Bluefield Blue Jays

Bluefield Blue Jays
Founded in 1937
Bluefield, Virginia
Team logoCap insignia
Class-level
Current Advanced Rookie (1963–present)
Previous
  • Class D- (1957–1962)
  • Class D (1946–1955)
  • Class C (1942)
  • Class D (1937–1940)
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
Minor league titles
League titles (14)
  • 1949
  • 1950
  • 1954
  • 1957
  • 1962
  • 1963
  • 1967
  • 1970
  • 1971
  • 1982
  • 1992
  • 1996
  • 1997
  • 2001
Division titles (12)
  • 1971
  • 1974
  • 1976
  • 1982
  • 1992
  • 1995
  • 1996
  • 1997
  • 2001
  • 2002
  • 2011
  • 2017
Team data
Nickname Bluefield Blue Jays (2011–present)
Previous names
  • Bluefield Orioles (1958–2010)
  • Bluefield Dodgers (1957)
  • Bluefield Blue-Grays (1937–1942, 1946–1955)
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.

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

Notable alumni

Roster

Bluefield Blue Jays roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 10 Josh Almonte
  • -- Gage Burland
  • 20 Felipe Castenada
  • 32 Adams Cuevas
  • 27 Joe DiBenedetto
  • 44 Joel Espinal
  • 22 Cre Finfrock
  • 31 Alvaro Galindo
  • 41 Claudio Galva
  • 26 Nicolas Medina
  • 43 Eric Pardinho
  • 13 Mike Pascoe
  • 28 Nathaniel Perez
  • 52 Brennan Price
  • 21 Sean Rackoski
  •  7 Jackson Rees
  • -- Ryan Thurston
  • 33 Grant Townsend
  • 14 Troy Watson
  • 38 Brad Wilson

Catchers

  • 34 Hagen Danner
  • 17 Andres Guerra
  •  5 Alejandro Kirk
  •  9 Gabriel Moreno

Infielders

  •  4 John Aiello
  •  1 Luis De Los Santos
  •  4 Jordan Groshans
  • 15 Hector Guerrero
  • 25 Rafael Lantigua
  • 24 Patrick Morris
  •  8 Davis Schneider
  • 16 Jose Theran

Outfielders

  •  2 Dominic Abbadessa
  •  6 D. J. Daniels
  •  3 D. J. Neal
  • 19 Cal Stevenson

Manager

Coaches

  • 50 Adam Bernero (pitching)
  • 18 Chris Schaeffer (position)
  • 23 Carlos Villalobos (hitting)

60-day disabled list

  • -- Emilio Guerrero
  • -- Austin Havekost

7-day disabled list
* On Toronto Blue Jays 40-man roster
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporary inactive list
Roster updated September 1, 2018
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Appalachian League
 → Toronto Blue Jays minor league players

References

  1. ↑ "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.
  2. ↑ "Orioles leaving Bluefield". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. August 28, 2010. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
  3. 1 2 "Orioles out of Bluefield". Orioles Insider: Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
  4. ↑ "MORNING UPDATE: Blue Jays fly into Bluefield to replace the Orioles". bdtonline.com. September 7, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  5. ↑ Eric Sondheimer (November 9, 2011). "Baseball: Ex-Chaminade player Kevin Pillar to receive honor". latimes.com. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  6. ↑ "2013 Prospect Watch". mlb.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  7. ↑ "2012 Bluefield Blue Jays Media Guide". Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  8. ↑ http://backinblue.kc-media.net/?p=7488
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