Carolina League

Carolina League

Carolina League logo
Sport Baseball
Founded 1945
No. of teams 8
Country USA
Most recent champion(s) Potomac Nationals
Official website Official Website

The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth step between Rookie ball and the major leagues. Although Minor League Baseball, the umbrella organization for minor leagues that are affiliated with Major League Baseball, has eliminated the distinction between High-A and other full-season A leagues, most major-league teams still use such leagues as a standard promotion step.

The organization that later became the Carolina League formed in 1945, just as World War II was ending, and consisted of only two teams based in southern Virginia. Historically, however, as many as 12 teams in a given year have competed in the Carolina League. Today, the league consists of eight teams in a region stretching from Delaware to South Carolina, and is divided into a Northern Division and a Southern Division.

History

The league originated in the vicinity of Raleigh, North Carolina, and has since branched out.

A few of the many Carolina League players who have gone on to star in the Major Leagues are: Johnny Bench (Peninsula, 1966), Wade Boggs (Winston-Salem, 1977), Barry Bonds (Prince William, 1985), Rod Carew (Wilson, 1966), Dock Ellis (Kinston, 1965), Dwight Evans (Winston-Salem, 1971), Dwight Gooden (Lynchburg, 1983), Zack Greinke (Wilmington, 2003), Andruw Jones (Durham, 1996), Chipper Jones (Durham, 1992), Willie McCovey (Danville, 1956), Joe Morgan (Durham, 1963), Dave Parker (Salem, 1972), Tony Pérez (Rocky Mount, 1962), Andy Pettitte (Prince William, 1993), Jorge Posada (Prince William, 1993), Darryl Strawberry (Lynchburg, 1981), Bernie Williams (Prince William, 1988), and Carl Yastrzemski (Raleigh, 1959).

Director and screenwriter Ron Shelton's 1988 film Bull Durham, starring Kevin Costner, Tim Robbins, and Susan Sarandon, depicted a fictionalized account of the Durham Bulls, at that time a Carolina League team (they have since become a Class AAA team in the International League). Before he began making films, Shelton had a five-year minor league career in the Baltimore Orioles' organization, which included a stint in the Carolina League.

The most recent change to the league's composition came in 2012, when the Kinston Indians relocated to Zebulon, North Carolina and became the Carolina Mudcats.

League format

As of 2013, each team plays a 140-game schedule, with 20 games against each team. The division champions from the first half (before the All-Star break) and second half (after the break) of each season compete in a best-of-three divisional playoff, with the winners advancing to the best-of-five league championship, the winner of which receives the Mills Cup. Before 2012, the divisional playoff was a best-of-five series.

To determine the first half winner if two or more teams are tied, the team with the better head-to-head record is declared the first half winner. If those record are also tied, then the winner of the first meeting in the second half is declared the winner. If two teams are tied at the end of the second half, a one game playoff will determine the winner. Game 1 of the division playoff will take place at one site, with Game 2 and Game 3 if necessary at the other site. The winner of the first half is given the option of opening the series at home or on the road. If a team is the winner of both halves, it will host all games against the runner-up of the second half.

In even-numbered years, the Southern Division champion hosts the first two games of the Mills Cup series with the remaining necessary games at the Northern Division champion. In odd-numbered years, this format is reversed.[1]

Current teams

Division Team MLB Affiliation City Stadium Capacity
Northern Frederick Keys Baltimore Orioles (since 1982) Frederick, Maryland Harry Grove Stadium 5,400
Lynchburg Hillcats Cleveland Indians (since 2015) Lynchburg, Virginia Calvin Falwell Field 4,281
Potomac Nationals Washington Nationals (since 2005) Woodbridge, Virginia G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium 6,000
Wilmington Blue Rocks Kansas City Royals (since 2007) Wilmington, Delaware Daniel S. Frawley Stadium 6,532
Southern Carolina Mudcats Atlanta Braves (from 2015) Zebulon, North Carolina Five County Stadium 6,500
Myrtle Beach Pelicans Chicago Cubs (from 2015) Myrtle Beach, South Carolina TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark 6,599
Salem Red Sox Boston Red Sox (since 2009) Salem, Virginia Lewis-Gale Field 6,300
Winston-Salem Dash Chicago White Sox (since 1997) Winston-Salem, North Carolina BB&T Ballpark 5,500

