Meet the teams of the SLO MSBL
On Sundays from April to September, you can find the SLO MSBL on the field around the Central Coast. The league is made up of teams with players ranging in age from 18 to 72. The one thing they all share is a love for playing adult baseball.
In 2022, the league was made up of seven teams. The league had a modified 30+ age division with allowances for each team to have five players under the age of 30.
What the league will look like in 2023 is still being decided. So far, all the teams from last season are planning to come back for the upcoming season. It’s possible there will be a new team or two joining as well.
Here’s your introduction to the teams of the SLO MSBL. Check them out. And remember you can play adult baseball, too. So what’s stopping you?
About the Angels
For years, the SLO Angels have been a perennial powerhouse in the SLO MSBL. They are managed by Boz Baron.
They are multi-year champions in the former 18+ division. In 2022, they kept up with the tradition and won the Championship by beating the Blacksox. Read the recap of the Championship Series.
The Angels are a talented squat with members that have played together for years. What really makes them successful, though, is their consistent, fundamental play. They don’t win with only power or cheap runs. They win by limiting mistakes, having solid pitching and taking good at bats.
Keep an eye on the SLO Angels this season as they pursue another Championship.
About the Blacksox
The Blacksox are one of the oldest teams in the SLO MSBL. They have a history of success and being competitive year in and year out. They are managed by long time league member, Tony Camacho.
The Blacksox have a solid core of players. Each time they take the field, their pitching is competitive and their hitting is hard to stop.
2022 saw them slip a bit from previous years, though they still managed to secure a 2nd place finish in the regular season. They went to the Championship series against the Angels but fell one game short of winning the series.
They hope that 2023 will be the year that they come out on top.
About the Legends
The Legends three-peated as 35+ Divisions Champions in the SLO MSBL. They won the trophy in 2018, 2019 & 2021 (there was no season in 2020 due to covid restrictions.}
The Legends field a solid core of players that have a lot of playing experience at high levels of baseball. They also excel at recruiting players, both from within and outside the league.
The Legends travel for a tournament or two most years, including the MSBL Desert Classic in Palm Springs.
In 2022, the legends fell short in their pursuit of another title. They finished the regular season in 3rd place and were knocked out of the 2nd round of the playoffs by the Blacksox.
The Legends will be fighting to claw their way back to the top in the 2023 SLO MSBL season.
About the Hogs
The Hogs are longtime members of the SLO MSBL. They have had good bouts of success on the baseball field. They are managed by League President, James Hixon.
Their roster has the oldest average age in the league, but their ability to compete is a testament to the skill the players bring to the field. They have been adding younger players each year to round out the roster, ensuring that the team will have a competitive future.
The Hogs often field a team to go to various tournaments throughout the year. In November, they play a friendly exhibition against Lumber Co. from Monterey.
They made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs but lost to the Angels, the eventual champions.
About the Eagles
The Eagles play old school baseball. They thrive on playing small ball, laying down bunts and running the bases aggressively. This style can get an opponent flustered, leading to mistakes. They have a lot of fun while being competitive against any team they come across.
They are managed by longtime SLO MSBL member, Jose Delgadoj, and many of the players in the dugout are related to him. This has made the Eagles a very close knit team that plays well together.
In 2022, the Eagles improved their record over the previous season. They lost their 1st round playoff series to the Hogs after taking it to the deciding game three.
In 2023, the Eagles hope to continue their upward momentum in pursuit of a league championship.
About the Hops
The Hops ran into many roadblocks in 2022. At the end of the 2021 season, they lost long time friend and teammate, Miguel Ibarra to covid. He is sorely missed.
In 2022, their manager moved away mid-season, a pitcher split time between home and a foreign country and a couple of other players moved away. That often left the team scrambling. Some weeks, the team struggled to field enough players to play.
But for the Hops, 2023 hopes to be a turnaround season. The manager position is filled and player recruiting is underway.
The Hops were swept by the Legends in the first round of the 2022 playoffs.
About the Outlaws
The current iteration of the Outlaws joined the league in 2019. They are managed by Bob Fernandez.
In 2022, they finished in 7th place in the regular season and were later eliminated from the playoffs by the Blacksox.
In addition to playing in the SLO MSBL, the Outlaws recruit other players to join them in playing in NABA and MSBL tournaments throughout the year.
The Outlaws are always looking for new players to join them for league and tournament play.
ABOUT THE PRIMOS
The Primos are an expansion team in the SLO MSBL in 2023.
Led by manager, David Cortez, the Primos hope to show the league what they are made of as they pursue a championship.
805 Bats are custom cut bats made by a member of the SLO MSBL. Check them out.
