Valley Baseball League
Encyclopedia
The Valley Baseball League is an NCAA
-sanctioned collegiate summer baseball league in the Shenandoah Valley
region of Virginia
. Each Valley Baseball League season consists of 44 games played during summer. Many Valley Baseball League players have continued on to play in Major League Baseball
.
The league was started in 1923 and sanctioned by the NCAA in 1961. It has been a wooden bat league
since 1993. It is one of eight leagues in the National Alliance of Collegiate Summer Baseball.
In 2007, The Valley Baseball League expanded to include one new team with the addition of the Fauquier Gators. Another team was supposed to be added in Lexington, Virginia but there were difficulties with the lighting system that delayed their addition to the league. The VBL announced, officially, in July 2008 that the Rapids (playing in Lexington, on Washington and Lee's field) will be playing in the 2009 season. This additional team will break the league into three divisions.
The following seedings and games occurred during the Valley League Playoffs.
Seedings
First Round:(Best of 3 series)
† Eliminated during first round.
Second Round:(Best of 3 series)
†† Eliminated during second round.
Championship(Best of 5 series)
Bold indicates 2007 Champion.
The following seedings and games occurred during the Valley League Playoffs.
Seedings
The number 1 and 2 seed will be decided during a game with Luray and Waynesboro, while the number 7 and 8 seed will be either Harrisonburg or Haymarket, pending the outcome of that game. Both games will be played on July 28, 2008.
First Round:(Best of 3 series)
† Eliminated during first round.
Second Round:(Best of 3 series)
†† Eliminated during second round.
Championship(Best of 5 series)
Bold indicates 2008 Champion.
The summer of 2008 was highlighted by a promotion called Around the Valley in 60 Days. This promotion was started by Crystal Clear Delivery and S. Carter Studios and encouraged patrons to visit all 11 parks in the 60 day season. The program was deemed a huge success as some fifty fans completed the program and attended all 11 ballparks.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
-sanctioned collegiate summer baseball league in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
region of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Each Valley Baseball League season consists of 44 games played during summer. Many Valley Baseball League players have continued on to play in 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...
.
The league was started in 1923 and sanctioned by the NCAA in 1961. It has been a wooden bat league
Wooden bat league
Wooden bat leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States that use wood bats instead of bats made of aluminum or composites. Most such leagues play in the summer months, during the traditional break in the academic year, and are approved by the NCAA....
since 1993. It is one of eight leagues in the National Alliance of Collegiate Summer Baseball.
In 2007, The Valley Baseball League expanded to include one new team with the addition of the Fauquier Gators. Another team was supposed to be added in Lexington, Virginia but there were difficulties with the lighting system that delayed their addition to the league. The VBL announced, officially, in July 2008 that the Rapids (playing in Lexington, on Washington and Lee's field) will be playing in the 2009 season. This additional team will break the league into three divisions.
North
- Winchester RoyalsWinchester RoyalsThe Winchester Royals are a collegiate summer baseball team in Winchester, Virginia. They play in the northern division of the Valley Baseball League....
- Haymarket Senators
- Front Royal CardinalsFront Royal CardinalsThe Front Royal Cardinals are a collegiate summer baseball team in Front Royal, Virginia. They play in the northern division of the Valley Baseball League. Although they won a championship in 1986, success has been relatively rare for the Cardinals....
- Strasburg Express
Central
- Luray WranglersLuray WranglersThe Luray Wranglers are a collegiate summer baseball team in Luray, Virginia. They play in the central division of the Valley Baseball League and are the reigning Valley League Baseball Champions.-History:...
- Harrisonburg TurksHarrisonburg TurksThe Harrisonburg Turks are a collegiate summer baseball team in Harrisonburg, Virginia. They play in the central division of the Valley Baseball League....
- New Market Rebels
- Woodstock River BanditsWoodstock River BanditsThe Woodstock River Bandits are a collegiate summer baseball team in Woodstock, Virginia. They play in the central division of the Valley Baseball League....
