Show Me State Baseball Association

RoyalsBlue · 12-30-2012, 12:06 PM

The Branson Baldknobbers, Springfield Stogies, St. Charles Rivermen, Joplin Jackhammers, Hannibal Pirates and Warrensburg Warlocks are the founding members of the Show Me State Baseball Association.

The current twelve team league first began play in the mid sixties with these six teams under the banner Missouri Baseball Organization. However, poor planning and even worse financial preparations nearly crippled the fledgling league before Mother Nature put her own kibosh on the league in the great flood of 73.

The league’s headquarters, based in the riverside town of Hannibal, Missouri, was one of a myriad of businesses and residences along the Mississippi River that were flooded out by a nearly 26 foot high river level in April 1973. Keep in mind that this was far before the advent of computers and all records of the leagues early seasons were lost to the mud and mire of the Mighty Missisissippi.

With the league records gone and financial hardships either happening or very near for all six franchises, the decision was made to suspend the league and to try to arrange for new local ownership groups for each of the teams. Unfortunately, the years passed and it seemed as if the once bright future for the Missouri based baseball group had passed.

Luckily for all the fans and players that remembered the MBO, a young gentleman by the name of Hiram Gosney, a local businessman in the Hannibal area had been working many hours out of sight of the public and had managed to gather not only six new owners for the original franchises, but an additional six throughout the state of Missouri making the league more stable in both size and future profitability.

Most of the owners had ties to the show me state, generally through business dealings, although a couple were true sons of Missouri, like St. Charles Rivermen owner Anthony Yoren, born and raised in Hannibal or Luis Morrison the new owner of the Branson Baldknobbers, who was raised by his grandmother in Saint Louis.

ORIGINAL FRANCHISES

Branson Baldknobbers
Owner – Luis Morrison
GM – Cliff Pitts – One of the first African-American general managers in the combined MBO/SMSBA history as well as a former second baseman for the Hannibal Pirates in the original MBO
Ballpark – Branson Grounds
Notable Pitcher - Scott Parkinson - 38 yr old southpaw, 95-97 mph FB, Cutter, Curve, Forkball - Age and injuries are concerns for Scott, but if he stays healthy, he’s clearly the ace of the Branson staff
Notable Hitter – 1B Joe Kent – 23 yr old slugger, projects to be a .300+ hitter and #3 in the lineup for the Baldknobbers.

Springfield Stogies
Owner - Ed Young
GM – Greg Dawson
Ballpark – Stogies Stand
Notable Pitcher – Dennis Wells – 31 yr southpaw, a finesse pitcher topping out around 90 mph with his FB, lot of movement on his pitches including a curve, change and splitter
Notable Hitter – RF Michael Coleman – 28 yr speedy contact man is projected to pace the Stogies lineup in hits and steals, the only major deficiency in his game is a complete lack of pop.

St. Charles Rivermen
Owner – Anthony Yoren
GM - Zack Smith
Ballpark – Riverside Park
Notable Pitcher – Lawrene “Elephant” Hamiltion, a 25 yr old righty will be crucial to the success of the St. Charles bullpen. Very positive and a vocal leader, loves the history of the game. Two primary pitches with his slider and a cutter that reaches up to 96 mph.
Notable Hitter – Salvador Suarez – the 28 yr old lefty first sacker is the cornerstone of the Rivermen offense. He’s a slugger with an outstanding eye. Offensively, the only thing he can’t do is run well, but when you’re banging balls out of the park, that shouldn’t be a huge hindrance.

Hannibal Pirates
Owner – Ronald Ritter
GM – Joe Patmore - The second youngest general manager, 41, in the SMSBA.
Ballpark – Pirate Cove
Notable Pitcher – Josh Roberts, the 31 yr old project ace of the Hannibal staff, depends heavily on his slider and changeup to get batters out. Leaves it all on the mound every appearance.
Notable Hitter – Catcher Paul Reynolds has all the tools you could want, the only thing lacking is his work ethic. His skills are so good right now, that it won’t hurt him, but on a young team he would be a terrible example of how to work.

Warrensburg Warlocks
Owner – Gilbert Cassadine
GM – Mike Turner
Ballpark – Warlocks Den
Notable Pitcher – Jose “Coma” Maldonado – the Honduran national and closer for the Warlocks is as dependable as the day is long. His stuff is only exceeded by the movement and he depends primarily on a sinker and curveball to shut down opponents.
Notable Hitter – CF Rusty Williams is the cleanup man for Warrensburg, projected as a plus-plus slugger and his patience at the plate will confound opposing pitchers. At 23, he only stands to get better.

Joplin Jackhammers
Owner – Manny Stevens
GM – Joe Harding – One of the the first African-American general managers and also the youngest GM (30) in the SMSBA.
Ballpark – The Pothole
Notable Pitcher – Gil Phillips, the 20 yr old closer for Joplin is expected to shut down the opponents with his hard sinker and slider. The Michigan native makes pitching look effortless out there.
Notable Hitter – Jerry Davenport, a high contact/low power output catcher will be counted on to maintain the Jackhammer offense from the 3 hole. Defensively, he’s among the best catchers around, period.

EXPANSION FRANCHISES

Cape Girardeau Outlaws
Owner - Steve Miller
GM - Luis Ortiz - The first Mexican general manager in the SMSBA.
Ballpark - The Hideout
Notable Pitcher – Joe Simmons is a 24 yr old southpaw that changes speeds nicely. His pitch movement will make it difficult for batters to square up on him.
Notable Hitter – Brandon O’Spillane is a true son of Missouri (Gladstone) and is a known baseball rat. He’s the first one to the yard and the last to leave. Good contact, below average speed and an arm that most base runners fear, he will be fun to watch, if not overly effective

Columbia Tigers
Owner - Vance Gardner
GM - Alberto Hernandez
Ballpark - Tigers Stadium
Notable Pitcher – Righty Pat Anderson doesn’t like attention, but if he pitches up to projections he’ll be getting a lot of attention this season. Expected to be the number 2 pitcher in the Columbia rotation.
Notable Hitter – CF Kyle Hebert is your prototypical lead off man other than the nearly elite power he possesses. Expect to see Kyle at the top of the stolen bases leaderboard.

