Vero Beach Devil Rays
Encyclopedia
The Vero Beach Devil Rays, originally the Vero Beach Dodgers, 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 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...

. They played in the Class A-Advanced 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...

 from 1980–2008, at which point they relocated to 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:...

 as 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....

. They played their home games 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...

.

As their names imply, Vero Beach was affiliated with two different 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...

 teams during their existence: 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...

 from 1980–2006 and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 2007–2008. As the Vero Beach Devil Rays, they won the Florida State League championship in 2007.

History

Founded in 1980 as the Vero Beach Dodgers, the team was affiliated with 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...

 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 from 1980–2006. They played their home games 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...

, which served as Los Angeles' 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 since 1953.

In 2007 the franchise's affiliation changed to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays; they were then renamed the Vero Beach Devil Rays. The went on to win the 2007 Florida State League championship that year. After the 2008 season Tampa Bay moved their Class A-Advanced affiliate to 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:...

, where they became known as 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....

.

History

On August 25, 2008, it was announced that the Vero Beach franchise was sold to Ripken Baseball, which resulted in a relocation of the franchise to 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:...

 to become 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....

.

Notable alumni

  • 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...

     (2007–2008)
  • Erick Orrala  (2003–2004)
  • David Price
    David Price (baseball)
    David Taylor Price is an American Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. Price was selected first overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft by the Rays and made his major league debut in September 2008.Price pitched out of the bullpen during the Rays' run...

     (2008)
  • Matt Kemp
    Matt Kemp
    Matthew Ryan "Matt" Kemp is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers.Kemp was drafted by the Dodgers in the 6th round of the 2003 draft and made his major league debut in 2006...

    (2005)

Website

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