Weather woes continue for SML

If the weather keeps up the way it has been going for much longer, the players of the Saipan Major League will have to wait until an old white guy finishes building his big wooden boat before they will be able to set sail into the postseason, as the Northern Yankees and the Budweiser Kings received news once again that the SML playoffs were postponed.

According to league coordinator Tony Rogolifoi, the marshy conditions at the Oleai Sports Complex preclude the players from taking Francisco M. Palacios Field for the final four anytime soon.

“It’s the same old story here. The field is still too wet to play,” he said.

While Saipan was spared the soaking rain during most of the day, the runoff from the high ground continued its flow to the lagoon, and the facility grounds completely saturated.

It has been a long time since the Yankees wrapped up the pennant, but they will play the first day possible when the weather finally clears. When that happens, the playoffs will be a go with the Yankees facing off against the Budweiser Kings at 6:30pm. The defending champion Miller Lite Brewers and the Ford Rangers will continue the postseason schedule with the start of their best-of-three series the following night. The winners will advance to a best-of-five series in the championship.

While the news is the same for the SML, Rogolifoi said that there will be new developments for hardballers in the Fall League. The boys of autumn will not be playing at Palacios field as Rogolifoi said that it will be off limits to allow the infield to grow a grassy cover.

The purpose of the new look will be two fold. Rogolifoi said that the change to grass will make it easier and more cost effective for his staff to mainmtain, but added that there will be added benefits as well.

“When we go off island to compete they always have a grass field. The boys can adjust well, but I wanted our players to get used to it here because we go off island for the major sporting events and they have the grass infield,” he said.

None of the planting will commence until the completion of the SML playoffs, but that may take a while with the continuing poor weather.

The weather has also put a wrench into the plans of the proposed Masters League. Rogolifoi said that the new four-team league is still in the works, but it will have to wait until SML playoffs are complete as well.

The initial plan for the scheduling of the two leagues was to be held on alternating nights at Palacios field, but with the change to grass, the teams will have to move elsewhere.

“The Fall League will tentatively be in Marpi but that will be pending the folks lending the field, and (Palacios field) should be ready by February,” said Rogolifoi.

Rather than have one team dominate the league, Rogolifoi said that he is planning to have a draft to divide the talent equally among the teams. Though more details will be released closer to the start of the season, Masters League will consist of co-ed players aged 35-and-over.

For more information about the SML Fall League or Masters League, contact Rogolifoi by calling 664-2508/3.