Grand Junction Rockies
Encyclopedia
The Grand Junction Rockies are a minor league baseball
team in the Pioneer League based in Grand Junction
, Colorado
, United States
, where they play at Suplizio Field
. They are the Advanced-Rookie affiliate of the Colorado Rockies
.
of the copper mines of Butte, Montana
, began play in the Pioneer League in as a co-op team with players from the Seattle Mariners
and Texas Rangers
organizations.
Beginning in , the franchise had been operated by Silverbow Baseball Corp. It was sold in to the Goldklang Group in a move necessary to stem conflict-of-interest issues when Silverbow head Jim McCurdy had taken the position of President of the Pioneer League in . Silverbow had attempted to sell the franchise in 1994 to investors from California
, but the deal fell through when it was discovered that the would-be owners had lied about their personal financial backgrounds.
Following the season, the team relocated to Casper, WY
as the Casper Rockies (and renamed to the Ghosts before the season) and affiliated with Colorado
.
On January 13, , Casper Professional Baseball Club, LLC announced the sale of the team to Monfort Investment Group, a group headed by Colorado Rockies General Partners. At the same time it was announced that Tim Ray would become the executive director of the Ghosts; Chris Maxwell and Phil Choler remain as General Manager and Assistant General Manager, respectively.
October 17, 2011 Grand Junction city officials, officially approved a lease agreement to the team, making Suplizio Field home to the newly renamed Grand Junction Rockies.
teams:
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 in the Pioneer League based in Grand Junction
Grand Junction, Colorado
The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a city with a council–manager government form that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction is situated west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. As...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where they play at Suplizio Field
Suplizio Field
Sam Suplizio Field is a stadium in Grand Junction, Colorado, United States. It is named after former Denver Bears right fielder, New York Yankees prospect and MLB Coach Sam Suplizio.. Starting in June 2012, it will be the home of the Rookie-level Grand Junction Rockies of the Pioneer League.The...
. They are the Advanced-Rookie affiliate of the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
.
Franchise History
The Butte Copper Kings, named for the once-powerful ownersCopper Kings
The Copper Kings, industrialists William Andrews Clark, Marcus Daly, and F. Augustus Heinze, were collectively known for the epic battles they fought in Butte, Montana and the surrounding region during the Gilded Age over the control of the local copper mining industry, a fight which had...
of the copper mines of Butte, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, began play in the Pioneer League in as a co-op team with players from the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
and 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...
organizations.
Beginning in , the franchise had been operated by Silverbow Baseball Corp. It was sold in to the Goldklang Group in a move necessary to stem conflict-of-interest issues when Silverbow head Jim McCurdy had taken the position of President of the Pioneer League in . Silverbow had attempted to sell the franchise in 1994 to investors from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, but the deal fell through when it was discovered that the would-be owners had lied about their personal financial backgrounds.
Following the season, the team relocated to Casper, WY
Casper, Wyoming
Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...
as the Casper Rockies (and renamed to the Ghosts before the season) and affiliated with Colorado
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
.
On January 13, , Casper Professional Baseball Club, LLC announced the sale of the team to Monfort Investment Group, a group headed by Colorado Rockies General Partners. At the same time it was announced that Tim Ray would become the executive director of the Ghosts; Chris Maxwell and Phil Choler remain as General Manager and Assistant General Manager, respectively.
October 17, 2011 Grand Junction city officials, officially approved a lease agreement to the team, making Suplizio Field home to the newly renamed Grand Junction Rockies.
Notable players
Butte Copper Kings, Casper Rockies and Casper Ghosts players who have made appearances on Major LeagueMajor 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...
teams: