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Delmarva Shorebirds

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Delmarva Shorebirds
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassSingle-A (2021–present)
Previous classesClass A (1996–2020)
LeagueCarolina League (2021–present)
DivisionNorth Division
Previous leagues
South Atlantic League (1996–2020)
Major league affiliations
TeamBaltimore Orioles (1997–present)
Previous teamsMontreal 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
     
BallparkArthur W. Perdue Stadium
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
7th Inning Stretch LP
General managerChris Bitters
ManagerFelipe Alou Jr.
Websitemilb.com/delmarva

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.

History

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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 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.[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 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.[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 at the Low-A classification.[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, and was reclassified as a Single-A circuit.[11]

Radio

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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

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Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 29 Eddy Alberto
  • -- Carter Baumler
  • -- Joel Benitez ‡
  • 38 Randy Berigüete
  • 15 Braxton Bragg
  • 35 Yeiber Cartaya
  • 45 Riley Cooper
  • 20 Eccel Correa
  • 28 Jacob Cravey
  • 16 Joe Glassey
  • 24 Simon Leandro
  • 27 Kenny Leiner
  • 30 Blake Money
  • 10 Keeler Morfe
  • 26 Juan Rojas
  • 31 Justin Showalter
  • 39 Trent Turzenski
  • 22 Ty Weatherly

Catchers

  • 37 Miguel Rodríguez
  •  1 Cole Urman

Infielders

  • 13 Edwin Amparo
  • 19 Edrei Campos
  • 32 Elis Cuevas
  • 36 Maikol Hernández
  • 18 Steven Ondina
  • 23 Fernando Peguero
  •  9 Alfredo Velásquez

Outfielders

  • 25 Kevin Guerrero
  •  4 Braylin Tavera
  • 33 Colin Tuft


Manager

  • 34 Collin Woody

Coaches

  •  2 Calvin Christiansen (development)
  •  3 Daniel Fajardo (fundamentals)
  • 12 Christian Poulsen (hitting)
  • 21 Andy Sadoski (pitching)

60-day injured list

  • -- Wyatt Cheney (full season)
  • 88 Adam Crampton (full season)
  • -- Kiefer Lord (full season)
  • 40 Alejandro Méndez (full season)
  • -- Andry Mercedes (full season)
  • -- Trey Nordmann (full season)
  • -- Alex Ramos (full season)
  • 10 Brayner Sánchez
  • 80 Angel Tejada

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 October 22, 2024
Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Carolina League
Baltimore Orioles minor league players

Notable alumni

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Team Mascot "Sherman the Shorebird"

References

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  1. ^ a b 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. ^ a b 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.
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