Delmarva Shorebirds

Last updated

Delmarva Shorebirds
Delmarva Shorebirds logo.svg DelmarvaShorebirdsCapLogo.PNG
Team logoCap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Class Single-A (2022–present)
Previous classes
League Carolina League (2022–present)
DivisionNorth Division
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Team Baltimore Orioles (1997–present)
Previous teams Montreal Expos (1996)
Minor league titles
League titles (2)
  • 1997
  • 2000
Team data
NameDelmarva Shorebirds
Previous names
Albany Polecats (1992–1995) [1] Sumter Flyers (1991)
ColorsBlack, orange, white
   
Ballpark Arthur W. Perdue Stadium
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
7th Inning Stretch LP
General managerChris Bitters
ManagerFelipe Alou Jr.

The Delmarva Shorebirds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are members of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Their home games are played at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The Shorebirds were members of the Class A South Atlantic League (SAL) from 1996 to 2020 and the Low-A East in 2021, though this was renamed the Carolina League and reclassified as Single-A in 2022. They won two SAL championships, in 1997 and 2000. Also in 1997, the Shorebirds received Baseball America's Bob Freitas Award for Class A baseball.

Contents

History

Frank Perdue's desire for a professional baseball team based in Maryland's Eastern Shore was the driving force in bringing a franchise to Salisbury. Joining the Maryland Baseball Limited Partnership, owners of the Bowie Baysox and Frederick Keys, set the concept in motion. [2] By Autumn 1995 Maryland Baseball purchased the Albany Polecats from Richard M. Holtzman, relocated the franchise to Salisbury and renamed it the Delmarva Shorebirds. [1] The name "Shorebirds" refers to the marine waterfowl of the Delmarva Peninsula. The team name was chosen by 7-year-old Katie Duffy of Newark, Delaware. [3] The team's geographic appellation is a portmanteau of the states that govern counties on the peninsula: Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (abbreviated VA).

The Shorebirds' first-ever game at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium was a 42 win over the Columbus RedStixx before a crowd of 5,787 on April 17, 1996. After fulfilling its two-year Player Development Contract with the Montreal Expos, it officially became an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles on September 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 with Perdue Farms, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore and Delmarva's three food banks: Eastern Shore Branch of the Maryland Food Bank, the Food 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 4821. A franchise-best 9048 finish made them the 14th SAL team since 1980 to reach 90 wins in a regular season and the first since the Augusta GreenJackets in 2006. [7] [8] The season ended when the Shorebirds were swept by the Hickory Crawdads in the best-of-three SAL Northern Division Championship Series. [9]

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Shorebirds were organized into the Low-A East. [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. [11]

Radio

The Shorebirds can be found on Fox 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

PlayersCoaches/Other

Pitchers

  • -- Darlin Alcantara
  • 40 Zane Barnhart
  •  7 Carter Baumler
  • 37 Hugo Beltran
  • 38 Randy Beriguete
  • 23 Braxton Bragg
  • -- Bradley Brehmer
  •  1 Moises Chace
  • -- Wyatt Cheney
  •  4 Deivy Cruz
  • 41 Luis De Leon
  • 29 Juan De Los Santos
  • -- Pablo Falconett
  • -- Jarlin Guerrero
  • 10 Kelvin LaRoche
  • -- Kiefer Lord
  • 14 Jack Maruskin
  • -- Andry Mercedes
  • 25 Blake Money
  • -- Trey Nordmann
  •  9 Raul Rangel
  • 17 Juan Rojas
  • 43 Brayner Sanchez
  • -- Luis Sanchez
  • 34 Teddy Sharkey
  • 39 Angel Vargas
  • 33 Alfred Vega
  • 26 Ty Weatherly

Catchers

  • 11 Randy Florentino
  • 19 Brayan Hernandez
  • 32 Aneudis Mordan
  • 31 Cole Urman

Infielders

  • 18 Adam Crampton
  • -- Rolphy Cruz
  • 27 Anderson De Los Santos
  • 24 Erison Placencia
  • 16 Noelberth Romero
  • 30 Angel Tejada
  •  3 Luis Valdez
  •  2 Jalen Vasquez

Outfielders

  • 12 Stiven Acevedo
  • 28 Jake Cunningham
  • -- Mishael Deson
  • 21 Tavian Josenberger


Manager

Coaches

  • 31 Adam Bleday (pitching)
  • 32 Josh Bunselmeyer (hitting)
  •  6 Daniel Fajardo (fundamentals)
  • 13 Collin Murray (development)


Injury icon 2.svg 7-day injured list
* On Baltimore Orioles 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated September 21, 2023
Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB    Carolina League
Baltimore Orioles minor league players

Notable alumni

Team Mascot "Sherman the Shorebird" Shermantheshorebird.jpg
Team Mascot "Sherman the Shorebird"

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References

  1. 1 2 Baker, 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 .
  2. 1 2 Northam, Mitchell (September 13, 2015). "20 Years: The Delmarva Shorebirds". The Daily Times . Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  3. "Delmarva Shorebirds celebrate 20th anniversary this season | Nate Sounds Off | Coconut Times OCMD". www.coconuttimes.com. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  4. "2011 All-Star Game". Delmarva Shorebirds. MiLB. October 13, 2010. Archived from the original on April 11, 2011.
  5. "Plans Announced to "Strike Out Hunger"". Delmarva Shorebirds. MiLB. February 2, 2011. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012.
  6. "Perdue, CFES to Donate $20 Per Strike Out". Delmarva Shorebirds. MiLB. April 13, 2011. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012.
  7. Melewski, Steve (June 12, 2019). "Division champs: Delmarva celebrates clinching a playoff berth". Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  8. Jellinek, Sam (September 2, 2019). "Shorebirds Rally for 90th Win". MiLB.com . Delmarva Shorebirds. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  9. Jellinek, Sam. "'Birds Season Ends in Sweep to Hickory," Delmarva Shorebirds, Friday, September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019
  10. Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  11. "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  12. "Shorebirds Renew Partnership with 960 The Sports Animal". www.wboc.com. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  13. Northam, Mitchell (October 21, 2016). "Shorebirds hire new radio voice, front office staff". The Daily Times . Retrieved November 8, 2018.