Countdown to Cavemen Baseball

Another summer of Prospect League Baseball is just under two months away. This will be year number four for the Hannibal Cavemen. By all appearances, things are settling down after turbulent times during the 2010 season and the off season leading up to 2011.
Upgrades are underway at Clemens Field. Some work was evident during a mid November open house. More changes are on the way including a better scoreboard including easier to read ball and strike counts.
The Cavemen are also in need of about thirteen host families for 2012. Contact Debbie Walden  at 248-7679 or call the Cavemen office at 221-1010..
The current roster features a few returnees from last year including Hannibal native Zach Nichols. AJ Martin… Dustin Lawson and Trey Lang.  The pitching staff also includes several young men that stand 6’3” or taller.
How well the ’12 Cavemen will do remains to be seen, but that’s a good question right now for all Prospect League teams.  For all we know, a future hall of famer may be in the league this summer. Mike Schmidt played for Peoria in the Central Illinois Collegiate League—a forerunner of the Prospect League. Kirby Puckett was the center fielder for the 1981 Quincy Rivermen. Ryan Howard played for Decatur in the CICL. Howard and Gems field manager Chris Martin were the #3 and #4 hitters in the Danville Blues lineup. Jonathan Papelbon was a closer for the Danville Dans.
Rosters aren’t final and may change a bit by late June. The Cavemen season opens May 29th at Quincy. The home opener is May 31st.