More than anything else, baseball managers ask, beg, plead and usually offer quiet prayers to the spirit of Babe Ruth for something resembling a stable baseball season.

Oh, there will be losses and there will be the games when amateur teams are convinced they are one game removed from a World Series title.

So, when I called up Midland Indians field manager Fred Flood recently to get a sense of where the 2008 North Dufferin Baseball League season was heading, his first words were telling.

“We’re struggling,” said Flood.

Well, I am happy to report Flood has been able to get the word out through the local media and has a list of approximately 15 players who are interested in being a part of the team.

“I’m still looking for an everyday catcher,” said Flood.

But at least things are looking up.

And in Flood’s eyes, the team has nowhere to go but up.

After missing the playoffs for the first time in many years in 2007, the team is looking to rebound and reverse the slide that began just over a year ago. Slowly but steadily over the past 12 months, veterans began failing to show up for regular season games.

While many reasons were given and some were valid (residential moves, job relocation), the bottom line was Flood was left trying to patch the lineup together and hope the required ninth player would show up for road and home games.

To suggest Flood was tearing his hair out at times was overstating the obvious.

During the latter part of the summer, the game plan built around staying competitive in the standings and peaking for the playoffs was abandoned for the sake of just keeping the team afloat.

But each new spring brings a sense of rebirth.

Realizing that the snows this winter have left fields and diamonds wetter than normal, the North Dufferin Baseball League has postponed the start of the 2008 season. As a result, the Indians will not see regular season action until the weekend of May 9-10.

This will provide a few extra days for Flood to work with the players, scout talent, and see where he can best utilize players.

Already, the players have begun indoor workouts at the Midland rec centre and the hope is the snow will disappear rapidly and allow them to take to the diamond at Tiffin Park.

Managed by Pete St. Amant, the Midland Twins will also play in the North Dufferin League this season. St. Amant and Flood have already been talking about graduating juniors who might be willing to move up to the Indians squad.

Each team will play a 23-game schedule, with the senior division divided into West and East divisions.

Midland will play in the East, battling two teams from Barrie and additional clubs from Bolton, Aurora, Orillia and the regional Simcoe County Cougars.

Besides the additional interest from players, Flood is hoping the baseball fans in Midland-Penetanguishene will take in games at Tiffin Park on a regular basis and let the players know their efforts are appreciated.

Only the enthusiasm and interest of players and fans will give Fred Flood a sense of whether he will get a chance to hand the team off to someone else at a later date.

After being part of the fabric of the Midland Indians for so long, he’ll be darned if the team is going to die under his watch.

You have to admire his determination.

I know I do.