Detailed League Information

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.......

NEW PLAYERS: It COSTS you NOTHING to join our Free Agent / Pool Player list, and by signing up, your INFO will be made available to ALL of our managers. Signing up for the Free Agent / Pool Player list online is simple: just click JOIN LABL and fill out the form. If you get picked up by a team, great! If not, don't worry, things change during the season and you may get a call from a team in need later on. And, the league either tries to place free agents to teams in need, or holds tryouts before each new season (held twice a year - spring and fall) for players that are still looking for a team, and have not found one. To all of you who might be thinking of getting back into the game, we echo the National slogan of MSBL: Don't go Soft, Play Hardball!!

• Our summer season (March - September) length is 20/21 games, and our winter season (October - January) length is 8-10 games. We do not scheduled games on National Holiday Weekends.
• Divisional playoff and Championship games (for players/teams that qualify). Top 4 teams in each division qualify for playoffs. Most summer championship games are played at college and minor league stadiums.
• Summer winning teams get a generous credit towards the next summer season's fees.
• Individual player awards for Batting Champ, MVP, and Cy Young for our summer league.
• Players qualify for the MSBL WORLD SERIES held each fall in Phoenix, AZ. Play on the fields the pros play on!!!
• Divisions available* based on ability and minimum age: 18+, 25+, and 35+. *Minimum of 4-6 teams per division.
• Player fees: Fees depend on the roster size, but they are generally between $400 - $550 for the summer season, and generally between $200 - $275 for the winter season. This includes player's weekly share of umpire fees. This is only about $20 - $25 per scheduled game. Pool players pay by the game until they are "signed" to a team roster.
• League fees pay for: Field rentals/permits, field maintenance/game day preparation, donations, liability insurance, accident/injury insurance, MSBL membership, administrative staff/overhead, Diamond D-1 baseballs (per team), custom scorebooks and line-up cards.
• Players who have played professionally during the past 3 LABL seasons are only eligible to play in the Sunday Wood Open division.
• All new teams receive a large equipment bag or ball bucket/lid.

RETURNING PLAYERS: We strongly recommend that you contact your team manager regarding his roster plans for you regarding the upcoming season.

MINIMUM AGE: TO PLAY IN TOP DIVISION (Open), YOU MUST HAVE REACHED AGE 18 BY OPENING DAY, and you must possess above average skills.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Date of birth is higher for 25+, 35+ age bracket divisions. In these divisions, you must have reached the age bracket's minimum age by 12/31/2013.

RETURNING TEAMS/ MANAGERS: The time to register is now! Click here to register. A word to the wise...once a season is completed, ALL players are free agents, so get your players committed by registering for your team.

NEW TEAMS/ MANAGERS: If you have a NEW team interested in joining the LABL, please contact Dave Becker at dbecker24@verizon.net or 310-374-5731.

The LABL, Inc. (Los Angeles Baseball League) is an organization dedicated to playing the game of baseball on the best fields and with the best umpires available to us. We also believe in "giving something back" through structured contributions to the baseball programs on whose fields we are allowed to play. Our League is governed by the team managers (League Board) and is operated by the League President. We also have a Rules/Disciplinary Committee that handles rules, disciplinary issues, and other issues on an as needed basis.

LABL … Adult Organized Baseball, since 1989.

What is the LABL? The LABL, Inc. (Los Angeles Baseball League) is an organization dedicated to playing the game of baseball on the best fields and with the best umpires available to us. We also believe in "giving something back" through structured contributions to the baseball programs on whose fields we are allowed to play. Our League is governed by the team managers (League Board) and is operated by the League President. We also have a Rules/Disciplinary Committee that handles rules, disciplinary issues, and other issues on an as needed basis.

Why choose the LABL? The LABL is a highly organized league that plays a 20/21-game summer schedule (March - September), and an 8 - 10 game winter schedule (October - January) on the best high school and college fields available. All fields have mounds, infield grass and fences; and all games have 2 umpires. We have Saturday and Sunday leagues with divisions available for all ages and abilities. And, most summer championship games are played at minor league stadiums or college fields with announcers.

