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116-588: Prior to the Eastern League era Waterbury teams, the "Waterbury Timers" played as members of the Class B level Colonial League from 1947 to 1950 and preceded Waterbury teams in minor league play. From 1966 to 1986, Waterbury had tenure of hosting teams as members of the Class AA level Eastern League. Waterbury Eastern League teams adopted the nicknames of their various major league affiliates. The Waterbury teams played as

232-518: A pitching coach . He pitched exhibition games and batting practice as well as one regulation game, making him the first man with an artificial leg to pitch in a major league baseball game. On August 4, 1945, Shepard got the call to enter in the fourth inning of a home game in which the Senators were well behind the Boston Red Sox . It was game two of Washington's fourth consecutive doubleheader , with

348-497: A 6.16 ERA. With their fourth-place finish, Waterbury qualified for the four-team playoffs. The Timers lost in first round 4 games to 1 to eventual champion Bristol. Player and briefly manager Leo Eastham led the Colonial League with 26 home runs. Shepard worked for IBM Typewriters in 1950 and 1951, before returning to pitching in 1952, playing through 1955. After his baseball career ended, Shepard married, became an engineer and won

464-659: A championship pennant. The first true minor league is traditionally considered to be the Northwestern League of 1883 to 1884. Unlike the earlier minor associations, it was conceived as a permanent organization. It also, along with the NL and the American Association (AA), was a party to the National Agreement of 1883 . Included in this was the agreement to respect the reserve lists of clubs in each league. Teams in

580-573: A fifth scheduled the next day as well. Shepard made headlines not only for being in the game itself, but also for his 5 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings of impressive relief, allowing only three hits and one run . He struck out the first batter he faced, Catfish Metkovich . The final score was Red Sox 15, Senators 4. The game of August 4, 1945, was notable for two other events as well. Shepard came in to relieve teammate Joe Cleary , whose surrender of seven runs on five hits and three walks in one-third of an inning in his only big-league appearance earned him

696-482: A flat-fee purchase amount of $ 5,000 for the contract of any player from an NA member league team. This measure was leveled primarily at the Baltimore Orioles , then a Triple-A team that had dominated the minors by keeping players longer than many competitors, allowing the players to more fully develop, driving up their sale value to major-league teams and giving Baltimore a talent advantage. Deprived of this option by

812-589: A four-year affiliate agreement with the Cincinnati Reds. In the 1984 Eastern League season , the newly named Waterbury Angels ended the season with a final record 76–64 and qualified for the playoffs, advancing to the league finals. Waterbury finished second place tie in the regular season, playing under manager Winston Llenas . Waterbury ended the regular season in a second-place tie with the Glens Falls White Sox, with both teams finishing 6.0 games behind

928-647: A higher level of play. These leagues are intended almost exclusively to allow players to hone their skills; no admission is charged and no concessions are sold. As of the 2024 season, the Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League seasons commence in early May and conclude in late July in order to provide players with previous experience in the Dominican Summer League with a full season in stateside professional baseball without having to compete for playing time with newly drafted players selected in

1044-568: A limited membership which excluded less competitive and financially weaker teams. Professional clubs outside the NL responded by forming regional associations of their own. There was a series of ad hoc groupings, such as the New England Association of 1877 and the Eastern Championship Association of 1881. These were loose groups of independent clubs which agreed to play a series of games over the course of one season for

1160-504: A minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants (1966–1967), Cleveland Indians (1968–1969), Pittsburgh Pirates (1970–1971), Los Angeles Dodgers (1973–1976), San Francisco Giants (1977–1978), Oakland Athletics (1979), Cincinnati Reds (1980–1983), California Angels (1984) and Cleveland Indians (1985–1986) during their tenure in the league. The 1970 Waterbury Pirates team won the Eastern League championship. Beginning with

1276-792: A minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants . The newly formed Waterbury franchise replaced the Springfield Giants in the six-team league, as the San Francisco Giants' affiliate was relocated. The Waterbury Giants joined the Elmira Pioneers ( Baltimore Orioles affiliate), Pawtucket Indians ( Cleveland Indians ), Pittsfield Red Sox ( Boston Red Sox ), Williamsport Mets ( New York Mets ) and York White Roses ( Washington Senators ) teams in beginning Eastern League play on April 23, 1966. The Waterbury Giants resumed play at Municipal Stadium, which would host Eastern League teams for

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1392-900: A minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians in 1972. In 1973, Waterbury regained a franchise in the Eastern League. The newly formed Waterbury "Dodgers" resumed play in the eight-team, Class AA level league. Waterbury resumed league play as a minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers . The Waterbury Dodgers joined the Bristol Red Sox ( Boston Red Sox affiliate), Pittsfield Rangers ( Texas Rangers ), Quebec Carnavals ( Montreal Expos ), Reading Phillies ( Philadelphia Phillies ), Sherbrooke Pirates ( Pittsburgh Pirates ), Trois Rivieres Aigles ( Cincinnati Reds ) and West Haven Yankees ( New York Yankees ) teams in beginning Eastern League play on April 21, 1973. The Dodgers ended

1508-606: A new locale. On June 22 and June 23, 1972, heavy rains caused major flooding in Elmira, New York and left Dunn Field, the home ballpark of the Elmira Pioneers franchise, under water and unusable. The floods forced Elmira to relocate some "home games" and without a minor league tenant for the Eastern League season, Municipal Stadium in Waterbury was utilized. Elmira was eventually able to resume play at Dunn Field in Elmira on July 18, 1972, after

