Montgomery Biscuits

Last updated
Montgomery Biscuits
MontgomeryBiscuits.png MontgomeryBiscuitsCap.png
Team logoCap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassDouble-A (1973–present)
League Southern League (2022–present)
DivisionSouth Division
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Team Tampa Bay Rays (1999–present)
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles (5)
  • 1981
  • 1991
  • 1999
  • 2006
  • 2007
Division titles (8)
  • 1975
  • 1976
  • 1981
  • 1990
  • 1991
  • 1999
  • 2006
  • 2007
First-half titles (5)
  • 1978
  • 1981
  • 1989
  • 1990
  • 2019
Second-half titles (11)
  • 1976
  • 1991
  • 1999
  • 2006
  • 2007
  • 2012
  • 2015
  • 2016
  • 2018
  • 2019
  • 2022
  • 2023
Team data
NameMontgomery Biscuits (2004–present)
Previous names
  • Orlando Rays (1997–2003)
  • Orlando Cubs (1993–1996)
  • Orlando SunRays (1990–1992)
  • Orlando Twins (1973–1989)
ColorsButter and blue
  
MascotBig Mo
Ballpark Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium (2004–present)
Previous parks
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
 Lou DiBella [1]
General managerMichael Murphy [2]
Manager Kevin Boles
Media MiLB.TV and WSFA, WMSP 740 AM

The Montgomery Biscuits are a Minor League Baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. They are the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and play in the Southern League. The team was founded in Orlando, Florida, in 1973 as the Orlando Twins, an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. After remaining in the Minnesota minor league organization for 20 seasons, the team became an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs for four seasons and then the Seattle Mariners for one. In 1999, the team became an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, and they have remained in the organization ever since. They became members of the Double-A South in 2021, though this was renamed the Southern League in 2022.

Contents

Over the years, the club changed names several times. They were the Orlando Twins for 17 seasons, then were known as the SunRays, Cubs, and Rays. The club became known as the Biscuits when it moved from the Orlando area to Montgomery in 2004.

The club played at Tinker Field near downtown Orlando from 1973 until 2000, when they moved to Champion Stadium in nearby Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Since moving to Montgomery in 2004, the Biscuits have played at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium, a 7,000-seat facility which was built for the club in the downtown area.

Franchise history

Orlando

Orlando Rays logo from 2003 OrlandoRays.png
Orlando Rays logo from 2003

The franchise joined the Southern League in 1973 as the Orlando Twins, a minor-league affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, which held spring training in Orlando, Florida at the time. The Orlando Twins played at Tinker Field in downtown Orlando, near the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. In 1990, the team was renamed the Orlando Sun Rays. In 1993, the Chicago Cubs became the team's new major-league affiliate, and the team was renamed the Orlando Cubs. While still a Chicago Cubs affiliate, the team renamed itself again in 1997 and became the Orlando Rays. The following year, for one season only, the Seattle Mariners were the Rays' major-league affiliate. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, an American League expansion team in 1998, assumed the Orlando Rays' major-league affiliation the following year.

The Orlando Rays' last season at Tinker Field was 1999. From 2000 to 2003, the Orlando Rays played in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in Champion Stadium at Walt Disney World Resort. Despite the fact that the team played in a state-of-the-art stadium that was built in 1997 and used during spring training by the Atlanta Braves, attendance did not meet expectations; after trailing the Southern League in attendance in multiple years, the Rays' owners announced the team would move to Montgomery in 2004 (terminating their 10-year lease with Disney after four seasons). [3]

While in Orlando, the franchise won three Southern League championships: in 1981 (as the Twins), 1991 (as the Sun Rays), and 1999 (as the Rays).

Montgomery

The Biscuits became Montgomery's first Major League Baseball-affiliated team since 1980, when the Montgomery Rebels, a Detroit Tigers affiliate, played their final season in the Southern League at Montgomery's Paterson Field. The Biscuits' owners, Sherrie Myers and Tom Dickson, were selected from six different ownership groups during an extensive search for a public-private partner by the City of Montgomery. Myers and Dickson selected the team's nickname from over 4,000 entries in a "name the team" contest, due in part to tying into indigenous affiliation and potential marketing and pun possibilities (for example, "Hey, Butter, Butter, Butter" or the team's souvenir store, the "Biscuit Basket"). Several successful minor league teams have campy, quirky names to relate to families and kids. During games, biscuits are shot from an air cannon, into the stands. The official team colors are Butter and Blue.

