By Jonathan V. Perez
Variety News Staff

THIRTY teams, divided into four divisions, will contest the Saipan Little League crown when the annual youth baseball program opens its 2007 season on Feb. 11 at the Francisco M. Palacios Ballfield.
Saipan Little League Baseball Association president Joe Salas said, in a telephone interview, 15 teams will contest the Majors division title while the Junior, Senior and Big leagues will have five in each division.
Salas said the reigning champion Joeten Motors Co. Patriots will be back to defend their crown in the Majors division while the 29 other teams are still finalizing their names and securing sponsors.
Salas reminded the team managers or representative to attend a meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, at 6 p.m. in the Gilbert C. Ada Gym conference room.
Salas said they will finalize the details of the mini camp to be given by Major League Baseball player JR Hattig, the co-ed softball tournament fundraiser and the opening of the 2007 season.
The Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Hattig, who was born in Tamuning and resides in Dededo, is the first Guam player to make it to the major league and also the first in Micronesia. He played 13 games this season posting a .333 batting average and getting three RBIs.
Hattig will hold a mini camp on Jan. 27 and 28 at the Miguel Basa “Tan Ge” Pangelinan Ballfield.
Hattig’s visit to Saipan was made possible with the help of Jerry Ayuyu.
Salas is also inviting team representatives for the softball fundraising tournament to attend the meeting.
He said the details of the tournament, which will have a $100 entrance fee, will be discussed at the meeting.
Salas said they will also discuss the deadline for the submission of rosters, entrance fees, waivers and other matters concerning the 2007 season of the SLLB.
The SLLB will also use new pitch count equipment 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 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.