Orinda Baseball Association (OBA)

Game Votes. Following each game, the Managers send an email to their Commissioner with the names of 3 (Pinto) or 4 (Mustang) players on the opposing team, who demonstrated good baseball ability and attitude.

Player Votes. The Commissioner will ask each manager to solicit votes from their own team. Using a "closed ballot" format, the players will be asked to circle the name of 3-4 players on their own team who they feel should make the Tournament Team. In Pinto and Mustang, the Player votes are used by the Commissioner to identify any additional candidates from a given team that for some reason have earned very few or no game votes and having earned a ‘top 3 player’ designation from their teammates, should be included in the pool of candidates from which the teams will be selected

Tournament Team Selection Meeting. The meeting for each division will be attended by the Commissioner and Managers. First Coaches are welcome to attend, if they like, to provide the Managers with additional input and/or represent their team if the Manager cannot be present. It is important that each team have representation since the vote is conducted as 1 vote per team. In addition, another OBA Board member will attend the meeting to ensure the procedure is closely followed.

The accumulated results of the game votes and player votes, as described above, will be provided to the Managers. Each Manager will then have the opportunity to describe why the players on their team that have been nominated should be voted onto the Tournament Team.

Each Manager will then be asked to rank the players in order from 1 to 26 (2 teams of 12 players and allowing for 2 alternates). The Commissioner will collect the list/ballot from the Managers (1 per team).
Post Selection Meeting. Immediately following the selection date (the very next night if possible), and BEFORE the teams are released, the OBA President, Player Advocate and all division Commissioners will meet to review each divisions proposed selections. Each Commissioner will debrief the group on how the players were selected and whether the prescribed process was followed. Once the teams have been approved, the Commissioner will then determine the Manager of the Tournament Team(s).

Announcing the Teams: The rosters of the teams will then be made public through an email to all OBA families as well as being posted on the OBA Website.

OBA fields an All-Star team to compete in various post-season tournaments. The selection of All-Stars is a mixture of qualitative and quantitive data to ensure both a fair selection process as well as fielding the most competitive team possible.

The following guidelines govern the selection and management of OBA’s All Star and Tournament teams.  They are intended for distribution to Commissioners, All-Star and Tournament team Managers, and parents for guidance regarding the selection process.  They are intended to be guidelines only, and the actual selection process may vary by division.

Approximately mid-way through the season the appropriate division Tournament Team Application Form from the OBA website or the applicable form will be made available to all OBA participants.  Each family should indicate whether they would like their player to be considered for either the Tournament or All Star Team, and if so return the completed form to the player’s Manager.  Players completing and returning the form are indicating that they would like to be considered for either team.  They are also stating that they will be available for all of the tournaments in which their division’s Tournament or All-Star team will be entered.  Submission of the form is required for consideration on these teams, but does not guarantee a spot on either team.  

Players are discouraged from indicating availability to play only to see if they “make the team,” but with no intention of actually playing.  Any player engaging in this type of conduct may, in accordance with OBA’s disciplinary policy, be ineligible for future Tournament and All Star team consideration.

Player Eligibility

    All players must be registered in OBA and have participated and played in at least 75% of the team’s regular season practices and games up to the date of selection.

    All players shall meet the age requirements for the applicable level of play.

    Players may miss no more than two (2) practices during the Tournament team practice period due to vacations or other events, and may miss no more than four (4) practices during the All Star team practice period.

    Players may be removed from a team per the discipline policy adopted by OBA or by tournament officials.

Player Selection

    The Division Commissioner is in charge of team selection.

    Teams will be selected by the Commissioner with input from the regular season team Managers based on baseball ability, attitude, availability, and the overall ability to contribute to a successful team.  In Pinto, Mustang, and Bronco, team Managers will be asked at the end of each game to e-mail the Commissioner the score of the game along with 3 or more names of the players on the opposing team that demonstrated good baseball ability and attitude, if any.

    Within two weeks of the announcement date (generally the first week of May for Tournament teams and the first week of June for All Star teams), there will be several selection actions taken (for Pinto, Mustang and Bronco):

        In the Bronco division, Managers may be asked to nominate players from their own team and provide a rationale for why they should be considered.

        Depending on division, Commissioners will go to each team practice with either a list of ALL of the names of the Orinda players in their division (Bronco), or simply a list of the players on the team whose practice the Commissioner is attending (Pinto and Mustang).  The Bronco Commissioner will ask each player to circle no more than twelve (12) names for the players they feel should make up the Tournament and/or All Star Team, and the Pinto and Mustang Commissioners will ask each player to circle no more than three (3) names.

        Where feasible and appropriate, Commissioners will observe different ball games during the last two weeks with this data in hand to get a first-hand look.

        The Commissioner will call a meeting in late April and late May with only Managers to select team members for the Tournament and All Star teams, respectively.  At the meeting, all of the opposing Manager selections, player’s own Manager selections (Bronco) (under no circumstances may a Manager nominate his own child or his coaches’ children), and the players’ own selections (wherein the player received more than three (3) player votes), will be listed on a board.  If appropriate and necessary in order to insure a sufficient number of players, and if approved by the Commissioner, each Manager will have an opportunity to advocate for the addition of no more than two (2) names to the list.  Each Manager will then have the opportunity to describe why the players on their team that have been nominated should be voted onto the Tournament and/or All Star team.Managers whose own child has been nominated will be asked to leave the room so the other Managers can have an open and honest discussion about the player in question.

