Salem Avalanche

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Salem Avalanche
Founded in 1968
Salem, Virginia

Team Logo
Cap Insignia
Class-Level
  • Advanced-A (1968-present)
Minor League affiliations
Major League affiliations
Name
  • Salem Avalanche (1995-present)
  • Salem Buccaneers (1987-1994)
  • Salem Redbirds (1981-1986)
  • Salem Pirates (1972-1980)
  • Salem Rebels (1955-1971)
Ballpark
Minor League titles
League titles 1972, 1974, 1987, 2001
Division titles 1968, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1981, 1987, 1988, 2006
Owner(s)/Operated by: Fenway Sports Group
Manager: Jim Pankovits
General Manager: John Katz

The Salem Avalanche are a minor league baseball team in Salem, Virginia, USA, a suburb of Roanoke, Virginia. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League and have been a farm team of the Houston Astros since 2003. The Avalanche were previously affiliated with the Colorado Rockies from 1995-2002; prior to 1995, the franchise played under several different names and affiliations. The Avalanche play home games at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium. Opened in 1995, Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium seats 6,300 fans. Prior to this, games were played at Kiwanis Field.

In 2006 Salem played its 12th season in Salem Memorial Stadium and hosted the Carolina/California League All Star Game, the fourth time an All-Star Game came to Salem.[1]

The Avalanche and its predecessor teams were owned from 1986 until 2006 by Kelvin Bowles, a local resident and major league baseball scout. Bowles bought the team when it was in danger of moving from Salem. In 2006, the team was sold to a pair of businessmen from Atlanta who also own the Fort Wayne Wizards. In December of 2007, the team was sold to Fenway Sports Group, a subsidiary of the Boston Red Sox ownership group. The team is affiliated with the Astros through 2008, and will likely become a Boston affiliate in the 2009 season. [2].

Contents

[edit] History of baseball in Salem

  • 1943 - 1953: Roanoke Red Sox (Boston affiliate)
  • 1955 - 1971: Salem Rebels (Pirates affiliate)
  • 1972 - 1979: Salem Pirates (Pirates/San Francisco affiliate)
  • 1980 - 1986: Salem Redbirds (Padres/Rangers affiliate)
  • 1987 - 1994: Salem Buccaneers (Pirates affiliate)
  • 1995 - 2003: Salem Avalanche (Colorado affiliate)
  • 2003 - present: Salem Avalanche (Houston affiliate)

[edit] Current roster

Salem Avalanche roster
v • d • e
Players Coaching staff
Pitchers
  • 17 Erick Abreu
  • 16 Josh Appell
  • 35 Douglas Arguello
  • 18 Corey Bass
  • 25 Raymar Diaz
  • 19 Jason Dominguez
  • 32 Bryan Hallberg
  • 22 Casey Hudspeth
  • 12 David Qualben
  • 10 Christopher Salamida
  • 28 Joel Santo
  • 26 Polin Trinidad
  • -- Chad Wagler†


† disabled list
‡ temporary inactive list
Roster updated April 30, 2008

 Catchers

Infielders

  • 15 Greg Buchanan
  • 24 Jhon Florentino
  • 27 Mark Ori
  •  6 Wladimir Sutil
  • 33 Tim Torres
  •  3 Osvaldo Fernando‡

Outfielders

  •  8 Jordan Parraz
  • 13 Cesar Quintero
  •  1 Ryan Reed
  • 14 Orlando Rosales
  • 30 James Van Ostrand
 Manager

Coaches

  •    Keith Bodie (hitting)
  •    Gary Ruby (pitching)
v • d • e
Rosters within Houston Astros organization
Houston (MLB) • Round Rock (AAA) • Corpus Christi (AA) • Salem (High-A) • Lexington (A) • Tri-City (Low-A)


[edit] Notable former players

[edit] Club records

[edit] Lewis-Gale Medical Center Field at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium

Lewis-Gale Medical Center Field at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium is a stadium in Salem, Virginia and is part of the James E. Taliferro Sports and Entertainment Complex along with the Salem Civic Center and Salem Football Stadium. On April 5, 2006, it sold its naming rights to Lewis-Gale Hospital. Some local residents were critical that Salem did not receive enough money for the naming-rights. The stadium is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Salem Avalanche, a minor league baseball team in the high class A Carolina League. It was built in 1995 at a cost of $10.1 Million to replace the over sixty year old Salem Municipal Stadium. It holds 6,300 people, and offers an impressive view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The stadium features 6 concession stands, a grill, numerous other carts, and 8 large restrooms. Lines are usually not a problem even with large crowds. There is ample free parking on site which is easily accessed from U.S. 11, U.S. 460, Virginia 419, and Interstate 81. In part because of the promotions, the Avalanche have been more successful in building and maintaing attendance than the Roanoke Valley's other minor league sports teams.

Salem Memorial Stadium features 20ft outfield walls. Its dimensions are left field - 325ft, center field - 401ft, and right field - 325ft.


[edit] Home attendance: 1968-present

  • 1968 - 64,532
  • 1969 - 63,248
  • 1970 - 50,076
  • 1971 - 37,872
  • 1972 - 43,910
  • 1973 - 45,915
  • 1974 - 41,379
  • 1975 - 39,007
  • 1976 - 30,387
  • 1977 - 32,744
  • 1978 - 51,096
  • 1979 - 43,036
  • 1980 - 102,456
  • 1981 - 72,125
  • 1982 - 47,202
  • 1983 - 56,451
  • 1984 - 61,623
  • 1985 - 71,788
  • 1986 - 87,047
  • 1987 - 111,661
  • 1988 - 119,966
  • 1989 - 121,581
  • 1990 - 126,121
  • 1991 - 131,582
  • 1992 - 134,598
  • 1993 - 145,657
  • 1994 - 153,575
  • 1995 - 140,111
  • 1996 - 173,703 (New Stadium Opened)
  • 1997 - 188,023
  • 1998 - 189,069
  • 1999 - 206,012
  • 2000 - 200,863
  • 2001 - 203,375
  • 2002 - 196,347
  • 2003 - 175,155
  • 2004 - 224,991
  • 2005 - 255,225
  • 2006 - 237,724 (5 games cancelled due to heavy amounts of rain)
  • 2007 - 258,469 (5 games cancelled)

Total Attendace - 4,580,751

[edit] Media information

  • Flagship Radio Station: 960AM WFIR News Talk Radio

--Radio Announcers: Jason Benetti

--Number of Games Broadcast: All

  • Newspapers covering the Avalanche: The Roanoke Times, The Salem Times-Register
  • Official Scorer: Billy Wells

[edit] Team mascots

Mugsy A St. Bernard mascot who made his rookie debut in professional baseball in 1997 with the Avalanche. According to the team's website, Mugsy descended from the passing Hale-Bopp comet that raced across the Roanoke Valley sky on April 4, 1997.

Misty Misty is a female saint bernard mascot who joined the team in 2005.

Big Mo The Salem Avalanche's Kid's Club mascot, Big Mo is a giant inflatable abominable snowman.

The Baseball Nut The Avalanche's first mascot was this distinctive character, which resembled an almond. While the idea was original, the Baseball Nut proved to be unpopular. Lacking a cute or friendly appearance, the mascot intimidated children and was an object of derision by adult fans. Mugsy was developed as a replacement.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.salemavalanche.com/history.html
  2. ^ Red Sox owners buying Virginia minor league baseball team, Scott Van Voorhis, Bostonherald.com, 12/10/2007

[edit] External links

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National League
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Division Titles
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Minors
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