Some intriguing shakeups are occurring this spring in the TCMABL with two long standing franchises calling it quits – then merging to form a new team, two other teams getting closer to that AARP discount and one new franchise from a historical border town.
First the sad news that two of the longest running franchises have played their last game. The TCMABL Cubs, one of the most successful franchises in the history of our league is folding due to numbers. Some of the best players to step foot in the league have worn a Cubs uniform, including big bats like Rick Hillard, Jeff Kaczmarczyk, Steve Bubb and Dan Casazza. They also had leaders on the bump with Burnie Rossum and John Barbella. They leave the league with an overall record of 165-60-1, three Championships (2010,2016,2017) and six Division titles and Bob Janoski who founded the team is in the TCMABL Hall of Fame.
The other long-standing team, the Saint Paul Padres are also folding due to numbers. The Padres have been in the league since 2004 and have fielded some of the league’s most competitive players like Nick Meisinger – the all-time Padres home run leader – and consistent all stars like Erik Lundgren, Henry Medrano, Nate Berlien, Jason Kresser and Dan Hargreaves. They also had solid support on the mound with one of the league’s all-time strikeout and innings leaders in John Ripplinger. The Padres finished with a 108-104 record, including one Divisional title.
Both teams had troubling getting numbers to field a team this winter and have decided to fold both the Cubs and Padres and with the remaining players form a new team in the Angels. The Angels will open up this season in the Roy Hobbs.
Tony Newman and the Knights are moving on from the 28+ league and joining the Roy Hobbs Division in the 35 plus.
The Snappers are leaving the 18+ to join the 28 plus league leaving those morning double dips at Smothers Field for the 5PM game. The turtles leave the 18 plus with over 300 wins and five-time Division Champions (03,04,05,06,08) with a runner up finish in 2003. The Snappers joining the 28 will bring even more high-quality competition to Sunday nights.
The newest team to join the TCMABL this season comes out of Stillwater, adding another team from the East Metro, the Saints will join the 18+ with a handful of leftover Snappers and combine with a few players from the Lake Elmo VFW team and a sprinkle of Stillwater residents and Free Agents. The Saints will continue to add a youthful boost to the ever-expanding baseball league.
*stats and records based on 2007-2018