Jefferson City Jays
Owner - Chris Hopper
GM - William Barton
Ballpark - Jays Ballpark
Notable Pitcher – Eric Riddle, a 24 yr old flamethrower from Detroit, projects to be the opening day started and ace of the staff. With a fastball touching 100 mph and two other plus pitches in a slider and change, the only issue facing this young man is how straight his pitches stay. If he can get any movement at all, he’ll become even more formidable.
Notable Hitter – The most consistent hitter for the Jays is John Bullock, a 30 year old right fielder, but that’s a backhanded compliment as the Jays look to struggle for offense this season.

Kirksville Cougars
Owner - Maxwell McDonald
GM - Edward Morton
Ballpark - Cougars Lair
Notable Pitcher – 24 yr old southpaw Dylan Butler is a pitcher to keep your eye on. Has plus-plus potential but is inconsistent with his control. This true son from Macon is a potential star if he can gain consistency.
Notable Hitter – Augusto Serrano, a 30 yr old left fielder, will be the cornerstone of the Kirksville offense. Impressive bat control and plate discipline coupled with very good power makes Gus one of the few you wouldn’t want to see at the plate in a crucial situation as an opposing pitcher.

Lee's Summit Broncos
Owner - Fred Little
GM - Smith Kapkin
Ballpark - Little Stadium
Notable Pitcher – A Dutch closer, Carsten Anraad, uses his entire repertoire of pitches effectively, keeping opposing hitters off balance with his curveball, sinker and splitter. Only 25 yrs old, he can only get better.
Notable Hitter – Manny Hernandex, a 32 yr old catcher, is the sort of guy you want for a hit and run as he usually squares up the ball well. Defensively, he’s seen his better days but his arm can make up for some of his defensive deficiencies.

Monroe City Panthers
Owner – Roy Davis
GM – Sam Bow
Ballpark – Panthers Ballpark
Notable Pitcher –Alex Elkins, the 29 yr old closer for Monroe City, is a two pitch pitcher with a hard slider and his fastball that tops out around 99 mph. Add the hard stuff to his pinpoint control and he’s definitely the guy you want to close out the ballgame
Notable Hitter – Pablo Torres, a 24 yr old Cuban defector, is an outfielder by trade and is expected to be a very good hitter. His power potential is that of your usual clean-up hitter and his defense is well above average.

RoyalsBlue · 12-30-2012, 12:09 PM

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
12-April-1982 :

: 12/21 .571 AVG -2 HR - 7 RBI

19-April-1982 :

: 10/25 .400 AVG -3 HR - 5 RBI

RoyalsBlue · 12-30-2012, 12:10 PM

Reserved for future information - Number 2

RoyalsBlue · 12-30-2012, 12:10 PM

Reserved for future information - Number 3

RoyalsBlue · 12-30-2012, 11:06 PM

A fresh blanket of white covered everything as Hiram Gosney unlocked the front door to the business offices of the newly reincorporated Show Me State Baseball Association. His breath came out in quick rasps as he kicked the snow from his shoes and stepped inside the door, trapping the heated air back inside as he shrugged out of his camel haired trench coat, hanging it on the nearby coat tree while simultaneously flipping the overhead lights on.

The outer office was newly furnished, but reasonably so as not to waste funding on unnecessary equipment. Smiling at how quickly things had come together, relatively speaking of course, the dark blue suit clad man exits the outer office to enter his own private sanctuary in the corner. Looking out the window, the snow covered scenery looks much better than while he was walking to the league offices.

Picking up the handset of the telephone, Gosney dialed the personal number of Anthony Yoren, the new owner of the Saint Charles Rivermen. As he waited for the call to be connected, young Hiram went over the conversation in his head, hoping that his new business colleague would be amenable to suggestions from the commissioner.

"Happy New Year to you as well, Anthony," was the cheery reply as Hiram stood and grabbed the entire bulky phone and began pacing the room. "I trust you enjoyed yourself last night with family and friends?"

Laughing, the commissioner sets the phone down and decides since the usually less than hospitable man is in a good mood, now is the best time as any to broach the subject.

"Glad to hear it, Anthony. There is a reason I called this morning however. It's in regards to your decision to also be the general manager of the Rivermen. I know that it is purely your right as the owner to do so, but I would encourage you to have at the least a man in place to assist you with the day to day duties."

Standing again, Gosney frowned as he listened to the other man's reasoning for not hiring a general manager.

"I'm not saying that you are incapable of doing so, Anthony, and I think you would realize that all I am saying is that with your myriad business interests it only makes sense to have a baseball man in place, that's all."

Sighing softly to himself, Gosney glances out the window and shakes his head at the continued denials of needing a full time general manager.

"Yes, I do, Anthony. It's not something that I would want to do, but it would be in the best interests of the league and for you to do this. I wouldn't have sought you out if I didn't think you could be an outstanding owner in the SMSBA, believe me. We all want this league to succeed and the best way for that to happen is to put the best possible people in the proper positions."

Chuckling lightly, Hiram leans lightly against the corner of his sturdy wooden desk, a look of relief on his face.

"Good. I'm glad we got that settled, Anthony. Besides, think about it this way. If you don't like the way things are going, you do have the final say on whether or not anyone you hire gets fired."

Smiling widely, the young commissioner lets himself relax as he fairly falls down into his overstuffed office chair.

"Another thing to consider is that you can always blame me if it goes south too. Please give my best to your wife, Lauren. I'll see you at our meeting in a couple weeks. Happy New Year, Anthony!"

Setting the receiver down, he shakes his head at the conversation and lets out a big sigh of relief.

