Bradenton Marauders

Bradenton Marauders Founded in 1957 Bradenton, Florida Based in Bradenton since 2010
Team Logo Cap Insignia
Class-level
Advanced-A (1957 – present)
Minor league affiliations
Florida State League (1957 – present) South Division (2010 – present)
Major league affiliations
Pittsburgh Pirates (2010 – present) Cincinnati Reds (2005–2009) Boston Red Sox (1994–2004) Chicago White Sox (1988–1993) Cincinnati Reds (1961–1987) Philadelphia Phillies (1957–1960)
Name
Bradenton Marauders (2010 – present) Sarasota Reds (2005–2009) Sarasota Red Sox (1994–2004) Sarasota White Sox (1989–1993) Tampa White Sox (1988) Tampa Tarpons (1957–1987)
Ballpark
McKechnie Field (2010 – present) Ed Smith Stadium (1989–2009) Payne Park (1989) Al Lopez Field (1957–1988)
Minor league titles
League titles	1957, 1959, 1961
Division titles	1974, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1988, 1989, 1992
Owner(s)/Operated by: Pittsburgh Pirates
Manager: Carlos García
General Manager: Trevor Gooby

The Bradenton Marauders are a minor league baseball team based in Bradenton, Florida that plays in the Florida State League. The Marauders are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Their home games are played at McKechnie Field, which also serves as the Pirates' spring training facility. The franchise took its current name at the beginning of the 2010 season.

Previous franchise history

Tampa Tarpons

The Marauders were established in 1957 as the Tampa Tarpons to join the Florida State League, then a Class D minor league. Tampa had been without a professional baseball team since 1954, when the Florida International League had folded, taking with it the Tampa Smokers. From their inception, the Tarpons played all their home games at Al Lopez Field which had been built in 1955. The stadium was located on current site of Raymond James Stadium, which had been built in 1955.

The Tarpons were affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1957–1960. In 1961 they began a long affiliation with the Cincinnati Reds. They won three league championships, in 1957 1959 and 1961. In 1964 minor league baseball was realigned, and the Florida State League became a Class A league (now Class A-Advanced). The team would go on to win 5 division titles from 1974–1988.

The Tarpons had many famous players that went on to play in the major leagues, including many who eventually became important parts of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine of the 1970s. Pete Rose led the 1st place Tarpons in 1961 with a .331 batting average, a record 30 triples (still a FSL record^[1] and a team-high number of fielding errors. Other Reds players from that era who started with the Tarpons include Ken Griffey, Sr., Johnny Bench, Dan Driessen, Rawly Eastwick, and Dave Concepcion. When the Cincinnati Reds won their next world series in 1990 with manager (and Tampa native) Lou Piniella, they again had several former Tarpons on the roster, including Tom Browning, Rob Dibble, and Paul O’Neill. Another notable former Tarpon was Randy Poffo, who finished a nondescript minor league baseball career with the team in 1974^[2]. Poffo went on to a much more successful career in professional wrestling, where he came to fame while using the name "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

However during the 1980s, talk spread of a major league team coming to the Tampa Bay Area, which would threaten the viability of the Tarpons and other minor league teams in the region.^[3]

Meanwhile, Tampa would go without professional baseball until the Tampa Yankees joined the Florida State League in 1994. However the Tarpons legacy is still remembered in the area.

In, 2008, the "Tampa Bay Devil Rays" dropped the "Devil" to officially shorten their name to simply "Tampa Bay Rays". More radical name choices were discussed, one of them being the "Tampa Bay Tarpons".^[4]

The Rays have worn Tampa Tarpons uniforms for several "Turn Back the Clock" games:

• On July 17, 1999, the Devil Rays wore 1960 Tarpons uniforms against the New York Mets, who wore uniforms reminiscent of those worn by their 1969 championship team^[5].
• On June 24, 2006, the Devil Rays wore 1975 Tarpon uniforms against the Atlanta Braves, who wore their 1975 road uniforms. Coincidentally, two Rays coaches, third-base coach Tom Foley and hitting coach Steve Henderson, had both played for the Tarpons in the mid-1970s.^[6]
• On August 13, 2010, the Rays wore 1970 Tarpons uniforms against the Baltimore Orioles, who wore all-orange road uniforms used occasionally by their 1971 pennant-winning squad^[7]

