Don't Go Soft, Play Hardball!

SJMSBL News - 2014

Amazing Mets Win Championship 6-3 Over Twins In 19 Innings

September 28, 2014
2014 Nicewonger Champion Mets Team Photo

In the longest game in league history, and quite possibly the greatest, the Mets beat the Twins 6-3 in 19 long innings to capture their best of three series 2 games to 1 and claim their second straight Nicewonger division championship.

The epic battle featured just about everything that could possibly happen in a baseball game, great pitching, defensive gems, escapes from bases loaded no out jams, runners thrown out at the plate.

Read the full article.

Giants Win 15th Division Championship By Sweeping Astros

September 22, 2014
2014 Dunn Champion Giants Team Photo

The 2014 Giants completed an undefeated march through the Dunn division playoffs by sweeping the Astros for their 15th division championship. Manager Mike Boesch guided the Giants to an impressive 13-6-1 regular season record in the very competitive Dunn division and then the Giants won all four playoff contests to put an exclamation point on their 2014 championship season.

Read more about the 2014 Giants championship season.

Yankees Sweep Orioles To Win First Championship Ever!

September 22, 2014
2014 Ettare Champion Yankees Team Photo

After enduring 26 years of frustration the Yankees are finally champions and they did it by pulling off one of the biggest shockers in league history by sweeping the four time consecutive champion and heavily favored Orioles!

Read more about the 2014 Yankees championship season.

Twins End Regular Season Undefeated

August 27, 2014

The amazing Twins swept the Reds on Sunday to finish a perfect 20-0 in the regular season. This is only the second time in 27 years that a team has won every game during the season. The 1992 Giants were the first team to accomplish perfection and they also swept their way through the playoffs to finish 28-0. Manager Kyle Madej's incredible pitching staff did not allow more than four runs in any game during the season. Congratulations to all of the Twins on your remarkable regular season achievement!

Full All-Star Classic Coverage Available

August 9, 2014

Full coverage of the 2014 Nicewonger All-Star Classic is now available. Read the Recap and check out the Box Score, Rosters, and Photos.

American All-Stars Upset National All-Stars 3-1

August 6, 2014

American All-Stars manager Kyle Madej (Twins) took advantage of stingy pitching, including three Ettare Division Orioles, to shutdown the heavily favored National All-Stars 3-1 in the lowest scoring All-Star game in SJMSBL league history. The National All-Stars were loaded with players from four of the six 18+ Nicewonger Division teams and the two top clubs from the Dunn Division but they never put up much of a fight.

Read the full coverage of the 2014 Nicewonger All-Star Classic including Recap, Box Score, Rosters, and Photos.

Editors Note: The stadium announcer inadvertently failed to announce National League coach Bryan Morrissey's name during the pregame ceremonies. The league apologizes to Bryan for this unfortunate moment. Bryan's efforts as Reds team manager earned him his spot on the All-Star Game field. The league greatly appreciates the many things Bryan has done this season to improve the Oak Grove field - including the donation of his own time and $150 in field care equipment.

Feduk, Madej Named 2014 All-Star Managers

August 2, 2014

Brian Feduk (Mets) and Kyle Madej (Twins) have been selected as the managers for the 2014 Nicewonger All-Star Classic. Feduk will manage the National team and Madej will run the American squad.

Feduk joined the league in 2002 as a member of the 25+ Pirates and moved over to the 18+ division in 2005 as a member of the Diamondbacks (future Mets). In 2008 he became the Mets manager in the 18+ division and took his team to the finals. Feduk’s Mets are the Nicewonger division defending champs and have won three division championships in six years. Brian has also won a MSBL National World Series Championship ring in 2011.

Madej first played in SJMSBL in 2003 on the Padres in the 18+ division. Kyle formed the Twins in 2012 and has led them to a perfect 13-0 record this season – the best record in the league. Twins pitchers have only allowed 21 runs in 13 games. Madej is a former college pitching coach, most recently at Deanza. Kyle won a MSBL National World Series Championship ring in 2011 as a team mate to opposing All-Star Game manager Brian Feduk.

Field Heroes Rescue Oak Grove

July 31, 2014
Field Heroes Rescue Oak Grove
Hector Esparza, Bryan Morrissey, José "Choo Choo" Medina, Jordan Romero, Seth Turner, Dave Meier.

