The Staten Island Yankees were a minor league baseball team located in the New York City borough of Staten Island from 1999 to 2020. Nicknamed the "Baby Bombers", the Yankees were the Class A Short Season affiliate of the New York Yankees and played in the New York–Penn League at Richmond County Bank Ballpark along the waterfront in St. George . The Yankees won six New York–Penn League championships (2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2011).
38-910: The franchise originated in 1983 as the Watertown Pirates (affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates ), and became the Watertown Indians (affiliated with the Cleveland Indians ) in 1989. In 1999, in a deal brokered by New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani , the Yankees affiliation was transferred from the Oneonta Yankees to the Watertown franchise, which was relocated and renamed the Staten Island Yankees . The Oneonta Yankees, in turn, became
76-533: A Detroit Tigers affiliate and were renamed the Oneonta Tigers . The Staten Island Yankees played their first two seasons at College of Staten Island Baseball Complex before moving into the Richmond County Bank Ballpark for the 2001 season. The first SI Yankee to reach the major leagues as a New York Yankee was in 2003; pitcher Jason Anderson , pitching in relief in an 8–4 Yankee win over
114-586: A The Three Stooges -like relationship in which Red and Huck often teamed up to trick and trap Scooter Watertown Pirates The Watertown Pirates were a Short-Season Class-A minor league baseball team located in Watertown, New York . The team played in the New York–Penn League from 1983 to 1998. They played their home games at the Duffy Fairgrounds Ball Park. From 1983 until 1988
152-590: A 3–2 loss to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs . In March 2019, the Atlantic League and Major League Baseball reached agreement to test multiple rule changes during the 2019 Atlantic League season: In April 2019, implementation of two of the changes was delayed: The tracking system for calling balls and strikes was introduced at the league's all-star game on July 10. In addition to rule changes noted above, additional changes being implemented for
190-824: A new 4-team independent league in Texas, with all 60 games played at Constellation Field , and the Somerset Patriots, who played weekend games with a second squad called the New Jersey Blasters. In July 2020, the league announced the addition of a new franchise in Gastonia, North Carolina beginning in 2021; it is the league's second team based in North Carolina. In November 2020, the Atlantic League lost its last charter franchise and its westernmost franchise when both teams became official minor league affiliates. On November 7,
228-822: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league based in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States . The Atlantic League's corporate headquarters is located at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster, Pennsylvania . The Atlantic League operates in cities not served by Major League Baseball (MLB) or Minor League Baseball (MiLB) teams; most of its teams are within suburbs and exurbs too close to other teams in
266-422: Is generally regarded as the most successful and highest level of baseball among independent leagues. The Atlantic League has had more marquee players than any other independent league, including Jose Canseco , Mat Latos , Steve Lombardozzi Jr. , Francisco Rodríguez , Chien-Ming Wang , Roger Clemens , Rich Hill , Scott Kazmir , Juan González , and Dontrelle Willis . Two former Atlantic League players are in
304-572: The American Association and Frontier League . In 1998, the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball played its inaugural season, with teams in Bridgewater , Newark , and Atlantic City, New Jersey ; Nashua, New Hampshire ; Newburgh, New York ; and Bridgeport, Connecticut . The creation of the league was the result of the New York Mets ' objection to Frank Boulton 's proposal to move
342-546: The COVID-19 pandemic , the league announced that it would be unable to operate for the 2020 season with the current 8 member ballclubs, thereby canceling its season. Several teams (Somerset, York, and Lancaster) did not gain necessary approval from governmental and health officials to open their ballparks to the capacity level necessary for competition. They used their stadiums to host recreational and community-based events, as well as local baseball activities where allowed. Meanwhile,
380-501: The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum , Tim Raines and Rickey Henderson . Gary Carter , another Hall of Famer, managed in the league. The Atlantic League has had many notable managers and coaches, including Wally Backman , Frank Viola , Tommy John , Sparky Lyle , and Bud Harrelson . The Atlantic League has consistently posted higher per game and per season attendance numbers than other independent circuits including
418-773: The Pacific Coast League . On February 18, 2021, the league announced the addition of the Lexington Legends , previously the Class A South Atlantic League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals , for the 2021 season. The Charleston Dirty Birds , formerly the West Virginia Power of the South Atlantic League, announced their move to the league on February 24, 2021. On September 1, 2021, the league announced
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#1732845511446456-948: The Somerset Patriots announced that they were leaving the league to join the MLB-affiliated Eastern League , where they will replace the Trenton Thunder as the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees . Approximately two weeks later, the Houston Astros announced that they had purchased a controlling stake in the Sugar Land Skeeters and, as a result, the Skeeters would become the Astros' Triple-A affiliate and join
