The 21st season of Maui Adult Baseball League action will open up this Sunday, January 27. Games will start at 10:00am with the West Maui Brewers hosting the Makena Royals in Lahaina, and the Upcountry Dirtbags facing off against the Lahaina Warriors at Maui High. Those games will be followed by the La Perouse Pirates and Central Rays in Lahaina, and the Pacific Hurricanes against the Kihei Centipedes at Maui High at 1:15pm.
Changes this season include a loosening of restrictions on ex-professional players; someone who played for an MLB-affiliated team at any level is now eligible to play in the MABL after two years, or immediately for one of the bottom two teams from the previous season, non-MLB affiliated professional players are able to play for the team of their choice. Courtesy runners are now limited to the pitcher, catcher, and one additional player denoted on the lineup card prior to the first pitch. The number of forfeits will now serve as the first tie-breaker for playoff seeding, and reverting to a previous requirement, players must appear in a minimum of 5 games to be eligible for the playoffs.
The official ball of the MABL for the Spring 2019 season will be the Rawlings R100-H2, which was tested during the playoffs last year. In addition, the All Star Game at the end of the season will include a Home Run Derby competition aiming to crown the league’s top long ball hitter. For a recap of the most recent MABL Board Meeting, view the Meeting Minutes here. For the full list of games through April 15, check out the Schedule page. Come out and support your favorite players as they take the field this weekend, and good luck to everyone participating in the Spring 2019 season!