Florida State League

Florida State League

Florida State League logo
Sport Baseball
Founded 1919
No. of teams 12
Country United States
Most recent
champion(s)		 Bradenton Marauders
Classification Class A-Advanced
TV partner(s) Fox Sports Florida
Fox Sports Sun
Official website Official Website

The Florida State League is a minor baseball league based in the state of Florida. It is one of three leagues currently classified as Class A-Advanced, the third highest classification of minor leagues.[1] Each team in the league is affiliated with a Major League Baseball team, and most play in their affiliate's spring training facility.

The league was founded in 1919, and has continued almost entirely uninterrupted to the present day. Most players in the Florida State League do not reach this level until their third or fourth year of professional play.

History

The league originated in 1919 with teams in Bartow, Bradenton, Lakeland, Orlando, Sanford, and Tampa, Florida. The league closed down in 1928 and resumed play in 1936. It has continued uninterrupted, except for a four-year (1942–1945) suspension during World War II.

In 2009, the Florida State League established a Hall of Fame commemorating the league's great players, managers, owners, and umpires. The awards and ceremonies for the inaugural class will take place at the FSL's winter meetings in Daytona Beach in November.

Current teams

Division Team MLB Affiliation City Stadium Capacity
North Clearwater Threshers Philadelphia Phillies Clearwater Bright House Field 8,500
Daytona Tortugas Cincinnati Reds Daytona Beach Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark 4,200
Dunedin Blue Jays Toronto Blue Jays Dunedin Florida Auto Exchange Stadium 5,509
Florida Fire Frogs Atlanta Braves Kissimmee Osceola County Stadium 5,300
Lakeland Flying Tigers Detroit Tigers Lakeland Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium 8,500
Tampa Yankees New York Yankees Tampa George M. Steinbrenner Field 11,026
South Bradenton Marauders Pittsburgh Pirates Bradenton McKechnie Field 8,500
Charlotte Stone Crabs Tampa Bay Rays Port Charlotte Charlotte Sports Park 7,000
Fort Myers Miracle Minnesota Twins Fort Myers Hammond Stadium 7,500
Jupiter Hammerheads Miami Marlins Jupiter Roger Dean Stadium 6,871
Palm Beach Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals Jupiter Roger Dean Stadium 6,871
St. Lucie Mets New York Mets Port St. Lucie Tradition Field 7,347

All-time teams

Teams of the early FSL (1919–28)

Teams of the modern FSL (1936–present)

League champions

Since 1979, the winner of the League Championship Series has become the holder—until the following season's championship—of the Watson Spoelstra Florida State League Championship Trophy.[2]

Awards

Florida State League Hall of Fame

The Florida State League Hall of Fame began in 2009.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Standings | MiLB.com Standings | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Web.minorleaguebaseball.com. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
  2. ↑ "Championship Trophy". Florida State League official website. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
  3. ↑ http://www.milb.com/content/page.jsp?sid=l123&ymd=20090612&content_id=5287462&vkey=league3
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