1624-508: A player/manager in the minor leagues until 1954. He was a key participant in the National Amps baseball teams of former servicemen with amputations secondary to war injuries. After retiring from baseball, Shepard worked for IBM and Hughes Aircraft as a safety engineer . Shepard won the U.S. amputee golf championship in 1968 and 1971. Shepard died at age 87 in Highland, California . He

1740-538: A salary of $ 1 for the entire season, with the stipulation he receive $ 400 for each pitching victory he earned as a pitcher. This would cause controversy during the season, as Shepard eventually agreed to a salary of between $ 4,000 and $ 4,500 for the season. In August, the franchise claimed it could no longer afford his salary and Shepard was removed as manager. Player Leo Eastham compiled a record of 5–4 in his absence. The Waterbury players threatened to go on strike after Shepard's removal and wanted him reinstated. The situation

1856-477: A second or third promotion for a minor league player, although some high first-round draftees, particularly those with experience playing college baseball , begin at this level. Below the High-A level is Single-A, named "Class A" before 2021, when it was also known as Single-A or Full-Season A, and "Low-A" for the 2021 season. This classification has three leagues: the 8-team California League , known as Low-A West for

1972-472: A split season format. The Dodgers continued play and ended the season in third place. Waterbury ended the regular season with an overall record of 77–59, finishing 6.0 games behind first place Reading Phillies in the final overall standings. Playing under returning manager Don LeJohn, Waterbury did not qualify for the final, where the Bristol Red Sox defeated Reading. Prior to meeting in the final, Bristol won

2088-516: A statement, asserting that it is "unnecessary and unacceptable to wipe out one-quarter of minor league teams" and characterized the proposal as a way "to improve the profitability of MLB". Manfred rebuked Minor League Baseball for releasing the negotiations to the public and threatened to cut ties with MiLB altogether. The following changes, which represent the first significant overhaul of minor league classifications since 1963, have since been implemented: When MLB teams announced their affiliates for

2204-514: A steady supply of players, as many NA and independent teams could not afford to keep their doors open without the patronage of Major League Baseball. The leagues of the NA became subordinate to the major leagues, creating the first minor leagues in the current sense of the term. Other than the Pacific Coast League (PCL), which under its president Pants Rowland tried to become a third major league in

2320-506: A temporary replacement. There are currently three leagues in this classification: the 12-team Eastern League , known as Double-A Northeast for the 2021 season, with teams in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S., the eight-team Southern League (known as Double-A South for the 2021 season) with teams in the Deep South, and the 10-team Texas League (known as Double-A Central for

2436-481: Is usually that these veteran players will be in the majors by the end of the season, as their salaries tend to be higher than those of most prospects. One level below Double-A is the High-A level, named "Class A-Advanced" before 2021. This classification has three leagues: the 12-team Midwest League , known as High-A Central for the 2021 season, covering the Midwest, the six-team Northwest League , known as High-A West for

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2552-645: The Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League , known as the Arizona League and Gulf Coast League, respectively, before 2021, and one Caribbean-based league, the Dominican Summer League . The U.S.-based Rookie leagues play a schedule of approximately 60 games and are named "complex leagues" because games are played at their parent clubs' spring training complexes. Rosters consist primarily of newly drafted players who are not yet ready for

2668-491: The Dominican Republic . Additionally, four independent leagues are in association with MiLB. As of the 2022 season, the minor league system is divided into four classes: Triple-A (AAA), Double-A (AA), High-A (A+), and Single-A (A). Major League Baseball franchises may also maintain one or two complex-based rookie teams in the Arizona Complex League or Florida Complex League , and international summer baseball teams in

2784-462: The Dominican Summer League . While major league teams play a 162-game schedule, minor league seasons are shorter. As of 2022 , a complete season in Triple-A is 150 games, Double-A is 138 games, and High-A and Single-A are each 132 games. In addition to the below organized leagues, the off-season Arizona Fall League has six teams that play approximately 30 games apiece in autumn, with rosters comprising

2900-585: The Glens Falls White Sox . After finishing in last place the previous season, the Waterbury Reds improved slightly in the Class AA level 1982 Eastern League final standings. The Reds ended the 1982 season in seventh place overall in the eight-team league. With record of 56–82, Waterbury was managed by Jim Lett . The Waterbury Reds placed fourth in the four-team South Division, finishing 29.0 games behind

3016-681: The Lynn Sailors and Great Falls White Sox franchises. The Oakland A's league affiliation switched to the West Haven White Caps and Waterbury became a Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliate. The newly named Waterbury "Reds" played the 1980 Eastern League season as members of the South Division, adopting the Cincinnati Reds parent team nickname while qualifying for the playoffs in the newly structured league. The Waterbury Reds ended

3132-585: The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players of 1871 to 1875, commonly referred to as the National Association, comprised all fully professional teams. This system proved unworkable, however, as there was no way to ensure competitive balance, and financially unsound clubs often failed in midseason. This problem was solved in 1876 with the formation of the National League (NL), with

3248-516: The New Britain Red Sox . Waterbury catcher Andy Allanson won the Eastern League batting title, hitting .312 to lead the league. Waterbury third basemen Cory Snyder was named Eastern League Most Valuable Player , after leading the Eastern League with both 28 home runs and 94 RBI . Snyder was a member of the 1984 Olympic Baseball representing the United States . In their final season,

