2021 GENERAL MANAGERS MEETINGS
2021 GENERAL MANAGERS MEETINGS
It’s not a mandatory thing, but it is kind of fun to be online and talk trade with 28 General Managers of the Mid-West Baseball League. This year we will be using ZOOM as after quarantining the last year, we have all become a little more familiar with the software. We will also be using our SLACK CHAT – CHAT ROOM for private conversations and trade talks during the General Managers Meetings as well.
We always appreciate it when we get a lot of Community activity from the General Managers, much of the off-season wheeling & dealing is usually done at this time.
It’s a precursor to Draft Day to make sure everyone can get into the SLACK CHAT – CHAT ROOM.
The Commissioner Office will set up a ZOOM Meeting & arrive in the SLACK CHAT – CHAT ROOM around 7:45 PM ET on the dates listed below, and GM’s can come and go as they please. Meetings usually last about one & a half hours, but you can stay as long as you’d like.
NEW THIS YEAR – the 2021 ZOOM General Managers Meetings.
Sunday Nights
01/10/2021
01/31/2021
Monday Night
02/08/2021
2021 MWBL DRAFT DAY is Scheduled for Saturday, February 20th, 2020 – 10:30 AM ET.
2020 MWBL CHRISTMAS CLASSIC HOME RUN DERBY
Matanzas Cuba – 12/25/2020
Despite the pandemic & Covid 19 Restrictions, the Mid-West Baseball League held its annual Christmas Classic again this year on a warm sunny morning in Matanzas Cuba. Twelve MWBL came together with masks on for a jolly old time of fun, sun, and Home Runs.
The action started a little out of the ordinary in the 1st round when former MWBL David Ortiz (better know as Big Papi) showed up as Santa Claus & brought in J.D. Martinez with him in his present sack. Martinez was in a drunken stupor. “Way gone” is how Ortiz put it. “He’s blitzed more than one of my reindeer”. So right off the bat, J.D. Martinez got his 10 swings and didn’t hit a ball. “Didn’t even come close – maybe he was naughty this year” said Papi.
Other 1st round action had Cody Bellinger (Triple Creek) whop a high of 10 in the first round. He was joined at the end of round 1 with Eugenio Suarez (Mesa) with 6, & with 8 Home Runs each from Max Muncy (Southbend) & Josh Donaldson (Valdosta) to make up the Semi-Final Round.
In the Semi’s the mashing got even more intense as Suarez hit 13, Bellinger 11, Muncy fell just short of catching Bellinger with 10 & Donaldson brought up the rear with 6. So moving on to the finals was Eugenio Suarez from Mesa & Cody Bellinger from Triple Creek. It was going to be an American League vs. National League Final.
Both players were tired & David Ortiz was passing around Cuban Cigars & Cuban Rum around to all 8 players who were now out of the Classic. However, J.D. Martinez declined to partake in the drinking saying “Bats, they are sick. I cannot hit curve-ball. Straight-ball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid. I ask Jobu to come, take fear from bats. I offer him a cigar, rum. He will come.” Soon as that happened Big Papi gave Martinez a milk shower & said “This is what Santa Papi likes – Milk, it does a body good”. After the last out was made, J.D. still couldn’t hit or walk.
Meanwhile, Suarez led off the finals & put on a strong showing with 8 bombs. Bellinger responded quickly but hitting 3 home runs before making an out, but then hits bat went cold & Bellinger couldn’t hit the side of a barn, or as Big Papi said at the time “J.D. Martinez & you have something in common, you both can’t hit” & then with his big belly laughing self said, “Ho-Ho-Ho – Let’s go find some”…
So the 2020 Christmas Classic had a winner as Eugenio Suarez of the Mesa Solar Sox blasted 8 in the finals, (Beating Bellinger who finished with 4) and also took the most overall for it as well with 27, again surpassing Bellinger, this time by 2 – 27 to 25. Suarez’s longest homer was 563 feet.
The longest of the day belonged to Bellinger who in the Semi-Final Round blasted his 1st home run of the round a majestic 592 feet.
All in all, it was a great day in Matanzas & the boys had a blast & took a break from Covid-19 & shared some laughs & fun on a warm day in the sun.
2020 CHRISTMAS CLASSIC PARTICIPANTS ANNOUNCED
The 2020 Christmas Classic will be held on Christmas night – December 25th, 2020 (results posted on 12/25 @ or about Noon ET) in Honolulu Hawaii at Hohokam Park.
How does the MWBL going to handle the Christmas Classic Home Run Derby? This is an idea that came from a league (BUNT), that the Commissioner checks out from time to time. Dave Snyderman one of the members produced the idea a few years ago and which has been refined somewhat as they went along. The MWBL refined the idea a little more and adopted the concept for the Christmas Classic Home Run Derby.
Representing the American & National League teams they finished 2020 with, will be the following twelve (12), players.
Started in 2017 – No Mid-West Baseball League Franchise will have more than one representative.
| AMERICAN LEAGUE – 2020 MWBL CHRISTMAS CLASSIC PARTICIPANTS | |||||
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| Eugenio Suarez | Alex Bregman | Jorge Soler | Mike Trout | Christian Yelich | Max Muncy |
| Mesa | Chicago | Yonge Street | Motor City | Hollywood | Southbend |
| NATIONAL LEAGUE – 2020 MWBL CHRISTMAS CLASSIC PARTICIPANTS | |||||
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| Cody Bellinger | J.D. Martinez | Nolan Arenado | Franmil Reyes | Josh Donaldson | Peter Alonso |
| Triple Creek | Tempe | Harsens Island | Corktown | Valdosta | Selkirk |