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9/17/2018 0 Comments Champions of the SummerBY: MATTHEW PRESLARDuring all the stops on the road, you grow a great level of admiration and respect for those franchises. Once you have been to the stadium, seen the culture of the team, and observed the fan base, you have an attachment to every place you have been. In a way, its a little like coaching a youth league team. While you may only be around those kids for one season, you are naturally drawn to them. You want to see them grow up and take pride in seeing them succeed personally and professionally. I feel that way with many of these franchises. This season, against some difficult odds, we saw three of our stops go on to become league champions. In order in which they were crowned champions (coincidentally in opposite order of when we attended their stadium):  Appalachian League Champion |
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Carolina League Champion
Buies Creek Astros
After 2016, the Houston Astros wanted to pull their Advanced A ball franchise from the California League and play in the Carolina League. In time for the 2019 season, a new stadium will be built in Fayetteville, NC for this franchise. In the interim, a temporary home had to be found. For 2017 and 2018, the Buies Creek Astros were born. Jim Perry Stadium on nearby Campbell University has partnered with the Astros to host this Carolina League affiliate.
We visited Campbell University and the BC Astros on June 13th. It was obviously summer break for colleges and our midweek game was poorly attended. In my opinion, I felt that Buies Creek/Dunn, NC should have relished in having professional baseball in town. As noted in our stadium review, it seemed more like a library and not a baseball game. Even though the facilities weren’t comparable to other stops on the tour, we took advantage of seeing this Astros affiliate in our home state. We plan to visit the new stadium and the franchise in their permanent home in Fayetteville next year.
Buies Creek won the Carolina League South Division Series, upsetting the Winston-Salem Dash who won both halves of the regular season. They were set to play North Division winner Potomac Nationals in the Carolina League Championship Series. This was to determine the winner of the Mills Cup and was set to be a best of five series.
Then Hurricane Florence became a problem...
Due to impending hurricane (that is still flooding the Carolinas), the best of five became a winner-take-all ONE GAME for the championship. The Carolina League wanted to ensure the series was completed unlike the previous year where co-champions had to be declared. They also wanted the players to safely get out of the Carolinas and to their respective homes before they had major travel issues. In the early afternoon before game one was to start at Buies Creek, the announcement was made.
Astros manager Morgan Ensberg found about the one-game setup just a couple of hours before Tuesday's first pitch.
"I really debated whether to tell the players. Obviously, they were amped up," he said. "I'm just thankful that the players will be able to get out safely." Tuesday's championship brought an end to a two-year arrangement for the Astros to play on the campus of Campbell University. Next year, the team will bear a different name and move into a new ballpark some 35 miles away in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Ensberg praised Campbell baseball coach Justin Haire and the school's staff for the accommodations. In turn, the Astros brought a title. (milb.com)
Even though the business partnership only lasted two years, the record books will always recognize the Buies Creek Astros as the 2018 Carolina League Champions. Although not the normal Ballpark Adventures outing, it was nice to see the unique facility. The low attendance allowed fans to be more intimate with the field and feel more a part of another championship performance by the Astros organization.
We visited Campbell University and the BC Astros on June 13th. It was obviously summer break for colleges and our midweek game was poorly attended. In my opinion, I felt that Buies Creek/Dunn, NC should have relished in having professional baseball in town. As noted in our stadium review, it seemed more like a library and not a baseball game. Even though the facilities weren’t comparable to other stops on the tour, we took advantage of seeing this Astros affiliate in our home state. We plan to visit the new stadium and the franchise in their permanent home in Fayetteville next year.
Buies Creek won the Carolina League South Division Series, upsetting the Winston-Salem Dash who won both halves of the regular season. They were set to play North Division winner Potomac Nationals in the Carolina League Championship Series. This was to determine the winner of the Mills Cup and was set to be a best of five series.
Then Hurricane Florence became a problem...
Due to impending hurricane (that is still flooding the Carolinas), the best of five became a winner-take-all ONE GAME for the championship. The Carolina League wanted to ensure the series was completed unlike the previous year where co-champions had to be declared. They also wanted the players to safely get out of the Carolinas and to their respective homes before they had major travel issues. In the early afternoon before game one was to start at Buies Creek, the announcement was made.