3364-684: The Northwest League and Midwest League promoted with 75% of their teams. The Carolina League dropped to Low-A with seven of its ten teams and added five from the old South Atlantic League in trade; the SAL in turn moved to High-A with half of its previous 12-team roster, filling it out with two Carolina League High-A holdovers, one Midwest League returnee, and three formerly short-season New York-Penn League promotees. On February 12, 2021, Major League Baseball announced new league alignments for all 120 affiliated Minor League Baseball clubs effective as of

3480-557: The United States Congress signed a letter sent to Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred opposing the proposal, noting that it "is not in the best interest of the overall game of baseball" and that it would "devastate our communities, their bond purchasers and other stakeholders affected by the potential loss of these clubs." A response from MLB highlighted that the proposal aims to improve player travel and working conditions. On November 21, 2019, Minor League Baseball released

3596-730: The Washington Senators in 1945 after having had his right leg amputated after his fighter plane was shot down in Germany during World War II while he was serving as a pilot in the Army Air Forces . Born in Dana, Indiana , the 5'11", 185 lb left-hander taught himself to walk and then to pitch with an artificial leg while confined in the German POW camp Stalag IX C(b) in city Meiningen . The Canadian doctor and prisoner Don Errey produced

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3712-606: The 1898 season, when the team became known as the Waterbury Pirates and won the Connecticut State League championship, with his brother Joe Connor in the roster. Connor would manage Waterbury through the 1901 Connecticut State League season. The Waterbury Nattatucks and Waterbury Brasscos teams played as members of the Eastern League from 1918 to 1928. The 1928 Brasscos were the last minor league team before

3828-467: The 1947 Waterbury "Timers" team resumed minor league play. After an eighteen-season hiatus, Waterbury resumed minor league play in 1947, when the Waterbury "Timers" began play in the reformed six-team, Class B level Colonial League . The Timers began playing minor league home games at Municipal Stadium , which would host all Waterbury minor league teams through 1986. In the era, the Class B minor league level

3944-484: The 1947 season, all Waterbury minor league teams hosted home games at Municipal Stadium . The ballpark is still in use today. Waterbury first hosted minor league baseball in 1884, when the "Waterbury" team began a tenure of Waterbury teams that played primarily in the Connecticut State League between 1884 and 1912. The Waterbury team was first known as the "Indians" in 1897, playing the season as members of

4060-651: The 1950s and early 1960s. In 1949, the peak of the postwar minor league baseball boom, 448 teams in 59 leagues were members of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, with the number of teams falling to 324 in 1952, and 243 in 1955. By the end of 1963, only 15 leagues above Rookie-level survived in the United States and Canada. After the 1962 season, the Triple-A American Association—which had lost key markets such as Milwaukee , Kansas City , Minneapolis–Saint Paul and Houston to

4176-460: The 1973 Eastern League season in last place in the final regular season standings. With a final record of 59–79, Waterbury ended the season holding the worst record in the eight-team league. Waterbury manager Don LeJohn began a four-season tenure as the Waterbury Dodgers manager. The Dodgers ended the regular season in fourth place in the four-team American Division, finishing 17.0 games behind

4292-491: The 1976 Waterbury Dodgers. After pitching the season for Waterbury, Sutcliffe was called up to the Los Angeles Dodgers, making his major league debut on September 29, 1976. Future major league managers Jim Riggleman and Ron Washington also played for the 1976 Waterbury Dodgers. Beginning in 1977, the Waterbury franchise changed affiliates and began play as the Waterbury "Giants." The Giants continued play as members of

4408-436: The 1979 regular season with a 79–91 record and in sixth place under manager Ed Nottle . Waterbury finished 34.5 games behind he first place West Haven Yankees. No playoff was held, as the Eastern League continued with a split season schedule and West Haven had the best record in both of the half-seasons. In 1980, the Eastern League remained as a Class AA level league and expanded to once again become an eight-team league, adding

4524-453: The 1986 Waterbury Indians played the final season for the franchise as members of the Eastern League . As a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, Waterbury ended the season in fifth place in the eight-team Class AA level league. Ending the regular season with a record of 66–73, Waterbury did not qualify for the four-team playoffs, finishing the regular season fifth place, playing the season under manager Orlando Gomez . Waterbury ended

4640-515: The 2021 season on December 9, 2020, each of the 30 MLB teams had one affiliate at four levels—Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, and Low-A—for a total of 120 affiliated teams. Approximately 40 teams lost their MLB affiliations; the Fresno Grizzlies were demoted from Triple-A to Low-A; and the majority of surviving clubs at High-A and Low-A swapped levels, with the former Florida State League and California League dropped down nearly as intact units and

4756-461: The 2021 season) with teams in the Southwest and Great Plains. Some players jump to the majors from this level, as many of the top prospects are put here to play against each other rather than against minor and major league veterans in Triple-A. A small handful of players might be placed here to start, usually veterans from foreign leagues with more experience in professional baseball. The expectation

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4872-480: The 2021 season, located entirely in California , the 12-team Carolina League , known as Low-A East for the 2021 season, and the 10-team Florida State League , known as Low-A Southeast for the 2021 season. All three leagues were demoted from High-A to Single-A effective with the 2021 season. These leagues are a mix of players moving up from Rookie leagues, as well as the occasional experienced first-year player. Most of

