Month: January 2015

T-Bones re-sign three pitchers; add infielder from Platte County

The T-Bones, who play at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan., have announced the re-signing of pitchers Kyle DeVore, Jared Messer and Joe Van Meter, and the signing of infielder Jake Blackwood to contracts for the 2015 season.

DeVore, a 6-foot-3 and 220-pound right-hander from Sacramento, Calif., went 5-6 with a 3.90 ERA, 43 strikeouts and 20 walks in 92 1/3 innings for Kansas City in 2014.

The Texas Rangers selected DeVore in the 27th round of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Sacramento City College.

Messer is a 6-foot and 180-pound right-hander from Massillon, Ohio. As a rookie in 2014 for the T-Bones, Messer went 5-3 with a 4.87 ERA with 55 strikeouts and 15 walks in 68 1/3 innings.

After the Washington Nationals picked Messer in the 38th round of the 2012 June Amateur Draft, he didn’t sign, opting to finish his collegiate career at Malone University in Canton, Ohio.

Van Meter spent most of the 2014 season with Frederick, the high-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. He joined the T-Bones during the last month of the season. Van Meter, who’s a 6-foot-2 and 195-pound right-hander, went 2-1 with a 6.03 ERA in seven appearances (six starts) for Kansas City.

Texas selected Van Meter in the 21st round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Virginia Commonwealth. He spent three-plus seasons in the Rangers organization, reaching double-A in 2012 and 2013.

He’s pitched in double-A for Tampa Bay, also, in 2013. In five professional seasons, Van Meter is 17-27 with a 4.15 ERA, 304 strikeouts and 127 walks.

Additionally, the T-Bones signed Blackwood, a 29-year-old Platte County High School graduate whose rights the T-Bones acquired in November in a trade with Winnipeg.

Blackwood batted .321 with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs for the Goldeyes in 2014. He was one of the top players for the T-Bones during 2009-10, when the club still played in the Northern League.

During those two seasons, Blackwood batted .315 with 210 hits, 124 RBIs and 114 runs scored in 162 games. He was the Northern League MVP in 2010 after leading the league in home runs (31) and RBIs (86), and finishing third with a .331 batting average.

The then-Florida Marlins selected Blackwood in the 16th round of the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Maple Woods Community College. He is a career .268 hitter with 92 homers, 488 RBIs and 424 runs in 899 games.

The T-Bones open the 2015 regular season at home on May 22 against Lincoln.

– Story from T-Bones

Time of blast changed for Fairfax bridge demo Thursday

The time of the scheduled demolition of the Fairfax bridge has changed Thursday.

The blast will be at 11 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Crews are scheduled to detonate the northern portion of the truss from the north bank to the Missouri levee on Thursday. Unlike the two previous blasts, this one cannot be seen from public access points and no public viewing will be available, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

The time for closing northbound and southbound Highway 69 on Thursday also has changed. Now it will be closed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to MoDOT.

A new U.S. 69 bridge will be constructed over the Missouri River, and is scheduled to open in December 2016, according to highway officials.

For any further updates, visit MoDOT’s website at www.modot.mo.gov/kansascity, or visit Twitter at twitter.com/MoDOT_KC, #us69moriverbridge.

Four hunters sentenced in connection with dove hunt in Kansas

Four hunters were sentenced Wednesday for violating federal laws in hunting birds in Kansas.

According to U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom, the four violated the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act when they took more than 260 mourning doves during a hunt in Ellis County, Kan.

Each of the four pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by exceeding the daily bag limit for mourning doves. They were sentenced to two years unsupervised probation, a $1,000 fine and $1,000 in restitution. In addition, they are prohibited from hunting, fishing, trapping or accompanying others during those activities for two years.

Sentenced were:
Harold C. Amrein, 59, Ellis, Kan.
Randy L. Amrein, 38, Fremont, Neb.
Morris H. Russell, 48, Omaha, Neb.
Tyrel S. Simpson, 33, Council Bluffs, Iowa

In their pleas, they admitted the crimes took place Sept. 2, 2014, during a hunt in the opening weekend of dove season. Following the hunt, a warden with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism found them in possession of more than 260 mourning doves. The daily bag limit for mourning doves is 15.

In a separate case Wednesday, two hunting guides were sentenced for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act during hunts in Reno County, Kan., according to Grissom.

Each pleaded guilty to violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by exceeding the daily bag limit. They were sentenced to one year unsupervised probation and a fine of $1,000. In addition, they were prohibited from hunting, fishing, trapping or accompanying anyone in those activities for one year.

Both men were working for Misty Morning Outfitters of Haven, Kan., at the time they violated federal law.

Sentenced were:
Lane Hensley, 28, Liberal, Kan.
Tanner Cox, 25, Wichita, Kan.

In his plea, Hensley admitted the crime occurred Dec. 15, 2011, when he took two undercover U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents on a hunt in Reno County, Kan. He exceeded the daily bag limit of three Canada geese.

In his plea, Cox admitted the crime occurred Sept. 1 and 2, 2011, on a hunt in Reno County. He exceeded the daily bag limit of 15 mourning doves.

Co-defendant Ryan Warden, owner of Misting Morning Outfitters, was sentenced to five years probation, a fine of $2,500, restitution of $5,000. He was prohibited from hunting, fishing, trapping or accompanying anyone in those activities for five years.