Bradenton Marauders
Encyclopedia
The Bradenton Marauders are a minor league baseball
team based in Bradenton, Florida
that plays in the Florida State League
. The Marauders are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates
. Their home games are played at McKechnie Field
, which also serves as the Pirates' spring training
facility. The franchise took its current name at the beginning of the 2010 season.
, then a Class D minor league. Tampa
had been without a professional baseball team since 1954, when the Florida International League
had folded, taking with it the Tampa Smokers
. From their inception, the Tarpons played all their home games at Al Lopez Field
which had been built in 1955. The stadium was located on current site of Raymond James Stadium
, which had been built in 1955.
The Tarpons were affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies
from 1957–1960. In 1961 they began a long affiliation with the Cincinnati Reds
. They won three league championships, in 1957 1959 and 1961. In 1964 minor league baseball was realigned, and the Florida State League became a Class A league (now Class A-Advanced). The team would go on to win 5 division titles from 1974–1988.
The Tarpons had many famous players that went on to play in the major leagues, including many who eventually became important parts of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine of the 1970s. Pete Rose
led the 1st place Tarpons in 1961 with a .331 batting average, a record 30 triples (still a FSL record and a team-high number of fielding errors. Other Reds players from that era who started with the Tarpons include Ken Griffey, Sr.
, Johnny Bench
, Dan Driessen
, Rawly Eastwick
, and Dave Concepcion
. When the Cincinnati Reds won their next world series in 1990
with manager (and Tampa native) Lou Piniella
, they again had several former Tarpons on the roster, including Tom Browning
, Rob Dibble
, and Paul O’Neill. Another notable former Tarpon was Randy Poffo, who finished a nondescript minor league baseball career with the team in 1974. Poffo went on to a much more successful career in professional wrestling
, where he came to fame while using the name "Macho Man" Randy Savage.
However during the 1980s, talk spread of a major league team coming to the Tampa Bay Area
, which would threaten the viability of the Tarpons and other minor league teams in the region.
Meanwhile, Tampa would go without professional baseball until the Tampa Yankees
joined the Florida State League in 1994. However the Tarpons legacy is still remembered in the area.
In, 2008, the "Tampa Bay Devil Rays" dropped the "Devil" to officially shorten their name to simply "Tampa Bay Rays
". More radical name choices were discussed, one of them being the "Tampa Bay Tarpons".
The Rays have worn Tampa Tarpons uniforms for several "Turn Back the Clock"
games:
to Plant City, Florida
, and moved their Class A franchise to Greensboro, North Carolina
(the Greensboro Hornets). The Chicago White Sox subsequently moved their Class A affiliation to Tampa for the 1988 season, amid rumors that the White Sox themselves would be moving to the area. That season the Tarpons, alternately known as the Tampa White Sox, drew 55,900 fans, seventh in the 14-team FSL, and went 35–35 in the first half before they won the western division second-half title at 36–24. They fell in the second round of the playoffs to the St. Lucie Mets
2 games to 0. The club was managed by Marv Foley
and had one FSL All-Star, pitcher Jerry Kutzler
. Foley won FSL Manager of the Year honors.
After the 1989 season, Tarpons' owner Mitchell Mick sold his franchise to the Chicago White Sox
, who relocated the club to Sarasota, Florida
as the Sarasota White Sox..
They franchise played in Sarasota for next 21 seasons, going through a series of name changes due as their affiliation changes. They were known as the Sarasota White Sox from 1989–1993, as the Sarasota Red Sox from 1994–2004, and the Sarasota Reds from 2004–2009. In Sarasota, the team played in Payne Park
(1989) and then Ed Smith Stadium
(1990–2009).
The team's Sarasota era produced many notable player who would go on to play in majors. Bo Jackson
, Mike LaValliere
, Dave Stieb
, Frank Thomas and Bob Wickman
all played for the Sarasota White Sox. Meanwhile Stan Belinda
, Roger Clemens
, David Cone
, David Eckstein
, Nomar Garciaparra
, Byung-Hyun Kim
, Bret Saberhagen
, Jeff Suppan
and Kevin Youkilis
were alumni of the Sarasota Red Sox. The Sarasota Reds also produced many notable major league players such as Grant Balfour
, Jay Bruce
, Ramón Ortiz
and Joey Votto
.
