‘TIS THE CNMSBL SEASON
’09 Officially Under Way As League Holds First of Five Winter Meetings

Avon, CT (AP)—The holiday season is fully upon Connecticut but on a chilly Wednesday evening the focus was on an entirely different season as team ambassadors from around the state met at the Italian Club in Avon for the first of five highly anticipated winter meetings leading inexorably toward spring and Opening Day 2009. Representatives from six of the eight A Division entries were on hand to celebrate the quickly approaching campaign CNMSBL style, with complimentary dining and drinks courtesy of the league’s executive cabinet (the Cannons were joined by delegations from Bristol, Eastern Connecticut, Glastonbury, Hartford and Winsted).

The most noteworthy news story to come out of the gathering was the possible expansion of the upper division from eight to ten teams as the 2007 B Division champion New Haven Cardinals and 2008 champion Suffield Irish explore any and all available options and contemplate a change of scenery. Manager Matt Celio made an impassioned plea to both ball clubs as A Division President Mike Clinton further attempts to bolster an already competitive division for the immediate and long-term future. “As you are well aware, the Cannons and Cards have a rich history dating back to our inaugural campaign in 2001,” Celio stated to the amassed members of the media. “From our storied playoff battles (the 2005 Cannons, then out of West Hartford, dramatically defeated New Haven by a final score of 10-9 to take the team’s only league title) to our heated regular season contests, this was and will again be a marquee match-up for the league to market. The Irish have been equally impressive since joining the league in 2006 and both would bring something special to play in the A. I know the improvements we’ve made this off-season make us the team to beat regardless of who we’re matched up against (in hot stove action Connecticut has added free agents Juan Checo and Mike Mathews to an already lethal line-up and anticipates full seasons from former MVC Tom Luby, P Billy Gills and C Mark Lynch…agents for Kevin McGann have been in almost constant contact with Cannons World Headquarters in recent months) but a bigger and better brand of baseball is going to make our championship run in the upcoming season even sweeter. I speak for all of the Cannons when I say I’d much prefer to win a talent-laden ten-team division. Bring it on!”

Other items on the docket included, as always, the 2009 version of the Step Up to the Plate Charity Baseball Marathon as well as roster requirements (up from thirteen to fifteen though Connecticut has been well above this total for the past several seasons) and an upcoming schedule of events (the next league meeting is on Wednesday, January 21 one day after the inauguration of President elect Barack Obama and Celio’s thirty-eighth birthday). On Memorial Day weekend 2008 eleven charitable Cannons “stepped up” and participated in the league’s second annual charity baseball event and raised nearly $7,500 as a team for Cystic Fibrosis, Juvenile Diabetes and Prostate Cancer research (almost $30,000 was raised league-wide). The 2009 marathon is scheduled for Memorial Day weekend (Friday, May 22 into Saturday, May 23) at Riverfront Park in Glastonbury and league officials have promised a more player-friendly affair with a wide variety of incentive-laden prizes. Cannons management hopes that the ’09 edition of the team can take this challenge to the next level. Celio stated: “It was a great time for some great causes. [Jack] Vanasse, [Mike] Weber and I played the full twenty-four hours last season and I think we’ve got some guys who will be gunning for that milestone. We play to be the best on Sundays but this weekend allows us to play for something bigger than league bragging rights. It’s time for us to hit another grand slam for some great charities (a truncated version of Celio’s write-up appeared in the Fall 2008 edition of HardBall: The Official Magazine of the Men’s Senior Baseball League).”

With just ten short shopping days until Christmas people are braving the crowds, picking up those last-minute items. Santa’s list is made and checked…twice. Winter and well-deserved vacations are in store for most and the citizens of Cannon Nation are no different. Soon, minute by minute, the days will grow longer and with each passing day we move closer to what truly is “the most wonderful time of the year.” The 2009 CNMSBL season is coming…

Winter Meeting News and Notes: The 2009 season marks the 20th Anniversary of the Connecticut North Men’s Senior Baseball League (the Bristol Metallurgists are the only original team remaining…the Cannons have been a part things for nine seasons); Celio recently attended the Sportscasters Ball at Rentschler Field with members of the Step Up committee; citizenship in Cannon Nation has increased by three over the past several months: Bill and Jill Balcerzak welcomed Lilah Jane on October 24; Tom and Virgie Clark greeted Xzavior Amilcar Clark on November 28; elder statesman Mike Patenaude and wife Kathy became first-time grandparents; Luby loves Mayne Street starring ESPN celebrity, friend and Avon resident Kenny Mayne; 3B Mike McGann spent Saturday evening with Melissa Lotstein, Celio’s Sedgwick cohort, and the two have plans for a second date later this week; Weber missed the first meeting because of his daughter Jessica’s school conference…Paul “Have You Ever Seen a Grown Man Naked?” Graves, Chris “Taxi” DiVita and Dave “Howie” Longhi agreed, “That’s overrated!”; Celio once again volunteered to start the season on the road at Winsted; Balcerzak, Celio, Clark, McGann and Weber spent a pre-Thanksgiving Tuesday at The Spigot in Hartford…an intoxicated Celio (a.k.a. “Pete Johnson”) was introduced to one of McGann’s many ex-girlfriends and upon shaking hands tickled her palm with his index finger…the not-so-young lady responded with, “What’s your problem Chubzy Wubzy?”…Leo Dionicio immediately e-mailed his plans to help Connecticut’s Manager keep his New Year’s Resolutions by becoming “workout partners”…Celio has been squeezing his sphincter ever since; former Cannon Craig Perrier was named Rookie of the Year for the Boston Braves of the Massachusetts Men’s Senior Baseball League; Cannons informational packets are expected to be mailed on Saturday, January 3, 2009 from West Hartford’s Lasalle Road branch of the United States Post Office.