Auburn Doubledays

Auburn Doubledays
Founded in 1958
Auburn, New York
Team logoCap insignia
Class-level
Current Short-Season A (1967–present)
Previous
  • Class A (1963-1966)
  • Class D (1958-1962)
Minor league affiliations
League New York–Penn League (1958–present)
Division Pinckney Division
Major league affiliations
Current Washington Nationals (2011–present)
Previous
Minor league titles
League titles (8)
  • 1962
  • 1964
  • 1966
  • 1967
  • 1970
  • 1973
  • 1998
  • 2007
Division titles (15)
  • 1964
  • 1966
  • 1967
  • 1968
  • 1970
  • 1973
  • 1985
  • 1994
  • 2002
  • 2003
  • 2004
  • 2005
  • 2006
  • 2007
  • 2011
Team data
Nickname Auburn Doubledays (1996–present)
Previous names
  • Auburn Astros (1982–1995)
  • Auburn Americans (1980)
  • Auburn Red Stars (1979)
  • Auburn Sunsets (1978)
  • Auburn Phillies (1972–1977)
  • Auburn Twins (1967–1971)
  • Auburn Mets (1962–1966)
  • Auburn Yankees (1958–1961)
Ballpark Falcon Park II (1995–present)
Previous parks
Falcon Park I (1958–1994)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Auburn Community Owned Non-Profit Baseball Association, Inc.
Manager Jerad Head[1]
General Manager Mike Voutsinas

The Auburn Doubledays are a minor league baseball team in Auburn, New York, USA, that is owned and operated by Auburn Community Baseball. They are a member of the Short-Season Class A New York–Penn League and have been a farm team of the Houston Astros (1982–2000), the Toronto Blue Jays (2001–2010), and Washington Nationals (from 2011).[2]

The Doubledays are the most recent name of the Auburn entry in the New York-Penn League that dates back to 1958. From 1982–1995, the team operated as the Auburn Astros.

The Doubledays play home games at Leo Pinckney Field at Falcon Park. The "new" Falcon Park opened in June 1995, replacing the original Falcon Park which was built in 1927 on the same site. Falcon Park seats 2,800 fans. In 2008, new blue box seats were installed.

The team and its mascot are named after Abner Doubleday, the Civil War general and Auburn native apocryphally credited with inventing the game of baseball. Abner wears number 96 in honor of the birth of the team in 1996.

History

Baseball in Auburn dates back to at least 1958. The current franchise began operations in 1982.

Early championship era

In 1958, the team was founded as the Auburn Yankees, as an affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Yankees affiliation lasted until 1961 and the club included future major league All-Stars; Jim Bouton, Joe Pepitone and Mel Stottlemyre. The team then became affiliated with the New York Mets, as the Auburn Mets. With a roster that included Billy Wynne, Don Shaw, Tug McGraw, and Jerry Koosman; the club won the league championship three times, in 1962, 1964 and 1966.[3]

In 1967 the club changed affiliation again to the Auburn Twins, and were affiliated with the Minnesota Twins. The Twins won league title in 1967 and 1970.

In 1972, the team was renamed the Auburn Phillies and were associated with the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1973, under manager Harry Lloyd, the team won its only League Championship. Future major leaguers Luis Aguayo, Randy Lerch, Dickie Noles, Lonnie Smith and Ozzie Virgil, among numerous others, played for the team. Managers of note included Mike Compton and Ruben Amaro.

Co-op seasons

In 1978 the team became the Auburn Sunsets and were co-operated by the Phillies and Houston Astros. Managed by Dick Rockwell, the team went 32-40, finishing third in the league's Yawkey Division.[4] The team featured future Major League Baseball players Carmelo Castillo and Alejandro Sanchez and future Major League general manager Dave Littlefield.[5] In 1979 the club became known as the Auburn Red Stars. The team featured future Major League Baseball player Doug Frobel.[5] The Red Stars operated under a co-operative agreement. The Red Stars received players from about seven different major league organizations, led by the Detroit Tigers, with seven players, and Cleveland Indians, with five.

In 1980 the Red Stars changed their name to the Auburn Americans. The team once again operated as a co-op and received 17 players from the Cleveland Indians and several from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The squad featured future Major League Baseball player Jack Fimple and finished fourth in the NY-Penn League's West Division with a 29-45 record.[6][7]

Astros era

Auburn returned to play in the New York-Penn League in 1982 with the Auburn Astros.

In 1991, with John H. Graham as general manager,[8] the team set the all-time attendance record at Falcon Park.

1988 Auburn Astros team photo

At the end of the 1995 season, the team was renamed the Auburn Doubledays, the name under which it has operated from 1996 to the present.

Doubledays

In 1998 the Doubledays and the Oneonta Yankees were named Co-Champions of the NY Penn League after Central New York was hit with a torrential rain storm and the fields at both parks were deemed unplayable.

The Doubledays won the Pinckney Division title for six straight years in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, but failed to win the league championship for the first five of those years. After losing in the first round of the playoffs for the first three years of their streak, they advanced to the New York–Penn League Championship series before being swept by the Staten Island Yankees. In 2003, the Doubledays led all of baseball in winning percentage (.757).

The Doubledays finally won the NY Penn League title in 2007, sweeping the Brooklyn Cyclones in the League Championship series. The final game featured a stellar pitching performance by Brett Cecil and a home run by J.P. Arencibia.[9] This was the first league championship for the city of Auburn since 1973.