's Cactus League in 2009, the Reds and Pirates did an "affiliate-swap." The Pirates took over the Reds' Florida State League affiliate, while the Reds became the parent club of the Pirates' former Class A-Advanced affiliate, the Lynchburg Hillcats
of the Carolina League
.
The Pirates moved the team to Bradenton, Florida
, where they were renamed the Bradenton Marauders.
in front of 2,396 spectators. The inaugural game ended in 18–3 Bradenton victory over the Fort Myers Miracle
. Pittsburgh Pirates prospect, Bryan Morris
, was the team's starting pitcher. The team’s first hit came off its first batter, Greg Picart. Meanwhile Quincy Latimore registered the team's first home run
and run scored
. In the fourth inning of the game, Jeremy Farrell registered the team's first grand slam
.
A few nights later on April 12, 2010, the Marauders completed their first ever four game series sweep at McKechnie Field. The team capped off their first ever, four game series sweep with a final score of 6–2 over Fort Myers. The team's first loss came on Thursday April 15, 2010, when they were defeated 3–2 by the Jupiter Hammerheads
at Roger Dean Stadium
. The Marauders' first home loss came on Saturday April 17, 2010, by a score of 10–7, to the St. Lucie Mets
.
On May 16, 2010, Bryan Morris became the very first Marauder to be promoted, when he was called up to the Pirates' Double A affiliate, the Altoona Curve
.
The Marauders finished their 2010 Inaugural Season with a 76–62 record and led the league in runs
, batting average
, on-base percentage and on-base plus slugging
, and they also finished fifth (out of twelve teams) in runs allowed and fourth in ERA
. They also finished third in the league in overall winning percentage. The team lost the Southern Division Championship to the Charlotte Stone Crabs
2 games to 1.
In March 2011, Nathan Adcock
became the first player from the Marauders to make a major league team's 25-man roster. Adcock was added to the Kansas City Royals
roster after he was chosen by the team in the Rule 5 draft.
Sports Park
while McKechnie Field’s roof underwent construction earlier in the season.
However one of the biggest stories involving the team came in the form of improved attendence. After 40 homes, the Marauders drew 56,718 fans to their home games in 2011, with a game average of 1,418 fans. The team ranks eighth in attendence in the Florida State League. In all of 2010, the team drew 51,856 fans in 70 home dates, only the Dunedin Blue Jays
drew fewer fans. According to team officials, the turn-around attendence is believed to be a result of the team having a full season to market itself and establish a fanbase. By the season's end, the team drew a total regular season attendance of 103,978 fans, doubling the previous year's attendance.
On August 18, 2011, Bradenton's Robbie Grossman became the first minor league player to score 100 runs and walk 100 times in a season since Nick Swisher
did so in 2004. He is also the first player in the Florida State League to walk 100 times since 1998. Ramon Cabrera was also awarded the Florida State League batting title on September 5 by finishing the 2011 season with a .343 batting average. Three of the FSL's top four hitters were members of the Marauders: Cabrera (1st), Eleyvs Gonzalez (2nd) and Adalberto Santos (4th).
On August 30, 2011, the Marauders defeated the Palm Beach Cardinals
, 6–3, to clinch the Florida State League's second half title, for the second time in two years, and playoff berth. However the team would go on to lose the Southern Division Championship, 2 games to 1, for the second straight year.
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team based in Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
that plays in the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
. The Marauders are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. Their home games are played at McKechnie Field
McKechnie Field
McKechnie Field is a baseball field located in Bradenton, Florida. It is the spring training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and is named for Bradenton resident and baseball great, Bill McKechnie, who led the Pirates in 1925, the Cincinnati Reds in 1940 and the Cleveland Indians in 1948 to World...
, which also serves as the Pirates' spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
facility. The franchise took its current name at the beginning of the 2010 season.
