By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

SAIPAN Little League Baseball has invited Major leaguer JR Hattig of the Toronto Blue Jays to meet the island’s little leaguers during the latter part of this month.
SLLB president Joe Salas said they sent an invitation to Hattig asking him to speak with the SLLB players, give them inspirations and tips for the coming 2007 season.
“We will be honored to have JR Hattig before the little league season starts. I am sure our kids are looking forward to meeting him,” Salas said.
The Tamuning born Dededo resident Hattig is the first Guam player to make it to the major league and also the first in Micronesia. He plays third base for the Blue Jays.
Hattig played 13 games this season posting a .333 batting average and 3 RBIs.
Meanwhile, Salas is reminding representatives of participating teams to attend a general membership meeting this Saturday at the conference room of the Gilbert C. Ada Gym.
The meeting will start at 8:30 a.m.
Salas said they will be discussing the deadline for the submission of rosters, entrance fees, waivers and other matters concerning the 2007 season of the SLLB.
SLLB is hoping to kick off the league on Feb. 11.
When the league opens next month, SLLB will be using new pitch count equipment.
The equipment will be used to protect its pitchers from injury and prevent them from having to undergo Tommy John surgery.
The surgery known by doctors as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCL) is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body.
It is named after the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Tommy John, who was the first professional athlete to successfully undergo the operation in 1974.
A study shows children ranging from 10 to 18 years-old are in danger of suffering from the same injury due to increased season length and more frequent use of breaking pitches.
SLLB will allow pitchers to throw a certain number of times. If they reach the limit, they have to be replaced.
For more information on the meeting, contact Salas at 285-1643.