New England Collegiate Baseball League
Current season, competition or edition: 2014 NECBL season | |
Sport | Baseball |
---|---|
Founded | 1993 |
Motto |
Keep your eye on the dream |
No. of teams | 12 |
Country | United States |
Most recent champion(s) | Newport Gulls (6) |
Most titles | Newport Gulls (6) |
Official website | www.necbl.com |
The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) is a 12-team collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 44-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August. Like the Cape Cod Baseball League and other amateur leagues, the NECBL is a showcase for top college-level players, giving professional baseball scouts a chance to see prospective pros playing against each other. Along with the Cape Cod Baseball League, Northwoods League, and Coastal Plain League, it is considered one of the top summer leagues in the country and is a part of the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball. [1][2][3]
Founded in 1993, the NECBL began its direction under George Foster, former Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets All-Star and Major League Baseball home run leader, and Emmy Award-winning television producer/director Joseph Consentino. Play started in 1994 and today the NECBL has become a strong twelve-team league that plays in all six New England states.[4] It recruits players attending U.S. colleges from New England, the other 44 states, and foreign countries, provided that they come from NCAA-sanctioned colleges or universities, are in good academic standing, have completed at least one year of athletic eligibility, and have at least one year of eligibility remaining.[5] The NECBL became a 13-team league in 2013 with the addition of teams in Rhode Island (Ocean State Waves), Massachusetts (Plymouth Pilgrims) and New York (Saratoga Brigade) (the league's first team to operate outside New England), but reverted to 12 teams after the Brigade folded.
The NECBL's current commissioner is Sean McGrath, former general manager of the North Adams SteepleCats. McGrath replaced Mario Tiani, who retired following the 2012 season.
Current franchises
(see individual team websites below)
New England Collegiate Baseball League | |||||
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Division | Team | Founded | City | Stadium | Capacity |
North | |||||
Keene Swamp Bats | 1997 | Keene, New Hampshire | Alumni Field | 4,800 | |
Laconia Muskrats | 2000 | Laconia, New Hampshire | Robbie Mills Field | 1,200 | |
North Adams SteepleCats | 2002 | North Adams, Massachusetts | Joe Wolfe Field | 1,800 | |
Sanford Mainers | 2002 | Sanford, Maine | Goodall Park | 950 | |
Valley Blue Sox | 2001 | Holyoke, Massachusetts | Mackenzie Stadium | 4,100 | |
Vermont Mountaineers | 2003 | Montpelier, Vermont | Montpelier Recreation Field | 1,200 | |
Division | Team | Founded | City | Stadium | Capacity |
South | Danbury Westerners | 1995 | Danbury, Connecticut | Rogers Park | |
Mystic Schooners* | 1994 | Groton, Connecticut | Fitch Senior High School | ||
New Bedford Bay Sox | 1997 | New Bedford, Massachusetts | Paul Walsh Field | ||
Newport Gulls | 1999 | Newport, Rhode Island | Cardines Field | 3,250 | |
Ocean State Waves | 2013 | South Kingstown, Rhode Island | Old Mountain Field | ||
Plymouth Pilgrims | 2013 | Plymouth, Massachusetts | Forges Field |
- An asterisk (*) denotes a charter franchise of the league
Former teams
Relocated or renamed teams
Team | City | Stadium | Capacity | Years | History |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Waterbury White Sox | Waterbury, CT | Municipal Stadium | 6,000 | Became the Waterbury Barons | |
Eastern Tides | Willimantic, CT | Eastern Baseball Stadium | 1,500 | 1994–2001 | Became the Thread City Tides |
Thread City Tides | Willimantic, CT | Eastern Baseball Stadium | 1,500 | 2002–2003 | Became the Berkshire Dukes |
Berkshire Dukes | Hinsdale, MA | Dan Duquette Sports Academy[6] | Became the Pittsfield Dukes | ||
Pittsfield Dukes | Pittsfield, MA | Wahconah Park | 4,500 | 2005–2008 | Became the Pittsfield American Defenders |
Pittsfield American Defenders | Pittsfield, MA | Wahconah Park | 4,500 | Became the Bristol Collegiate Baseball Club | |
Bristol Collegiate Baseball Club | Bristol, CT | Muzzy Field | 4,900 | Became the Mystic Schooners | |
Middletown Giants | Middletown, CT | Palmer Field | 1994–2003 | Became the Holyoke Giants | |
Holyoke Giants | Holyoke, MA | Mackenzie Stadium | 4,100 | 2004–2007 | Became the North Shore Navigators |
Rhode Island Reds | West Warwick, RI | McCarthy Field | 2,500 | 1996–2000 | Became the Riverpoint Royals |
Torrington Twisters | Torrington, CT | Fuessenich Park | 1,500 | 1997–2008 | Became the New Bedford Bay Sox |
Rhode Island Gulls | Cranston, RI | Cranston Stadium | 4,500 | 1998–2000 | Became the Newport Gulls. |
Mill City All-Americans | Lowell, MA | Stoklosa Alumni Field | 4,000 | 2000–2006 | Renamed the Lowell All-Americans |
Lowell All-Americans | Lowell, MA | Stoklosa Alumni Field | 4,000 | 2007–2010 | Became the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide |
Manchester Silkworms | Manchester, CT | Northwest Park | 2000–2009 | Became the Laconia Muskrats | |
Concord Quarry Dogs | Concord, NH | Warren H. Doane Diamond | 1,200 | 2001–2007 | Became the Holyoke Blue Sox |
