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The Orange County Legends were created in 2019 as a part of the Legends Baseball Club. The inaugural OC Legends season was met with much fanfare and anticipation and the team lived up to the hype with an explosive offense that set the Sunset Baseball League single-season home runs record belting 41 home runs in 45 games. 

Recent OC Legends News

SBL Planning on 2020 Season in July

By Dave Sobieraj 06/24/2020, 12:30pm PDT

Check Out 2020 Guidelines and Procedures

We are thrilled to announce the 2020 Sunset Baseball League season will begin in July. We are looking forward to yet another great season. With that said, due to Covid-19, the 2020 season will look a little different. Here's policies and procedures for this season.

COVID-19 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

In addition to strict adherence to state and local orders regarding COVID-19, the Sunset Baseball League will monitor evolving CDC guidelines.

The precautions below are created specifically for the teams participating in the Sunset Baseball League.

1. ARRIVAL TO LEAGUE

a. If a player is coming from an area that is quarantined, he must inform coach and league and will requires a 14-day quarantine

b.If a player needs to have living arrangements,allow for players to sleep in separate rooms and the use of common areas should be kept to a minimum

c. Players should inform staff if they have been in contact within the past 14 days of anyone who has tested positive for COVID.

2. ARRIVAL TO VENUE

a.Before leaving for the venue, Athletes should evaluate if they are feeling ill and if so,not travel to the field.

b. All participants must adhere to six-foot physical distancing while at the facility.

c. Athletes are strongly recommended to travel to venue alone or with a member of their immediate household

d. Health check-in and logging of all participants, coaches, umpires,and staff at every event. Individuals with a temperature of 100.3 or higher will not be allowed to enter the facility and enter the league’s symptomatic protocol for confirmed or suspected cases.

3. PRACTICE

a. Face coverings are recommended for those not in play and/or on the bench and especially when six-foot distancing is difficult to maintain.

b.Players should bring individual water containers.

c. Hand washing or hand sanitizing (in the absence of soap and water) are strongly recommend for players during practice and games.

 

d. Whenever possible, equipment and personal items should be in player owned equipment bags and not shared. If equipment must be shared, proper sanitization should be administered between users.

e. For each practice session, it is recommended that coaches divide players into groups and establish rotating shifts when possible.

f.Only necessary players shall be in the dugout, with 6-foot social distancing. Other space outside of the dugout, in the bullpens, and in the stadium should be used to spread out.

4. PERSONAL HYGIENE

a. All participants should refrain from eating, spitting, or touching their faces during all events. Sunflower seeds and gum are not permitted.

b. If participants are sneezing or otherwise, they should walk away from others and sanitize their hands before returning to their previous location.

c.Hand washing or hand sanitizing (in the absence of soap and water) are strongly recommend for players during practice and games.

d. All participants should make sure that all their personal items are clean and sanitary upon arrival at all events.

5. SPECTATORS

a.If the state has a limit to the number of spectators that will be allowed to attend the game, the two teams playing are required to monitor and not go over that  limit.

b. If spectators attend, spectators are always recommended to wear face coverings .

c.Hand washing or hand sanitizing (in the absence of soap and water) is strongly recommended during games.

6. COACHES

a. Coaches should help ensure the players and themselves, are adhering to social distancing in dugouts and other seating areas.

b. It is recommended that coaches wear a face covering while not actively participating on the field of play.

c. Any individual, group, or team meetings should be held at a six-foot distance.

7. UMPIRES/OFFICIALS

a.Plate meeting should occur with only head coach of each team and the umpires.

b. Baseballs should be kept in their wrappers until handed to the umpire by the player/coach/ball boy. That person should wash their hands or sanitize prior to and after handing the baseballs to the umpire.

c. Umpires calling balls and strikes should allow adequate distance behind the pitcher and still allowing them to perform their duty.

d. Umpires are encouraged to wear a face covering

e. Only one umpire will be required to call the game.

8. GAMEPLAY

a.Face coverings are recommended for those not in play and/or on the bench and especially when six-foot distancing is difficult to maintain.

b. Hand washing or hand sanitizing (in the absence of soap and water) are strongly recommend for players during practice and games.

c.Players should bring individual water containers;team water coolers will not be provided.

d.Teams/players/coaches should find other ways to celebrate runs/hits and culmination of the game, avoiding high-fives or any other contact.

e. Instead of teams shaking hands at the end of the game, players should exit their dugouts and tip their caps.

f. Whenever possible, equipment and personal items should be in player owned equipment bags and not be shared. If equipment must be shared, proper sanitization should be administered between users.

g. Each team should have their own set of baseballs to be used when they are on defense

h. Pitchers use personal baseballs for bullpens

i.During dead ball situations, defensive players encouraged to step away from offensive players in batter’s box or on bases

j.A photo copy of the lineup should be sent via text to each team’s head coach,to umpire and to official score keeper to avoid any exchange of physical documents.

k.Only necessary players shall be in the dugout, with 6-foot social distancing. Open space/seating outside of the dugout, in the bullpens, and in the stadium should be used to spread out. Teams should consider asking players who will not play on a given day to stay home.

l. No souvenirs should be tossed into the stands or given to fans

m. Players are strongly discouraged from throwing the ball back to the pitcher after an out is made.

n.Other rule changes may be possible.

