Charlotte Stone Crabs
Encyclopedia
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.
The Stone Crabs were originally the Vero Beach Dodgers (later the Vero Beach Devil Rays), who played in Vero Beach, Florida
from 1980–2008. The team relocated to Port Charlotte after being purchased by Ripken Baseball. They play their home games at Charlotte Sports Park
. The team is named for the Florida stone crab
, which is indigenous to the Charlotte County
region.
, on a rehab assignment in April of 2009, was the first batter in franchise history. Other big leaguers who have spent time with the Stone Crabs include: Rocco Baldelli
, Grant Balfour
, Jason Bartlett, Chad Bradford
, Pat Burrell
, Brad Hawpe
, Jeremy Hellickson
, Matt Joyce
, Scott Kazmir
, Carlos Pena
, Fernando Perez
, Shawn Riggans
, Brian Shouse
, Andy Sonnanstine
, and Mitch Talbot.
. The franchise was founded in 1980, and played at Holman Stadium
, the former spring training
home of the Los Angeles Dodgers
. On August 25, 2008, it was announced that the Vero Beach franchise was sold to Ripken Baseball, which resulted in the move to Charlotte County, Florida
.
The Stone Crabs play their home games at Charlotte Sports Park
in Port Charlotte, Florida, the former spring training home of the Texas Rangers
.
On December 20, the team announced that Jim Morrison
will return as manager, having managed the Vero Beach team in 2008.
In their first season in Port Charlotte
, the Stone Crabs won the FSL South division title but lost the league title to the Tampa Yankees
three games to two.
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 Port Charlotte, Florida
Port 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:...
. The team are currently members of 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...
and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the 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...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team.
The Stone Crabs were originally the Vero Beach Dodgers (later the Vero Beach Devil Rays), who played in Vero Beach, Florida
Vero Beach, Florida
Vero Beach is a city in Indian River County, Florida, USA. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 16,939. It is the county seat of Indian River County...
from 1980–2008. The team relocated to Port Charlotte after being purchased by Ripken Baseball. They play their home games at Charlotte Sports Park
Charlotte Sports Park
Charlotte Sports Park is a baseball stadium in Port Charlotte, Florida...
. The team is named for the Florida stone crab
Florida stone crab
The Florida stone crab, Menippe mercenaria, is a crab found in the western North Atlantic, from Connecticut to Belize, including Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba and the Bahamas that is widely caught for food.-Description:...
, which is indigenous to the Charlotte County
Charlotte County, Florida
Charlotte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 141,627. In 2005, the population of the MSA was 154,030.The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county was 152,814...
region.
Notable players
The Charlotte Stone Crabs have had many Major League players in their existence. Jake McGee was the first Stone Crabs player to make it to the majors. B. J. UptonB. J. Upton
Melvin Emmanuel "B. J." Upton is a Major League Baseball center fielder for the Tampa Bay Rays. Upton is a graduate of Greenbrier Christian Academy....
, on a rehab assignment in April of 2009, was the first batter in franchise history. Other big leaguers who have spent time with the Stone Crabs include: Rocco Baldelli
Rocco Baldelli
Rocco Dan Baldelli is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter. Because of his excellent size and speed, and in reference to his hometown, he was nicknamed, "The Woonsocket Rocket," early in his professional career...
, 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:...
, Jason Bartlett, Chad Bradford
Chad Bradford
Chadwick Lee "Chad" Bradford is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was well known for his extreme submarine-style pitching, and his success in MLB despite his unconventional delivery and the slow speed at which he threw the ball led to him figuring prominently in the Michael Lewis...
, Pat Burrell
Pat Burrell
Patrick Brian "Pat" Burrell , nicknamed "Pat the Bat," is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He stands tall and weighs . He bats and throws right-handed...
, Brad Hawpe
Brad Hawpe
Bradley Bonte Hawpe is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman.-High school and college:...
, Jeremy Hellickson
Jeremy Hellickson
Jeremy Robert Hellickson is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa and attended Hoover High School...
, Matt Joyce
Matt Joyce (baseball)
Matthew R. Joyce is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays.-Early life:Joyce began his career at North Brandon Little League in Brandon, Florida....
, Scott Kazmir
Scott Kazmir
Scott Edward Kazmir is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Kazmir made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2004 when he was only 20 years old and at one time held many of the franchise's career pitching records...
, Carlos Pena
Carlos Peña
Carlos Felipe Peña is a Dominican professional baseball left-handed first baseman. He played previously with the Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs.Although he was born in Santo Domingo and his family is from San Francisco de Macorís,...
, Fernando Perez
Fernando Pérez
Fernando Pérez Valdés is a prominent Cuban film director.Pérez graduated from the University of Havana with a degree in Language and Spanish Literature, and began working in the Cuban film industry in 1971 as an assistant director, before directing his first documentary in 1975.His feature debut...
, Shawn Riggans
Shawn Riggans
-Career:Riggans was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 24th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft. He played nine games for the Devil Rays in 2006, including eight appearances as catcher and one as a pinch hitter. In 2008, Riggans became the backup catcher for the Rays, behind...
, Brian Shouse
Brian Shouse
Brian Douglas Shouse is a former left-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Starting in 2001, Shouse pitched with a distinctive sidearm delivery, which replaced his earlier, more traditional, overhand delivery.-Career:...
, Andy Sonnanstine
Andy Sonnanstine
Andrew Michael Sonnanstine is a relief pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. Sonnanstine is a graduate of Wadsworth High School in Wadsworth, Ohio, and attended Kent State University...
, and Mitch Talbot.
History
The Charlotte Stone Crabs were formerly known as the Vero Beach Dodgers, later the Vero Beach Devil RaysVero Beach Devil Rays
The Vero Beach Devil Rays, originally the Vero Beach Dodgers, were a minor league baseball team based in Vero Beach, Florida. They played in the Class A-Advanced Florida State League from 1980–2008, at which point they relocated to Port Charlotte, Florida as the Charlotte Stone Crabs...
. The franchise was founded in 1980, and played at Holman Stadium
Holman Stadium (Vero Beach)
Holman Stadium is a baseball stadium in Vero Beach, Florida, built in 1953 to accommodate spring training for the Dodgers as part of a complex called Dodgertown. In addition to the Dodgers' spring games, it was also the home of the Vero Beach Devil Rays of the Florida State League, through the...
, the former 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...
home of the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. On August 25, 2008, it was announced that the Vero Beach franchise was sold to Ripken Baseball, which resulted in the move to Charlotte County, Florida
Charlotte County, Florida
Charlotte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 141,627. In 2005, the population of the MSA was 154,030.The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county was 152,814...
.
The Stone Crabs play their home games at Charlotte Sports Park
Charlotte Sports Park
Charlotte Sports Park is a baseball stadium in Port Charlotte, Florida...
in Port Charlotte, Florida, the former spring training home of the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
On December 20, the team announced that Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison (baseball)
James Forrest Morrison , is a former professional baseball player who played second and third base in the Major Leagues from 1977 to 1988. During his baseball career, Morrison played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, and Atlanta Braves...
will return as manager, having managed the Vero Beach team in 2008.
In their first season in Port Charlotte
Port 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:...
, the Stone Crabs won the FSL South division title but lost the league title to 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...
three games to two.