Road Warriors

From BR Bullpen
Roadwarriors logo.jpg
Road Warriors
Founded 2000
Ballpark Traveling Team
Based in Traveling Team
Colors red, black, grey
League Atlantic League of Professional Baseball

The Road Warriors are a road team owned by the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. They first replaced the Pennsylvania Road Warriors, who were formerly the Newburgh Black Diamonds, Lehigh Valley Black Diamonds and Lancaster Barnstormers, for the 2006 and 2007 seasons, and were later brought back in 2011.

When the Nashua Pride left to join the Can-Am League, the league re-established the Road Warriors for the 2006 season to replace the Pride, but did not give them a location. Due to the fact they have no home field, home team fans derivisely called them "Road Kill" as a monicker that was used whenever they came to town. The club finished 42-83, tying the Newark Bears for the worst record in the league. Managed by Jeff Scott, the team had no All-Stars as expected. Chris Eickhorst went 1-15 to lead the league in losses. The top hitter was possibly 1B Mike Huggins (.284, .472 SLG, 20 HR, 74 R, 69 RBI, leading the club in several offensive categories).

With the move of the Atlantic City Surf to the Can-Am Association for the 2007 season, the Road Warriors returned to fill the gaps in the schedule until the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs joined in 2008. The team carried the name of the Road Warriors until the Blue Crabs replaced them. In 2007, they were again last in the circuit. OF Steven Doetsch (.284, 22 HR) made the league All-Star team, while Benito Baez (2-3, 9 Sv, 2.08) led the staff.

In 2011, after the Newark Bears left to join the Can-Am Association, the Road Warriors were revived to ensure that there would be 8 teams in the league. After duly finishing last that season, they disbanded again to make room for the Sugar Land Skeeters in 2012.

Year-by-Year Record[edit]

Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs
2006 42-83 7th (t) Jeff Scott
2007 43-83 8th Jeff Scott
2011 38-86 8th Roy Howell
2018 29-97 8th Ellie Rodriguez