Board member Dave Meier and a group of Reds worked tirelessly Thursday night to install new clay on the pitchers mound and batters boxes at Oak Grove.

The league purchased 250 lbs of clay mix, Bryan Morrissey and Dave Meier provided the tools and four Reds helped do the heavy lifting.

Oak Grove was in dire need of a facelift and in addition to the Field Heroes efforts the site also received a new 1B bag install and complete makeover from a landscaping company to repair the base paths and cut and weed the field.

Playoff Roster Deadline - July 31

July 22, 2014

Teams have until July 31 to add players for the playoffs.

Online waivers must be received by 11:59 pm on July 31.

Time is running out to add those playoff ringers!

Dunn Division: Top FIVE (5) teams qualify for playoffs
Ettare Division: Top SEVEN (7) teams qualify for playoffs
Nicewonger Division: Top FIVE (5) teams qualify for playoffs.

BREAKING NEWS - League Schedule Wrecked

July 12, 2014
Schedule changing car accident at Fair Oaks Park
Schedule changing accident at Fair Oaks Park.

Early Sunday morning on July 6 a car lost control and smashed completely through the grandstands and into the backstop behind home plate at Fair Oaks Park.

The field is now closed indefinitely. Damage to the site includes a downed light pole, destroyed bleachers, press box knocked off the top of the grandstand on to the bleachers, hole punched through the wood of the backstop and compromised backstop support poles.

Doubleheaders at the field on July 13, 20 and 27 need to be rescheduled and changes will be made to the entire league schedule on these dates.

The league secured use at PAL Stadium on July 13 for the twin bill between the Phillies and Mariners thanks to the efforts of Phillies manager Patrick Battiste and team member Nate Wyms.

On July 20 games will be moved at three sites to create an open field for the double dip between Padres and Red Sox. Thanks to the Twins and Kyle Madej for moving his home games vs Mets over the hill to Aptos to open up a field.

The league is attempting to find a field for July 27 doubleheader between the Padres and Mariners. Summer vacation at all of the school districts is proving to be a big obstacle as very few administrators, athletic directors and coaches are available for communication.

Ettare division doubleheaders on July 27 could become single games at all sites to get a field for the Padres and Mariners to play one game. The second game of these double dips would be played on August 24 - pushing the playoffs back one week. Post season would start after Labor Day on September 7 the same day as the Dunn and Nicewonger divisions.

Managers will be sending out emails to inform players of any late schedule changes and the website Schedule will be updated as field changes are finalized.

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4th Annual Nicewonger All-Star Classic August 6

June 8, 2014

Details for the 4th Annual Dave Nicewonger All-Star Classic have been set.

Game time will be 7:15 PM on August 6 at San José Municipal Stadium.

The two teams (American League, National League) will be represented by the following:

American League (12 teams)
Colt .45s, Twins (from Nicewonger Division)
A's, Angels, Indians, Tigers (from Dunn Division)
Mariners, Orioles, Rays, Red Sox, White Sox, Yankees (from Ettare Division)

National League (11 teams)
Marlins, Mets, Nationals, Reds (from Nicewonger Division)
Astros, Brewers, Giants (from Dunn Division)
Braves, Padres, Phillies, Pirates (from Ettare Division)

American League Team Nicknames - 1B Dugout
National League Team Nicknames - 3B Dugout
Infield from 6:30-6:45 pm National League
Infield from 6:45-7:00 pm American League
Player Introductions 7:00-7:10 pm

Admission is FREE.
City of San José charges for parking in Stadium Lot (free parking on street).
Concession stand will be open.
No outside food, coolers, beverages allowed in stadium (City ordinance).
San José PD will be on site.

Complete 2014 Schedule Released.

May 31, 2014

The full 2014 season is finished and posted on the Schedule page.

MSBL Logo Merchandise On Sale Now!

May 1, 2014

Hey MSBL members! Get your MSBL "logo" apparel at a special price now through May 12th. Just go to www.lidsteamsports.com and click on "flash stores" at the bottom of the page, then type in your member code "MSBLbase2014" and hit "submit code". They offer beautiful shirts, jackets and shorts manufactured by Nike. These are first class items and available at a special price just for you. After selecting your items for your cart, just go to "checkout" and follow the directions.