494-724: The Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre . (The first Staten Island Yankee to reach the majors for any team was Wily Mo Peña , who broke in with the Cincinnati Reds , in 2002.) On March 26, 2006, the Staten Island Advance reported that the team's majority owners, the Getzler family, were considering selling their 51% share of the team, and were asking for between three and five million dollars. The New York Yankees purchased
532-401: The 2023 season: In April 2023, it was announced that the Atlantic League would be testing three rules for the 2023 season: League members Moved to another league The ALPB Championship Series is played as a best-of-five. Numbers in parentheses denote the number of championships won by a team to that point, when more than one. † Freedom Division won the 2019 game in a "homer-off" after
570-582: The 2024 season due to the league now having an odd number of teams with the addition of the Hagerstown franchise. The team was set to return for the 2025 season; however, the Ghost Hounds were not listed on the 2025 season schedule. On November 22, 2023, the Atlantic League terminated the membership of the Gastonia Honey Hunters , citing significant unpaid debts to the league. Rick White, president of
608-560: The Atlantic League, confirmed that the Honey Hunters were terminated, but said that the Atlantic League intended to field a team in Gastonia in 2024. In February 2024, the league named Zawyer Sports & Entertainment as the new owners for the 2024 season with the team name, Gastonia Ghost Peppers , announced in October 2024. The Gastonia Ghost Peppers played their first game on April 25, 2024,
646-649: The Bluefish go inactive for the 2018 season. In 2015, the Atlantic League experienced a watershed moment for independent baseball when it signed a formal agreement with Major League Baseball which put into writing the rules which the ALPB would follow in selling its players' contracts to MLB clubs and their affiliates. This marked the first time that MLB, which has enjoyed a U.S. Supreme Court -granted antitrust exemption since 1922, had made any formal agreement with or acknowledgment of an independent baseball league. In 2020, due to
684-582: The Getzlers’ interest in the team and in return hired Mandalay Sports Properties to run the day-to-day operations of the team. Part of the agreement was that the New York Yankees and Mandalay become equal partners with Mandalay owning 50% of the Staten Island Yankees. In 2006, the Yankees were managed by Gaylen Pitts , noted for frequently being ejected from games. In a game on August 25, 2006, Pitts
722-560: The Long Island Ducks, High Point Rockers, and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs initially attempted to partner with teams from other leagues in order to play a 70-game season from mid-July through the end of September. However, due to ongoing restrictions and capacity limitations, they ultimately decided to suspend all baseball activities for the 2020 season. The only teams that played in 2020 was the Sugar Land Skeeters, who would create
760-414: The New York Yankees announced that they were withdrawing from Staten Island as well as abandoning their affiliation with the Trenton Thunder as they were moving forward with their new Double-A affiliate: the Somerset Patriots , but they would seek to place a team from the independent Atlantic League at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in 2021. On December 3, 2020, the Staten Island Yankees announced that
798-631: The Staten Island Pizza Rats for select games as an alternate identity. Prior to the 2020 season, it was announced that the team would be shuttered when the MLB/MiLB agreement ended at the conclusion of the 2020 season under a proposed plan calling for the Short Season Class A designation to be eliminated. The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30. On November 7, 2020,
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#1732845511446836-406: The Yankees for the 2008 season. Former major league catcher Josh Paul managed the Yankees for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. in 2010, due to Dave Eiland taking a leave of absence, SI Yankees manager Paul was summoned to fill in as the New York Yankees bullpen coach, during which time former major leaguer Jody Reed filled in as the interim manager for the Staten Island Yankees. On June 20, 2016,
874-521: The addition of a new Hagerstown, Maryland franchise with the intent to begin play in 2023 pending ballpark construction. In 2022 it was announced that the team wouldn't begin play until 2024 due to construction delays. In 2022, Kelsie Whitmore signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League, and started a game for them in left field; this made her the first woman to start an Atlantic League game. Later that year she became
912-600: The city and announced plans to convert The Ballpark at Harbor Yard into a music amphitheater; the Bridgeport Bluefish announced plans to relocate to High Point, North Carolina in 2019 when the construction of a new multipurpose facility in High Point is completed. League officials announced the return of the Pennsylvania Road Warriors , an all road game team, to keep the league at an even eight teams while
950-537: The club was affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates . Some notable Pirates, players from this era are Tim Wakefield , Jay Buhner , and Moisés Alou . In 1989 the team became in an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians and were renamed the Watertown Indians . The team relocated to Staten Island, New York for the 1999 season and became the Staten Island Yankees . This article about a baseball team in New York
