Atlantic League of Professional Baseball

This article refers to the modern Atlantic League. For the previous incarnations of the Atlantic League, which operated between 1896 and 1900 and in 1914, see Atlantic League (1896–1900) and Atlantic League (1914) Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Sport Baseball Founded 1998 No. of teams 8 Country(ies) United States Most recent champion(s) York Revolution Most titles Somerset Patriots (5) Official website atlanticleague.com The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either. The Atlantic League requires cities to have the market for a 4,000 to 7,500-seat ballpark and for the facility to be maintained at or to exceed AAA standards.1 The level of Atlantic League play can be categorized as between AA and AAA. Contents 1 History 2 Current Atlantic League franchises 3 Defunct Franchises 4 Potential expansion 5 Atlantic League Championship Series 6 Alumni 7 See also 8 References 9 External links 9.1 Team websites History In 1998, the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball played its inaugural season. The creation of the league was the result of the New York Mets' objection to Frank Boulton's proposal to move the former Albany-Colonie Yankees to Long Island. The Mets objected to the move because of its territorial rights to the region. Boulton, a Long Island native, decided to create a new league that would have a higher salary cap for its players and a longer season than most of the other independent baseball organizations. He modeled the Atlantic League after the older Pacific Coast League, with facilities that exceed AAA-level standards. Boulton also emphasized signing players of Major League Baseball experience for all Atlantic League teams, raising the level of play above other independent leagues. The Long Island Ducks continue to be a strong draw in the region, averaging 400,000 fans a season, and have seen the likes of such Major League alumni as Edgardo Alfonzo, Pedro Borbón, Jr., José Offerman, Donovan Osborne, Bill Pulsipher, Armando Ríos, John Rocker, and Mark Whiten. In 2007, Frank Boulton expressed his contentment with the Atlantic League and the Ducks to Baseball America saying, "The Long Island Ducks are the best thing I've ever done in baseball."2 Current Atlantic League franchises Team City/Area Stadium Founded Joined Freedom Division Lancaster Barnstormers Lancaster, PA Clipper Magazine Stadium 2003 2005 Road Warriors Traveling team   1998 1998 Somerset Patriots Bridgewater Township, NJ TD Bank Ballpark 1998 1998 York Revolution York, PA Sovereign Bank Stadium 2006 2007 Liberty Division Bridgeport Bluefish Bridgeport, CT The Ballpark at Harbor Yard 1997 1998 Camden Riversharks Camden, NJ Campbell's Field 1999 2001 Long Island Ducks Central Islip, NY Bethpage Ballpark 1998 2000 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Waldorf, MD Regency Furniture Stadium 2006 2008 Future teams Loudoun Hounds Dulles, VA The Dog Yard 2010 2012 Sugar Land Skeeters Sugar Land, TX StarTex Power Field 2010 2012 Bluefish Riversharks Ducks Barnstormers Hounds Patriots Blue Crabs Skeeters Revolution Defunct Franchises Atlantic City Surf, 1998-2006 (left for the Cam-Am League; now completely defunct) Aberdeen Arsenal, 1999–2001 Newburgh Black Diamonds, 1998-1999 (moved to the Lehigh Valley) Lehigh Valley Black Diamonds, 1999–2001 (became the Pennsylvania Road Warriors after stadium deal fell through) Pennsylvania Road Warriors, 2002-2004 (became the Road Warriors) Road Warriors , 2006–2007, 2011 Nashua Pride, 1998-2005 (left for Can-Am League; now known as the Pittsfield Colonials) Newark Bears, 1998-2010 (left for Can-Am League) Potential expansion Nassau County, New York: County official Edward Mangano hopes to break ground on a new stadium by the spring of 2012 for an Atlantic League team. According to the proposal, Nassau County would fund the project while the team would be responsible for the total debt.3 Atlantic League Championship Series Year Winner Division Games Loser Division Games 1998 Atlantic City Surf South 3 Bridgeport Bluefish North 1 1999 Bridgeport Bluefish North 3 Somerset Patriots North 0 2000 Nashua Pride North 3 Somerset Patriots South 0 2001 Somerset Patriots South 3 Newark Bears North 2 2002 Newark Bears South 3 Bridgeport Bluefish North 0 2003 Somerset Patriots South 3 Nashua Pride North 2 2004 Long Island Ducks North 3 Camden Riversharks South 0 2005 Somerset Patriots South 3 Nashua Pride North 0 2006 Lancaster Barnstormers South 3 Bridgeport Bluefish North 0 2007 Newark Bears North 3 Somerset Patriots South 1 2008 Somerset Patriots Freedom 3 Camden Riversharks Liberty 1 2009 Somerset Patriots Freedom 3 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Liberty 1 2010 York Revolution Freedom 3 Bridgeport Bluefish Liberty 0 see Atlantic League records Alumni Major League Baseball alumni of the Atlantic Leaguev · d · e (past and present) Pat Ahearne Edgardo Alfonzo Edwin Almonte Erick Almonte Jason Anderson Alex Arias Carlos Baerga Kevin Baez Kimera Bartee Cory Bailey Willie Banks Brian Barton Matt Beech Armando Benitez Chad Bentz Peter Bergeron Dante Bichette Brian Boehringer Pedro Borbón, Jr. Joe Borowski Darren Bragg Jim Bullinger José Canseco Ozzie Canseco Chuck Carr Ramon A. Castro Troy Cate Wes Chamberlain Brad Clontz Joe Crawford Paxton Crawford Deivi Cruz Milt Cuyler Kane Davis Lance Davis Joe DePastino Jason Dickson