Salem Red Sox

"Salem Rebels" redirects here. "Salem Rebels" can also refer to an Eastern Hockey League team from 1967 to 1971.
Salem Red Sox
Founded in 1968
Salem, Virginia

Team Logo

Cap Insignia
Class-level
  • Advanced-A (1968–present)
Minor league affiliations
Major league affiliations
Name
  • Salem Red Sox (2009–present)
  • Salem Avalanche (1995– 2008)
  • Salem Buccaneers (1987–1994)
  • Salem Redbirds (1981–1986)
  • Salem Pirates (1972–1980)
  • Salem Rebels (1955–1971)
Ballpark
Minor league titles
League titles 1972, 1974, 1987, 2001
Division titles 1968, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1981, 1987, 1988, 2006, 2009
Owner(s)/Operated by: Fenway Sports Group
Manager: Bruce Crabbe
General Manager: Todd Stephenson

The Salem Red Sox are a minor league baseball team in Salem, Virginia, an independent city adjacent to Roanoke, Virginia. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League and are a farm team of the Boston Red Sox. The team, known from 1995 through 2008 as the Salem Avalanche, was previously affiliated with the Houston Astros from 2003 to 2008 and the Colorado Rockies from 1995 to 2002; prior to 1995, the franchise played under several different names and affiliations. The Red Sox play home games at Lewis-Gale Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark, a 4,968 seat facility opened in 1995 that hosted the Carolina/California League All Star Game in 2006.

The franchise was owned from 1986 until 2006 by Kelvin Bowles, a local resident and major league baseball scout. Bowles (who, coincidentally, scouted for the Boston Red Sox from 2002–05) bought the team when it was in danger of moving from Salem. In 2006, the team was sold to a pair of businessmen from Atlanta who also owned the Fort Wayne Wizards; in December 2007, this group sold the team to Fenway Sports Group, a subsidiary of the Boston Red Sox ownership group, preparing the team for an affiliation change after its Player Development Contract with the Astros ended in 2008.

Contents

History of baseball in Salem

Notable former players

Club records

  • Batting: .370 – Oswaldo Olivares, 1977
  • Hits: 208 – Oswaldo Olivares, 1977
  • Doubles: 43 – Garrett Atkins, 2001
  • Triples: 17 – David Arrington, 1968
  • Home Runs: 34 – Gerald Davis, 1981
  • Total Bases: 280 – Oswaldo Olivares, 1977
  • Runs Batted In: 103 – Gerald Davis, 1981
  • Stolen Bases: 84 – Miguel Dilone, 1975
  • Wins: 16 – Jim Minshall 1972
  • Losses: 15 – Frank Brosious, 1983; James McKee, 1970
  • Strikeouts: 186 – Ed Whitson, 1976; Doug Bair, 1972
  • Walks: 127 – Benjamin Willbank, 1978
  • Innings Pitched: 203 – Ed Whitson, 1976
  • Earned Run Average: 2.11 – Josh Kalinowski, 1999
  • Saves: 27 – Travis Thompson, 1999

Home attendance: 1968–present

  • 1968 – 64,532
  • 1969 – 63,248
  • 1970 – 50,076
  • 1971 – 37,872
  • 1972 – 43,910
  • 1973 – 45,915
  • 1974 – 41,379
  • 1975 – 39,007
  • 1976 – 30,387
  • 1977 – 32,744
  • 1978 – 51,096
  • 1979 – 43,036
  • 1980 – 102,456
  • 1981 – 72,125
  • 1982 – 47,202
  • 1983 – 56,451
  • 1984 – 61,623
  • 1985 – 71,788
  • 1986 – 87,047
  • 1987 – 111,661
  • 1988 – 119,966
  • 1989 – 121,581
  • 1990 – 126,121
  • 1991 – 131,582
  • 1992 – 134,598
  • 1993 – 145,657
  • 1994 – 153,575
  • 1995 – 140,111
  • 1996 – 173,703 (new stadium)
  • 1997 – 188,023
  • 1998 – 189,069
  • 1999 – 206,012
  • 2000 – 200,863
  • 2001 – 203,375
  • 2002 – 196,347
  • 2003 – 175,155
  • 2004 – 224,991
  • 2005 – 255,225
  • 2006 – 237,724 (5 games cancelled due to heavy rain)
  • 2007 – 258,469 (5 games cancelled)
  • 2008 – 235,823
  • 2009 – 231,186 (4,968 was stadium capacity with 1,000 covered seats not available for use)

Total attendance – 5,047,760

Media information

Media Relations Manager: Dave Cawley

--Radio Announcers: Evan Lepler

--Number of Games Broadcast: All

Team mascots

Mugsy A St. Bernard mascot who made his rookie debut in professional baseball in 1997 with the Avalanche. According to the team's website, Mugsy descended from the passing Hale-Bopp comet that raced across the Roanoke Valley sky on April 4, 1997.

Misty Misty is a female saint bernard mascot who joined the team in 2005.

Lefty and Righty Coming to Salem all the way from Boston. Lefty and Righty are the new mascots. They're two red sox, both wearing Boston Red Sox hats, they also have an L on one's back and an R on the other.

Big Mo The Salem Avalanche's Kid's Club mascot, Big Mo is a giant abominable snowman.

The Baseball Nut The Avalanche's first mascot was this distinctive character, which resembled an almond. While the idea was original, the Baseball Nut proved to be unpopular. Lacking a cute or friendly appearance, the mascot intimidated children and was an object of derision by adult fans. Mugsy was developed as a replacement.

Roster

Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 48 Anatanaer Batista
  • 26 Jeremiah Bayer
  • 31 Drake Britton
  • -- Caleb Clay
  • 38 Tom Ebert
  • -- Michael Gleason
  • 37 Chris Hernandez
  • 39 Mitch Herold
  • 30 William Latimer
  • -- Leandro Marin
  • -- Chris Martin
  • 18 Ryan Pressly
  • -- Anthony Ranaudo
  • 34 Pete Ruiz
  • 41 Kendal Volz

Catchers

  • 12 Daniel Butler
  • -- Adalberto Ibarra
  • 21 Josue Peley
  • 35 Mark Wagner

Infielders

  • -- Joantoni Garcia
  •  2 Zach Gentile
  • 15 Derrik Gibson
  • -- Miles Head
  • -- Jorge Padron
  •  5 Kolbrin Vitek

Outfielders

  • 23 Bryce Brentz
  • 10 Peter Hissey
  • 19 David Mailman
  • 28 Wilfred Pichardo
  • 20 Shannon Wilkerson

Manager

  • 44 Bruce Crabbe

Coaches

7-day disabled list
* On Boston Red Sox 40-man roster
∞ Reserve list
§ Suspended list
‡ Restricted list
# Rehab assignment
Roster updated July 8, 2011
Transactions
More rosters

References

Pat Mooney, General Manager, Salem Pirates, 1972 and 1973

External links