Wilmington Blue Rocks

From BR Bullpen

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Team History[edit]

2003-2009 logo

The Wilmington Blue Rocks, formerly of the Carolina League, briefly in High-A East, and now in the South Atlantic League, wear a nickname that dates to a 1940 "Name the Team" contest. The Washington Nationals farmhands play their home games at Judy Johnson Field at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium in Wilmington, DE.

What's a blue rock? The contest winner, 73-year-old Robert Miller, said he was thinking of the blue granite along the Brandywine River; a chunk decorates the entrance to Frawley Stadium. That incarnation of Blue Rocks was a perennial playoff team in the Class B Interstate League from 1940 to 1952 and saw future Hall of Famer Robin Roberts among those who donned its uniform.

In 2014, Main Street Baseball bought the Binghamton Mets to bring Double-A baseball to Wilmington - but B-Mets majority owner Mike Urda canceled the sale and later sold the club to John Hughes, who kept it in Binghamton. MLB's 2021 Minor League Reorganization goals included getting parent-farm tandems closer together, and the Kansas City Royals brought their High-A players about 750 miles closer as the Quad Cities River Bandits.

Year-by-Year Record[edit]

Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs
1940 68-52 2nd Chief Bender (29-29) / Charlie Berry (39-23) Lost in 1st round
1941 64-62 5th Tom Oliver
1942 79-57 2nd Herb Brett League Champs
1943 77-61 3rd Dutch Dorman Lost in 1st round
1944 74-64 2nd Dutch Dorman (38-29) / Ray Brubaker (36-35) Lost in 1st round
1945 81-57 2nd Ray Brubaker / Cy Morgan Lost in 1st round
1946 87-53 1st Jack Saltzgaver Lost League Finals
1947 79-60 2nd Jack Saltzgaver League Champs
1948 82-56 1st Jack Sanford Lost in 1st round
1949 75-62 2nd Jack Sanford Lost in 1st round
1950 82-56 1st Skeeter Newsome League Champs
1951 83-52 3rd Danny Carnevale League Champs
1952 72-66 5th Lee Riley
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Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs Hitting coach Pitching coach Coach
1993 74-65 2nd Ron Johnson Lost League Finals Rafael Santana Gary Lance
1994 94-44 1st Mike Jirschele League Champs Sixto Lezcano Gary Lance
1995 83-55 1st John Mizerock Lost League Finals Sixto Lezcano Tom Burgmeier
1996 80-60 1st John Mizerock League Champs Keith Hughes Tom Burgmeier
1997 62-78 8th John Mizerock Keith Hughes Rickey Keeton
1998 86-54 1st Darrell Evans (53-38) / Kevin Long (6-1)
/ Brian Poldberg (27-15)
League Champs Kevin Long Steve Crawford
1999 77-61 3rd Jeff Garber Co-Champs * Steve Balboni Steve Crawford
2000 63-76 7th Jeff Garber Steve Balboni Larry Carter
2001 78-62 2nd Jeff Garber Lost League Finals Ty Gainey Larry Carter
2002 89-51 1st Jeff Garber Lost in 1st round Terry Bradshaw Bill Slack
2003 80-60 1st Billy Gardner Jr. Lost in 1st round Terry Bradshaw Bill Slack
2004 77-62 2nd Billy Gardner Jr. Lost League Finals Boots Day Reggie Jackson
2005 60-80 8th Dann Bilardello Bruce Crabbe Ace Adams
2006 67-71 4th Chad Epperson Lost in 1st round Dave Joppie Mike Cather
2007 75-62 3rd John Mizerock Lost in 1st round Nelson Liriano Steve Luebber
2008 69-71 5th Darryl Kennedy Lost in 1st round Nelson Liriano Steve Luebber
2009 84-55 1st Brian Rupp Lost in 1st round Justin Gemoll Steve Luebber
2010 68-70 6th Brian Rupp Justin Gemoll Steve Luebber
2011 66-72 6th Brian Rupp Justin Gemoll Steve Luebber
2012 66-74 5th Vance Wilson Lost in 1st round Damon Hollins Steve Luebber
2013 63-77 6th Vance Wilson Julio Bruno Steve Luebber
2014 65-72 5th(t) Darryl Kennedy Milt Thompson Steve Luebber Justin Gemoll
2015 62-77 8th Brian Buchanan Lost League Finals Abraham Nunez Steve Luebber Brian Bocock
2016 54-84 7th Jamie Quirk Abraham Nunez Charlie Corbell Chris Widger
2017 67-72 7th Jamie Quirk Abraham Nunez Charlie Corbell Chris Widger
2018 68-72 5th Darryl Kennedy Abraham Nunez Doug Henry Chris Widger
2019 82-56 2nd Scott Thorman League Champs Larry Sutton Steve Luebber
2020 Season cancelled
2021 52-64 9th Tommy Shields Luis Ordaz Justin Lord
2022 65-65 7th Mario Lisson Tim Doherty Mark DiFelice Mark Harris
2023 55-75 11th Mario Lisson Micah Franklin Mark DiFelice Mark Harris
2024 Mario Lisson Delwyn Young Mark DiFelice Mark Harris
  • * Series canceled with Wilmington and Myrtle Beach tied at two games apiece.
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Related Sites[edit]

BlueRocks.com