Tampa Tarpons
The Marauders were established in 1957 as the Tampa Tarpons to join the Florida State LeagueFlorida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
, then a Class D minor league. Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
had been without a professional baseball team since 1954, when the Florida International League
Florida International League
The Florida International League was a lower- to mid-level circuit in American and Cuban minor league baseball that existed from 1946 through July 27, 1954. It was designated Class C for its first three seasons, then upgraded to Class B in 1949 for the final 5½ years of its existence.The FIL...
had folded, taking with it the Tampa Smokers
Tampa Smokers
The Tampa Smokers was a name used from 1919 to 1954 by a series of minor league and semi-professional baseball teams based in Tampa, Florida. The nickname was a nod to the local cigar industry, which was the most important industry in Tampa during the years in which the Smokers were active.-Florida...
. From their inception, the Tarpons played all their home games at Al Lopez Field
Al Lopez Field
Al Lopez Field was a spring training and Minor League baseball park in Tampa, Florida, United States. It was named for Tampa native and Baseball Hall of Famer Al Lopez....
which had been built in 1955. The stadium was located on current site of Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
, which had been built in 1955.
The Tarpons were affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
from 1957–1960. In 1961 they began a long affiliation with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. They won three league championships, in 1957 1959 and 1961. In 1964 minor league baseball was realigned, and the Florida State League became a Class A league (now Class A-Advanced). The team would go on to win 5 division titles from 1974–1988.
The Tarpons had many famous players that went on to play in the major leagues, including many who eventually became important parts of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine of the 1970s. Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
led the 1st place Tarpons in 1961 with a .331 batting average, a record 30 triples (still a FSL record and a team-high number of fielding errors. Other Reds players from that era who started with the Tarpons include Ken Griffey, Sr.
Ken Griffey, Sr.
George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He currently serves as Manager for the Bakersfield Blaze, the Reds' Single A minor league affiliate. He is the father of former professional outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. and former minor leaguer Craig Griffey. He and his...
, Johnny Bench
Johnny Bench
Johnny Lee Bench is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame...
, Dan Driessen
Dan Driessen
Daniel Driessen is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played for five teams in his eighteen year career, and is best known as a member of the Cincinnati Reds "Big Red Machine" of the 1970s....
, Rawly Eastwick
Rawly Eastwick
Rawlins Jackson "Rawly" Eastwick is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played from 1975 to 1981.-Career:...
, and Dave Concepcion
Dave Concepción
David Ismael Concepción Benitez , better known as Dave Concepción, is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball. He was born in Ocumare de la Costa, Aragua State, Venezuela...
. When the Cincinnati Reds won their next world series in 1990
1990 World Series
- Game 1 :Tuesday, October 16, 1990 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioUntil , this was the last World Series to be scheduled to begin play on a Tuesday, and the first since . The schedule called for the seven-game series to be held Tue–Wed, Fri–Sat–Sun, Tue–Wed. Games 5, 6, and 7, however...
with manager (and Tampa native) Lou Piniella
Lou Piniella
Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...
, they again had several former Tarpons on the roster, including Tom Browning
Tom Browning
Thomas Leo Browning is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 12-year baseball career, he pitched for the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals...
, Rob Dibble
Rob Dibble
Robert Keith Dibble is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and television analyst.-Personal life:Dibble is a graduate of Southington High School in Southington, Connecticut...
, and Paul O’Neill. Another notable former Tarpon was Randy Poffo, who finished a nondescript minor league baseball career with the team in 1974. Poffo went on to a much more successful career in professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, where he came to fame while using the name "Macho Man" Randy Savage.
However during the 1980s, talk spread of a major league team coming to the Tampa Bay Area
Tampa Bay Area
The Tampa Bay Area is the region of west central Florida adjacent to Tampa Bay. Definitions of the region vary. It is often considered equivalent to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Census Bureau. The Census Bureau currently...
, which would threaten the viability of the Tarpons and other minor league teams in the region.
Meanwhile, Tampa would go without professional baseball until the Tampa Yankees
Tampa Yankees
The Tampa Yankees are a minor league baseball team based in Tampa, Florida. They are currently members of the Florida State League and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball team. Home games are played at George M. Steinbrenner Field, a miniature replica of...
joined the Florida State League in 1994. However the Tarpons legacy is still remembered in the area.
In, 2008, the "Tampa Bay Devil Rays" dropped the "Devil" to officially shorten their name to simply "Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
". More radical name choices were discussed, one of them being the "Tampa Bay Tarpons".