Sarasota era

Prior to the 1988 season the Reds moved their spring training to Plant City, Florida, and moved their Class A franchise to Greensboro, North Carolina (the Greensboro Hornets). The Chicago White Sox subsequently moved their Class A affiliation to Tampa for the 1988 season, amid rumors that the White Sox themselves would be moving to the area. That season the Tarpons, alternately known as the Tampa White Sox, drew 55,900 fans, seventh in the 14-team FSL, and went 35–35 in the first half before they won the western division second-half title at 36–24. They fell in the second round of the playoffs to the St. Lucie Mets 2 games to 0. The club was managed by Marv Foley and had one FSL All-Star, pitcher Jerry Kutzler. Foley won FSL Manager of the Year honors.^[8]

After the 1989 season, Tarpons' owner Mitchell Mick sold his franchise to the Chicago White Sox, who relocated the club to Sarasota, Florida as the Sarasota White Sox.^[9].

They franchise played in Sarasota for next 21 seasons, going through a series of name changes due as their affiliation changes. They were known as the Sarasota White Sox from 1989–1993, as the Sarasota Red Sox from 1994–2004, and the Sarasota Reds from 2004–2009. In Sarasota, the team played in Payne Park (1989) and then Ed Smith Stadium (1990–2009).

The team's Sarasota era produced many notable player who would go on to play in majors. Bo Jackson, Mike LaValliere, Dave Stieb, Frank Thomas and Bob Wickman all played for the Sarasota White Sox. Meanwhile Stan Belinda, Roger Clemens, David Cone, David Eckstein, Nomar Garciaparra, Byung-Hyun Kim, Bret Saberhagen, Jeff Suppan and Kevin Youkilis were alumni of the Sarasota Red Sox. The Sarasota Reds also produced many notable major league players such as Grant Balfour, Jay Bruce, Ramón Ortiz and Joey Votto.

Bradenton Marauders

After the Reds' spring-training departure from Florida's Grapefruit League to Arizona's Cactus League in 2009, the Reds and Pirates did an "affiliate-swap." The Pirates took over the Reds' Florida State League affiliate, while the Reds became the parent club of the Pirates' former Class A-Advanced affiliate, the Lynchburg Hillcats of the Carolina League.^[10]

The Pirates moved the team to Bradenton, Florida, where they were renamed the Bradenton Marauders.^[10]

Inaugural season

On April 8, 2010, the Marauders played their first franchise game at McKechnie Field in front of 2,396 spectators. The inaugural game ended in 18–3 Bradenton victory over the Fort Myers Miracle. Pittsburgh Pirates prospect, Bryan Morris, was the team's starting pitcher. The team’s first hit came off its first batter, Greg Picart. Meanwhile Quincy Latimore registered the team's first home run and run scored. In the fourth inning of the game, Jeremy Farrell registered the team's first grand slam.^[11]

A few nights later on April 12, 2010, the Marauders completed their first ever four game series sweep at McKechnie Field. The team capped off their first ever, four game series sweep with a final score of 6–2 over Fort Myers.^[12] The team's first loss came on Thursday April 15, 2010, when they were defeated 3–2 by the Jupiter Hammerheads at Roger Dean Stadium.^[13] The Marauders' first home loss came on Saturday April 17, 2010, by a score of 10–7, to the St. Lucie Mets.^[14]

On May 16, 2010, Bryan Morris became the very first Marauder to be promoted, when he was called up to the Pirates' Double A affiliate, the Altoona Curve.^[15]

The Marauders finished their 2010 Inaugural Season with a 76–62 record and led the league in runs, batting average, on-base percentage and on-base plus slugging, and they also finished fifth (out of twelve teams) in runs allowed and fourth in ERA. They also finished third in the league in overall winning percentage. The team lost the Southern Division Championship to the Charlotte Stone Crabs 2 games to 1.^[16]