"Well that went better than expected. Hopefully he will take the advice as it was intended."

RoyalsBlue · 01-01-2013, 03:09 PM

Well, the inaugural league meeting went fairly uneventfully except for the decision regarding the use of the designated hitter. It was a 50-50 split about whether or not to use it.

Hiram Gosney, as the commissioner, finally gave the deciding vote against the use of the designated hitter, but with a twist. The primary league of the Show Me State Baseball Association, the Heartland League, will begin without the designated hitter for the first five seasons, but after that time. there will be another vote on the usage of the designated hitter.

The minor leagues are another story as the lower level short season A and rookie ball leagues will use the DH, but the A, AA, and AAA levels will continue to let the pitchers hit.

Personally, I'd rather use the DH as I really don't care to watch pitchers hit but that's just me.

The first amateur draft for the SMSBA will be held this June and the proceedings will take place at the Admiral Koontz Armory in Hannibal, Missouri.

Anyway, onto other news around the league. The Jefferson City Jays and the Saint Charles Rivermen have both hired general managers to assist their ownership. After initially wanting to run the day to day operations, both owners, Anthony Yoren of the Rivermen and Chris Hopper of the Jays, finally agreed to at least have a man in place for their respective teams. Time will tell if they are only figureheads or actually being given the responsibility of their position.

The first free agent signing was made by the Hannibal Pirates as they inked 26 year old second baseman Ramon Moncibas to a 3 year deal. Financial terms were undisclosed, as is the policy of the league.

Kurt Williams and Neil Thomas of the Monroe City Panthers showed their humanitarian side as they assisted with serving meals at the local homeless shelter. "It's the least we can do," said Williams when asked. "We don't do it because we're Panthers, we do it because we care about the community."

MizzouRah · 01-01-2013, 04:57 PM

Grew up in St. Charles.. so this definitely has my interest.

We live in Troy, Mo. now - so maybe in a future expansion the Troy Trojans?

RoyalsBlue · 01-01-2013, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Grew up in St. Charles.. so this definitely has my interest.

We live in Troy, Mo. now - so maybe in a future expansion the Troy Trojans?

Thanks for checking in, MizzouRah! I grew up a little bit north of you in Hannibal, so it was a natural for me to run with a Missouri dynasty.

As far as Troy goes, we'll have to see. Maybe a relocation in the future as I'm not sure if I want to go more than 12. 14 is a possibility but that's at least 5 game years down the road.

royalblue · 01-01-2013, 06:54 PM

Lol I am noticing a lot of usernames on the forums with royalblue in there name. This is awesome I will defiantley be following this. Granite Lee Summit already has a team but how but Kansas City get some love next time there is expansion

. I have been wanting to do something similar to this.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk 2

royalblue · 01-01-2013, 06:57 PM

And how is your draft going to work are you only drafting kids that are in Missouri?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk 2

RoyalsBlue · 01-01-2013, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by royalblue

Lol I am noticing a lot of usernames on the forums with royalblue in there name. This is awesome I will defiantley be following this. Granite Lee Summit already has a team but how but Kansas City get some love next time there is expansion

. I have been wanting to do something similar to this.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by royalblue

And how is your draft going to work are you only drafting kids that are in Missouri?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for checking in RB! I tried to stay away from KC and STL as obstensibly the MLB is still going on, at least it is in my mind.

As far as the draft goes, I'm using the Midwest region. I thought about using just Missouri, but since I do have full minors going also, figured a "larger base" to draw from would be appropriate. I'll see how it goes and maybe adjust to Central or Upper Midwest or possibly even go to just Missouri every so often.

RoyalsBlue · 01-01-2013, 08:32 PM

Kirksville Cougars signs SMSBA’s first free agent from China
Guo-Fang Wong, born 22 July 1964 in Shanghai, China became the first official Chinese player in the history of the Show Me State Baseball Association. Not much is known about this young third sacker other than he hits and throws right. If Kirksville can develop a pipeline into China and the talent is there, this would be a great development for the Cougars and the Heartland League. Wong has been assigned to the Armageddon, the Kirksville Rookie League team in Montgomery, Illinois.

Kirksville Taps Another Foreign Market – South Africa
Apparently Edward Morton thinks highly of the foreign market as he’s once again gone outside the borders of the US, this time to pluck a 33 year old outfielder to bulk up their bench, although reports are mixed on the signing of Zegeye Adipo, who is a native of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. “He’s older, has below average contact, can’t run and doesn’t show a lot of plate discipline. Why exactly did Morton grab this guy instead of a younger, cheaper player?”

SMSBA’s inaugural Spring Training is here!
The season is just around the corner! Preseason predictions have the Monroe City Panthers outlasting the Columbia Tigers in the Eastern Division by 4 games and the Branson Baldknobbers running away by 9 over the Warrensburg Warlocks in the West.

MizzouRah · 01-02-2013, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyalsBlue

Thanks for checking in, MizzouRah! I grew up a little bit north of you in Hannibal, so it was a natural for me to run with a Missouri dynasty.

As far as Troy goes, we'll have to see. Maybe a relocation in the future as I'm not sure if I want to go more than 12. 14 is a possibility but that's at least 5 game years down the road.

I'm much closer to Hannibal now.

Can't wait to read more!!!

RoyalsBlue · 01-04-2013, 09:41 PM

If the spring standings are anything to go by, the East looks like it might be the tougher division as Columbia, Monroe City and St. Charles were the only teams not to lose double digits during the precursor to the season.

Springfield's Will O'Concannon will be a hurler to keep an eye on if only to see if he can keep up the strikeout rate for the Stogies.

The Panthers' Michael Moore surprised everyone with his power output in the spring and everyone in Monroe City is hoping it's not just a mirage.

Notable Spring Injuries

Columbia's Kyle Frost will be out for at least 5 months after tearing his labrum in a March 31 4-0 loss against the Jeff City Jays.