The Rays have worn Tampa Tarpons uniforms for several "Turn Back the Clock"
Throwback uniform
Throwback uniforms and jerseys are one-time or limited-time variations on a sports team's uniforms styled to resemble uniforms from that team's past. They have proven popular in all major pro and college sports in the USA, not only with fans, but with the teams' marketing and merchandising...
games:
- On July 17, 1999, the Devil Rays wore 1960 Tarpons uniforms against the New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, who wore uniforms reminiscent of those worn by their 1969 championship team1969 New York Mets seasonThe New York Mets season was the eighth season for the Mets franchise, which played its home games at Shea Stadium. Managed by Gil Hodges, the team went 100-62, finishing first in the newly-established National League East by eight games over the Chicago Cubs...
. - On June 24, 2006, the Devil Rays wore 1975 Tarpon uniforms against the Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, who wore their 19751975 Atlanta Braves season- Offseason :* November 2, 1974: Hank Aaron was traded by the Braves to the Milwaukee Brewers for Dave May and a player to be named later. The Brewers completed the deal by sending Roger Alexander to the Braves on December 2....
road uniforms. Coincidentally, two Rays coaches, third-base coach Tom Foley and hitting coach Steve HendersonSteve HendersonSteven Curtis Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who is best remembered for being one of the players the New York Mets acquired in the infamous "Midnight Massacre."-Cincinnati Reds:...
, had both played for the Tarpons in the mid-1970s. - On August 13, 2010, the Rays wore 1970 Tarpons uniforms against the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, who wore all-orange road uniforms used occasionally by their 1971 pennant-winning squad1971 Baltimore Orioles seasonIn , the Baltimore Orioles finished first in the American League East, with a record of 101 wins and 57 losses. As of 2010, the 1971 Orioles are the last Major League Baseball club to have four 20-game winners in a season: Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Mike Cuellar, and Pat Dobson.- Offseason :*...
Sarasota era
Prior to the 1988 season the Reds moved their spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
to Plant City, Florida
Plant City, Florida
Plant City is a city in Hillsborough County, Florida, in the United States, approximately midway between Brandon and Lakeland along Interstate 4. The population was 34,721 at the 2010 census....
, and moved their Class A franchise to Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
(the Greensboro Hornets). The Chicago White Sox subsequently moved their Class A affiliation to Tampa for the 1988 season, amid rumors that the White Sox themselves would be moving to the area. That season the Tarpons, alternately known as the Tampa White Sox, drew 55,900 fans, seventh in the 14-team FSL, and went 35–35 in the first half before they won the western division second-half title at 36–24. They fell in the second round of the playoffs to the St. Lucie Mets
St. Lucie Mets
The St. Lucie Mets are a minor league baseball team based in Port St. Lucie, Florida.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the High-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club.The team plays at Digital Domain Park...
2 games to 0. The club was managed by Marv Foley
Marv Foley
Marvis Edwin Foley is a former Major League Baseball catcher and coach, former minor league baseball coach and manager, and current minor league baseball instructor. In the majors, he played all or part of five seasons, between 1978 and 1984, for the Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers...
and had one FSL All-Star, pitcher Jerry Kutzler
Jerry Kutzler
Jerry Scott Kutzler is an American former baseball pitcher. A right-handed starting pitcher, Kutzler appeared in seven games for Major League Baseball's Chicago White Sox in the 1990 season. He posted a 2–1 won–loss record and a 6.03 earned run average.-References:...
. Foley won FSL Manager of the Year honors.
After the 1989 season, Tarpons' owner Mitchell Mick sold his franchise to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, who relocated the club to Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
as the Sarasota White Sox..
They franchise played in Sarasota for next 21 seasons, going through a series of name changes due as their affiliation changes. They were known as the Sarasota White Sox from 1989–1993, as the Sarasota Red Sox from 1994–2004, and the Sarasota Reds from 2004–2009. In Sarasota, the team played in Payne Park
Payne Park
Payne Park refers both to a baseball field that stood from 1924 to 1990, and which has since been replaced by a public park of the same name in the same location, in Sarasota, Florida. Payne Park, the original stadium for the city of Sarasota, was built on a portion of of land donated by Calvin...