South
- Covington Lumberjacks
- Staunton BravesStaunton BravesThe Staunton Braves are a collegiate summer baseball team in Staunton, Virginia. They play in the southern division of the Valley Baseball League. They have won the pennant in 1993-95, 1997-2000, and 2003. They were league champions in 1995, 1996, and 1999....
- Waynesboro GeneralsWaynesboro GeneralsThe Waynesboro Generals are a collegiate summer baseball team in Waynesboro, Virginia. They play in the southern division of the Valley Baseball League....
- Rockbridge Rapids
2007 Playoffs
Valley League playoffs for the 2007 Season began on July 31, 2007 and concluded on August 10, when Waynesboro defeated Luray.The following seedings and games occurred during the Valley League Playoffs.
Seedings
- 1-Waynesboro
- 2-Harrisonburg†
- 3-Luray
* - 4-Winchester†
- 5-Staunton††
- 6-Front Royal†
- 7-Covington††
- 8-Woodstock†
First Round:(Best of 3 series)
-
#1 Waynesboro played #8 Woodstock. (Waynesboro won series 2-1)#2 Harrisonburg played #7 Covington. (Covington won series 2-0) #3 Luray played #6 Front Royal. (Luray won series 2-1) #4 Winchester played #5 Staunton. (Staunton won series 2-1)
† Eliminated during first round.
Second Round:(Best of 3 series)
-
#3 Luray played #5 Staunton. (Luray won series 2-0)#1 Waynesboro played #7 Covington. (Waynesboro won series 2-1)
†† Eliminated during second round.
Championship(Best of 5 series)
-
- Luray vs. Waynesboro (Waynesboro won series 3-1)
Bold indicates 2007 Champion.
-
* Indicates Runner-Up.
2008 Playoffs
Valley League playoffs for the 2008 Season began on July 28, 2008 and ended August 5, 2008 when the Luray Wranglers defeated Covington.The following seedings and games occurred during the Valley League Playoffs.
Seedings
- 1-Waynesboro††
- 2-Luray
- 3-Fauquier†
- 4-Winchester†
- 5-Staunton††
- 6-Covington
* - 7-Harrisonburg†
- 8-Haymarket†
The number 1 and 2 seed will be decided during a game with Luray and Waynesboro, while the number 7 and 8 seed will be either Harrisonburg or Haymarket, pending the outcome of that game. Both games will be played on July 28, 2008.
First Round:(Best of 3 series)
# 1 Waynesboro played #8 Haymarket. (Waynesboro won series 2-1)# 2 Luray played #7 Harrisonburg. (Luray won series 2-1)# 3 Fauquier played #6 Covington. (Covington won series 2-0)# 4 Winchester played #5 Staunton. (Staunton won series 2-1)
† Eliminated during first round.
Second Round:(Best of 3 series)
# 1 Waynesboro played #6 Covington. (Covington won series 2-0)# 2 Luray played #5 Staunton. (Luray won series 2-0)
†† Eliminated during second round.
Championship(Best of 5 series)
- Luray played Covington
* . (Luray swept series 3-0)
Bold indicates 2008 Champion.
-
* Indicates Runner-Up.
Champions
- 2011 - Covington
- 2010 - Luray
- 2009 - Haymarket
- 2008 - Luray
- 2007 - Waynesboro
- 2006 - Luray
- 2005 - Covington
- 2004 - Winchester
- 2003 - Winchester
- 2002 - New Market
- 2001 - Winchester
- 2000 - Harrisonburg
- 1999 - Staunton
- 1998 - Waynesboro
- 1997 - Winchester
- 1996 - Staunton
- 1995 - Staunton
- 1994 - New Market
- 1993 - Winchester
- 1992 - Winchester
- 1991 - Harrisonburg
- 1990 - Winchester
- 1989 - New Market
- 1988 - Waynesboro
- 1987 - Winchester
- 1986 - Front RoyalFront Royal CardinalsThe Front Royal Cardinals are a collegiate summer baseball team in Front Royal, Virginia. They play in the northern division of the Valley Baseball League. Although they won a championship in 1986, success has been relatively rare for the Cardinals....
