After a long career playing professional baseball, Provo native Vance Law returned home a couple years ago and found changes in the city's baseball program.

Law, a Provo High and Brigham Young University graduate who spent 11 years in the major leagues, told the City Council last week that his teenage son played baseball in Orem last year because he believes Provo's program for teens is one of the worst in Utah County. He said the program is causing too many teens to drop out of baseball after the lower levels of the Little Leagues."I think we need to return to the way it was 20 years ago," Law said. "When my brothers and I were young, competing in baseball kept us out of a lot of trouble."

For decades, the city's baseball program included about a 15-game, two-month season that was followed by a series of statewide, all-star tournaments involving the 12 best players of each league. Last year, however, the city switched to the Utah Boys Baseball Association, which does not have all-star teams and uses smaller diamonds.

"Our philosophy is one of recreation, getting all boys involved," said Thomas Martin, chief administrative officer.

Law's complaints are not likely to result in any changes because the city baseball committee, made up of parents, seems to be satisfied with the new-philosophy program. Dale Robinson, recreation program coordinator, said the new program is team and skill-oriented rather than all-star oriented.

"We are here to provide recreation programs for masses and we want to make sure everyone participates and is successful," Robinson said. "We don't believe there is any need to have one champion. They can do that in high school, if they want."

Under the old program, only a handful of the most-skilled players participated past June. In the new program, players participate in a 12-game season and then go on with their regular-season teams to compete in city tournaments and then state tournaments. About 40 percent of all players participate in state tournaments. Also, increases in diamond sizes are less drastic under the new program.

Robinson acknowledges that the participation rate of younger ages is higher than that of teens. However, more teens are participating in the new program than the old. Two years ago, the 13- and 14-year-old league had seven teams and about 100 players. This year, the same age group will have 14 teams and more than 200 players.

"We've made it so kids are not getting left out because of their skill level, and I think you're going to see a lot of cities follow suit," he said.

Law also said the city is letting Timp Park, the city's only major-league size diamond, become rundown.

"I remember when Timp Park used to be a great ballpark. It used to be known in this area as the diamond of all diamonds," Law said.

At a council meeting two weeks ago resident, LeGrand Ellison made the same complaints. He said the outfield at Timp Park is full of holes, the infield is not groomed and the dugouts are outdated. Parents have volunteered to repair the field, but city crews won't give them access to equipment, he said.

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"We'd like to take care of it, but they won't let us," Ellison said.

Complaints about Timp Park are more likely to get the council's attention. Council members were unhappy three years ago when the park's grandstand was demolished without their knowledge and some say money earmarked for improvements at Timp Park was spent elsewhere. Mayor George Stewart promises that any new funds earmarked for improvements at Timp Park will be spent for that purpose.

No expensive improvements at Timp Park are likely, however, because the park is the proposed site of an Olympic practice ice rink. The city is currently looking for a site to build a baseball diamond to replace Timp Park. When a new park is built, city officials want it to be of minor-league caliber.

"I don't know why Utah County couldn't support (a minor league team) just as good as Weber County or Davis County," Martin said.

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