4988-483: The 2021 season, the number of full-season MLB-affiliated minor leagues with teams in the United States and Canada was reduced to 11, with a total of 120 teams (four per each of the 30 MLB franchises). There are also two affiliated rookie leagues based in the United States, with teams based at the parent clubs' spring training complexes in Arizona and Florida , an off-season autumn league, and one affiliated rookie league in

5104-641: The 2021 season, with teams in the Pacific Northwest, and the 12-team South Atlantic League , known as High-A East for the 2021 season, with teams in the eastern states. All three leagues were reclassified prior to the 2021 season, with the Midwest League and the South Atlantic League promoted from Single-A and the Northwest League promoted from Class A Short Season. This level of play is often

5220-554: The 2021 season. Contrary to previously published reports indicating that realignment would retain the names of the existing minor leagues, Major League Baseball elected to abandon the names of existing minor leagues in favor of a new, class- and region-based naming system. Triple-A was divided into two leagues: Bert Shepard Bert Robert Shepard (June 28, 1920 – June 16, 2008) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who pitched in one game for

5336-592: The American League in home runs. Clines had a long major league career and was a long-time hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners . In defending their championship, the Waterbury Pirates ended the 1971 Eastern League season out of the playoffs. The Pirated ended the regular season with a record of 68–70, finishing in fifth place overall and in third place in the four-team National Division. The Pirates played

5452-502: The Bristol Red Sox won the first half and the Reading Phillier won the second half of the split season format, with Briston winning the playoff between the two teams. In 1979, Waterbury again changed affiliates as the Waterbury "A's" continued Eastern League play as an Oakland A's minor league affiliate for one season. The Eastern League continued play as a six-team class D level league. Waterbury finished in last place. The A's ended

5568-584: The Cincinnati Reds and ended the season in seventh place with a record of 59–80, playing the season under returning manager Jim Lett. The Reds finished 36.5 games behind the first place Reading Phillies in the final regular season standings. The Reds Did not qualify for the four-team playoffs won by the New Britain Red Sox over the Lynn Pirates in the final. Future Cincinnati Reds All-Star player Eric Davis played for Waterbury in 1983. At age 21, Davis hit .290, with 15 home runs and 39 stolen bases in 89 games for

5684-408: The Class AA level Eastern League, as the Waterbury franchise once again became a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians after fifteen years. The Indians finished the 1985 Eastern League season with a record of 75–64 and ended the regular season in second place tie, playing the season under manager Jack Aker , qualifying for the four-team playoffs. Waterbury lost in first round 3 games to 1 to

5800-484: The Class AA level Eastern League, becoming a minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, The 1977 Eastern League played with two divisions and Waterbury became a member of the four-team New England Division. The other division was the Can-Am Division, The Giants ended the regular season with a record of 77–63 with the third best league record under manager Andy Gilbert , who returned to Waterbury having managed

5916-546: The Colonial League with 157 total hits. Bert Shepard was named as the Waterbury manager in 1949. Shepard took the position, stating he wanted to manage because, "Always before I’ve had a manager who was afraid to take a chance on me. Now, it’s up to me. Every fourth day when I make up the lineups, that ninth man is going to be B. Shepard, pitcher." A rising minor league player, Shepard had returned to baseball after suffering major injuries while serving in World War II . Shepard

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6032-456: The Connecticut State League. After serving as player/manager of the St Louis Browns (today's St. Louis Cardinals ) in 1896, in his final major league season, Baseball Hall of Fame member Roger Connor managed the 1897 Waterbury Indians for final portion of their season, beginning a tenure with the franchise. Connor was a Waterbury native. Connor remained with Waterbury as their manager for

6148-522: The Dominican Summer League who have not yet been assigned to a domestic affiliate, as well as players placed on the minor league 60-day and full-season injured lists—during the minor league season, with a limit of 175 domestic players during the offseason. During the minor league season, the following roster limits for each classification are used: Triple-A Double-A High-A Single-A Rookie Off-season leagues Showcase league Partner leagues The earliest professional baseball league,

6264-592: The July Major League Baseball draft . This adjusted schedule also allows the top Rookie-level prospects in each organization to be promoted to class Single-A for the final two months of the professional baseball season upon the conclusion of the complex league seasons. As of the 2024 season, each major league club may have no more than 165 players assigned to the rosters of their domestic affiliates (i.e., Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, Single-A, and complex-league Rookie)—excluding international players assigned to

6380-541: The Major Leagues since 1953—disbanded. The surviving International and Pacific Coast leagues absorbed the four remaining American Association franchises. Meanwhile, at the Double-A level and below there were even more significant changes: Designations below Class A disappeared because the lower levels could not sustain operation during a large downturn in the financial fortunes of minor league baseball, due to factors including

6496-607: The NL and the AA could only reserve players who had been paid at least $ 1,000. Northwestern League teams could reserve players paid $ 750, implicitly establishing the division into major and minor leagues. Over the next two decades, more minor leagues signed various versions of the National Agreement. Eventually, the minor leagues allied to negotiate jointly. In the late 1890s, the Western League run by Ban Johnson decided to challenge

6612-510: The NL's position. In 1900, he changed the name of the league to the American League (AL) and vowed to make deals to sign contracts with players who were dissatisfied with the pay and terms of their deals with the NL. This led to a turf war that heated up in 1901 enough to concern Patrick T. Powers , president of the Eastern League, and many other minor league owners about the conflict potentially affecting their organizations. Representatives of

