Most of the coaches in American Legion Zone VI baseball like the idea.
I don’t know if I do.
Back in March, those that oversee the Legion baseball state tournament voted to go back to the old format for the play-in round of the state tournament.
Four sites with all of the teams that qualified for postseason play peppered all over the place.
It’s probably more exciting for the players as they get to see new faces.
It’s probably a little less exciting for those who go to watch.
Why?
None of the sites for the play-in round are exactly next door.
South Windsor, Simsbury, Windsor Locks, and New Britain with East Hartford sprinkled in for good measure is not exactly a trip to Ledyard High like last year. (Part of that is our own fault, no local site was willing to host a play-in round).
Add in the $4-plus-a-gallon for gas and it’s even less enticing for those who may want to go and watch the games. (Newsflash: There’s actually a station in Connecticut selling gas a little below $4 a gallon, I guess we’re supposed to be happy about that).
So it’s off to East Hartford for Jewett City; to Simsbury for New London and Norwich; to South Windsor for Danielson and Montville and to New Britain for Niantic this weekend.
One local team gets to sit back and watch. Zone VI champ Waterford already has a space reserved for it at the state tournament in Middletown next week.