        Once the team(s) has been selected, the Commissioner then determines the Manager of the Tournament or All Star teams from the pre-selected pool already approved by the Board and assigns the Manager(s) to the team(s).

        Voting:  Each Manager will list the top X kids in order from Xth to 1st (where X is 12 or 24 depending on the number of teams being created).  Players with the highest point total are the top X players elected for the tournament teams.  Example: a Manager selects the top player by awarding that individual 24 points (assuming two teams).  If there are eight Managers, he/she could possibly have only 192 points.

    Lastly, teams may be adjusted for pitching.  The Commissioner and Managers will discuss and, if appropriate, adjust teams if one team is over-weighted and another under-weighted in pitchers.

    Equal representation of regular season teams will not be a factor in post season All-Star and Tournament team selection.

    After the Tournament team selection, the same process is used for selection of the All-Star teams for Pinto, Mustang and Bronco.

    All-Star and Tournament teams will generally consist of no more than 12 players.  If needed, additional players will be added for pitching or other needs.

    Teams will be selected to produce the most competitive team taking into account team needs for different skills.
    Pre-Selection and Post-Selection Meetings

        At least three (3) weeks prior to the Tournament and All Star team selection dates, the Commissioners, the President, the EVP, the Director of Baseball Operations, and the Player Advocate shall meet to discuss the upcoming selections. Among other things, the participants will review the selection guidelines and process, select a common selection date and time that will be used by each division, make sure that each commissioner has collected, or is in the process of collecting, the requisite information as set forth in the selection guidelines as published by OBA, and is otherwise prepared, or will be prepared, to go forward with the selection on the agreed upon date.

        Immediately following the selection date (the very next night, if possible), and BEFORE any names or lists of selected players are made public or otherwise disclosed, this same group will meet to review each division's proposed selections. Among other things, the group will "debrief" each commissioner on how the players were selected, whether the prescribed guidelines and process were followed, the composition of the teams, selection of managers and coaches, and general logistics regarding tournament and/or sanction play for each division. Commissioners should admonish all managers and coaches who participate in the actual selection meeting NOT to disclose the names of any proposed selectees (including in particular players who are the sons or daughters of any of these participating managers and coaches) until AFTER this post-selection meeting has taken place AND AFTER they have been authorized by their commissioner to contact players and disclose the names of selectees.

    For Bronco Tournament Teams:

    The 2 Bronco Tournament teams will be comprised of players from the Bronco A teams, that play in the 680 Diablo League.  An evaluation/workout will be held to identify players from the B teams to fill any open roster spots on the Tournament teams.  Each B team will be asked to send their best 2-3 representatives to the evaluation/workout.   At the conclusion of the workout players will be selected by the Tournament Team Managers and the Bronco Commissioner.  Any additional Bronco Tournament Team(s) will be selected using the same procedure as Mustang and Pinto described here.

    

Minimum Play

At the Pinto and Mustang levels, each player shall play a minimum of two defensive innings every game.  For Bronco players, the two inning minimum is a targeted minimum for the tournament weekend, but is not mandated.  Other than adherence to the prescribed minimums, playing time is to be determined by the Manager.

Selection of Managers and Coaches

    Managers and coaches shall be selected by the Commissioner.  Managers require approval by the Board.

    Commissioners will provide a list of possible Managers for the teams to the Board for approval prior to selection of the teams. These names can be anybody who has a player in that division.

    Once teams have been created, the Commissioner will select and assign Managers from the pool of Managers already approved by the Board.  See Player Selection for more details.

Equipment Uniforms and Fields

    Use of OBA uniforms, equipment and fields requires Board approval.

    All tournament teams will use OBA-supplied Tournament Team jerseys which are property of OBA and shall not be altered or damaged in any way.  A $65 replacement fee will be charged for any altered or lost jerseys.  Tournament team hats will be provided by OBA and will be given to each player.  Teams are NOT to purchase ANY additional "tournament team" apparel or ask parents to purchase any extra apparel for tournaments (special t-shirts, jackets etc...)

    All-Star jackets, hats and insignia are limited to All-Star teams.  Unique hats, shirts and insignia for tournament teams require Board approval.

Tournaments

    Division Commissioner approval is required for entry into all tournaments.    Expenses other than entry fees are the responsibility of parents.

    OBA issued jerseys and equipment may not be used in tournaments not approved by OBA.

Scheduling

Games and practices shall be limited to five (5) per calendar week (this includes regular team’s schedule), except when tournament scheduling will not permit.

Commissioner

It is the responsibility of the Commissioner to ensure that each team under his/her jurisdiction is properly selected and managed.  The Commissioner should be in close communication with the Manager throughout the tournament season and promptly respond to inquiries from parents, tournament and league officials and Board members.