Branson's concerns regarding Scott Parkinson and his ability to stay healthy may prove to be prophetic as he's already hurting, out for a week with elbow inflammation. Hopefully he's being rested as a precaution, but if not, it could be a long season for the 38 year old southpaw.

RoyalsBlue · 01-05-2013, 01:55 PM

(AP - Joplin, MO) The entire community of Joplin is in mourning as the owner of the Jackhammers, Dave Stevens, has passed away unexpectedly due to a massive coronary.

"Dave will be greatly missed," said Joe Harding, the general manager for Joplin. "He was one of the founding members of this league and his drive and passion will be nearly impossible to replace. If it wasn't for Dave, I wouldn't be here right now. He took a chance on me and I'll always be grateful."

The rest of the league was similarly in shock as the word of the Jackhammers owner's passing was told to his fellow owners and the commissioner.

"You always thought he'd be around," said SMSBA commissioner Hiram Gosney. "His vision and forward thinking was one of the reasons why Show-Me emerged from the ashes of the MBO. Dave Stevens was a great owner, terrific man, but most importantly, he was a dear friend. My condolences go out to his wife, Gertie and his son, Manny. It's just a very sad day for everyone in the SMSBA."

Funeral arrangements will be a private affair, per the wishes of the family, but a public memorial service will be held soon at the Jackhammers home ballpark, The Pothole.

Ownership of the Jackhammers is expected to stay within the Stevens family with the likelihood of his son Manny becoming the ownership side face of the team.

RoyalsBlue · 01-06-2013, 01:10 PM

The inaugural 1982 season for the Show Me State Baseball Association's Heartland League kicked off today with every team in action.

All eyes were on Joplin as the still lingering sadness of the passing of owner Dave Stevens was evident as the Jackhammers lost their season opener to the visiting Stogies, paced by the three hit day by LF Roy Baker which was punctuated by a huge three run bomb that would hold up as enough offense for Springfield to get their first win of the season 4-2.

Branson bludgeoned Lee's Summit and starter Patrick Jones for a six spot in the first, highlighted by 2B Rick Wilson's massive 413 foot two run shot to right center as the Baldknobbers easily outdistances the Broncos, 9-2.

RoyalsBlue · 01-06-2013, 08:20 PM

The first extra inning affair in the Heartland League saw the Branson Baldknobbers erupt for four runs in the tenth off Broncos reliever Carsten Anraad to take the second game of their series with Lee's Summit. Ricardo Sanchez knocked in four runs on the day for Branson on the strength of a three hit game.

It was the second day of play and the third complete game was thrown, this time by Rivermen hurler Steven Mosley as Saint Charles shut out Columbia 5-0. It only took the 19 year old righty 105 pitches to tame the Tigers as he scattered 5 hits and struck out 4. Mosley was named the number 12 ranked prospect in the Show-Me State Baseball Association and this was a heck of a way to start a career.

Joplin's early season woes continued as they were shut out as well by a 3-0 score by the Springfield Stogies. The rainy weather may have been a contributing factor as neither team could really get their offenses going, although the Jackhammers seemed to still be in a bit of an early season fog.

RoyalsBlue · 01-12-2013, 09:09 PM

Jefferson City continues to stay winless as they fall to Lee's Summit in a tight 4-2 affair. Jays starter Ian Frederick left one final pitch up too high to Raul Torres in the ninth and the Broncos centerfielder sent the home fans away happy with a two run game winning blast.

Kirksville and Columbia had a close 6-4 game but the big news coming from central Missouri was the announced suspensions for Tigers hurler Brian Jones and Cougars outfielder Zegeye Adipo after their scuffle that saw both men get tossed after Jones plunked Adipo in response to Ed Hall's 3 run homer the batter before. Neither man was available for comments.

***

I realize the 8th didn't get posted, but here are the scores, if nothing else:

St. Charles - 4-7-1
Columbia - 3-11-1
W: J. Sempill (1-0) L: R. Henry (0-1) S: K. Latham (1)
HR: none

Cape Girardeau - 6-11-0 (13 inn)
Kirksville - 4-15-1
W: E. Lucas (1-0) L: B. Snyder (0-1) S: R. Colorada (1)
HR: none

Springfield - 3-8-0
Joplin - 4-6-1
W: B. Warren (1-0) L: R. Grady (0-1) S: M. Summers (1)
HR: none

Branson - 2-7-0
Lee's Summit - 3-6-0
W: T. Cunningham (1-0) L: R. Lawrence (0-1)
HR: none

Jefferson City - 4-9-0
Warrensburg - 7-9-0
W: D. Frost (1-0) L: L. Duncan (0-1) S: J. Maldonado (2)
HR: WAR - D. Frost (1), J. Wilson (1), C. Daly (1)

Monroe City - 5-7-0
Hannibal - 4-6-1
W: D. Gates (1-0) L: P. Kennedy (0-1) S: J. Hill (1)
HR: HAN - C. Aybar (1)

RoyalsBlue · 01-13-2013, 09:53 AM

One day after the scuffle that saw a player from each team not only thrown out of the game, but suspended for eight games for fighting, it was the Columbia Tigers that imposed their will on the Kirksville Cougars as they battered the visitors to the tune of a 14-2 shellacking. "We wanted to show them that if they want to talk the talk, they have to back it up and today they didn't. They backed away," said suspended hurler Brian Jones

Bill Brown went the distance for the Branson Baldknobbers, scattering 5 hits and striking out 7 in a complete game 12-0 shutout of the struggling Joplin Jackhammers. "Brown might be a jerk, but he's our jerk," said catcher Jayson Allen when asked about his starter's outstanding effort. "When he's on the mound, it's all business and he was as locked in as I've ever seen someone on the bump."

RoyalsBlue · 01-13-2013, 01:36 PM

Ricardo Sanchez kept up his torrid start, collecting his third homer of the young season for Branson, but it was Steve Clark's 3 run homer in the tenth inning off of Joplin's Edwin Rose that put the game away for the Baldknobbers as they handed the Jackhammers their fourth loss of the season, 7-4.