6728-593: The National league MVP in 1979 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and won two batting titles in his major league career. He retired with a .290 batting average with HR and RBI. The Waterbury franchise folded following the 1971 season. Waterbury did not host an Eastern League team at the start of the 1972 season, replaced in the league by the Sherbrooke Pirates , as the Pittsburgh Pirates relocated their affiliate team to

6844-564: The Reds. Davis played alongside Paul O'Neill with Waterbury. Promoted to Waterbury for 14 games in 1983, O'Neill became a five-time MLB All-Star player who won the 1990 NL batting championship and was on the multiple World Series championship teams with the New York Yankees after playing for 1990 World Series champion Cincinnati Reds. O'Neill's uniform number 21 is retired by the Yankees. In 1984,

6960-399: The Senators in a game against the Boston Red Sox / In the winter of 1949, Shepard again was at Walter Reed Hospital. He had surgery where a portion of his leg had been re-amputated, the fifth time the leg had required such a surgery. While in the hospital recovering, Shepard saw an ad in The Sporting News for the managerial position with the Waterbury Timers. He submitted his application in

7076-416: The Texas League, which had last operated in 1942, and the Southern Association) became Class AA. Class A remained the third-highest classification, with lower levels still ranked Class B through Class D in descending order, with Class D being the equivalent of later Rookie leagues. The impact of the Korean War in 1950 caused a player shortage in many cities below Class B. In 1952, the "Open" classification

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7192-460: The Triple-A Inter–American League (1979). None lasted more than a full season. In October 2019, Baseball America reported that Major League Baseball had proposed dramatic changes to MiLB that would take effect after expiration of the Professional Baseball Agreement, which governed the MLB–MiLB relationship, at the end of the 2020 season. This included the elimination of many minor league teams. In mid-November 2019, more than 100 members of

7308-474: The Triple-A level. Such players are eligible to be added to a team's active major league roster. For teams in contention for a playoff spot late in a season, it gives them fresh players, while for teams not in contention, it gives them an opportunity to evaluate their second-tier players against major league competition. Some Triple-A players are "career minor leaguers", former prospects whose skill growth has halted and who are not likely to advance to MLB, unless as

7424-475: The Waterbury "Angels" continued Eastern League play, as the franchise became a California Angels minor league affiliate, an agreement that lasted for one season. This shift in affiliation occurred when the Cincinnati Reds' affiliation was transferred from Waterbury to the newly formed Vermont Reds . The Eastern League member Lynn Pirates franchise had relocated from Lynn, Massachusetts to Burlington, Vermont . The newly established Vermont franchise then reached

7540-508: The Western states, the other leagues maintained autonomy in name only, being totally economically dependent upon the AL and NL. In 1922, the United States Supreme Court decision Federal Baseball Club v. National League (259 U.S. 200), which grants baseball a special immunity from antitrust laws , had a major effect on the minor leagues. The special immunity meant that the AL and NL could dictate terms under which every independent league did business. By 1925, major league baseball established

7656-400: The different minor leagues met at the Leland Hotel in Chicago on September 5, 1901. In response to the NL–AL battle, they agreed to form the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL), sometimes shortened to National Association (NA), which would later adopt the trade name "Minor League Baseball". The purpose of the NAPBL at the time was to maintain the independence of

7772-400: The division champion Bristol Red Sox. Waterbury played the season under returning manager Don LeJohn and did not qualify for the four-team playoffs won by the Thetford Mines Pirates . Future major league manager Terry Collins played for Waterbury at age 25, hitting .200. For the 1975 season the Eastern League remained an eight-team league but had eliminated the division structure and went to

7888-458: The division champion Pittsfield Rangers in the final standings. With their last place finish, Waterbury did not qualify for the playoff final won by the Reading Phillies over Pittsfield. Continuing play in the 1974 Eastern League, the Waterbury Dodgers were improved. After a last place finish the season before, Waterbury ended the regular season with a final record of 64–72, placing third in the four-team American Division, finishing 10.5 games behind

8004-406: The division winner West Haven A's . Waterbury did not qualify for the playoffs won by West Haven over the Lynn Sailors in the finals. In the 1983 Eastern League season , the league remained as an eight-team Class AA level league, but did not retain the two division structure in 1983, The top four teams in the final standings qualified for the playoffs. The Waterbury Reds remained as an affiliate of

8120-405: The duration of the franchise. In retuning to minor league play, the Waterbury Giants ended the 1966 Eastern League regular season in fifth place. with a record of 64–76. Waterbury finished with a record of 64–76, playing the season under manager Andy Gilbert . The Giants ended the season 24.5 games behind the first place Elmira Pioneers. No playoffs were held in 1966. Robert Taylor of Waterbury led

8236-415: The final regular season standings. After winning the Colonial League pennant, the Timers lost in the first round of the four-team playoffs 4 games to 3 to eventual the champion Samford Bombers. Waterbury's Frank Lamanna led the Colonial League with both 21 home runs and 123 RBI. Pitcher Mike Kash of Waterbury won 20 games to lead the league. The 1948 season saw the Timers continue Colonial League play and end

8352-562: The first place Albany-Colonie A's . Qualifying for the four-team playoffs, the Waterbury Angels defeated Glens Falls White Sox 3 games to 1 in the first round to advance. Waterbury lost in the league Finals, where the Vermont Reds defeated the Angels 3 games to 2. Waterbury Angels pitcher Bob Bastian had 119 strikeouts to lead the Eastern League. The 1985 Waterbury "Indians" continued play in

