Port City Roosters
Encyclopedia
The Port City Roosters were a minor league baseball
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 Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
. The team, which played in the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
, was the Double-A affiliate of 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...
major-league club. The Roosters played in Brooks Field
Brooks Field (Wilmington)
Brooks Field is a stadium in Wilmington, North Carolina on the campus of UNC-Wilmington. Brooks Field is the home of the UNC Wilmington Seahawks and is the host site of the Colonial Athletic Association baseball Tournament. The ballpark has a capacity of 3,000 people and first opened in...
on the campus of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Opened in 1989, the park seats 3,000 fans.
The team began play in 1995, after the Nashville Xpress
Nashville Xpress
The Nashville Xpress were a minor league baseball team of the Southern League from 1993 to 1994. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee and played home games at Herschel Greer Stadium, which opened in 1978...
was relocated to Wilmington. Following the 1996 season, the Roosters franchise was relocated to Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, and resumed play as the Mobile BayBears
Mobile BayBears
The Mobile BayBears are a minor league baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major league club. The BayBears play in Hank Aaron Stadium, named after baseball's former all-time home...
. The move was cited as a result of many factors including an inadequate stadium and low attendance.
The Roosters games were broadcast locally on WAAV-AM 980. David Kelly
David Kelly (baseball announcer)
David Scott Kelly is an American sportscaster.He is currently a sports anchor/reporter at Belo Corp. Fox affiliate KMSB-TV in Tucson, Arizona. David joined the Fox 11 Sports Force in July 2011...
and Mike Ferreri did the play-by-play. Kelly is now a sports anchor/reporter at KMSB-TV
KMSB-TV
KMSB is the Fox-affiliated television station serving Tucson, Arizona. The station broadcasts in digital on UHF channel 25 . Since it transmits from atop Mount Bigelow, there is no signal reception in the northern part of Tucson, Oro Valley and Marana....
in Tucson, Arizona. Ferreri is the weekend sports anchor at KOMO-TV
KOMO-TV
KOMO-TV, virtual channel 4, is a television station in Seattle, Washington. It is an affiliate of ABC and broadcasts on digital channel 38. KOMO-TV is the flagship station of Fisher Communications, and its studios and offices are co-located with sister radio stations KOMO , KVI , and KPLZ-FM ...
in Seattle.
Among the better known major leaguers who wore the Roosters uniform, Red Sox captain Jason Varitek
Jason Varitek
Jason Andrew Varitek is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. After being traded as a minor league prospect by the Seattle Mariners, Varitek has played his entire major league career for the Boston Red Sox...
, pitchers Derek Lowe
Derek Lowe
Derek Christopher Lowe is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. He throws and bats right-handed. He is 6'6" and 230 pounds.-Early years:...
and Ryan Franklin
Ryan Franklin
Ryan Ray Franklin is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played for the Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, and St. Louis Cardinals.-Early life:...
, infielder Desi Relaford
Desi Relaford
Desmond Lamont "Desi" Relaford is an American former professional baseball infielder. He has played for the Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies.Known more for his defense than his bat, his versatility was...
and outfielders José Cruz, Jr.
José Cruz, Jr.
José Luis Cruz, Jr. is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. Over his nine year playing career, Cruz played for eight different teams. Standing 6'0" tall and weighing 210 pounds, Cruz was a right-handed switch hitter...
and Raul Ibanez
Raúl Ibáñez
Raúl Javier Ibáñez is an American Major League Baseball outfielder.Over his career, Ibáñez, who did not make 500 plate appearances until the age of thirty, has batted .280 with 377 doubles, 252 home runs and 1054 runs batted in over sixteen Major League seasons...
.