Warrensburg hurler Merrill MacIntyre got his second win of the season after another good start, this time going 7 strong innings and allowing only 1 run on 3 hits as the Warlocks won a nailbiter against the Springfield Stogies 3-2. "I felt good out on the mound," said the Warlocks hurler. "I had good control of my fastball and my slider was biting hard."

Jefferson City got their first win of the season and finally getting the goose egg out of the win column when they outlasted the Lee's Summit Broncos 6-4. Lawrence Brown and Jason Oglethorpe paced the Jays offense with 2 hits and 2 rbi apiece to get them off the schneid.

12-30-2012, 12:06 PM	#1
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	Show Me State Baseball Association The Branson Baldknobbers, Springfield Stogies, St. Charles Rivermen, Joplin Jackhammers, Hannibal Pirates and Warrensburg Warlocks are the founding members of the Show Me State Baseball Association. The current twelve team league first began play in the mid sixties with these six teams under the banner Missouri Baseball Organization. However, poor planning and even worse financial preparations nearly crippled the fledgling league before Mother Nature put her own kibosh on the league in the great flood of 73. The league’s headquarters, based in the riverside town of Hannibal, Missouri, was one of a myriad of businesses and residences along the Mississippi River that were flooded out by a nearly 26 foot high river level in April 1973. Keep in mind that this was far before the advent of computers and all records of the leagues early seasons were lost to the mud and mire of the Mighty Missisissippi. With the league records gone and financial hardships either happening or very near for all six franchises, the decision was made to suspend the league and to try to arrange for new local ownership groups for each of the teams. Unfortunately, the years passed and it seemed as if the once bright future for the Missouri based baseball group had passed. Luckily for all the fans and players that remembered the MBO, a young gentleman by the name of Hiram Gosney, a local businessman in the Hannibal area had been working many hours out of sight of the public and had managed to gather not only six new owners for the original franchises, but an additional six throughout the state of Missouri making the league more stable in both size and future profitability. Most of the owners had ties to the show me state, generally through business dealings, although a couple were true sons of Missouri, like St. Charles Rivermen owner Anthony Yoren, born and raised in Hannibal or Luis Morrison the new owner of the Branson Baldknobbers, who was raised by his grandmother in Saint Louis. ORIGINAL FRANCHISES Branson Baldknobbers Owner – Luis Morrison GM – Cliff Pitts – One of the first African-American general managers in the combined MBO/SMSBA history as well as a former second baseman for the Hannibal Pirates in the original MBO Ballpark – Branson Grounds Notable Pitcher - Scott Parkinson - 38 yr old southpaw, 95-97 mph FB, Cutter, Curve, Forkball - Age and injuries are concerns for Scott, but if he stays healthy, he’s clearly the ace of the Branson staff Notable Hitter – 1B Joe Kent – 23 yr old slugger, projects to be a .300+ hitter and #3 in the lineup for the Baldknobbers. Springfield Stogies Owner - Ed Young GM – Greg Dawson Ballpark – Stogies Stand Notable Pitcher – Dennis Wells – 31 yr southpaw, a finesse pitcher topping out around 90 mph with his FB, lot of movement on his pitches including a curve, change and splitter Notable Hitter – RF Michael Coleman – 28 yr speedy contact man is projected to pace the Stogies lineup in hits and steals, the only major deficiency in his game is a complete lack of pop. St. Charles Rivermen Owner – Anthony Yoren GM - Zack Smith Ballpark – Riverside Park Notable Pitcher – Lawrene “Elephant” Hamiltion, a 25 yr old righty will be crucial to the success of the St. Charles bullpen. Very positive and a vocal leader, loves the history of the game. Two primary pitches with his slider and a cutter that reaches up to 96 mph. Notable Hitter – Salvador Suarez – the 28 yr old lefty first sacker is the cornerstone of the Rivermen offense. He’s a slugger with an outstanding eye. Offensively, the only thing he can’t do is run well, but when you’re banging balls out of the park, that shouldn’t be a huge hindrance. Hannibal Pirates Owner – Ronald Ritter GM – Joe Patmore - The second youngest general manager, 41, in the SMSBA. Ballpark – Pirate Cove Notable Pitcher – Josh Roberts, the 31 yr old project ace of the Hannibal staff, depends heavily on his slider and changeup to get batters out. Leaves it all on the mound every appearance. Notable Hitter – Catcher Paul Reynolds has all the tools you could want, the only thing lacking is his work ethic. His skills are so good right now, that it won’t hurt him, but on a young team he would be a terrible example of how to work. Warrensburg Warlocks Owner – Gilbert Cassadine GM – Mike Turner Ballpark – Warlocks Den Notable Pitcher – Jose “Coma” Maldonado – the Honduran national and closer for the Warlocks is as dependable as the day is long. His stuff is only exceeded by the movement and he depends primarily on a sinker and curveball to shut down opponents. Notable Hitter – CF Rusty Williams is the cleanup man for Warrensburg, projected as a plus-plus slugger and his patience at the plate will confound opposing pitchers. At 23, he only stands to get better. Joplin Jackhammers Owner – Manny Stevens GM – Joe Harding – One of the the first African-American general managers and also the youngest GM (30) in the SMSBA. Ballpark – The Pothole Notable Pitcher – Gil Phillips, the 20 yr old closer for Joplin is expected to shut down the opponents with his hard sinker and slider. The Michigan native makes pitching look effortless out there. Notable Hitter – Jerry Davenport, a high contact/low power output catcher will be counted on to maintain the Jackhammer offense from the 3 hole. Defensively, he’s among the best catchers around, period. EXPANSION FRANCHISES Cape Girardeau Outlaws Owner - Steve Miller GM - Luis Ortiz - The first Mexican general manager in the SMSBA. Ballpark - The Hideout Notable Pitcher – Joe Simmons is a 24 yr old southpaw that changes speeds nicely. His pitch movement will make it difficult for batters to square up on him. Notable Hitter – Brandon O’Spillane is a true son of Missouri (Gladstone) and is a known baseball rat. He’s the first one to the yard and the last to leave. Good contact, below average speed and an arm that most base runners fear, he will be fun to watch, if not overly effective Columbia Tigers Owner - Vance Gardner GM - Alberto Hernandez Ballpark - Tigers Stadium Notable Pitcher – Righty Pat Anderson doesn’t like attention, but if he pitches up to projections he’ll be getting a lot of attention this season. Expected to be the number 2 pitcher in the Columbia rotation. Notable Hitter – CF Kyle Hebert is your prototypical lead off man other than the nearly elite power he possesses. Expect to see Kyle at the top of the stolen bases leaderboard. Jefferson City Jays Owner - Chris Hopper GM - William Barton Ballpark - Jays Ballpark Notable Pitcher – Eric Riddle, a 24 yr old flamethrower from Detroit, projects to be the opening day started and ace of the staff. With a fastball touching 100 mph and two other plus pitches in a slider and change, the only issue facing this young man is how straight his pitches stay. If he can get any movement at all, he’ll become even more formidable. Notable Hitter – The most consistent hitter for the Jays is John Bullock, a 30 year old right fielder, but that’s a backhanded compliment as the Jays look to struggle for offense this season. Kirksville Cougars Owner - Maxwell McDonald GM - Edward Morton Ballpark - Cougars Lair Notable Pitcher – 24 yr old southpaw Dylan Butler is a pitcher to keep your eye on. Has plus-plus potential but is inconsistent with his control. This true son from Macon is a potential star if he can gain consistency. Notable Hitter – Augusto Serrano, a 30 yr old left fielder, will be the cornerstone of the Kirksville offense. Impressive bat control and plate discipline coupled with very good power makes Gus one of the few you wouldn’t want to see at the plate in a crucial situation as an opposing pitcher. Lee's Summit Broncos Owner - Fred Little GM - Smith Kapkin Ballpark - Little Stadium Notable Pitcher – A Dutch closer, Carsten Anraad, uses his entire repertoire of pitches effectively, keeping opposing hitters off balance with his curveball, sinker and splitter. Only 25 yrs old, he can only get better. Notable Hitter – Manny Hernandex, a 32 yr old catcher, is the sort of guy you want for a hit and run as he usually squares up the ball well. Defensively, he’s seen his better days but his arm can make up for some of his defensive deficiencies. Monroe City Panthers Owner – Roy Davis GM – Sam Bow Ballpark – Panthers Ballpark Notable Pitcher –Alex Elkins, the 29 yr old closer for Monroe City, is a two pitch pitcher with a hard slider and his fastball that tops out around 99 mph. Add the hard stuff to his pinpoint control and he’s definitely the guy you want to close out the ballgame Notable Hitter – Pablo Torres, a 24 yr old Cuban defector, is an outfielder by trade and is expected to be a very good hitter. His power potential is that of your usual clean-up hitter and his defense is well above average. __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office! Last edited by RoyalsBlue; 01-06-2013 at 01:14 PM. Reason: Updated GM's & ownership