988-494: The club would cease operations. The Staten Island FerryHawks began play in the Atlantic League in 2022. Over a hundred Staten Island Yankees players reached the major leagues, not including MLB players who were with the team on a rehab assignment. The following MLB players made rehab appearances with the Staten Island Yankees: The original Staten Island Yankees Mascot was Scooter the "Holy Cow." A combination of
1026-527: The first woman to pitch in an Atlantic League game when she made her first pitching appearance for Staten Island; entering the game with the bases loaded and two outs , she retired Ryan Jackson , a former major leaguer, on a fly out to end the inning. On July 20, 2023, the Hagerstown team announced that they would be named the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars . In September 2023 it was announced that Spire City Ghost Hounds would be on hiatus during
1064-526: The former Albany-Colonie Yankees because of its territorial rights to the region. Boulton, a Long Island, New York 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
1102-531: The level of play above other independent leagues. In 2010, the league announced that it would be expanding to Sugar Land, Texas and adding its first franchise not located in an Atlantic coast state. The Sugar Land Skeeters began play in 2012. In 2010, amid financial struggles, the Newark Bears moved from the Atlantic League to the Can-Am League , leaving the Bridgeport Bluefish and Somerset Patriots as
1140-535: The nickname of former New York Yankees shortstop and broadcaster Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto and his commentating catch phrase "Holy Cow!" Scooter debuted for the Staten Island Yankees when the franchise relocated from Watertown, New York, in 1999. In summer 2003, the Baby Bombers debuted Scooter's sisters Red and Huckleberry (or "Huck"). Scooter and his sisters were a staple at SI Yankee games, leading fan rallies and between-inning on-field games. The cows were known to have
1178-489: The only teams remaining from the league's inaugural season. In the summer of 2013, then-ALPB President Frank Boulton announced that he would be resigning so that he could devote more time to operating the Long Island Ducks . He was replaced by longtime high-ranking Major League Baseball executive Rick White. On July 8, 2015, the Atlantic League began using Rawlings baseballs with red and blue seams, virtually unused in
Staten Island Yankees - Misplaced Pages Continue
1216-407: The organized baseball system to have minor league franchises of their own. 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 above Triple-A standards. When Atlantic League professionals are signed by MLB clubs, they usually start in their Double-A or Triple-A affiliates. The league uses a pitch clock and limits
1254-583: The owner of Campbell's Field, the Camden County Improvement Authority. The team was replaced by the New Britain Bees for the 2016 season. On May 29, 2016, Jennie Finch was the guest manager for the league's Bridgeport Bluefish, thus becoming the first woman to manage a professional baseball team. Shortly before the conclusion of the 2017 season, the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut voted to not continue with professional baseball in
1292-473: The second half of the league's 2019 season are: The Atlantic League and MLB jointly announced that the former would adopt several additional experimental rules for the 2021 season: In January 2022, the Atlantic League announced they would no longer be using the following rules for the 2022 season: In March 2022, the MLB announced modifications to the "double-hook" rule and reintroduced the "dropped pitch" rule for
1330-595: The sport since the American League swapped the blue in their seams for red in 1934. On September 1, 2015, the Atlantic League announced conditional approval for an expansion team or a relocated team to play in New Britain, Connecticut for the 2016 season. On October 21, 2015, the Camden Riversharks announced they would cease operations immediately due to the inability to reach an agreement on lease terms with
1368-462: The team launched a campaign to rename the organization starting with the 2017 season. On September 8, 2016, the potential names were whittled down to five, with an online vote beginning on the team's website from that date; the candidate names were the Bridge Trolls , Heroes , Killer Bees , Pizza Rats , and Rock Pigeons . Ultimately, the team decided to retain the Yankees moniker but to call itself
1406-620: The time between innings in an effort to speed up the game. In 2019, the Atlantic League began a three-year partnership with Major League Baseball allowing MLB to implement changes to Atlantic League playing rules, in order to observe the effects of potential future rule changes and equipment. In 2020, the Atlantic League, together with the American Association , the Frontier League , and the Pioneer League , expanded this agreement to become an official MLB Partner League. The Atlantic League
1444-616: Was ejected and then returned to the field in sandals after a batter was hit by a pitch in the 9th inning of a 21–6 victory over the Brooklyn Cyclones . In 2007, the Yankees were managed by Mike Gillespie , who had led the 1998 USC Trojans to a College World Series championship. Gillespie led the Baby Bombers to their third consecutive playoff appearance before losing to the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2007 NYPL Playoffs, 2 games to none. Former Florida Gator coach Pat McMahon managed
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