In March 2011, Nathan Adcock became the first player from the Marauders to make a major league team's 25-man roster. Adcock was added to the Kansas City Royals roster after he was chosen by the team in the Rule 5 draft.^[17]

2011

The Marauders play struggled during the first half of the 2010 FSL season. The team finished the first half of the season with a 30–40 record and never really contending for the South Division title. At the start of the season's second half, the Marauders posted a 7–5 record. Two scheduled home games were also moved to Port Charlotte's Sports Park while McKechnie Field’s roof underwent construction earlier in the season.

However one of the biggest stories involving the team came in the form of improved attendence. After 40 homes, the Marauders drew 56,718 fans to their home games in 2011, with a game average of 1,418 fans. The team ranks eighth in attendence in the Florida State League. In all of 2010, the team drew 51,856 fans in 70 home dates, only the Dunedin Blue Jays drew fewer fans. According to team officials, the turn-around attendence is believed to be a result of the team having a full season to market itself and establish a fanbase.^[18] By the season's end, the team drew a total regular season attendance of 103,978 fans, doubling the previous year's attendance.^[19]

On August 18, 2011, Bradenton's Robbie Grossman became the first minor league player to score 100 runs and walk 100 times in a season since Nick Swisher did so in 2004. He is also the first player in the Florida State League to walk 100 times since 1998.^[20] Ramon Cabrera was also awarded the Florida State League batting title on September 5 by finishing the 2011 season with a .343 batting average. Three of the FSL's top four hitters were members of the Marauders: Cabrera (1st), Eleyvs Gonzalez (2nd) and Adalberto Santos (4th).^[21]

On August 30, 2011, the Marauders defeated the Palm Beach Cardinals, 6–3, to clinch the Florida State League's second half title, for the second time in two years, and playoff berth.^[22] However the team would go on to lose the Southern Division Championship, 2 games to 1, for the second straight year.^[23]

Roster

Bradenton Marauders rosterview · talk · edit
Players				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 12 Nathan Baker 22 Ryan Beckman 35 Victor Black 36 Tyler Cox 48 Brandon Cumpton 16 Jason Erickson 17 Zachary Foster 19 Jeffrey Inman 51 Brian Leach 64 Brett Lorin -- Miguel Mendez 14 Quinton Miller 54 Diego Moreno 44 Jhonathan Ramos -- Hunter Strickland -- Donnie Veal 41 Tyler Waldron		Catchers 38 Ramon Cabrera 50 Jairo Marquez 24 Carlos Paulino 28 Milver Reyes Infielders  6 Kelson Brown 52 Jarek Cunningham  7 Benji Gonzalez  5 Elevys Gonzalez Outfielders 45 Calvin Anderson 53 Evan Chambers  3 Robbie Grossman 15 David Rubinstein 10 Adalberto Santos 35 Cole White		Manager 13 Carlos García Coaches 29 Ryan Long (hitting) 31 Mike Steele (pitching) 7-day disabled list * On Pittsburgh Pirates 40-man roster ∞ Reserve list § Suspended list ‡ Restricted list # Rehab assignment Roster updated September 2, 2011 → More rosters