12-30-2012, 12:09 PM	#2
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	PLAYER OF THE WEEK 12-April-1982 : : 12/21 .571 AVG -2 HR - 7 RBI 19-April-1982 : : 10/25 .400 AVG -3 HR - 5 RBI __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office! Last edited by RoyalsBlue; 04-14-2013 at 10:24 AM.

12-30-2012, 12:10 PM	#4
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	Reserved for future information - Number 3 __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office!

12-30-2012, 11:06 PM	#5
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	Commissioner's Office - January 1st 1982 A fresh blanket of white covered everything as Hiram Gosney unlocked the front door to the business offices of the newly reincorporated Show Me State Baseball Association. His breath came out in quick rasps as he kicked the snow from his shoes and stepped inside the door, trapping the heated air back inside as he shrugged out of his camel haired trench coat, hanging it on the nearby coat tree while simultaneously flipping the overhead lights on. The outer office was newly furnished, but reasonably so as not to waste funding on unnecessary equipment. Smiling at how quickly things had come together, relatively speaking of course, the dark blue suit clad man exits the outer office to enter his own private sanctuary in the corner. Looking out the window, the snow covered scenery looks much better than while he was walking to the league offices. Picking up the handset of the telephone, Gosney dialed the personal number of Anthony Yoren, the new owner of the Saint Charles Rivermen. As he waited for the call to be connected, young Hiram went over the conversation in his head, hoping that his new business colleague would be amenable to suggestions from the commissioner. "Happy New Year to you as well, Anthony," was the cheery reply as Hiram stood and grabbed the entire bulky phone and began pacing the room. "I trust you enjoyed yourself last night with family and friends?" Laughing, the commissioner sets the phone down and decides since the usually less than hospitable man is in a good mood, now is the best time as any to broach the subject. "Glad to hear it, Anthony. There is a reason I called this morning however. It's in regards to your decision to also be the general manager of the Rivermen. I know that it is purely your right as the owner to do so, but I would encourage you to have at the least a man in place to assist you with the day to day duties." Standing again, Gosney frowned as he listened to the other man's reasoning for not hiring a general manager. "I'm not saying that you are incapable of doing so, Anthony, and I think you would realize that all I am saying is that with your myriad business interests it only makes sense to have a baseball man in place, that's all." Sighing softly to himself, Gosney glances out the window and shakes his head at the continued denials of needing a full time general manager. "Yes, I do, Anthony. It's not something that I would want to do, but it would be in the best interests of the league and for you to do this. I wouldn't have sought you out if I didn't think you could be an outstanding owner in the SMSBA, believe me. We all want this league to succeed and the best way for that to happen is to put the best possible people in the proper positions." Chuckling lightly, Hiram leans lightly against the corner of his sturdy wooden desk, a look of relief on his face. "Good. I'm glad we got that settled, Anthony. Besides, think about it this way. If you don't like the way things are going, you do have the final say on whether or not anyone you hire gets fired." Smiling widely, the young commissioner lets himself relax as he fairly falls down into his overstuffed office chair. "Another thing to consider is that you can always blame me if it goes south too. Please give my best to your wife, Lauren. I'll see you at our meeting in a couple weeks. Happy New Year, Anthony!" Setting the receiver down, he shakes his head at the conversation and lets out a big sigh of relief. "Well that went better than expected. Hopefully he will take the advice as it was intended." __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office!

