Spring 2017 All Star Formats
The Manatee Cal Ripken at Heritage Harbour Baseball 8U through 12U All Star teams are selected to represent our
league in competition against other Cal Ripken leagues in our district, state, and country. We field as many teams as
we can as long we have enough coaches and players who can commit to it.
Each team celebrates and showcases the talent and pride within our league as they compete at each level. The
players, coaches, and families selected make a considerable time and financial sacrifice for this competition.
Players will go through a selection process by both their regular season coaches and possibly a tryout (if there are
more than 15 going out for any age group) in front of the All-Star coaches, and possibly other league officials. As
sometimes players “play up” a division and do not play the regular season in their natural age group division for the
regular season, they are still eligible to play in their age group for All Stars. This is a common league practice we use
to help level the competition during the regular season and is an approved practice by Cal Ripken (& Babe Ruth)
Baseball. To be eligible for the competitive all-star format, a player must have played in at least half of their regular
team’s games. Their eligibility age is based on their age as of April 30th.
Noting this, in the spring 2015 the league decided to celebrate the best players that played within each division
(Rookies, Minors, & Majors) and started the Intra-league “Divisional All-Star Games” held on Championship
Saturday. We have received some very exciting and positive feedback each season we have done it. Divisional AllStar participants will be comprised of players chosen by each of the teams’ coaches and/or players and play in a fun,
relaxed environment to celebrate their success this season. This additional format fields enough All Stars for two
teams within each division to play an “All-Star Game” against each other on Championship Saturday (May 13th).
There is no other commitment outside of this game!
A player, if selected, can play in the League Divisional All-Star game for the division he/she played most of his games
in as well as the competitive age group All-Star team he/she qualifies for. Here are some examples:
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Player A (age 10) played the whole season in his own division (Minors, 9-10 years old). If selected, he/she can play in
both his League Divisional All-Star game and on the competitive 10U All-Star team (or higher age group).
Player B (age 10) “played up” a division in the Majors (Majors, 11-12 years old). If selected, he/she can play in the
Majors Divisional All-Star game and on the competitive 10U All-Star team or higher age group.
Player C (age 9) played the whole season in his own division (Minors, 9-10 years old). If selected, he/she can play in
both his/her League Divisional All-Star game and on either the 9U or 10U competitive All-Star team (or higher, but not
lower than his/her age limit).
Player D (Age 7) played the whole season in her division (Rookies, 7-8 years old). If selected, she can play in both her
League Divisional All-Star game and on the Rookie (8U) competitive All-Star team (or higher).
Player E (age 13) played the whole season in the Majors division. He/she is ONLY eligible for the Intra-League All-Star
format.
In addition to playing in the All-Star game, players may be nominated to play in their division’s Home Run Derby.
These players are also recognized as All-Stars although they may or may not play in the All-Star game.
More information is to come on this event and other activities during Championship Saturday on May 13th!
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Steve Marrero, President, Manatee Cal Ripken Baseball @ Heritage Harbour