8468-478: The first place Pittsfield Red Sox. Waterbury did not qualify for the four-team playoffs, won by the Reading Phillies. Waterbury Indians pitcher Mike Hedlund led the Eastern League with 149 strikeouts. Following the 1968 season, Waterbury owner Jerry Waring sold the Waterbury franchise to Bernie Durocher, nephew of Baseball Hall of Fame manager Leo Durocher . The 1969 Waterbury Indians finished in last place in

8584-435: The flat-fee policy, minor league teams had little choice but to sell players as soon as they drew major-league interest. The earliest classifications used in the minor leagues began circa 1890, for teams that were party to the National Agreement of 1883. The different levels represented different levels of protection for player contracts and reserve clauses : After the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues

8700-446: The following assignments entering the 1902 season: Additional classifications added prior to World War II included: In 1946, with the minor leagues poised for unprecedented growth, the higher-level classifications were changed. Class AAA ("Triple-A") was created and the three Double-A circuits (the Pacific Coast League , International League , and the American Association ) were reclassified into Triple-A. Class A1 (comprising

8816-621: The franchise became a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians . The Eastern League dropped the Pawtucket Indians and Williamsport Mets franchises and returned to playing as a six-team Class AA level league. With the new structure, Waterbury ended the 1968 season in last place. The Indians ended the regular season with a record of 52–88. Waterbury finished in sixth place, playing the season under managers Phil Cavarretta (19–38) and Ray Mueller (33–50) and finished 32.5 games behind

8932-670: The highest lifetime ERA — 189.00 — of any pitcher in Major League Baseball history to have recorded at least one out. Also, outfielder Tom McBride tied a major league record with 6 runs batted in in the fourth inning, which was pitched by Cleary. In between games of a doubleheader on August 31, Shepard received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal for his service in World War II. He later went on to be

9048-496: The later stages of the negotiations to develop rules for the acquisition of players from their leagues by the NL and the AL. The 1903 agreement ensured that teams would be compensated for the players that they had taken the time and effort to scout and develop, and no NA team was required to sell their players, although most did because the cash was an important source of revenue for most teams. The NA leagues were still fiercely independent, and

9164-412: The league reduced to a six-team Class AA league with no divisions and no Canadian teams. The league adopted a split season schedule. The Giants ended the season in fourth place overall, ending the regular season with a record of 65–74 playing the season under returning manager Andy Gilbert. Waterbury finished 17.0 games behind the first place West Haven Yankees. The Giants did not qualify for the playoffs as

9280-494: The league with 150 total hits. The 1967 Waterbury Giants continued play as the Eastern League expanded to become an eight-team league with two four-team divisions. Waterbury became a member of the East Division record of 71–69 fifth place under overall returning manager Andy Gilbert . The Giants placed third in the East Division, finishing 11.0 games behind the division champion Binghamton Triplets . Waterbury did not qualify for

9396-571: The leagues involved. Several did not sign the agreement and continued to work independently. Powers was made the first president of the NAPBL, whose offices were established in Auburn, New York . In 1903, the conflict between the AL and NL ended in the National Agreement of 1903 , which created the National Baseball Commission to oversee the major and minor leagues. The NAPBL became involved in

9512-437: The mail from the hospital and was hired by Waterbury. Waterbury continued Colonial League play in 1949 and ended their regular season with a final record of 62–63. The Timers finished in fourth place, playing under managers Bert Shepard and Leo Eastham amidst controversy. The Timers had compiled a record of 42–46 when a managerial situation became an issue. Upon joining Waterbury as player/manager, Shepard had suggested to be paid

9628-572: The minor leagues, such as Buzz Arlett , Jigger Statz , Ike Boone , Buddy Ryan , Earl Rapp , and Frank Shellenback , as comparable to major league players. Leagues in the NA would not be truly called minor until Branch Rickey developed the first modern farm system in the 1930s. The Commissioner of Baseball , Kenesaw Mountain Landis fought Rickey's scheme, but, ultimately, the Great Depression drove teams to establish systems like Rickey's to ensure

9744-399: The national amputee golf championship twice. The Waterbury Timers played their final season in 1950, as the Colonial League folded. The 1950 season was short, as the Class B level Colonial League disbanded on July 16, 1950. The Timers had compiled a record of 23–39 and were in fifth place when the league folded. Waterbury was managed by John Morris (13–16), John McKenna and Charlie Bowles in

9860-578: The other two leagues, as part of a reorganization of the Triple-A level in 1997. The International League features teams from the Atlantic coast and midwestern U.S., while the Pacific Coast League features teams from the Pacific coast and the southwest. Both young players and veterans play for Triple-A teams. Parent clubs often hold players who are on the 40-man roster , but not on the active MLB roster, at

9976-461: The playoff final, the Holyoke Millers defeated Waterbury 2 games to 1. Nick Esasky of Waterbury hit 30 home runs to lead the Eastern League. Esasky later had his major league playing career end prematurely due to vertigo . After advancing to the Eastern League playoff finals in the previous season, the Waterbury Reds had a last place finish in the 1981 Eastern League season . The Reds ended

10092-576: The previous Waterbury Giants teams. In their division, the Giants ended the season in second place, finishing 10.0 games behind the division champion West Haven Yankees. The Waterbury Giants did not qualify Andy Gilbert was named as co- Eastern League Manager of the Year and Waterbury pitcher Alan Wirth led the league with 149 strikeouts. For the 1978 Eastern League season, the Waterbury Giants continued play as