You have Saturday & Sunday leagues? We have separate leagues for each day, you can play in either, or if you are able to commit to the time and expense, and you love to play ball (like many of our players do), you can play both days. We have National and American divisions available for our Saturday divisions, and we have many options for our Sunday divisions.

What divisions do you have, and what type of competition is available for my team? Basically our divisions are based on age and ability. Meaning that you have to be a certain age to participate, and then you decide which ability level is best suited for your team. We have National and American divisions for most age groups, and, depending on the amount of teams we may have other divisions. We also have a Sunday Open division which is the for the most highly skilled players.

What are the skill levels of each division? The National division is always a higher ability division than the American. Some years we have a Continental or Federal division, which would be a lower ability division than the American, and we usually have a Sunday Open division that is usually the highest quality of play. So basically, play in the division that makes you the most happy. Here is a sample of our typical divisions…in order of ability, so you can get an idea of which division would best suit your abilities…..Sunday Open, Saturday National, Sunday Metal National, Sunday South Bay National, Sunday Metal American, Saturday American, Sunday South Bay American, Sunday Continental, or Sunday Federal. And of course keep in mind the age restrictions of a division will influence the overall ability level.

What do you mean by "highly organized"? The LABL has been around since 1989, when the league consisted of 4 teams. This season's team count is 60. So we must be doing something right. We have our schedules made and posted in a timely fashion. We communicate field changes, roster changes, rules changes, or any other information as quickly as possible. In short, we communicate! Our website has stories, schedules, stats, videos, and all of the information needed to keep you up to date. Our Facebook page is filled with important updates, stories, photos, and our players can communicate with other players anytime.

What is the cost per team for the season? The cost per team is $4,275 for the summer season, and check later for the 2013 winter season. You may say, "wow, that seems high". But it's really not. It's roughly only $20 per game per player. Other leagues may have similar per season rates, but remember, our season is 20/21 games guaranteed for our summer season, and 8 games guaranteed for our winter season! Umpire fees are not included in the league fees.

What does it cost for umpires? $70 per team on gameday; payable prior to the start of the game to the umpires. This amount is not included in, or part of the league fees.

What exactly do my team league fees pay for? Field rentals/permits, field maintenance/game day preparation, donations to our fields baseball programs, liability insurance, accident/injury insurance, MSBL membership, administrative staff/overhead, Diamond D-1 baseballs (per team), custom scorebooks and line-up cards.

What about playoffs and championships? Playoff and championship games are included in the league fee should your team qualify for the playoffs. And, most summer championship games are played on quality college, or minor league fields with scoreboards and announcers.

You say you "give back" to help baseball programs. What does that mean? Besides the permit and prep fees, we give structured contributions to the baseball programs on whose fields we are allowed to play. This helps these programs (kids) that are in dire need of help.

What does "league age" mean? Simply put, your league age for the 2013 summer season is how old you will be on December 31, 2013. Many of our divisions are age sensitive, so knowing a players "league age" is important.

I still have questions, who can I get more info from? Please carefully read all of the INFO, and then if you still have questions, please email Dave Becker @ dbecker24@verizon.net or 310-374-5731.

LABL … Adult Organized Baseball, since 1989.

ALL PLAYERS AND MANAGERS: NO DOGS ALLOWED! We all love dogs, but NONE of our fields allow them to be present. So, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR DOG @ HOME. And advise friends and family who might be coming to your game: No Dogs Allowed! Failure to comply could cost us a field. And we are NOT going to risk that, right? Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action.Thanks for your immediate co-operation.

YOU, TOO, COULD BE BLUE! No, we're not suggesting that you change your mood or your color...We're talking about wearing the blue. No, not Dodger Blue...Umpire Blue! That's right, if you've entertained the notion of actually making the calls (versus second-guessing the calls), now's your chance. If you think you have what it takes, and want to learn the ropes, umpire assignor Al Walters is looking for a few good men with blue potential. No experience necessary. Several of our current players have been through the training program and have been actively umpiring local area High School games as well as games in our League--as well as others. Quite a different view from that side of the baseball world, they've discovered. Anyway, if you want more info, email or call Al (Wally) Walters. His email is waltersblue@aol.com and his phone is: (323)258-7313. Visit the website for more umpire info at www.umpirelaunit.org

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