(1989) and then Ed Smith Stadium
Ed Smith Stadium
Ed Smith Stadium is a baseball field located in Sarasota, Florida. The stadium was built in 1989 to replace Payne Park as a Spring Training and Minor League Baseball site. In 2010, the Baltimore Orioles began playing spring games at the ballpark.-History:...
(1990–2009).
The team's Sarasota era produced many notable player who would go on to play in majors. Bo Jackson
Bo Jackson
Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson is a former American baseball and football player. He was the first athlete to be named an All-Star in two major American sports, and also won the Heisman Trophy in 1985....
, Mike LaValliere
Mike LaValliere
Michael Eugene "Mike" LaValliere , nicknamed Spanky, is a former catcher in Major League Baseball whose 11-year career included tenures in both the National and American Leagues...
, Dave Stieb
Dave Stieb
David Andrew Stieb [STEEB] is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.-Playing career:Born in Santa Ana, California, Stieb played varsity baseball at Southern Illinois University as an outfielder...
, Frank Thomas and Bob Wickman
Bob Wickman
Robert Joe Wickman is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Wickman played for the New York Yankees , Milwaukee Brewers , Cleveland Indians , Atlanta Braves , and Arizona Diamondbacks . He batted and threw right-handed...
all played for the Sarasota White Sox. Meanwhile Stan Belinda
Stan Belinda
Stanley Peter Belinda is a former Major League Baseball player. A right-handed relief pitcher who batted from the right side, Belinda is 6'3" tall and weighs 187 pounds. He pitched from a three-quarters arm slot and threw both a regular low-90's fastball and a split-fingered fastball...
, Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
, David Cone
David Cone
David Brian Cone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1986-2003 for six different teams. Cone pitched the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history. He also set the MLB record for most years between 20-win seasons. He was a member of five...
, David Eckstein
David Eckstein
David Mark Eckstein is a former American professional baseball player who was an infielder in Major League Baseball for ten seasons. He played college baseball for the University of Florida, and has played professionally for the Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona...
, Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar Garciaparra
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra is a former Major League Baseball player. After playing parts of 9 seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played third base, first base, and designated hitter for the Oakland Athletics, first base and third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and...
, Byung-Hyun Kim
Byung-Hyun Kim
Byung-Hyun Kim is a South Korean professional baseball pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball. He is best known for his years with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Boston Red Sox. In 2001, Kim took over mid-season as the Diamondbacks' closer and saved 19...
, Bret Saberhagen
Bret Saberhagen
Bret William Saberhagen is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher.-Early years:Bret Saberhagen attended Grover Cleveland High School, located in Reseda, California. Saberhagen starred in both basketball and baseball...
, Jeff Suppan
Jeff Suppan
Jeffrey Scot Suppan , is a Major League Baseball pitcher, who is currently a free agent.-Baseball career:Suppan was drafted out of high school by the Boston Red Sox in the second round of the 1993 amateur draft, and rapidly ascended to the Majors making his debut at the age of 20...
and Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Edmund Youkilis , also known as "Youk" , is an American professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
were alumni of the Sarasota Red Sox. The Sarasota Reds also produced many notable major league players such as Grant Balfour
Grant Balfour
Grant Robert Balfour is a relief pitcher who plays for the Oakland Athletics. He has previously played for the Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers.-Early life:...
, Jay Bruce
Jay Bruce
Jay Allen Bruce is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds. He was selected 12th overall in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft....
, Ramón Ortiz
Ramón Ortiz
Ramón Diógenes Ortiz is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher. He has previously pitched in Major League Baseball for the Anaheim Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs as well as the Orix...
and Joey Votto
Joey Votto
Joseph Daniel "Joey" Votto, is a Canadian Major League Baseball first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. He is the 2010 NL MVP, the recipient of the National League Hank Aaron Award for 2010, and won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's athlete of the year in 2010.-Early life:Votto was born on...
.
Bradenton Marauders
After the Reds' spring-training departure from Florida's Grapefruit League to ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
's Cactus League in 2009, the Reds and Pirates did an "affiliate-swap." The Pirates took over the Reds' Florida State League affiliate, while the Reds became the parent club of the Pirates' former Class A-Advanced affiliate, the Lynchburg Hillcats
Lynchburg Hillcats
The Lynchburg Hillcats are a minor league baseball team in Lynchburg, Virginia. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League, and currently are a farm team of the Atlanta Braves. They had been a farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 1995, with the Cincinnati Reds fulfilling the final...
of the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South 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...
