Tri-City ValleyCats

MiLB infobox
name = Tri-City ValleyCats
founded = 1989
city = Troy, New York
misc =

uniform
class level = Low-A
past class level=
current league = New York - Penn League
conference =
division = Stedler Division
past league =
majorleague = Houston Astros (2001-present)
* New York Mets (1989-2000)
pastmajorleague =
uniform =
nickname = Tri-City ValleyCats (2002-present)
* Pittsfield Astros (2001)
* Pittsfield Mets (1989-2000)
pastnames =
ballpark = Joseph L. Bruno Stadium (2002-present)
* Wahconah Park (1989-2000)
pastparks =
leaguechamps =
divisionchamps = 2004, 2006
misc6 =
owner = Bill Gladstone
manager = Pete Rancont
gm = Rick MurphyThe Tri-City ValleyCats are a minor league baseball team based in Troy, New York. (The tri-cities comprise Albany, Schenectady and Troy, which make up New York State's Capital District.) The team, which plays in the New York - Penn League (NYPL), is the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball club.

The ValleyCats play at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, which opened in 2002 on the campus of Hudson Valley Community College located in Troy. They compete in the Stedler Division with the Vermont Lake Monsters, Oneonta Tigers and Lowell Spinners. In their 2006 season, the ValleyCats registered an attendance of 129,126 in 37 contests, averaging 3,489 fans per game. On July 4, 2006, the ValleyCats set a new all-time home attendance mark as 6,123 people attended a game against the Lowell Spinners. This record was broken on July 4th, 2008, where a new attendance mark was set at 6,630. The ValleyCats won 9-2 against the Jamestown Jammers. [cite web | url=http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080705&content_id=427978&vkey=news_t577&fext=.jsp&sid=t577 | title=ValleyCats Bats Explode In Front of Record Crowd | publisher="Tri-City ValleyCats" | date=2008-07-05]

Prior to their arrival in Troy, the club was based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where they were the Pittsfield Astros in 2001 and the Pittsfield Mets from 1989 to 2000.

Mascots

The Valley Cats have two mascots, Southpaw and Sammie. Southpaw is a traditional mascot, a jersey-wearing cat as in the team name. Sammie is modeled after Uncle Sam, with a younger man with gray beard and patriotic suit revving up the crowd. The real Uncle Sam was from Troy and is buried there.

All-Star Game

On August 14, 2007, when the Renegades hosted the 3rd annual New York-Penn League All-Star Game at Dutchess Stadium, it was announced the Valley Cats would host the 4th annual New York-Penn League All Star Game at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in 2008.

No-Hitter

on June 21, 2008, just the 4th game of the season, the ValleyCats achieved the 1st no-hitter in the franchise's history. The no hitter was performed by the games starter, Shane Wolf (of nearby Lansing, NY) and relivers David Miller & Ashton Mowdy. The final score of the game was 10-0 over the Oneonta Tigers.

eason Results

Post-Season Results

*2004: Defeated Brooklyn Cyclones, 2 games to 1; lost to Mahoning Valley Scrappers, 2 games to 0, in championship round

*2006: Defeated Auburn Doubledays 2 games to none in first round; lost to Staten Island Yankees 2 games to 1 in championship round (comprising 3 games)

Fast Facts

*"Total Attendance"
**Joseph L. Bruno Stadium"'
***2002 - 108,409
***2003 - 103,984
***2004 - 110,497
***2005 - 116,674
***2006 - 129,126
***2007 - 136,809
***2008 - 140,631

*"Season Records (2005-present)"
**Doubles"'
***2008 - Phil Disher (20)
**Tripples"'
***2007 - Colin DeLome (7)
**Home runs
***2008 - Phil Disher (13)
**Runs Batted In"'
***2008 - Phil Disher (56)
**Stolen Bases"'
***2006 - Jordan Parraz (23)
**Wins"'
***2006 - Chris Salamida (10)
**Saves"'
***2007 - Jason Dominguez (10)

2007 roster

Notable Valley Cats

*flagicon|DOM Jailen Peguero (2002, Arizona Diamondbacks)
*flagicon|USA Jason Hirsh (2003, Colorado Rockies)
*flagicon|USA Matt Albers (2003, Baltimore Orioles)
*flagicon|USA Josh Anderson (2003, Atlanta Braves)
*flagicon|USA Ben Zobrist (2004, Tampa Bay Rays)
*flagicon|USA Hunter Pence (2004, Houston Astros)
*flagicon|USA Troy Patton (2004, Houston Astros)
*flagicon|USA Koby Clemens (2005, A-Advanced Salem Avalanche)
*flagicon|USA Mark McLemore (2005, Houston Astros)
*flagicon|DOM Felipe Paulino (2005, Houston Astros)
*flagicon|USA Chris Salamida (2006, A-Advanced Salem Avalanche)
*flagicon|NIC Devern Hansack (2006, Boston Red Sox)

Notable Pittsfield Mets

*flagicon|DOM Alberto Castillo (1989-1990)
*flagicon|USA Jeromy Burnitz (1990)
*flagicon|VEN Edgardo Alfonzo (1992, Atlantic League Long Island Ducks)
*flagicon|USA Benny Agbayani (1993, flagicon|JPN Chiba Lotte Marines)
*flagicon|USA Jason Isringhausen (1993, St. Louis Cardinals)
*flagicon|USA Preston Wilson (1993, St. Louis Cardinals)
*flagicon|USA Jay Payton (1994, Baltimore Orioles)
*flagicon|USA Terrence Long (1995, free agent)
*flagicon|USA A.J. Burnett (1997, Toronto Blue Jays)
*flagicon|USA Ty Wigginton (1998, Houston Astros)

External links

* [http://www.tcvalleycats.com/ Tri-City ValleyCats]

References and notes