Brendan Donnelly Stephen Drew Eric Dubose Elijah Dukes Mariano Duncan Todd Erdos Carl Everett Jeff Farnsworth Nelson Figueroa Lew Ford Keith Foulke Wayne Franklin Danny Garcia Joey Gathright Mike Glavine Juan González Jeremy Griffiths Danny Graves John Halama Brad Halsey Bo Hart Von Hayes Rickey Henderson José Herrera Michel Hernandez Bobby Hill Shea Hillenbrand Pat Howell Justin Huisman Pete Incaviglia Bucky Jacobsen Jason Jacome Doug Jennings Ryan Jensen Lance Johnson Bobby M. Jones Chris Jones Jacques Jones Ricardo Jordan Félix José Pat Kelly Mike Kinkade Gary Knotts Pete Laforest Aaron Ledesma Patrick Lennon Mark Lewis Jim Leyritz José Lima José Lind Luis Lopez Wendell Magee Pat Mahomes Jim Mann T.J. Mathews Greg McCarthy Quinton McCracken Kevin McGlinchy Donaldo Méndez Ryan Minor Damian Moss José Morban Kevin Nicholson José Offerman Donovan Osborne Craig Paquette Scott Patterson Elvis Peña Will Pennyfeather Matt Perisho Robert Person Angel Peña Wily Mo Peña Josh Phelps Sidney Ponson Curtis Pride Brandon Puffer Carlos Pulido Bill Pulsipher Ryan Radmanovich Tim Raines Tim Raines, Jr. Ken Ray Tike Redman Keith Reed Brian Reith Dan Reichert John Riedling Armando Ríos Mike Rivera John Rocker Félix Rodríguez Henry Rodriguez Mel Rojas Damian Rolls Pete Rose, Jr. Michael Ryan Jared Sandberg Francisco Santos Luis Saturria Jason Shiell Rubén Sierra Bill Simas Randall Simon Jason Simontacchi Scott Sobkowiak Junior Spivey Joe Strong Jeff Tam Mark Thompson Ozzie Timmons Kevin Tolar Brian Tollberg Joe Valentine Julio Valera Andy Van Hekken Dave Veres Kevin Walker Allen Watson Mark Whiten Chris Widger Mitch Williams Preston Wilson Joe Winkelsas Jordan Zimmerman Alan Zinter   See also Independent league baseball References ^ "Atlantic League Market Requirements". Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. http://www.atlanticleague.com/about.html. Retrieved May 6, 2006.  ^ Baseball America's 2007 Independent organization of the year ^ "Nassau County to Swing for Atlantic League Fences". Ballpark Business. http://ballparkbiz.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/nassau-county-to-swing-for-atlantic-league-fences/. Retrieved November 16, 2010.  External links Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Atlantic League blog Atlantic League Independent Team websites Bridgeport Bluefish Camden Riversharks Lancaster Barnstormers Long Island Ducks Loundoun Hounds Somerset Patriots Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Sugar Land Skeeters York Revolution v · d · eAtlantic League of Professional Baseball Freedom Division Liberty Division Lancaster Barnstormers Bridgeport Bluefish Road Warriors Camden Riversharks Somerset Patriots Long Island Ducks York Revolution Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Expansion: Loudoun Hounds · Sugar Land Skeeters Annual events: Championship Series · All-Star Game Other: Alumni · Final standings · Records v · d · eCurrent ballparks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Freedom Division Clipper Magazine Stadium • Sovereign Bank Stadium • TD Bank Ballpark Liberty Division The Ballpark at Harbor Yard • Bethpage Ballpark • Campbell's Field • Regency Furniture Stadium • Expansion The Dog Yard • StarTex Power Field v · d · eProfessional baseball leagues Americas Major American League · National League Minor Triple-A: International League · Mexican League · Pacific Coast League Double-A: Eastern League · Southern League · Texas League Class A Advanced: California League · Carolina League · Florida State League • Class A: Midwest League · South Atlantic League • Class A Short-Season: New York – Penn League · Northwest League Rookie: Appalachian League · Arizona League · Dominican Summer League · Gulf Coast League · Pioneer League · Venezuelan Summer League Independent American Association · Atlantic League · Can-Am League · Frontier League · North American League · Pecos League Mexican League affiliates Double-A: Northern Mexico League Class A Advanced: Northwestern Mexico Baseball League Winter Affiliated: Arizona Fall League · Dominican Winter Baseball League · Mexican Pacific League · Parallel League · Venezuelan Professional Baseball League Independent: Colombian Professional Baseball League  · Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League  · Puerto Rico Baseball League  · Veracruz Winter League Defunct Major: National Association · American Association · Union Association · Players' League · Federal League · Negro Leagues · All-American Girls Professional Baseball League · Continental League · Cuban League · National Association of Base Ball Players • Winter: Florida Winter Baseball League  · Texas Winter League · Panamanian Winter League Asia Japan Nippon Professional Baseball: Central League · Pacific League • Minor: Western League · Eastern League • Fall: Miyazaki Phoenix League Independent: Baseball Challenge League · Kansai Independent Baseball League  · Shikoku Island League Plus South Korea Korea Professional Baseball • Minor: Korea Baseball Futures League Taiwan Chinese Professional Baseball League China China Baseball League Defunct Japanese Baseball League · Taiwan Major League · Israel Baseball League Europe Italy Italian Baseball League Netherlands Honkbal Hoofdklasse Oceania Australia Australian Baseball League Defunct Australian Baseball League (1989–1999) · International Baseball League of Australia · Hawaii Winter Baseball