Jump to content

Delmarva Shorebirds

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Delmarva Shorebirds
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassSingle-A (2021–present)
Previous classesClass A (1991–2020)
LeagueCarolina League (2021–present)
DivisionNorth Division
Previous leagues
South Atlantic League (1991–2020)
Major league affiliations
TeamBaltimore Orioles (1997–present)
Previous teamsMontreal Expos (1995-1996)
Baltimore Orioles (1993-1994)
Montreal Expos (1991-1992)
Minor league titles
League titles (2)
  • 1997
  • 2000
Team data
NameDelmarva Shorebirds
Previous names
Albany Polecats (1992–1995)
Sumter Flyers (1991)
ColorsBlack, orange, white
     
BallparkArthur W. Perdue Stadium
Previous parks
Paul Eames Sports Complex (1992-1995)
Riley Park (1991)
Owner/
Operator
7th Inning Stretch LLC
General managerChris Bitters
ManagerAdonis Smith
Websitemilb.com/delmarva

The Delmarva Shorebirds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland, United States. 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.

History

[edit]

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.[1] By Autumn 1995 Maryland Baseball purchased the Albany Polecats from Richard M. Holtzman, relocated the franchise to Salisbury and renamed it the Delmarva Shorebirds.[2] 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 Shorebirds' first-ever game at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium was a 4–2 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.[1]

In 2006, 7th Inning Stretch LLC, owned by Tom Volpe, purchased the team from Comcast Spectacor, a Philadelphia sports and entertainment company.[4]

The Shorebirds hosted the 2011 South Atlantic League "Strike Out Hunger" All-Star Game on June 21, 2011.[5] 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".[6] 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.[7]

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 the Augusta GreenJackets in 2006.[8][9] The season ended when the Shorebirds were swept by the Hickory Crawdads in the best-of-three SAL Northern Division Championship Series.[10]

A Shorebirds player bats at Segra Stadium in 2025

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Shorebirds were organized into the Low-A East at the Low-A classification.[11] 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.[12]

Radio

[edit]

The Shorebirds can be found on Fox Sports 960 AM, the Shorebirds' Flagship Station since 2005.[13] Will DeBoer was the radio voice of the Shorebirds from 2017 to 2021,[14] but was replaced for the 2021 season by Sam Jellinek. Mitchell Speltz is the current voice of the Shorebirds. Former announcers include Randy Scott, Bret Lasky and Brendan Gulick.

Roster

[edit]
Delmarva Shorebirds roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 34 KK Clark
  • 16 Holden deJong
  •  1 Connor Gehr
  • 28 Javier González
  • 30 Diego Gutierrez
  • 11 Kailen Hamson
  • 37 Adrian Heredia
  • 32 Collin McKinney
  • 22 Esteban Mejía
  • 27 Francisco Morao
  • 17 Dalton Neuschwander
  • 12 Brayan Orrantia
  •  2 Iziah Salinas
  • 23 Braden Smith

Catchers

  • 20 Adriander Mejía
  • 40 Juan Ortega
  • 18 Miguel Rodríguez

Infielders

  • 21 Luis Almeyda
  •  6 Jimmy Anderson
  •  9 Hector Campusano
  • 19 Elvin Garcia
  • 26 Joshua Liranzo
  •  7 Jemone Nuel
  • 38 Carlos Sanchez

Outfielders

Manager

  • -- Adonis Smith

Coaches

  • 36 Casey Buckley (development)
  • -- Aritz Garcia (fundamentals)
  • -- Collin McBride (hitting)
  • -- Bailey Vuylsteke (pitching)

60-day injured list

  • -- Hunter Allen (full season)
  • -- Denton Biller
  • -- J. D. Hennen (full season)
  • -- Cobb Hightower
  • -- Miguel Mesa
  • -- Keeler Morfe
  • -- Trey Nordmann (full season)
  • -- Alex Ramos (full season)
  • -- Raylin Ramos
  • -- Andrew Tess

Notable alumni

[edit]
Team Mascot "Sherman the Shorebird"

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Northam, Mitchell (September 13, 2015). "20 Years: The Delmarva Shorebirds". The Daily Times. Archived from the original on September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  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.
  3. ↑ Brunet, Nate (April 3, 2015). "Delmarva Shorebirds celebrate 20th anniversary this season | Nate Sounds Off | Coconut Times OCMD". Coconut Times. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Ports owners add Delmarva to cache". MiLB.com. November 28, 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  5. ↑ "2011 All-Star Game". Delmarva Shorebirds. MiLB. October 13, 2010. Archived from the original on April 11, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Plans Announced to "Strike Out Hunger"". Delmarva Shorebirds. MiLB. February 2, 2011. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Perdue, CFES to Donate $20 Per Strike Out". Delmarva Shorebirds. MiLB. April 13, 2011. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012.
  8. ↑ Melewski, Steve (June 12, 2019). "Division champs: Delmarva celebrates clinching a playoff berth". Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  9. ↑ Jellinek, Sam (September 2, 2019). "Shorebirds Rally for 90th Win". MiLB.com. Delmarva Shorebirds. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  10. ↑ Jellinek, Sam. "'Birds Season Ends in Sweep to Hickory," Delmarva Shorebirds, Friday, September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019
  11. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Shorebirds Renew Partnership with 960 The Sports Animal". www.wboc.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  14. ↑ Northam, Mitchell (October 21, 2016). "Shorebirds hire new radio voice, front office staff". The Daily Times. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Delmarva_Shorebirds&oldid=1370834014"