Current team rosters

Carolina League champions

  • 1945: Danville Leafs
  • 1946: Raleigh Capitals
  • 1947: Raleigh Capitals
  • 1948: Martinsville Athletics
  • 1949: Burlington Bees
  • 1950: Winston-Salem Cards
  • 1951: Winston-Salem Cards
  • 1952: Reidsville Luckies
  • 1953: Danville Leafs
  • 1954: Fayetteville Highlanders
  • 1955: Danville Leafs
  • 1956: Fayetteville Highlanders
  • 1957: Durham Bulls
  • 1958: Alamance Indians
  • 1959: Wilson Tobs
  • 1960: Greensboro Yankees
Wilmington Blue Rocks (1)
  • 2000: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
  • 2001: Salem Avalanche
  • 2002: Lynchburg Hillcats
  • 2003: Winston-Salem Warthogs
  • 2004: Kinston Indians
  • 2005: Frederick Keys
  • 2006: Kinston Indians
  • 2007: Frederick Keys
  • 2008: Potomac Nationals
  • 2009: Lynchburg Hillcats
  • 2010: Potomac Nationals
  • 2011: Frederick Keys
  • 2012: Lynchburg Hillcats
  • 2013: Salem Red Sox
  • 2014: Potomac Nationals
(1) ^ Myrtle Beach and Wilmington were declared co-champions when the series was tied 2–2 and canceled because of Hurricane Floyd.[2]

All-time teams (1945–present)

All teams that have competed in the Carolina League from its founding in 1945. Teams in bold are currently active.[3]