- 1985 - Staunton
- 1984 - WaynesboroWaynesboro GeneralsThe Waynesboro Generals are a collegiate summer baseball team in Waynesboro, Virginia. They play in the southern division of the Valley Baseball League....
- 1983 - Winchester
- 1982 - Winchester
- 1981 - Winchester
- 1980 - Winchester
- 1979 - WinchesterWinchester RoyalsThe Winchester Royals are a collegiate summer baseball team in Winchester, Virginia. They play in the northern division of the Valley Baseball League....
- 1978 - Madison
- 1977 - Harrisonburg
- 1976 - Staunton
- 1975 - Madison
- 1974 - Shenandoah
- 1973 - Shenandoah
- 1972 - Shenandoah
- 1971 - Harrisonburg
- 1970 - Harrisonburg
- 1969 - Harrisonburg
- 1968 - Luray
- 1967 - Luray
- 1966 - Luray
- 1965 - LurayLuray WranglersThe Luray Wranglers are a collegiate summer baseball team in Luray, Virginia. They play in the central division of the Valley Baseball League and are the reigning Valley League Baseball Champions.-History:...
- 1964 - Harrisonburg
- 1963 - Shenandoah
- 1962 - Harrisonburg
- 1961 - Shenandoah
- 1960 - Shenandoah
- 1959 - Harrisonburg
- 1958 - Harrisonburg
- 1957 - Staunton
- 1956 - Elkton
- 1955 - HarrisonburgHarrisonburg TurksThe Harrisonburg Turks are a collegiate summer baseball team in Harrisonburg, Virginia. They play in the central division of the Valley Baseball League....
- 1954 - StauntonStaunton BravesThe Staunton Braves are a collegiate summer baseball team in Staunton, Virginia. They play in the southern division of the Valley Baseball League. They have won the pennant in 1993-95, 1997-2000, and 2003. They were league champions in 1995, 1996, and 1999....
Championships per team
- Elkton-1
- Front Royal-1
- Haymarket-1
- Harrisonburg-11
- Luray-7
- Covington-2
- Madison-2
- New Market-3
- Shenandoah-5
- Staunton-6
- Waynesboro-4
- Winchester-13
- Not all teams have been with VBL since 1954. Throughout its history, teams have been removed and added.
The summer of 2008 was highlighted by a promotion called Around the Valley in 60 Days. This promotion was started by Crystal Clear Delivery and S. Carter Studios and encouraged patrons to visit all 11 parks in the 60 day season. The program was deemed a huge success as some fifty fans completed the program and attended all 11 ballparks.
Notable players
- Jason KipnisJason KipnisJason Michael Kipnis is an American baseball player who plays second base for the Cleveland Indians. He was called up from the minor leagues to the Indians on July 22, 2011....
, Covington '07, second baseman for the Cleveland IndiansCleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona... - Javier LopezJavier LópezJavier Alfonso López is a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants. López previously played for the Colorado Rockies , Arizona Diamondbacks , Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates . He is a left-handed specialist known for his sidearm delivery...
, New Market ’96 - Mike LowellMike LowellMichael Averett Lowell is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball third baseman. During a 13-year career, Lowell played for the New York Yankees , Florida Marlins , and the Boston Red Sox...
, Waynesboro ’93 - Mike MarothMike MarothMichael Warren Maroth is a former American Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Born in Orlando, Florida, and after attending the University of Central Florida, the left-handed Maroth made his Major League debut in for the Detroit Tigers.-Early career:A third-round pick in the draft, Maroth...
, Staunton ’96 ’97 - Kyle SnyderKyle SnyderKyle Ehren Snyder is an American baseball player, who is a former relief pitcher.Snyder played with the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox . He is listed at 6-8 and 220 pounds, is a switch hitter, and throws right-handed....
, Winchester ’97 - Cory Spangenberg, Winchester ’10