Alumni

Notable Auburn Astros players

Other notable Auburn players

Future Major League Baseball staff

Front office and staff

Wall of Fame

Further information: Auburn Community Baseball

Current roster

Auburn Doubledays roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 28 Cory Bafidis
  • 26 Jake Joyce
  • 27 David Napoli
  • 11 Robert Orlan
  • 31 Ryan Ullmann
  • -- Mariano Rivera Jr.

Catchers

  • 25 Austin Chubb
  •  6 Andruth Ramirez
  • 44 Matt Reistetter

Infielders

  •  2 Cody Dent
  •  8 Cody Gunter
  • -- Brennan Middleton
  • -- Manny Rodriguez
  • 23 Jean Carlos Valdez

Outfielders

  • 12 Brenton Allen
  • -- Gilberto Ramirez
  •  1 Greg Zebrack

Manager

Coaches


7-day disabled list
* On Washington Nationals 40-man roster
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporary inactive list
Roster updated December 26, 2015
Transactions
More MiLB rosters
Washington Nationals minor league players

Auburn Baseball Prior Affiliates

Further information: Auburn Community Baseball

Year-by-year record

Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs
1958 67-58 4th Tom Gott Lost in 1st round
1959 58-67 5th Bob Bauer
1960 65-63 3rd Bob Bauer Lost in 1st round
1961 52-73 8th Loren Babe
1962 62-57 3rd (t) Dick Cole League Champs
1963 76-54 1st Dick Cole Lost in 1st round
1964 79-48 1st Clyde McCullough League Champs
1965 73-55 2nd Clyde McCullough none
1966 80-49 1st Clyde McCullough League Champs
1967 52-26 1st Tom Umphlett League Champs
1968 49-27 1st Boyd Coffie Lost League Finals
1969 31-42 7th Steve Thornton none
1970 43-26 1st Boyd Coffie League Champs
1971 42-28 2nd Boyd Coffie none
1972 39-30 4th Nolan Campbell none
1973 46-23 1st Harry Lloyd League Champs
1974 34-32 2nd Larry Rojas none
1975 31-37 4th June Raines none
1976 24-45 5th Mike Compton none
1977 17-53 10th Ruben Amaro
1978 32-40 6th Dick Rockwell
1979 22-45 10th Tom Kotchman
1980 29-45 7th Bill Julio
1982 35-39 8th Bob Hartsfield
1983 43-31 4th Bob Hartsfield
1984 38-38 7th Bob Hartsfield
1985 47-31 2nd Bob Hartsfield Lost League Finals
1986 44-32 3rd Keith Bodie Lost in 1st round
1987 39-36 7th Gary Tuck
1988 42-33 5th Frank Cacciatore
1989 35-42 7th Reggie Waller
1990 31-46 11th Ricky Peters
1991 38-39 6th Steve Dillard
1992 32-41 12th Steve Dillard
1993 30-46 14th Manny Acta
1994 45-31 2nd Manny Acta Lost League Finals
1995 40-34 5th Manny Acta
1996 37-39 8th Manny Acta
1997 29-47 13th Mike Rojas
1998 43-32 3rd Lyle Yates League Co-Champs
1999 39-37 8th Lyle Yates
2000 32-42 11th John Massarelli
2001 32-42 11th Paul Elliott
2002 47-29 4th Dennis Holmberg Lost in 1st round
2003 56-18 1st Dennis Holmberg Lost in 1st round
2004 50-24 1st Dennis Holmberg Lost in 1st round
2005 45-30 3rd Dennis Holmberg Lost League Finals
2006 42-32 3rd Dennis Holmberg Lost in 1st round
2007 47-29 3rd Dennis Holmberg League Champs
2008 38-37 7th (t) Dennis Holmberg
2009 26-49 14th Dennis Holmberg
2010 35-40 9th Dennis Holmberg
2011 45-30 3rd Gary Cathcart Lost League Finals
2012 46-30 3rd Gary Cathcart Lost in 1st round
2013 26-49 14th Gary Cathcart
2014 34-41 9th Gary Cathcart
2015 36-38 9th Gary Cathcart

Playoffs

References

  1. "Billy Gardner Jr. returns as Syracuse Chiefs manager".
  2. Kilgore, Adam, "Nationals Sign Rookie Ball Agreement With Auburn," The Washington Post, September 21, 2010.
  3. Retrieved on 2009-23-04
  4. League standings
  5. 1 2 Roster
  6. 1980 NY-Penn standings
  7. 1980 team roster
  8. 1 2 3 4 1991 Auburn Astros Official Program. Auburn, New York. 1991.
  9. "Doubledays Sweep Brooklyn For NYP Title". Auburn Doubledays. 2007-09-06. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
  10. 1 2 "Steve DeSalvo Bio". MiLB.com. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  11. 1 2 Anderson, Shelly (20 February 1988). "Doors to the major leagues still hard to open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  12. Weiman Jr., Dale (15 February 2006). "So, you want to be the next Jerry Maguire?". Westlaw. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  13. 1 2 1988 Auburn Astros Official Program. Auburn, New York. 1988.
  14. 1 2 1989 Auburn Astros Official Program. Auburn, New York. 1989.
  15. 1990 Auburn Astros Official Program. Auburn, New York. 1990.
  16. 1994 Auburn Astros Official Program. Auburn, New York. 1994.
  17. 1995 Auburn Astros Official Program. Auburn, New York. 1995.
  18. Tobin, Dave (20 June 2004). "Doubledays' Mr. Everything – Auburn's Baseball Club Counts on Charlie Wride". Syracuse Post-Standard. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  19. "Auburn Baseball Wall of Fame". MiLB.com. Retrieved 20 September 2011.

External links

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