Astros manager Morgan Ensberg found about the one-game setup just a couple of hours before Tuesday's first pitch.
"I really debated whether to tell the players. Obviously, they were amped up," he said. "I'm just thankful that the players will be able to get out safely." Tuesday's championship brought an end to a two-year arrangement for the Astros to play on the campus of Campbell University. Next year, the team will bear a different name and move into a new ballpark some 35 miles away in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Ensberg praised Campbell baseball coach Justin Haire and the school's staff for the accommodations. In turn, the Astros brought a title. (milb.com)
Even though the business partnership only lasted two years, the record books will always recognize the Buies Creek Astros as the 2018 Carolina League Champions. Although not the normal Ballpark Adventures outing, it was nice to see the unique facility. The low attendance allowed fans to be more intimate with the field and feel more a part of another championship performance by the Astros organization.
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International League Champion
Durham Bulls
As we planned our tour schedule for the year, we had to make a day trip to see the Durham Bulls at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP). We made the drive on May 20th for a Sunday evening game. As one of the most known franchises in minor league baseball, we were not disappointed. The stadium is top notch and perhaps the most photogenic in our region. The on field product compares. The Bulls won the International League in 2017, as well as the AAA Championship game. The AAA Championship Game is somewhat of a Super Bowl Setup where the International League winner plays the champion of the Pacific Coast League, the two AAA leagues in affiliated baseball, at a predetermined, (most likely) neutral site.
Regarding the players on field, several Bulls were called up to Tampa Bay in the coming weeks after our visit. This meant the elite players from the championship team were promoted and off the team, needing replacements to step up for the team. Even with the player turnover, the Bulls still comfortably won the South Division of the International League.
The Bulls beat the Toledo Mud Hens in the IL semifinals and were set to be the higher seed in the Championship Series against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees affiliate). This meant the Bulls would HOST the last three, and ultimately decisive, games of the best of five IL Finals.
Then Hurricane Florence became a problem... sound familiar?
The inclement weather, still soaking the Carolinas, forced the International League to make hard decisions. Even though the higher seed, Hurricane Florence forced Durham out of their home games. Unfortunately for us, we were debating attending these championship games in Durham. However, Mother Nature had other plans. Having to remain on schedule, the league moved the ENTIRE SERIES to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Pennsylvania) to avoid the weather. In a thrilling series going the entire five games, the evicted Durham Bulls pulled it out, against the odds, and defended the Governor’s Cup.
In the Pacific Coast League, the Memphis Redbirds also repeated as champions. These two teams will again meet to determine the AAA National Champions. This year the game will be hosted Tuesday night, September 18th at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio. Memphis will be looking for revenge while Durham will be looking to remain the reigning, defending, undisputed National Champions of AAA baseball.
Good luck to the Bulls and thank you for proudly representing the entire state of North Carolina!!!!
Regarding the players on field, several Bulls were called up to Tampa Bay in the coming weeks after our visit. This meant the elite players from the championship team were promoted and off the team, needing replacements to step up for the team. Even with the player turnover, the Bulls still comfortably won the South Division of the International League.
The Bulls beat the Toledo Mud Hens in the IL semifinals and were set to be the higher seed in the Championship Series against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees affiliate). This meant the Bulls would HOST the last three, and ultimately decisive, games of the best of five IL Finals.
Then Hurricane Florence became a problem... sound familiar?
The inclement weather, still soaking the Carolinas, forced the International League to make hard decisions. Even though the higher seed, Hurricane Florence forced Durham out of their home games. Unfortunately for us, we were debating attending these championship games in Durham. However, Mother Nature had other plans. Having to remain on schedule, the league moved the ENTIRE SERIES to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Pennsylvania) to avoid the weather. In a thrilling series going the entire five games, the evicted Durham Bulls pulled it out, against the odds, and defended the Governor’s Cup.
In the Pacific Coast League, the Memphis Redbirds also repeated as champions. These two teams will again meet to determine the AAA National Champions. This year the game will be hosted Tuesday night, September 18th at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio. Memphis will be looking for revenge while Durham will be looking to remain the reigning, defending, undisputed National Champions of AAA baseball.
Good luck to the Bulls and thank you for proudly representing the entire state of North Carolina!!!!
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***Statistics, other information, and championship photos courtesy of www.milb.com
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