Defunct Teams
Team | City | Stadium | Capacity | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fairfield Stallions | Fairfield, CT | Alumni Baseball Diamond | 1,000 | 1994 |
Bristol Nighthawks | Bristol, CT | Muzzy Field | 4,900 | 1994–1995 |
Waterbury Barons | Waterbury, CT | Municipal Stadium | 6,000 | 1994–1996 |
Central Mass Collegians | Leominster, MA | Doyle Field | 6,200 | 1995–1999 |
Riverpoint Royals | West Warwick, RI | McCarthy Field | 2,500 | 1996–2004 |
North Shore Navigators | Lynn, Massachusetts | Fraser Field | 3,804 | 1994–2011 |
Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide | Old Orchard Beach, Maine | The Ball Park | 6,000 | 2000–2011 |
Saratoga Brigade | Saratoga Springs, NY | East Side Recreation | 2013 |
Season structure
For the current season, the league is divided into two six-team divisions, the North Division and the South Division. During the regular season, teams play in-division opponents a total of six times, three games at home and three away. Teams play out-of-division opponents twice, one game at home and one away. These games make up the 42 game regular season schedule. When doubleheaders are scheduled due to inclement weather, NECBL rules dictate that they are two seven-inning games. NECBL regular season games have 2 umpires, while All-Star and playoff games have 3 or 4 umpires. The top four teams from each division qualify for the playoffs. In the division semifinal round the first seeds play the fourth seeds and the second seeds play the third seeds, respectively, in best-of-three series. The winners of the division semifinals advance to the division finals, where they play a best-of-three series against their fellow division finalist. The division champions advance to the NECBL championship series, where they face each other in a best-of-three series to decide the NECBL champion.
Past champions
Franchise | Titles | Last Title | Appearances |
---|---|---|---|
Newport Gulls | 6 | 2014 | 11 |
Keene Swamp Bats | 4 | 2013 | 6 |
North Shore Navigators | 4 | 2010 | 4 |
Sanford Mainers | 2 | 2008 | 3 |
Vermont Mountaineers | 2 | 2007 | 4 |
Central Mass Collegians | 2 | 1996 | 2 |
Mystic Schooners | 1 | 1994 | 1 |
Danbury Westerners | 0 | 4 | |
New Bedford Bay Sox | 0 | 4 | |
Laconia Muskrats | 0 | 1 | |
Waterbury Barons | 0 | 1 | |
Bristol Nighthawks | 0 | 1 | |
Valley Blue Sox | 0 | 0 | |
Riverpoint Royals | 0 | 0 | |
Fairfield Stallions | 0 | 0 | |
North Adams SteepleCats | 0 | 0 | |
Ocean State Waves | 0 | 0 | |
Plymouth Pilgrims | 0 | 0 | |
Saratoga Brigade | 0 | 0 | |
Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide | 0 | 0 |
In the NECBL's history, the most successful team is the Newport Gulls, with six league championships and ten championship series appearances. The defunct North Shore Navigators franchise had four league titles. The Keene Swamp Bats have four. Three franchises have won two championships, the Sanford Mainers, the Vermont Mountaineers, and the defunct Central Mass Collegians. The Mystic Schooners have won one championship, when the team was known as the Eastern Tides in the league's inaugural 1994 season.[7]
Year | Winning Team | Series | Losing Team |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | Eastern Tides | Bristol Nighthawks | |
1995 | Central Mass Collegians | Waterbury Barons | |
1996 | Central Mass Collegians | Danbury Westerners | |
1997 | Middletown Giants | Torrington Twisters | |
1998 | Middletown Giants | Torrington Twisters | |
1999 | Middletown Giants | Danbury Westerners | |
2000 | Keene Swamp Bats | Rhode Island Gulls | |
2001 | Newport Gulls | Keene Swamp Bats | |
2002 | Newport Gulls | Keene Swamp Bats | |
2003 | Keene Swamp Bats | Torrington Twisters | |
2004 | Sanford Mainers | Newport Gulls | |
2005 | Newport Gulls | Vermont Mountaineers | |
2006 | Vermont Mountaineers | Torrington Twisters | |
2007 | Vermont Mountaineers | Newport Gulls | |
2008 | Sanford Mainers | Newport Gulls | |
2009 | Newport Gulls | Vermont Mountaineers | |
2010 | North Shore Navigators | Danbury Westerners | |
2011 | Keene Swamp Bats | Laconia Muskrats | |
2012 | Newport Gulls | Danbury Westerners | |
2013 | Keene Swamp Bats | Newport Gulls | |
2014 | Newport Gulls | Sanford Mainers |
Notable alumni
The following former NECBL players have gone on to play in Major League Baseball.[8] Former NECBL players have reached the major league rosters of 29 of 30 MLB teams, with the Philadelphia Phillies being the only team for which a league alumnus has yet to appear.
Major League Baseball alumni of the New England Collegiate Baseball League | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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MediaAll NECBL games are broadcast online through the NECBL Broadcast Network, with Teamline providing both audio, for all games, and video, for select games.[9] On May 14, 2010, the league signed an agreement with Pointstreak. Pointstreak provides "real-time scoring, official statistics, and administration services" to the NECBL. A highlight of Pointstreak's services is Game Live, a real-time statistics feature providing play-by-play for every NECBL game.[10] See also
Notes
External linksTeam websites
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