9. LEAVING THE VENUE

a. All participants should maintain social distancing during post-event meetings and/orwear masks during the meeting.

b. Athletes are strongly recommended to travel from venue alone or with a member of their immediate household.

c. Team meals should occur only in compliance with the guidelines issued for restaurants in the local areas.

d.Players should not sign autographs

10. CONFIRMED/SUSPECTED CASES

a. If a player, coach, staff or participant has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or is presumed positive by a medical professional due to symptoms, they should be excluded from practice/games until: No fever for at least 72 hours since recovery (without using fever-reducing medications), AND Other symptoms have improved (ie. coughing/SOB, chills, muscle aches), AND At least 10 days have passed since first symptoms.

b.If a player, coach, staff or participant has been diagnosed with COVID-19 but does not have symptoms, they should remain out of practice/games until 10 days have passed since the date of their first positive test, assuming they have not subsequently developed symptoms since their positive test. They must have 2 negative tests in a row, at least 24 hours apart before return to play.

c. Work with local health department to identify potentially infected or exposed individuals to help facilitate effective contact notification and testing.

d.Isolate and test all those highly suspected to be infected or those exposed to an infected person as soon as possible.

e. During and following testing, maintain contact with local health departments to initiate appropriate care and data collection.

11. FACILITY NEEDS

a. Post signage for league at all venues highlighting social distancing, symptom checks for all (performed by staff or ATC), and risk acknowledgement.

b. Each team/facility should have a sanitization station provided for all players, coaches, staff,and umpires.

c.Additional sanitation stations should be provided for fans around the ballpark

d.Facility staff should disinfect dugout, restrooms,and other high touch surfaces before and after each event.

e. Seating should be blocked off to ensure social distancing can be achieved. Individual and family sections should be provided.

f. Wherever lines form, there should be markings on the ground to help signify six-foot distancing.

12. EQUIPMENT

a. Each player should have his own helmet, batting gloves and wood bat if possible.

b.Team bats must be sanitized between each player use.

c. Baseballs

1.Game baseballs are to be right out of the packaging.

2.Player or person bringing the baseballs to the umpire should sanitize hands prior to bringing them out to field.

3.Game baseballs that are put into play should be replaced and sanitized using Prevent X 24/74.There should be a rotation of practice baseballs that are used from day to day and once a set has been used, it should be cycled out for a day or sanitized before using again.

13. WEATHER

a.In the event of inclement weather, if participants can’t safely shelter and maintain an appropriate six foot distance from others, they must shelter in their vehicle.

14. WHO IS ALLOWED AT AN EVENT

a.Tier 1 (essential)

1. Athletes, Coaches, Officials, Event Staff, Medical Staff, Security

b.Tier 2 (preferred)

2.Media, Volunteers

c. Tier 3 (non-essential)

3. Spectators, Vendors SBL TEAM’S RESPONSE PLAN TO SYMPTOMATIC OR CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19 CONFIRMED/SUSPECTED CASES

a. If a player, coach, staff or participant has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or is presumed positive by a medical professional due to symptoms, they should be excluded from practice/games until: No fever for at least 72 hours since recovery (without using fever-reducing medications), AND Other symptoms have improved (ie. coughing/SOB, chills, muscle aches), AND At least 10 days have passed since first symptoms.

b. If a player, coach, staff or participant has been diagnosed with COVID-19 but does not have symptoms, they should remain out of practice/games until 10 days have passed since the date of their first positive test, assuming they have not subsequently developed symptoms since their positive test. They must have 2 negative tests in a row, at least 24 hoursapart before return to play.

c. Work with local health department to identify potentially infected or exposed individuals to help facilitate effective contact notification and testing.

d.Isolate and test all those highly suspected to be infected or those exposed to an infected person as soon as possible.

e.During and following testing, maintain contact with local health departments to initiate appropriate care and data collection.

COMMUNICATION PROCEDURE

1. For a symptomatic case:

a.If a player/staff member/umpire/coach/intern/volunteer/facility worker or anyone else associated with the league becomes symptomatic they must inform the Sunset Baseball League President immediately.

b. If a staff member performing symptom checks discovers a symptomatic individual, they should inform the President immediately.

c.The President will inform the facility manager and parks & recreation director.

2. For a confirmed case:

a. In addition to steps taken for a symptomatic case, the President should inform the county health department.

b. The President should send out a customized letter/email to all players,staff, volunteers, coaches,and interns that may have been affected to inform them of the case and steps that are being taken to protect all involved. LOGGING SYMPTOMATIC AND CONFIRMED CASES

1. The league should maintain a database of any confirmed or symptomatic cases

2. For each person, the database should track when symptoms started, subsided, results of any tests taken, and make note of any decisions related to the case.

SOURCES

1.Responsible Start OHIO, Baseball and Softball Guidelines. Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio Department of Health

2.Interim Guidance for Administrators and Participants of Youth, College & Amateur Sports Programs. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

3.Return to Training Considerations, United States Olympic 7 Paralympic Committee

4.Sports Event Planning Considerations, UnitedStates Olympic & Paralympic Committee

5.Considerations for Youth Sports, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

6.MLB proposes medical and safety protocols to players in 67-page document, Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich,The Athlete

All Summer Team

By Dave Sobieraj 08/08/2019, 9:45am PDT

Ajamian, Larson Named Players of Year

Read More

Championship Matchup Set

By Dave Sobieraj 07/26/2019, 11:00am PDT

Pirates, Redbirds Advance, Legends, Sliders Eliminated

Read More

Team Est. 2019

Head Coach: Michael Ferris 

Email: jrodlbcc@gmail.com

Phone: 714-322-7306

Division Titles: 

SBL Titles: 

Home Field: Northwood HS. Irvine, CA