TheDelmarva Shorebirdsare aMinor League Baseballteam based inSalisbury, Maryland.They are members of theCarolina Leagueand theSingle-Aaffiliate of theBaltimore Orioles.Their home games are played atArthur W. Perdue Stadium.The Shorebirds were members of theClass ASouth Atlantic League(SAL) from 1996 to 2020 and theLow-A Eastin 2021, though this was renamed the Carolina League and reclassified as Single-A in 2022. They won twoSAL championships,in 1997 and 2000. Also in 1997, the Shorebirds receivedBaseball America'sBob Freitas Award for Class A baseball.
| Delmarva Shorebirds | |||||
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| Minor league affiliations | |||||
| Class | Single-A(2021–present) | ||||
| Previous classes | Class A(1996–2020) | ||||
| League | Carolina League(2021–present) | ||||
| Division | North Division | ||||
Previous leagues | South Atlantic League(1996–2020) | ||||
| Major league affiliations | |||||
| Team | Baltimore Orioles(1997–present) | ||||
| Previous teams | Montreal Expos(1996) | ||||
| Minor league titles | |||||
| League titles(2) |
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| Team data | |||||
| Name | Delmarva Shorebirds | ||||
Previous names | Albany Polecats(1992–1995)[1] Sumter Flyers(1991) | ||||
| Colors | Black, orange, white | ||||
| Ballpark | Arthur W. Perdue Stadium | ||||
Owner(s)/ Operator(s) | 7th Inning Stretch LP | ||||
| General manager | Chris Bitters | ||||
| Manager | Collin Woody | ||||
| Website | milb /delmarva | ||||
History
editFrank Perdue's desire for a professional baseball team based inMaryland's Eastern Shorewas the driving force in bringing a franchise toSalisbury.Joining the Maryland Baseball Limited Partnership, owners of theBowie BaysoxandFrederick Keys,set the concept in motion.[2]By Autumn 1995 Maryland Baseball purchased theAlbany Polecatsfrom Richard M. Holtzman, relocated the franchise to Salisbury and renamed it the Delmarva Shorebirds.[1]The name "Shorebirds" refers to the marine waterfowl of theDelmarva Peninsula.The team name was chosen by 7-year-old Katie Duffy of Newark, Delaware.[3]The team's geographic appellation is aportmanteauof the states that govern counties on the peninsula:Delaware,Maryland,andVirginia(abbreviatedVA).
The Shorebirds' first-ever game at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium was a 4–2 win over theColumbus RedStixxbefore a crowd of 5,787 onApril 17,1996. After fulfilling its two-year Player Development Contract with theMontreal Expos,it officially became an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles onSeptember 26,1996.[2]
The Shorebirds hosted the 2011 South Atlantic League "Strike Out Hunger" All-Star Game on June 21, 2011.[4]The Shorebirds partnered withPerdue Farms,theCommunity Foundation of the Eastern Shoreand Delmarva's three food banks: Eastern Shore Branch of the Maryland Food Bank, theFood Bank of Delaware,and the Eastern Shore Branch of the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia; to help "Strike Out Hunger".[5]Perdue and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore donated $20 to the food banks for each strike out by a Shorebirds pitcher during the Shorebirds 2011 season.[6]
The Kyle Moore-managed Shorebirds in 2019 clinched their first postseason berth since 2005 by winning the SAL Northern Division first-half title with the minors' best midseason record at 48–21. A franchise-best 90–48 finish made them the 14th SAL team since 1980 to reach 90 wins in a regular season and the first since theAugusta GreenJacketsin 2006.[7][8]The season ended when the Shorebirds were swept by theHickory Crawdadsin the best-of-three SAL Northern Division Championship Series.[9]
In conjunction withMajor League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Shorebirds were organized into theLow-A Eastat the Low-A classification.[10]In 2022, the Low-A East became known as the Carolina League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization, and was reclassified as a Single-A circuit.[11]
Radio
editThe Shorebirds can be found onFox Sports 960 AM,the Shorebirds' Flagship Station since 2005.[12]Will DeBoer has been the radio voice of the Shorebirds since 2017[13]but is being replaced for the 2021 season by Sam Jellinek. Former announcers include Randy Scott, Bret Lasky and Brendan Gulick.
Roster
edit| Players | Coaches/Other | |||
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Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
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Notable alumni
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- Michael Barrett(1996)
- Erik Bedard(2005)
- Mike Bordick(2001) MLB All-Star
- Zach Britton(2008) 2 x MLB All-Star
- Orlando Cabrera(1996)
- Manny Machado(2011)
- Endy Chavez(2012)
- Delino DeShields(1999)
- Mike Guerra(1938)
- Pat Hentgen(2002) 3 x MLB All-Star; 1996 AL Cy Young Award
- Ty Kelly(2010–11)
- Nick Markakis(2004) MLB All-Star
- Stu Miller(1949) 2 x MLB All-Star; 1958 NL ERA Leader
- Brian Roberts(1999, 2012) 2 x MLB All-Star
- Jayson Werth(1998) MLB All-Star
- Scott Williamson(2007) MLB All-Star; 1999 NL rookie of the Year
References
edit- ^abBaker, Kent (September 21, 1995)."South Atlantic League will have Delmarva Shorebirds next season; Kirk group buying team, will move it to Salisbury".The Baltimore Sun.
- ^abNortham, Mitchell (September 13, 2015)."20 Years: The Delmarva Shorebirds".The Daily Times.RetrievedSeptember 2,2019.
- ^"Delmarva Shorebirds celebrate 20th anniversary this season | Nate Sounds Off | Coconut Times OCMD".coconuttimes.RetrievedJune 28,2020.
- ^"2011 All-Star Game".Delmarva Shorebirds.MiLB.October 13, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon April 11, 2011.
- ^"Plans Announced to" Strike Out Hunger "".Delmarva Shorebirds.MiLB.February 2, 2011. Archived fromthe originalon November 11, 2012.
- ^"Perdue, CFES to Donate $20 Per Strike Out".Delmarva Shorebirds.MiLB.April 13, 2011. Archived fromthe originalon October 17, 2012.
- ^Melewski, Steve (June 12, 2019)."Division champs: Delmarva celebrates clinching a playoff berth".Mid-Atlantic Sports Network(MASN).RetrievedSeptember 2,2019.
- ^Jellinek, Sam (September 2, 2019)."Shorebirds Rally for 90th Win".MiLB.Delmarva Shorebirds.RetrievedSeptember 2,2019.
- ^Jellinek, Sam. "'Birds Season Ends in Sweep to Hickory," Delmarva Shorebirds, Friday, September 6, 2019.Retrieved September 6, 2019
- ^Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021)."MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues".Major League Baseball.RetrievedFebruary 12,2021.
- ^"Historical League Names to Return in 2022".Minor League Baseball.March 16, 2022.RetrievedMarch 16,2022.
- ^"Shorebirds Renew Partnership with 960 The Sports Animal".wboc.RetrievedJune 28,2020.
- ^Northam, Mitchell (October 21, 2016)."Shorebirds hire new radio voice, front office staff".The Daily Times.RetrievedNovember 8,2018.