  • Alamance Indians (1958–64, became the Burlington Senators)
  • Alexandria Dukes (1978, became the Alexandria Mariners)
  • Alexandria Dukes (1980–83, became the Prince William Pirates)
  • Alexandria Mariners (1979, became the Alexandria Dukes)
  • Asheville Tourists (1967, moved to Southern League)
  • Burlington Bees (1945–51, became the Burlington-Graham Pirates)
  • Burlington Rangers (1972, folded)
  • Burlington Senators (1965–71, became the Burlington Rangers)
  • Burlington-Graham Pirates (1952–55, folded)
  • Carolina Mudcats (2012–present)
  • Danville 97s (1998, became the Myrtle Beach Pelicans)
  • Danville Leafs (1945–58, folded)
  • Durham Bulls (1945–67, merged with the Raleigh Pirates and became the Raleigh-Durham Mets)
  • Durham Bulls (1980–97, became the Danville 97s)
  • Fayetteville Athletics (1950–52, became the Fayetteville Highlanders)
  • Fayetteville Highlanders (1953–56, folded)
  • Frederick Keys (1989–present)
  • Greensboro Patriots (1945–57, became the Greensboro Yankees)
  • Greensboro Patriots (1968, folded)
  • Greensboro Yankees (1958–67, became the Greensboro Patriots)
  • Hagerstown Suns (1981–88, became the Frederick Keys)
  • High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms (1954–58, folded)
  • High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms (1968, became the High Point-Thomasville Royals)
  • High Point-Thomasville Royals (1969, folded)
  • Kinston Blue Jays (1982–85, became the Kinston Eagles)
  • Kinston Eagles (1956–57, merged with the Wilson Tobs)
  • Kinston Eagles (1962–73, became the Kinston Expos)
  • Kinston Eagles (1978–81, became the Kinston Blue Jays)
  • Kinston Eagles (1986, became the Kinston Indians)
  • Kinston Expos (1974, folded)
  • Kinston Indians (1987–2011, became the Carolina Mudcats)
  • Leaksville-Draper-Spray Triplets (1945–47, moved to the Blue Ridge League)
  • Lynchburg Hillcats (1995–present)
  • Lynchburg Mets (1976–87, became the Lynchburg Red Sox)
  • Lynchburg Rangers (1975, became the Lynchburg Mets)
  • Lynchburg Red Sox (1988–94, became the Lynchburg Hillcats)
  • Lynchburg Twins (1970–74, became the Lynchburg Rangers)
  • Lynchburg White Sox (1966–69, became the Lynchburg Twins)
  • Martinsville Athletics (1945–49, folded)
  • Myrtle Beach Pelicans (1999–present)
  • Peninsula Astros (1969–70, became the Peninsula Phillies)
  • Peninsula Grays (1964–68, became the Peninsula Astros)
  • Peninsula Pennants (1974, folded)
  • Peninsula Phillies (1971, folded)
  • Peninsula Pilots (1976–85, became the Peninsula White Sox)
  • Peninsula Pilots (1989–92, became the Wilmington Blue Rocks)
  • Peninsula Senators (1963, became the Peninsula Grays)
  • Peninsula White Sox (1986–87, became the Virginia Generals)
  • Potomac Cannons (1999–04, became the Potomac Nationals)
  • Potomac Nationals (2005–present)
  • Prince William Cannons (1990–98, became the Potomac Cannons)
  • Prince William Pirates (1984–86, became the Prince William Yankees)
  • Prince William Yankees (1987–89, became the Prince William Cannons)
  • Raleigh Capitals (1957–62, became the Raleigh Mets)
  • Raleigh Capitals (1945–53, folded)
  • Raleigh Cardinals (1964–65, became the Raleigh Pirates)
  • Raleigh Mets (1963, became the Raleigh Cardinals)
  • Raleigh Pirates (1966–67, merged with the Durham Bulls and became the Raleigh-Durham Mets)
  • Raleigh-Durham Mets (1968, became the Raleigh-Durham Phillies)
  • Raleigh-Durham Phillies (1969, became the Raleigh-Durham Triangles)
  • Raleigh-Durham Triangles (1970–71)
  • Red Springs Twins (1969, folded)
  • Reidsville Luckies (1948–54, became the Reidsville Phillies)
  • Reidsville Phillies (1955, folded)
  • Rocky Mount Leafs (1962–63, became the Rocky Mount Senators)
  • Rocky Mount Leafs (1965–72, became the Rocky Mount Phillies)
  • Rocky Mount Phillies (1973–75, folded)
  • Rocky Mount Pines (1980, became the Hagerstown Suns)
  • Rocky Mount Senators (1964, became the Rocky Mount Leafs)
  • Salem Avalanche (1995–08, became the Salem Red Sox)
  • Salem Buccaneers (1987–94, became the Salem Avalanche)
  • Salem Pirates (1972–79, became the Salem Redbirds)
  • Salem Rebels (1968–71, became the Salem Pirates)
  • Salem Red Sox (2009–present)
  • Salem Redbirds (1980–86, became the Salem Buccaneers)
  • Tidewater Tides (1963–68, moved to the International League)
  • Virginia Generals (1988, became the Peninsula Pilots)
  • Wilmington Blue Rocks (1993–present)
  • Wilson Pennants (1973, folded)
  • Wilson Tobs (1956–68, folded)
  • Winston-Salem Cardinals (1945–53, became the Winston-Salem Twins)
  • Winston-Salem Dash (2009–present)
  • Winston-Salem Red Birds (1957–60, became the Winston-Salem Red Sox)
  • Winston-Salem Red Sox (1961–83, became the Winston-Salem Spirits)
  • Winston-Salem Spirits (1984–94, became the Winston-Salem Warthogs)
  • Winston-Salem Twins (1954–56, became the Winston-Salem Red Birds)
  • Winston-Salem Warthogs (1995–08, became the Winston-Salem Dash)

Composite standings

(Through end of 2014 season).

Composite Standings (Current teams)
Team Years W L Pct. Titles
Wilmington Blue Rocks 22 1626 1432 .532 4
Myrtle Beach Pelicans 16 1145 1079 .515 2
Winston-Salem Dash 70 4943 4806 .507 11
Lynchburg Hillcats 49 3377 3404 .498 7
Frederick Keys (1) 34 2311 2397 .491 5
Salem Red Sox 46 3165 3353 .486 5
Potomac Nationals (2) 37 2490 2633 .486 5
Carolina Mudcats 3 182 234 .436 0
(1)^ Includes Hagerstown from 1981–88.
(2)^ Includes Alexandria from 1978–83 and Prince William from 1984–98.

References

  1. ↑ "Playoff Format". Carolina League. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  2. ↑ Young, Ryan (April 3, 2013). "Pelicans Through the Years". The Sun News. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  3. ↑ "2013 Carolina League Media Guide and Record Book". p. 4.

External links