10208-626: The prosthesis for Bert. Shepard had been gunned down east of Hamburg on his 34th mission as a P-38 fighter pilot; his life was saved by the doctor Lieutenant Ladislaus Loidl of the German Army. On February 21, 1945, Shepard was back in the United States and hoping to resume his pitching career. Prior to the war, he had pitched for minor leagues all across the country, including the Anaheim Aces in 1941. During spring training in 1945, he impressed Senators owner Clark Griffith enough to be hired as

10324-427: The regular season in third place and qualify for the playoffs. Waterbury ended the season with a 65–68 record, playing the season under player/manager Mike Kash. The Timers finished 18.0 games behind the first place Port Chester Clippers in the final regular season standings. In the four-team playoffs, Waterbury lost in first round of the playoffs 4 games to 1 to eventual champion Port Chester. Waterbury's Aldo Casadei led

10440-474: The regular season with a 75–64 record, fourth best overall in the league, playing the season under manager Mike Compton . The Reds ended the season in third place in the South Division and finished 5.0 games behind the division champion Bristol Red Sox. The Reds advanced to the four-team playoffs. Waterbury advanced to the finals after defeating Reading the Phillies 2 games to 0 in their first-round playoff series. In

10556-426: The regular season with a final record of 55–83 and finished in fourth place in the four-team Southern Division. Playing the season under manager George Scherger , Waterbury finished 24.5 games behind the division winner Bristol Red Sox. Overall, Waterbury had the worst regular season in the eight-team league. With their last place finish, the Reds did not qualify for the four team playoffs, eventually won by Bristol over

10672-608: The rise of television broadcasts of major league sports across broad regions of the country. As part of the 1963 reorganization, Major League clubs increased their commitments to affiliate with minor league teams through Player Development Contracts, outright ownerships, or shared affiliations and co-op arrangements. The minor league system that evolved following the 1963 reorganization remained in place through 2020, categorizing leagues into one of six classes: Triple-A (AAA), Double-A (AA), Class A-Advanced (High A or A+), Class A (Low A), Class A Short Season, and Rookie. Furthermore, Rookie

10788-451: The season 1.0 game ahead of the second place Reading Phillies (78–63) in the final standings of the six-team league. No playoffs were held and Waterbury won the league championship finishing by in first place. Red Davis was named as Eastern League Manager of the Year . Gene Clines and Richie Zisk were key players on the Pirates championship team. Zisk later became an All-Star player and led

10904-501: The season 12.5 games behind the first place Reading Phillies in the eight-team league. Waterbury did not qualify for the playoffs won by the Vermont Reds. Bernardo Brito of the Waterbury Indians led the Eastern League with 18 home runs. Class B (baseball) Minor League Baseball ( MiLB ) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), including teams affiliated with MLB clubs. Entering

11020-509: The season in fourth place in the four-team north Division. The Dodgers needed the season with a record of 62–73 record in finishing 19.5 games behind division winner Trois Rivieres Aigles. Waterbury did not qualify for the playoff won by the West Haven Yankees . Both playing at age 20, the 1981 World Series Most Valuable Player Pedro Guerrero and 1979 NL Rookie of the year and 1984 NL Cy Young Award winner Rick Sutcliffe played for

11136-701: The season under returning manager Red Davis. Waterbury did not qualify for the playoffs as the Eastern League expanded to eight teams and two divisions. The Pirates finished 10.0 games behind the division champion Trois-Rivieres Aigles . Dave Parker played for the Pirates in 1971 at age 20, having played the previous season with the Pirates team in the Rookie level Gulf Coast League to begin his professional career at age 19. Still at 19 years old, Parker began his second professional season with Waterbury and struggled, as he hit .228 with 0 home runs in 30 games at Waterbury to begin

11252-432: The season, lowest in the league. In the 1969 season, Waterbury and Elmira played an extra game against each other by accident. In 1970, the Waterbury "Pirates" continued Eastern League play as a minor league affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates and won the league championship. The newly named Pirates ended the 1970 season with a record of 79–62, finishing in first place, while playing under manager Red Davis . Waterbury ended

11368-645: The season. Turning age 20, Parker was then sent to the Class A level Monroe Pirates , hitting .358 with 11 home runs in 71 games with Monroe in the Western Carolinas League to finish the season. Of his time with Waterbury in 1971, Parker said, "I was the youngest guy there and I tried too hard to prove myself." In 1972, Parker was promoted to the Salem Pirates and won the Carolina League Most Valuable Player Award . Parker became

11484-420: The second half of the split season schedule and Reading won the first half title. Bristol finished in second place in the overall standings, 3.0 games ahead of Waterbury. The 1976 Eastern League returned to four team divisions, remaining as an eight-team Class AA level league. Waterbury played their final season as a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate. Playing again under manager Don LeJohn, the Waterbury Dodgers ended

11600-542: The shortened season. At the time the Colonial League folded, the Timers finished 16.5 games behind Poughkeepsie in the final standings. The Colonial League never reformed and Waterbury was without a minor league team for over a decade. After a sixteen-season hiatus from professional baseball, Waterbury next hosted minor league baseball in 1966, when the Waterbury "Giants" became members of the six-team Class AA level Eastern League . The "Giants" were so named as Waterbury served as

