Michigan Battle Cats

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  • Sox Affiliate: 1995-1998
  • League: Midwest League
  • Stadium: C.O. Brown Stadium in Bailey Park

Contents

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History with the Red Sox

The Red Sox decided to move to a more traditional minor league structure in 1995, moving from a 2 Advanced A teams, to a single Advanced A team and a standard A Team. This necessitated leaving their Carolina League Affiliate, the Lynchburg Red Sox and finding a team in a single A league.

The Red Sox found a match with another organization in flux, the new Battle Creek affiliate which had moved from Madison, Wisconsin after a single season. Originally called the Battle Creek Golden Kazoos, but legal issues (and general fan disinterest) led to a change prior to the 1995 season to the Battle Cats. It was also a return to the Midwest League for the Sox, having last been affiliated with the league in 1968 with the Waterloo Hawks.

The Battle Cats made an immediate impact, winning the first half Eastern division title (and coming in second in the second half), and winning their first two playoff rounds before losing in the finals.

1996 was not as kind, as the team was under .500 in both halves of the season, ending the year 18 games under .500. 1997 was a better season for the Cats, as the team (despite finishing 11 and 14 games out in the two halves of the season) earned a wild card birth (with a 70-67 record), losing to Lansing in the first round. 1998 started out poorly, as the Cats finished with a 36-36 record in the first half. However, they came back to win the Eastern Division Crown for the Second Half, finishing with a 43-25 record and making the playoffs for the second consecutive year. They would lose to eventual Midwest League Champions Western Michigan in the first round.

This would be the final season in Michigan for the Sox, as they would move to Georgia and the Augusta Greenjackets in 1999.

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Team Records

  • 1995: 1st Half - 36-32 2nd Half - 39-31 Overall - 75-63 Manager: DeMarlo Hale, Pitching Coach: Bill Maloney, Hitting Coach: Darrell Evans
  • 1996: 1st Half - 31-38 2nd Half - 29-40 Overall - 60-78 Manager: Tommy Barrett, Pitching Coach: Bill Maloney, Hitting Coach: Pookie Bernstine
  • 1997: 1st Half - 38-31 2nd Half - 32-36 Overall - 70-67 Manager: Billy Gardner, Jr., Pitching Coach: Dan Gakeler, Hitting Coach: Gerald Perry
  • 1998: 1st Half - 36-36 2nd Half - 43-25 Overall - 79-61 Manager: Billy Gardner, Jr., Pitching Coach: Larry Pierson, Hitting Coach: Bill Madlock
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Awards

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Manager of the Year

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Midwest League Post-Season All-Stars

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League Leaders

  • 1996 - Innings Pitched - Juan Pena (188)
  • 1997 - Runs Scored - Jim Chamblee (112)
  • 1998 - Slugging Percentage - Shea Hillenbrand (.546)
  • 1998 - Wins - Joe Thomas (15 - Was traded midway through season. Started with Red Sox (Michigan), ended with Twins (Fort Wayne))
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Other

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Battle Cats to the Majors

This is a list of Red Sox Prospects who played in Michigan and have since played in the Majors

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Battle Creek after the Sox

The Astros would follow the Sox into Battle Creek from 1999-2002 (winning the MWL Championship in 2000), and was followed by the Yankees in 2003-2004 (changing the name to the Battle Creek Yankees). The Devil Rays would become the affiliate in 2005, changing the name again to the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays. 2006 will be the last year for Battle Creek, as the team has been sold and will be moved to Midland, Michigan. This move is largely due to lack of attendance, as after a 1995 high of nearly 172,000, attendance has continued to drift lower, dipping to a low of less than 70,000 during the Astros years.

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External Links

Retrieved from "http://sonsofsamhorn.net/wiki/index.php/Michigan_Battle_Cats"
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