Program. The program is an opportunity for the high school players to earn a little spending money in the summer, and through their interaction with young baseball players in the area they help foster a great image for Mounds View High School Baseball!

SAYB: I will meet with SAYB President Brian Flanagan shortly to discuss the ongoing relationship; including events we do on an annual basis in support of SAYB.

  • SAYB Day at a MV Game
  • Coaching Clinic for SAYB Coaches
  • Winter Players Clinic
  • Pitch-Hit-Run Day support
  • Help put-up the McCullough and Bucher batting cage nets

Team Website: Mounds View Schools (MVHS and Irondale) has decided to move off the current athletics website platform. For now, all the baseball material exists on the current site as always. I will look at moving material to the new platform shortly.

Discussion Items from above:

  • 2018 Budget and Fieldhouse
  • Batting Helmets
  • Plans for Using Diamond Club Funds
  • Fundraising Dinner
  • Other Items / Questions?