Logos & uniforms

• 

  1957–1987 Tampa Tarpons Logo

• 

  1994–2004 Sarasota Red Sox Team Logo

• 

  2002–2004 Sarasota Red Sox "Gecko" Cap Logo

• 

  2005 Sarasota Reds Inaugural Season Logo

• 

  2005–2009 Sarasota Reds Team Logo

• 

  2005–2009 Sarasota Reds Cap Logo

• 

  2010 Bradenton Marauders Inaugural Season Logo

• 

  2010 – present Bradenton Marauders Alternate Gold Cap Logo

• 

  2010 – present Bradenton Marauders Alternate Black Cap Logo

Season-by-season record

Sarasota White Sox (Florida State League)
Year	Regular Season			Post-season
	Record	Win %	Finish*	Result
1989	79–57	.581	1st FSL West	Lost in 1st round
1990	63–75	.457	3rd FSL West	Did not qualify
1991	75–56	.573	2nd FSL West	Lost in 1st round
1992	50–19	.725	1st FSL West	Lost in 1st round
1993	77–57	.575	2nd FSL West	Did not Qualify
Totals	344–264	–	–	0 FSL Championships
Sarasota Red Sox (Florida State League)
Year	Regular Season			Post-season
	Record	Win %	Finish*	Result
1994	69–64	.519	5th FSL West	Did not Qualify
1995	65–68	.489	5th FSL West	Did not Qualify
1996	67–69	.493	6th FSL West	Did not Qualify
1997	63–76	.453	7th FSL West	Did not Qualify
1998	76–61	.555	4th FSL West	Did not Qualify
1999	67–72	.482	6th FSL West	Did not Qualify
2000	60–79	.432	?th FSL West	Did not Qualify
2001	54–83	.394	6th FSL West	Did not Qualify
2002	62–74	.456	5th FSL West	Did not Qualify
2003	63–67	.485	5th FSL West	Did not Qualify
2004	75–61	.551	2nd FSL West	Did not Qualify
Totals	721–764	–	–	0 FSL Championships
Sarasota Reds (Florida State League)
Year	Regular Season			Post-season
	Record	Win %	Finish*	Result
2005	65–67	.492	9th FSL West	Did not Qualify
2006	66–73	.475	6th FSL West	Did not Qualify
2007	81–59	.579	3rd FSL West	Lost in Semi-Finals
2008	60–78	.435	6th FSL West	Did not Qualify
2009	54–83	.394	6th FSL West	Did not Qualify
Totals	326–360	–	–	0 FSL Championships
Bradenton Marauders (Florida State League)
Year	Regular Season			Post-season
	Record	Win %	Finish*	Result
2010	76–62	.551	2nd FSL South	Lost Division Championship
2011	74–63	.540	2nd FSL South	Lost Division Championship
Totals	150–125	–	–	0 FSL Championships

Notable alumni

Kevin Youkilis 2002 Sarasota Red Sox alumnus

• Former Tarpon players
• Former White Sox players
• Former Red Sox players
• Former Reds players
• Former Maruaders players