11716-471: The six-team Class AA Eastern League regular season standings. Waterbury ended the regular season with a 48–93 record, finishing in sixth place while playing under manager Clay Bryant . The Indians finished 42.0 gamed behind the first place York Pirates and did not qualify for the four-team playoffs, which were cancelled after one game and the York Pirates being declared champions. Waterbury drew 37.371 fans for

11832-472: The teams in the Florida State League are owned by major league parent clubs and use their spring training complexes. In 2022, the official name of the class became Single-A. Minor leagues with the Rookie classification play a shortened season that traditionally began in mid-June and ended in late August or early September. This lowest level of minor league baseball consists of two US-based leagues,

11948-404: The term minor was seldom used in reference to them, save by the major-market sportswriters. Sports news, like most news generally, often did not travel far in the days before radio and television, so, while the leagues often bristled at the major market writers' descriptions, they viewed themselves as independent sports businesses. Many baseball writers of that time regarded the greatest players of

12064-505: The time it seemed like the PCL would eventually become a third major league. The PCL would revert to Triple-A in 1958, due to increasing television coverage of major league games and in light of the Dodgers and Giants moving to Los Angeles and San Francisco , respectively. A significant reorganization of the minor leagues took place in 1963, caused by the contraction of clubs and leagues during

12180-439: The top prospects associated with each of the six MLB divisions. This classification currently includes two affiliated leagues: the 20-team International League and the 10-team Pacific Coast League , known as Triple-A East and Triple-A West, respectively, for the 2021 season. For most of the 20th century, Triple-A also included the American Association , based in the Midwest, but that league disbanded with its clubs absorbed by

12296-490: The two-team playoff won by Binghamton over the Elmira Pioneers. Bobby Bonds played for the 1967 Waterbury Giants in his second professional season after almost quitting baseball the season before. Bonds played in 137 games for Waterbury, hitting .261 with 15 home runs and 24 stolen bases. He would make his major league debut with the San Francisco Giants in 1968. The 1968 Waterbury "Indians" continued Eastern League play as

12412-463: The waters receded and their home ballpark was repaired. The team ended the season with a record of 46–91, finishing in fourth place in the American Division and ending the season 36.5 games behind the first place West Haven Yankees . Overall, their record was the worst in the eight-team league, while playing the unique season under the direction of manager Len Johnson. The Elmira Pioneers played as

12528-409: Was as a pilot for the U.S. Army 55th Fighter Group. On May 21, 1944, Shephard was piloting a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter plane while returning from a mission over Hamburg, Germany , when his plane was shot down by enemy gunfire. The gunfire hit and pierced Shephard's right leg and foot and also his chin, rendering him unconscious as his plane crashed. After his plane crashed, the injured Shephard

12644-468: Was captured by German troops who held off German citizens intent on killing Shepard. Doctors at the Meiningen Prisoner-of-war camp amputated his injured right leg and he remained a POW after the surgery to remove his leg. In February 1945, Shephard was returned to the United States after a prisoner exchange. With his injuries, he was sent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center . There, Shepard

12760-410: Was created. The Pacific Coast League (PCL), which had been rated Triple-A since 1946, was the only minor league to obtain this classification, which it held through 1957. At this time, the major leagues only extended as far west as St. Louis, Missouri , and as far south as Washington, D.C. This classification severely restricted the rights of the major leagues to draft players out of the PCL, and at

12876-459: Was fitted with a new prosthesis . With the prosthesis, Shephard eventually began pitching again and returned to baseball. On July 10, 1945, Shapard was the starting pitcher for the Washington Senators against the Brooklyn Dodgers in an exhibition contest. On August 4, 1945, Shepard became the only major league player to play with a prosthetic leg when he pitched a perfect inning of relief for

12992-422: Was founded in 1901, classifications were redefined: † Draft fee set an amount for a team in a higher class to select a player; n/a for Class A as it would be up to each team to negotiate with an interested major league club. ‡ Protection fee reserved a player to a team, even after a contract expired, preventing the player for seeking employment with any other team. All minor leagues were classified, and had

13108-467: Was further informally subdivided into Rookie Advanced, complex-based Rookie, and international summer baseball. There have also been some failed start-up leagues. During the 1970s, three official minor leagues (members of NAPBL) attempted unsuccessfully to revive unaffiliated baseball (teams not associated with specific MLB franchises) within the organized baseball structure. These were the Class A Gulf States League (1976) and Lone Star League (1977), and

13224-479: Was later purchased and moved to Middlebury, Connecticut and evolved to become known as the Timex Corporation . In their first season of Colonial League play, the 1947 Waterbury Timers won the league pennant. Waterbury ended the regular season with an 83–38 record and a first-place finish, playing the season under manager James Acton. Waterbury finished 14.5 games ahead of the second place Poughkeepsie Giants in

13340-404: Was settled when a player's committee raised enough money from local merchants to pay Shepard to return as manager for the rest of the season. Bert Shepard then returned to manage Waterbury for a 15–13 record to conclude the season. Ultimately, Waterbury ended the season 18.0 games behind first place Bristol in the final regular season standings. As a pitcher, Bert Shepard compiled a 5–6 record with

13456-436: Was the equivalent of today's Class AA level minor leagues. The Bridgeport Bees , New London Raiders , Port Chester Clippers , Poughkeepsie Giants and Stamford Bombers teams joined with Waterbury to begin Colonial League play in on May 7, 1947. The Waterbury "Timers" nickname corresponds to local history and local industry in the era. The Waterbury Clock Company was based in Waterbury from 1894 through 1944. The company

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