.
The Pirates moved the team to Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
, where they were renamed the Bradenton Marauders.
Inaugural season
On April 8, 2010, the Marauders played their first franchise game at McKechnie FieldMcKechnie Field
McKechnie Field is a baseball field located in Bradenton, Florida. It is the spring training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and is named for Bradenton resident and baseball great, Bill McKechnie, who led the Pirates in 1925, the Cincinnati Reds in 1940 and the Cleveland Indians in 1948 to World...
in front of 2,396 spectators. The inaugural game ended in 18–3 Bradenton victory over the Fort Myers Miracle
Fort Myers Miracle
The Fort Myers Miracle is the Class A Advanced minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club, currently managed by Jake Mauer. Home games are played at the Lee County Sports Complex in Hammond Stadium, which has a capacity of 7,500, and opened in...
. Pittsburgh Pirates prospect, Bryan Morris
Bryan Morris
Avery Bryan Morris is a baseball pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He is currently the starting pitcher for the Altoona Curve, the Pirates Double A affiliate in the Eastern League.-Professional career:...
, was the team's starting pitcher. The team’s first hit came off its first batter, Greg Picart. Meanwhile Quincy Latimore registered the team's first home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
and run scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. In the fourth inning of the game, Jeremy Farrell registered the team's first grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
.
A few nights later on April 12, 2010, the Marauders completed their first ever four game series sweep at McKechnie Field. The team capped off their first ever, four game series sweep with a final score of 6–2 over Fort Myers. The team's first loss came on Thursday April 15, 2010, when they were defeated 3–2 by the Jupiter Hammerheads
Jupiter Hammerheads
The Jupiter Hammerheads are a minor league baseball team based in Jupiter, Florida, named for the hammerhead shark.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Miami Marlins major-league club....
at Roger Dean Stadium
Roger Dean Stadium
Roger Dean Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Abacoa community of the town of Jupiter, Florida. The stadium was built in 1998, holds 6,871 people, and features luxury sky-box seating, 2 levels of permanent seating, parking and concessions...
. The Marauders' first home loss came on Saturday April 17, 2010, by a score of 10–7, to the St. Lucie Mets
St. Lucie Mets
The St. Lucie Mets are a minor league baseball team based in Port St. Lucie, Florida.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the High-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club.The team plays at Digital Domain Park...
.
On May 16, 2010, Bryan Morris became the very first Marauder to be promoted, when he was called up to the Pirates' Double A affiliate, the Altoona Curve
Altoona Curve
The Altoona Curve are a minor league baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve . The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club...
.
The Marauders finished their 2010 Inaugural Season with a 76–62 record and led the league in runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, on-base percentage and on-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
, and they also finished fifth (out of twelve teams) in runs allowed and fourth in ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. They also finished third in the league in overall winning percentage. The team lost the Southern Division Championship to the Charlotte Stone Crabs
Charlotte Stone Crabs
The Charlotte Stone Crabs are a minor league baseball team based in Port Charlotte, Florida. The team are currently members of the Florida State League and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball team....
2 games to 1.
In March 2011, Nathan Adcock
Nathan Adcock (baseball)
Nathan Masler Adcock is a baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals.Before playing professionally, Adcock attended North Hardin High School...
became the first player from the Marauders to make a major league team's 25-man roster. Adcock was added to the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
roster after he was chosen by the team in the Rule 5 draft.
2011
The Marauders play struggled during the first half of the 2010 FSL season. The team finished the first half of the season with a 30–40 record and never really contending for the South Division title. At the start of the season's second half, the Marauders posted a 7–5 record. Two scheduled home games were also moved to Port Charlotte'sPort Charlotte, Florida
Port Charlotte is a census-designated place in Charlotte County, Florida, United States. The population was 46,451 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Punta Gorda Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
Sports Park
Charlotte Sports Park
Charlotte Sports Park is a baseball stadium in Port Charlotte, Florida...
while McKechnie Field’s roof underwent construction earlier in the season.