References

1. ^ Putterbaugh, Travis (May 10, 2010). "Remembering the Tampa Tarpons". Tampa Sports History. http://tampasportshistory.blogspot.com/2010/05/remembering-tampa-tarpons.html. 
2. ^ Randy Poffo career minor league statistics
3. ^ Fry, Darrell (July 2, 1988). "Tarpons, Cards react differently to White Sox Series: fsl". St. Petersburg Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/51337865.html?dids=51337865:51337865&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+02%2C+1988&author=DARRELL+FRY%3B+RICK+BUTLER%3B+WAYNE+McKNIGHT&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=Tarpons%2C+Cards+react+differently+to+White+Sox+Series%3A+fsl&pqatl=google. 
4. ^ "Name Could Be Big Change" – St. Pete Times, Jan 15, 2006
5. ^ "Lots of fun at the ballpark" – Ocala Star-Banner, July 20, 1999
6. ^ Bill Chastain (2006-06-24). "Notes: Rays sport throwback duds: Club dons unis of '75 Tarpons for Turn Back the Clock Night". MLB.com. http://tampabay.rays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060624&content_id=1521464&vkey=news_tb&fext=.jsp&c_id=tb. 
7. ^ "Rays will turn back the clock on Aug. 13" – St. Pete Times, July 1, 2010
8. ^ BR Bullpen: Tampa White Sox
9. ^ "Tampa Tarpons sold, moving to Sarasota". St. Petersburg Times. November 19, 1988. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/51426586.html?dids=51426586:51426586&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+19%2C+1988&author=&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=Tampa+Tarpons+sold%2C+moving+to+Sarasota&pqatl=google. 
10. ^ ^{a b} "Pittsburgh Pirates Unveil Name and Logo For New Bradenton Florida State League Team". Pirates News Release. December 15, 2009. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/documents/2009/12/15/7815646/1/FSL_team_name_announced.pdf. Retrieved April 14, 2010. 
11. ^ Lembo, Jason (April 9, 2010). "Marauders score resounding win in debut". The Bradenton Herald. http://www.bradenton.com/2010/04/09/2192515/resounding-win.html#ixzz0kcIToAyr. Retrieved April 9, 2010. 
12. ^ Lembo, Jason (April 13, 2010). "Great night at the ballpark in Bradenton". The Bradenton Herald. http://www.bradenton.com/2010/04/13/2200138/great-night-at-the-ballpark-in.html. Retrieved April 14, 2010. 
13. ^ Herald, Staff (April 15, 2010). "Marauders Suffer First Defeat". The Bradenton Herald. http://www.bradenton.com/2010/04/15/2209262/marauders-suffer-first-defeat.html. Retrieved May 5, 2010. 
14. ^ Lembo, Jason (April 18, 2010). "New Approach Beneficial for Latimore". The Bradenton Herald. http://www.bradenton.com/2010/04/18/2213736/new-plate-approach-benefits-latimore.html. Retrieved May 5, 2010. 
15. ^ Lembo, Jason (May 18, 2010). "Morris promoted to Double-A". The Bradenton Herald. http://www.bradenton.com/2010/05/18/2292546/morris-promoted-to-double-a.html. Retrieved May 18, 2010. 
16. ^ "Bradenton Marauders Season In Review". Bucs Dugout -An unofficial Pittsburgh Pirates blog. September 15, 2010. http://www.bucsdugout.com/2010/9/15/1688210/bradenton-marauders-season-in. Retrieved September 16, 2010. 
17. ^ Lembo, Jason (March 29, 2011). "Former Marauder is a Royal". The Bradenton Herald. http://www.bradenton.com/2011/03/29/3068947/former-marauder-is-a-royal.html. Retrieved July 6, 2011. 
18. ^ Lembo, Jason (July 6, 2011). "Marauders drawing more fans". The Bradenton Herald. http://www.bradenton.com/2011/07/06/3325481/marauders-drawing-more-fans.html. Retrieved July 7, 2011. 
19. ^ "Marauders Double 2010 Attendance". The Bradenton Marauders' Press Release. September 5, 2011. http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110904&content_id=24201950&vkey=news_t3390&fext=.jsp&sid=t3390. Retrieved September 6, 2011. 
20. ^ Marauders, Bradenton (August 19, 2011). "Robbie Grossman Makes History in 3–1 Marauders Win". The Bradenton Times. http://www.thebradentontimes.com/news/2011/08/19/sports/robbie_grossman_makes_history_in_3_1_marauder_win/. Retrieved August 19, 2011. 
21. ^ Wilmoth, Charlie (September 5, 2011). "Ramon Cabrera Wins Florida State League Batting Title". Buc's Dugout. http://www.bucsdugout.com/2011/9/5/2405877/ramon-cabrera-wins-florida-state-league-batting-title. Retrieved September 6, 2011. 
22. ^ Marauders, Bradenton (August 31, 2011). "Marauders Playoff Bound with 6–3 Win". The Bradenton Times. http://www.thebradentontimes.com/news/2011/08/31/sports/marauders_playoff_bound_with_6_3_win/. Retrieved August 31, 2011. 
23. ^ Whitehead, Bill (September 9, 2011). "St. Lucie Mets oust Bradenton Marauders in 10th inning". Bradenton Times. http://www.bradenton.com/2011/09/09/3480616/mets-oust-ms-in-10th-inning.html. Retrieved September 12, 2011. 

External links

• Bradenton Marauders
• Baseball Cube Sarasota Reds page
• Baseball Cube Sarasota Red Sox page
• Baseball Cube Sarasota White Sox page
• Florida State League All-Time Stats