01-01-2013, 03:09 PM	#6
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	League Update - February 1982 Well, the inaugural league meeting went fairly uneventfully except for the decision regarding the use of the designated hitter. It was a 50-50 split about whether or not to use it. Hiram Gosney, as the commissioner, finally gave the deciding vote against the use of the designated hitter, but with a twist. The primary league of the Show Me State Baseball Association, the Heartland League, will begin without the designated hitter for the first five seasons, but after that time. there will be another vote on the usage of the designated hitter. The minor leagues are another story as the lower level short season A and rookie ball leagues will use the DH, but the A, AA, and AAA levels will continue to let the pitchers hit. Personally, I'd rather use the DH as I really don't care to watch pitchers hit but that's just me. The first amateur draft for the SMSBA will be held this June and the proceedings will take place at the Admiral Koontz Armory in Hannibal, Missouri. Anyway, onto other news around the league. The Jefferson City Jays and the Saint Charles Rivermen have both hired general managers to assist their ownership. After initially wanting to run the day to day operations, both owners, Anthony Yoren of the Rivermen and Chris Hopper of the Jays, finally agreed to at least have a man in place for their respective teams. Time will tell if they are only figureheads or actually being given the responsibility of their position. The first free agent signing was made by the Hannibal Pirates as they inked 26 year old second baseman Ramon Moncibas to a 3 year deal. Financial terms were undisclosed, as is the policy of the league. Kurt Williams and Neil Thomas of the Monroe City Panthers showed their humanitarian side as they assisted with serving meals at the local homeless shelter. "It's the least we can do," said Williams when asked. "We don't do it because we're Panthers, we do it because we care about the community." __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office!

01-01-2013, 04:57 PM	#7
MizzouRah Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Troy, Mo Posts: 6,266	Grew up in St. Charles.. so this definitely has my interest. We live in Troy, Mo. now - so maybe in a future expansion the Troy Trojans?

01-01-2013, 06:54 PM	#9
royalblue Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 112	Lol I am noticing a lot of usernames on the forums with royalblue in there name. This is awesome I will defiantley be following this. Granite Lee Summit already has a team but how but Kansas City get some love next time there is expansion . I have been wanting to do something similar to this. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk 2 __________________ Follow me on twitter

01-01-2013, 06:57 PM	#10
royalblue Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 112	And how is your draft going to work are you only drafting kids that are in Missouri? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk 2 __________________ Follow me on twitter

01-01-2013, 08:32 PM	#12
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	Kirksville Cougars signs SMSBA’s first free agent from China Guo-Fang Wong, born 22 July 1964 in Shanghai, China became the first official Chinese player in the history of the Show Me State Baseball Association. Not much is known about this young third sacker other than he hits and throws right. If Kirksville can develop a pipeline into China and the talent is there, this would be a great development for the Cougars and the Heartland League. Wong has been assigned to the Armageddon, the Kirksville Rookie League team in Montgomery, Illinois. Kirksville Taps Another Foreign Market – South Africa Apparently Edward Morton thinks highly of the foreign market as he’s once again gone outside the borders of the US, this time to pluck a 33 year old outfielder to bulk up their bench, although reports are mixed on the signing of Zegeye Adipo, who is a native of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. “He’s older, has below average contact, can’t run and doesn’t show a lot of plate discipline. Why exactly did Morton grab this guy instead of a younger, cheaper player?” SMSBA’s inaugural Spring Training is here! The season is just around the corner! Preseason predictions have the Monroe City Panthers outlasting the Columbia Tigers in the Eastern Division by 4 games and the Branson Baldknobbers running away by 9 over the Warrensburg Warlocks in the West. __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office!

01-04-2013, 09:41 PM	#14
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	Spring Has Sprung - The Season's Around The Corner If the spring standings are anything to go by, the East looks like it might be the tougher division as Columbia, Monroe City and St. Charles were the only teams not to lose double digits during the precursor to the season. Springfield's Will O'Concannon will be a hurler to keep an eye on if only to see if he can keep up the strikeout rate for the Stogies. The Panthers' Michael Moore surprised everyone with his power output in the spring and everyone in Monroe City is hoping it's not just a mirage. Notable Spring Injuries Columbia's Kyle Frost will be out for at least 5 months after tearing his labrum in a March 31 4-0 loss against the Jeff City Jays. Branson's concerns regarding Scott Parkinson and his ability to stay healthy may prove to be prophetic as he's already hurting, out for a week with elbow inflammation. Hopefully he's being rested as a precaution, but if not, it could be a long season for the 38 year old southpaw. __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office!

01-05-2013, 01:55 PM	#15
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	Joplin Jackhammers Will Play With Heavy Hearts This Season (AP - Joplin, MO) The entire community of Joplin is in mourning as the owner of the Jackhammers, Dave Stevens, has passed away unexpectedly due to a massive coronary. "Dave will be greatly missed," said Joe Harding, the general manager for Joplin. "He was one of the founding members of this league and his drive and passion will be nearly impossible to replace. If it wasn't for Dave, I wouldn't be here right now. He took a chance on me and I'll always be grateful." The rest of the league was similarly in shock as the word of the Jackhammers owner's passing was told to his fellow owners and the commissioner. "You always thought he'd be around," said SMSBA commissioner Hiram Gosney. "His vision and forward thinking was one of the reasons why Show-Me emerged from the ashes of the MBO. Dave Stevens was a great owner, terrific man, but most importantly, he was a dear friend. My condolences go out to his wife, Gertie and his son, Manny. It's just a very sad day for everyone in the SMSBA." Funeral arrangements will be a private affair, per the wishes of the family, but a public memorial service will be held soon at the Jackhammers home ballpark, The Pothole. Ownership of the Jackhammers is expected to stay within the Stevens family with the likelihood of his son Manny becoming the ownership side face of the team. __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office!