However one of the biggest stories involving the team came in the form of improved attendence. After 40 homes, the Marauders drew 56,718 fans to their home games in 2011, with a game average of 1,418 fans. The team ranks eighth in attendence in the Florida State League. In all of 2010, the team drew 51,856 fans in 70 home dates, only the Dunedin Blue Jays
Dunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a minor league baseball team based in Dunedin, Florida. They play in the Florida State League, and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club...
drew fewer fans. According to team officials, the turn-around attendence is believed to be a result of the team having a full season to market itself and establish a fanbase. By the season's end, the team drew a total regular season attendance of 103,978 fans, doubling the previous year's attendance.
On August 18, 2011, Bradenton's Robbie Grossman became the first minor league player to score 100 runs and walk 100 times in a season since Nick Swisher
Nick Swisher
Nicholas Thompson "Nick" Swisher is an outfielder for the New York Yankees. Swisher is a switch hitter who throws left-handed....
did so in 2004. He is also the first player in the Florida State League to walk 100 times since 1998. Ramon Cabrera was also awarded the Florida State League batting title on September 5 by finishing the 2011 season with a .343 batting average. Three of the FSL's top four hitters were members of the Marauders: Cabrera (1st), Eleyvs Gonzalez (2nd) and Adalberto Santos (4th).
On August 30, 2011, the Marauders defeated the Palm Beach Cardinals
Palm Beach Cardinals
The Palm Beach Cardinals are a minor league baseball team based in Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the High-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals major-league club....
, 6–3, to clinch the Florida State League's second half title, for the second time in two years, and playoff berth. However the team would go on to lose the Southern Division Championship, 2 games to 1, for the second straight year.
Season-by-season record
| Sarasota White Sox (Florida State League Florida State League The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues... ) |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | |Post-season | |||||||
| Record | Win % | Finish* | Result | |||||
| 1989 | 79–57 | .581 | 1st FSL West | Lost in 1st round | ||||
| 1990 | 63–75 | .457 | 3rd FSL West | Did not qualify | ||||
| 1991 | 75–56 | .573 | 2nd FSL West | Lost in 1st round | ||||
| 1992 | 50–19 | .725 | 1st FSL West | Lost in 1st round | ||||
| 1993 | 77–57 | .575 | 2nd FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| Totals | 344–264 | – | – | 0 FSL Florida State League The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues... Championships |
||||
| Sarasota Red Sox (Florida State League Florida State League The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues... ) |
||||||||
| Year | |Post-season | |||||||
| Record | Win % | Finish* | Result | |||||
| 1994 | 69–64 | .519 | 5th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 1995 | 65–68 | .489 | 5th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 1996 | 67–69 | .493 | 6th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 1997 | 63–76 | .453 | 7th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 1998 | 76–61 | .555 | 4th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 1999 | 67–72 | .482 | 6th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 2000 | 60–79 | .432 | ?th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 2001 | 54–83 | .394 | 6th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 2002 | 62–74 | .456 | 5th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 2003 | 63–67 | .485 | 5th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 2004 | 75–61 | .551 | 2nd FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| Totals | 721–764 | – | – | 0 FSL Florida State League The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues... Championships |
||||
| Sarasota Reds (Florida State League Florida State League The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues... ) |
||||||||
| Year | |Post-season | |||||||
| Record | Win % | Finish* | Result | |||||
| 2005 | 65–67 | .492 | 9th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 2006 | 66–73 | .475 | 6th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 2007 | 81–59 | .579 | 3rd FSL West | Lost in Semi-Finals | ||||
| 2008 | 60–78 | .435 | 6th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| 2009 | 54–83 | .394 | 6th FSL West | Did not Qualify | ||||
| Totals | 326–360 | – | – | 0 FSL Florida State League The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues... Championships |
||||
| Bradenton Marauders (Florida State League Florida State League The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues... ) |
||||||||
| Year | |Post-season | |||||||
| Record | Win % | Finish* | Result | |||||
| 2010 | 76–62 | .551 | 2nd FSL South | Lost Division Championship | ||||
| 2011 | 74–63 | .540 | 2nd FSL South | Lost Division Championship | ||||
| Totals | 150–125 | – | – | 0 FSL Florida State League The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues... Championships |
||||
Notable alumni
- Former Tarpon players
- Former White Sox players
- Former Red Sox players
- Former Reds players
- Former Marauders players