Bluefield Blue Jays
Bluefield Blue Jays Founded in 1937 Bluefield, Virginia | |||||
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Class-level | |||||
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Current | Advanced Rookie (1963–present) | ||||
Previous |
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Minor league affiliations | |||||
League | Appalachian League (1946–1955, 1957–present) | ||||
Division | East Division | ||||
Previous leagues | Mountain State League (1937–1942) | ||||
Major league affiliations | |||||
Current | Toronto Blue Jays (2011–present) | ||||
Previous |
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Minor league titles | |||||
League titles .mw-parser-output .nobold{font-weight:normal} (14) |
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Division titles (12) |
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Team data | |||||
Nickname | Bluefield Blue Jays (2011–present) | ||||
Previous names |
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Colors | Blue, White | ||||
Ballpark | Bowen Field at Peters Park (1946–1955, 1957–present) | ||||
Owner(s)/ Operator(s) | Bluefield Baseball Club, Inc. | ||||
Manager | Dennis Holmberg | ||||
General Manager | Rocky Malamisura | ||||
President | George McGonagle |
The Bluefield Blue Jays are a minor league baseball team of the Rookie Appalachian League representing the twin cities of Bluefield, West Virginia, and Bluefield, Virginia, affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays.[1] The team plays their home games at Bowen Field at Peters Park, a historic stadium (opened in 1939) in Bluefield's city park. The park, which straddles the West Virginia–Virginia state line, is operated by the West Virginia city; however, Bowen Field lies entirely within Virginia.
Contents
1 History
2 Playoffs
3 Notable alumni
4 Roster
5 References
6 External links
History
On August 28, 2010, Andy MacPhail, then-president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles announced that Baltimore was ending their affiliation with Bluefield and the Appalachian League, effective at the end of the 2010 Appalachian League season.[2][3] Bluefield's 53 season affiliation with the Orioles, which lasted from 1958 to 2010, had been the oldest continuous affiliation with the same major league franchise in Minor League Baseball.[3]
The Orioles were sometimes known as the "Baby Birds" or the "Baby O's", a reference to their major league parent club. One of the best known players to have played in Bluefield is Cal Ripken, Jr., who played with Bluefield in 1978 when he was 17 years old. Another famous former Baby Bird is Boog Powell, who played there in 1959, also as a 17-year-old.
Bluefield became an affiliate organization with Toronto for the 2011 season.[4]
Outfielder Kevin Pillar played for the Bluefield Blue Jays in 2011, and batted .347, winning the Appalachian League batting title and leading the organization in batting average.[5][6] He holds the team's all-time records for batting average, on-base percentage (.377), and slugging percentage (.534).[7] In August 2013, Pillar became the first Bluefield Blue Jays alumnus to play in the major leagues for Toronto.[8]
Playoffs
- 2018: Lost to Pricenton 2-1 in semifinals
- 2017: Lost to Pulaski 2-1 in semifinals.
- 2013: Lost to Pulaski 2–0 in semifinals.
- 2011: Defeated Elizabethton 2–1 in semifinals; lost to Johnson City 2–0 in finals.
- 2002: Lost to Bristol 2–1 in finals.
- 2001: Defeated Elizabethton 2–1 to win championship.
- 1997: Defeated Pulaski 2–0 to win championship.
- 1996: Defeated Kingsport 2–1 to win championship.
- 1995: Lost to Kingsport 2–1 in finals.
- 1992: Defeated Elizabethton 2–1 to win championship.
Notable alumni
Hall of Fame alumni
Travis Jackson (MGR 1951) Inducted, 1983
Eddie Murray (1973) Inducted, 2003
Cal Ripken Jr. (1978) Inducted, 2007
Notable alumni
Joe Altobelli (1966–1967, MGR) Manager: 1983 World Series Champion – Baltimore Orioles
Bob Bailor (1970)
Don Baylor (1967) MLB All-Star; 1979 AL Most Valuable Player
Mark Belanger (1962) MLB All-Star; 8 x Gold Glove
Armando Benitez (1992) 2 x MLB All-Star
Mike Boddicker (1978) 2 x MLB All-Star; 1984 AL ERA Leader
Zach Britton (2006) 2 x MLB All-Star; 2016 AL Saves Leader
Don Buford (2003) MGR) MLB All-Star
Enos Cabell (1969)
Dean Chance (1959) 2 x MLB All-Star; 1964 AL Cy Young Award
Storm Davis (1979) MLB All-Star
Doug DeCinces (1970) MLB All-Star
David Dellucci (1995)
Duffy Dyer (1999, MGR)
Andy Etchebarren (1993–1994,1998, MGR) 2 x MLB All-Star
Jim Frey (1964–1965, MGR) 1984 NL Manager of the Year
Bobby Grich (1967) 6 x MLB All-Star
Ricky Gutierrez (1978)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (1997)
Pete Harnisch (1987) MLB All-Star
Larry Haney (1961)
Billy Hunter (1962–1963, MGR) MLB All-Star
Jim Johnson (2002–2003) MLB All-Star; 2012, 2013 MLB Saves Leader
Mark Leiter (1983)
Sparky Lyle (1964) 3 x MLB All-Star; 1977 AL Cy Young Award
Ken McBride (1954) 3 x MLB All-Star
Bill Monbouquette (1955) 4 x MLB All-Star
Johnny Oates (1967) 1996 AL Manager of the Year
Roberto Osuna (2012) MLB All-Star
Kevin Pillar (2011)
Sidney Ponson (1995)
Boog Powell (1959) 4 x MLB All-Star; 1970 AL Most Valuable Player
Arthur Rhodes (1988) MLB All-Star
Billy Ripken (1982–1983)
Aaron Sanchez (2011) MLB All-Star ; 2016 AL ERA Leader
Jonathan Schoop (2010) MLB All-Star
John Shelby (1977)
Vic Sorrell (1938–1940)
Sammy Stewart (1975)
Noah Syndergaard (2011) MLB All-Star
Gregg Zaun (1990)
Roster
Bluefield Blue Jays roster | ||||
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Players | Coaches/Other | |||
Pitchers
| Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
| Manager
Coaches
7-day disabled list |
References
^ "Blue Jays fly into Bluefield to replace the Orioles". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. September 7, 2010. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2010..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ "Orioles leaving Bluefield". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. August 28, 2010. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
^ ab "Orioles out of Bluefield". Orioles Insider: Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
^ "MORNING UPDATE: Blue Jays fly into Bluefield to replace the Orioles". bdtonline.com. September 7, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
^ Eric Sondheimer (November 9, 2011). "Baseball: Ex-Chaminade player Kevin Pillar to receive honor". latimes.com. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
^ "2013 Prospect Watch". mlb.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
^ "2012 Bluefield Blue Jays Media Guide". Retrieved August 19, 2013.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-07-26. Retrieved 2013-08-19.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
External links
- Bluefield Blue Jays Homepage
- Bluefield Blue Jays at Appalachian League site