Butler BlueSox
| Butler BlueSox | |
|---|---|
 Team Logo | |
| League | Prospect League (2009-present) (East Division) |
| Location | Butler, Pennsylvania |
| Ballpark | Kelly Automotive Park (2009-present) |
| Year founded | 2006 |
| Former name(s) |
Butler BlueSox (2009-present) Washington BlueSox (2006-2008) |
| Former league(s) | Tri-State Collegiate Baseball League (2006-2008) |
| Former ballparks |
|
| Colors | Navy Blue, Royal Blue, White |
| Ownership |
Matt Clement Roger Snodgrass Dr. Mike Fiorina Gordon Marburger 'Wink' Robinson Pullman Park Stadium Authority |
| Management | Matt Cunningham (GM) |
| Manager | Jason Radwan |
| Website | butlerbluesox.net |
The Butler BlueSox are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Butler, Pennsylvania, in the United States. They are a member of the East Division of the summer collegiate Prospect League.
History
The BlueSox were formed by former Pennsylvania State Representative Leo Trich, Jr. in Washington, Pennsylvania in 2006 as part of the Tri-State Collegiate Baseball League.[1][2] After renovations were completed at Kelly Automotive Park in 2008, Trich decided to move the Washington BlueSox to Butler as a founding member of the Prospect League. The team officially became part of the league in December 2008.[2] The team went 28(W)-26(L) during their 2009 inaugural season in Butler. In 2011 Leo Trich sold his ownership of the team to a group of five local business partners to run the team. MLB pitcher, and Butler native Matt Clement is one of the owners. In late 2011, an agreement was reached to keep the BlueSox in Butler through the 2013 season.
2012 Season
For the 2012 season, four additional games were added to the 56 game schedule. The BlueSox went on to have a winning season for the first time since their inaugural year in the Prospect League, three years before. However, they were a few games short of making the playoffs.
2013 Season
The 2013 season consisted of thirty home games. The BlueSox hosted the Prospect League All-Star Game on July 17, 2013. The team was eliminated from the playoffs during the last game of the regular season, falling to the Slippery Rock Sliders 4-0.
2014 Season
The BlueSox made their first playoff appearance in 2014 by going 25-7 in the second half of the season which included an 11-game win streak. They were eliminated by the Chillicothe Paints in the East Division Playoff 2-0 in the best of three series. BlueSox pitcher Adam Bleday (University of Virginia) was named Prospect League LHP of the year.
2015 Season
Former BlueSox player and assistant coach Jason Radwan took over as the manager and guided Butler to a 33-27 record. First baseman David Marcus (California University of Pennsylvania) won both the Mike Schmidt Player of the Year and Roland Hemond top pro prospect awards. Marcus had a league best 11 home runs and 49 RBI. He finished fourth in the Prospect League batting title race with a .363 average.
2016 Season
For only the third time in team history and the first time since 2011, Butler (29-31) finished with a sub .500 record. The BlueSox ended the season on a four-game winning streak including a sweep of Champion City in a double-header at home on the final day of the season, which eliminated the Kings from making the postseason. Outfielder Will Schneider (Morehead State) was a mid-season and postseason All-Star. Schneider had a .335 batting average with Butler, good for fourth-best in the Prospect League. BlueSox pitcher Connor Coward (Virginia Tech) tallied 68 strikeouts, which tied for second in the league.
Seasons
| Year | W-L | PCT | Place | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 28-26 | .521 | 3rd in PL East | |
| 2010 | 24-30 | .444 | 3rd in PL East | |
| 2011 | 25-29 | .463 | 6th in PL East | |
| 2012 | 32-26 | .552 | 4th in PL East | |
| 2013 | 33-26 | .559 | 3rd in PL East | |
| 2014 | 40-20 | .667 | T-1st in PL East | Lost 1st Round Playoff vs Chillicothe Paints 2-0. |
| 2015 | 33-27 | .550 | 3rd in PL East | |
| 2016 | 29-31 | .483 | 4th in PL East | |
| Total | 244-215 | .531 | - | |
References
- ↑ , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2006-04-02. Accessed 2012-01-05.
- 1 2 Schnur, p. 21
Sources
- Schnur, Richard Eugene, Men of Summer Return, Mechling Bookbindery., 2010.
