South Coast League

The South Coast League of Professional Baseball, based in Bluffton, SC, was an independent league based in the southeastern United States that began play in 2007. The South Georgia Peanuts won the league title in its inaugural season. After featuring six clubs in its first year, the league planned to operate with four teams in 2008, but announced its suspension on March 31. It hoped to return in 2009 with a slate of six teams, but it never did.

History

The league was formed in October of 2005. In a press release in October, league CEO Jamie Toole, a former Carolina League executive with a number of teams, cited the desire to field professional baseball teams in municipalities that lacked access to professional baseball. Also running the league is their COO Chris Allen, who previously worked in the upper management group of the Salem Avalanche in the Carolina League.

In the initial years, the league itself will act as owners of the individual teams until local ownership groups can be found. As Allen explained, it was important to "establish our product prior to individual/private ownership taking control of the operation."

The league made an initial public offering in October of 2005.

2007

The South Georgia Peanuts, first half champions, defeated the Macon Music, winners of the second half title, in a best-of-three series to capture the league's inaugural crown. First baseman Scott Robinson of Macon hit .338 with 11 homers and 67 RBIs and was named Most Outstanding Hitter, while Brian Gartley of the Bradenton Juice went 10-3 with 96 strikeouts to win the Most Outstanding Pitcher award. Skipper Wally Backman of the Peanuts was selected as Manager of the Year.

2007 Standings

First Half							Second Half
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager		Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Manager
South Georgia Peanuts	33	11	.750	--	Wally Backman		Macon Music	28	16	.636	--	Phil Plantier
Macon Music	30	15	.667	3.5	Phil Plantier		South Georgia Peanuts	26	17	.605	1.5	Wally Backman
Bradenton Juice	24	20	.545	9	James Frisbie		Anderson Joes	24	20	.545	4	Desi Wilson; Kash Beauchamp
Aiken Foxhounds	22	23	.489	11.5	Chris Bando		Bradenton Juice	23	22	.511	5.5	James Frisbie
Anderson Joes	13	32	.289	20.5	Desi Wilson		Aiken Foxhounds	19	25	.432	9	Chris Bando
Charlotte County Redfish	12	33	.267	21.5	Jackie Hernandez; Cecil Fielder		Charlotte County Redfish	12	32	.273	16	Cecil Fielder

Championship Playoffs

• South Georgia defeated Macon 2 games to 1

2008

On March 31, 2008, the League office issued an announcement that it was suspending operations as of April 1, citing an inability to "close on a sufficient amount of debt and equity financing to ensure a successful 2008 season". While the statement claimed that it planned to resume operations in 2009, this did not prove possible.