01-06-2013, 01:10 PM	#16
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	Season Opens With Full Slate of Games The inaugural 1982 season for the Show Me State Baseball Association's Heartland League kicked off today with every team in action. All eyes were on Joplin as the still lingering sadness of the passing of owner Dave Stevens was evident as the Jackhammers lost their season opener to the visiting Stogies, paced by the three hit day by LF Roy Baker which was punctuated by a huge three run bomb that would hold up as enough offense for Springfield to get their first win of the season 4-2. Branson bludgeoned Lee's Summit and starter Patrick Jones for a six spot in the first, highlighted by 2B Rick Wilson's massive 413 foot two run shot to right center as the Baldknobbers easily outdistances the Broncos, 9-2. __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office!

01-06-2013, 08:20 PM	#17
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	The first extra inning affair in the Heartland League saw the Branson Baldknobbers erupt for four runs in the tenth off Broncos reliever Carsten Anraad to take the second game of their series with Lee's Summit. Ricardo Sanchez knocked in four runs on the day for Branson on the strength of a three hit game. It was the second day of play and the third complete game was thrown, this time by Rivermen hurler Steven Mosley as Saint Charles shut out Columbia 5-0. It only took the 19 year old righty 105 pitches to tame the Tigers as he scattered 5 hits and struck out 4. Mosley was named the number 12 ranked prospect in the Show-Me State Baseball Association and this was a heck of a way to start a career. Joplin's early season woes continued as they were shut out as well by a 3-0 score by the Springfield Stogies. The rainy weather may have been a contributing factor as neither team could really get their offenses going, although the Jackhammers seemed to still be in a bit of an early season fog. __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office!

01-12-2013, 09:09 PM	#18
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	Jefferson City continues to stay winless as they fall to Lee's Summit in a tight 4-2 affair. Jays starter Ian Frederick left one final pitch up too high to Raul Torres in the ninth and the Broncos centerfielder sent the home fans away happy with a two run game winning blast. Kirksville and Columbia had a close 6-4 game but the big news coming from central Missouri was the announced suspensions for Tigers hurler Brian Jones and Cougars outfielder Zegeye Adipo after their scuffle that saw both men get tossed after Jones plunked Adipo in response to Ed Hall's 3 run homer the batter before. Neither man was available for comments. *** I realize the 8th didn't get posted, but here are the scores, if nothing else: St. Charles - 4-7-1 Columbia - 3-11-1 W: J. Sempill (1-0) L: R. Henry (0-1) S: K. Latham (1) HR: none Cape Girardeau - 6-11-0 (13 inn) Kirksville - 4-15-1 W: E. Lucas (1-0) L: B. Snyder (0-1) S: R. Colorada (1) HR: none Springfield - 3-8-0 Joplin - 4-6-1 W: B. Warren (1-0) L: R. Grady (0-1) S: M. Summers (1) HR: none Branson - 2-7-0 Lee's Summit - 3-6-0 W: T. Cunningham (1-0) L: R. Lawrence (0-1) HR: none Jefferson City - 4-9-0 Warrensburg - 7-9-0 W: D. Frost (1-0) L: L. Duncan (0-1) S: J. Maldonado (2) HR: WAR - D. Frost (1), J. Wilson (1), C. Daly (1) Monroe City - 5-7-0 Hannibal - 4-6-1 W: D. Gates (1-0) L: P. Kennedy (0-1) S: J. Hill (1) HR: HAN - C. Aybar (1) __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office! Last edited by RoyalsBlue; 01-12-2013 at 09:16 PM. Reason: typo

01-13-2013, 09:53 AM	#19
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	One day after the scuffle that saw a player from each team not only thrown out of the game, but suspended for eight games for fighting, it was the Columbia Tigers that imposed their will on the Kirksville Cougars as they battered the visitors to the tune of a 14-2 shellacking. "We wanted to show them that if they want to talk the talk, they have to back it up and today they didn't. They backed away," said suspended hurler Brian Jones Bill Brown went the distance for the Branson Baldknobbers, scattering 5 hits and striking out 7 in a complete game 12-0 shutout of the struggling Joplin Jackhammers. "Brown might be a jerk, but he's our jerk," said catcher Jayson Allen when asked about his starter's outstanding effort. "When he's on the mound, it's all business and he was as locked in as I've ever seen someone on the bump." __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office!

01-13-2013, 01:36 PM	#20
RoyalsBlue Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Section 406, Row A, Seat 1 Posts: 375	Ricardo Sanchez kept up his torrid start, collecting his third homer of the young season for Branson, but it was Steve Clark's 3 run homer in the tenth inning off of Joplin's Edwin Rose that put the game away for the Baldknobbers as they handed the Jackhammers their fourth loss of the season, 7-4. Warrensburg hurler Merrill MacIntyre got his second win of the season after another good start, this time going 7 strong innings and allowing only 1 run on 3 hits as the Warlocks won a nailbiter against the Springfield Stogies 3-2. "I felt good out on the mound," said the Warlocks hurler. "I had good control of my fastball and my slider was biting hard." Jefferson City got their first win of the season and finally getting the goose egg out of the win column when they outlasted the Lee's Summit Broncos 6-4. Lawrence Brown and Jason Oglethorpe paced the Jays offense with 2 hits and 2 rbi apiece to get them off the schneid. __________________ A bad day at the ballpark is still better than the best day in the office!