THIS SUCKS! OPENING DAY POSTPONED. NOW MAY 4.

April 26, 2014

Not the way anyone wants to start a season.

Unfortunately yesterday's rain and the overnight forecast has done us in. All games are postponed until next weekend - May 4. SAME schedule next week for Opening Day.

More than half of the field sites have standing water on either the infield or outfield and coaches have told the league today that they do not want games played on the soft fields tomorrow. Rain is in the overnight forecast and cold temps predicted for tomorrow morning. Any rain would wash out remaining field sites.

The board voted unanimously to postpone all games and start the season on dry fields next week with all teams on equal footing.

Mike Zamba, SJMSBL President

Opening Day Schedule Released.

April 19, 2014

The Opening Day schedule is now posted on the 2014 Schedule page.

As usual, acquisition of field permits and availability dates has delayed the writing of a full 2014 schedule. A full 2014 schedule will be posted as soon as possible.

Due to the odd number of teams in the Dunn division, the Tigers will have a bye on Opening Day.

Dave Meier, Jon Trees, and Mike Zamba Elected to Board of Directors

February 28, 2014

Congratulations to Dave Meier, Jon Trees, and Mike Zamba on their elections to the board of directors.

Meier, co-manager of the Brewers, has been in the league since its founding in 1988. He was elected to his third term having previously served two terms from 1998-2004.

Trees, manager of the Astros, has been in the league 19 years and was elected to his second term.

Zamba has been in the League since 1990. He's been on the Board of Directors since 1992, serving as President since 1996.

Elections are for three-year terms and will expire 12/31/2016.

Thank you to Rafael Ibarra, Darryl Jones, and Bryan Morrissey for submitting applications and their willingness to donate their time and effort in wanting to serve on the board. Hopefully all choose to run again next year.

SJMSBL Board of Directors Election — February 27 — Apply Today!

January 28, 2014

The San José MSBL will conduct a Board of Directors election on Thursday, February 27. Board members will be chosen from the list of applicants by a vote by team managers as representatives of their teams.

This is your chance to participate in meetings that affect the day to day operations of the league, help determine the San José MSBL rules and policies, and appoint the league officers (president, treasurer and secretary) who serve at the pleasure of the board. The treasurer and secretary are not board seated positions.

If you are interested in running for one of the open Board seats please submit an application

The director job description is available on the Board of Directors page. Board members volunteer their service to the league.

Any member of the league (manager or player) as well as those in the general population (non league participants) may submit an application.

Deadline for submitting applications is Thursday, February 20.

Phil Scholz - Fallen Hero

January 25, 2014
Phil Scholz

The San José MSBL lost a hero on Monday, January 20. Phil Scholz, 1B for the White Sox, was tragically killed attempting to pull a person from the Caltrain tracks at the Santa Clara station. An in-depth article on Phil's heroism can be found on the San José Mercury News website.

White Sox manager Craig Myers had this to say about Phil.

Phil was an outstanding 1B and played ball selflessly. In fact, he lead the team in getting drilled every year. I mean it wasn't even close -- he'd get hit 6-8 times a season. He also had a habit of trying to steal home, and he was actually successful a couple of times. As it turns out, his character as a person was reflected in the way he played baseball.

We'd all go out for beer and pizza after games and Phil was always there drinking whatever IPA they had on tap and talking about the game. He was such a great guy and a pillar of our team.

Phil was a frequent submitter to this website's Photo of the Week contest. His photos will be missed.

The League's condolences go out to Phil's wife Emily, his family, and the entire White Sox team.

MEMORIAL

What: Services for Philip Scholz
When: 10 a.m. Feb. 10
Where: Veterans Memorial Building, 301 Main St., Pleasanton

Player Workout and Draft Sunday, March 9

January 28, 2014

The 2014 Workout and Draft is scheduled for 10:30 AM on Sunday, March 9 at Los Gatos High School (map here). Warm-ups and registration begin at 10:00 AM.

More information can be found here.

First 2014 Managers Meeting Wednesday, January 29

January 9, 2014

The first Managers Meeting for the 2014 season has been scheduled for 6:30 PM on Wednesday, January 29 at Blue Chip Sports Bar (Maps and Directions).

Limit of two representatives per team at the meeting.