On September 15, 2006, in just their third year of existence, the Biscuits defeated the Huntsville Stars to win the team's first Southern League championship in Montgomery. One year later, in 2007, the Biscuits again defeated the Huntsville Stars to win their second consecutive Southern League championship. They became the first team since the 1975 to 1977 Montgomery Rebels to win back-to-back championships.

The Biscuits were sold to a group of investors led by Richmond Flying Squirrels owner Lou DiBella in a transaction that closed on April 27, 2017. [1]

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Biscuits were organized into the Double-A South. [4] Though finishing the 2021 season in second place in the Southern Division at 62–55, [5] the two teams with the highest winning percentages in the regular season competed in a best-of-five series to determine the league champion. [6] With the circuit's second-best record, the Biscuits faced the Mississippi Braves in the best-of-five series but lost the championship, 3–2. [7] Jonathan Aranda won the league Most Valuable Player Award. [8] In 2022, the Double-A South became known as the Southern League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization. [9]

Mascot

Their mascots are "Big Mo", an orange beast that loves biscuits, [10] and "Monty", an anthropomorphized buttermilk biscuit. Monty appears in the logo and on the hat. The mascot for the Orlando Rays was "Spike", a bear. [11] The origin of Spike is unknown but presumed to predate the Devil Rays, as the club has been controlled by the Cubs and by the Twins (who have a bear mascot, T.C. Bear).

In 2014, a new live mascot was introduced and also named with a contest in which 4,800 entries submitted ideas for a micro-mini pot belly pig which became Miss Gravy, Duchess of Pork. Miss Gravy retired to a farm in Wetumpka in 2016. [12]

Notable alumni

Major League Baseball players who played for the Biscuits (or earlier incarnations) include:

Roster

The Biscuits (in navy) on the road at Five County Stadium during a 2011 game against the Carolina Mudcats Mudcats-Biscuits at Five County Stadium.jpg
The Biscuits (in navy) on the road at Five County Stadium during a 2011 game against the Carolina Mudcats
Montgomery Biscuits roster
PlayersCoaches/Other

Pitchers

Catchers

  • 19 Logan Driscoll
  • 21 Erik Ostberg
  •  2 Nate Soria

Infielders

Outfielders


Manager

Coaches

  • -- German Melendez (bench)
  • 20 Steve Merriman (pitching)
  • -- Paul Rozzelle (hitting)

60-day injured list

Injury icon 2.svg 7-day injured list
* On Tampa Bay Rays 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated January 26, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB  •  Southern League
→ Tampa Bay Rays minor league players

Television and radio

All Montgomery Biscuits games are televised live on MiLB.TV and select games are also televised live on WSFA. WMSP 740 AM provides radio broadcasts of games. Since 2016, the Biscuits play-by-play commentator is Chris Adams-Wall.

Related Research Articles

The Southeastern League was the name of four separate baseball leagues in minor league baseball which operated in the Southeastern and South Central United States in numerous seasons between 1897 and 2003. Two of these leagues were associated with organized baseball; the third and most recent incarnation was an independent league that operated for two seasons in 2002–03.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern League (1964–present)</span> Minor League Baseball league in the Southern United States

The Southern League is a Minor League Baseball league that has operated in the Southern United States since 1964. Along with the Eastern League and Texas League, it is one of three circuits playing at the Double-A level, which is two grades below Major League Baseball (MLB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida State League</span> Baseball league in Florida, US

The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues. The league temporarily operated for the 2021 season as the Low-A Southeast before reassuming its original moniker in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackson Generals</span> Minor league baseball team

The Jackson Generals were a professional baseball team located in Jackson, Tennessee. From 1998 to 2020, they were a part of Minor League Baseball's Southern League (SL) as the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs (1998–2006), Seattle Mariners (2007–2016), and Arizona Diamondbacks (2017–2020). Known as the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx from 1998 to 2010, the team borrowed its Generals moniker from the original Jackson Generals in 2011. They played their home games at The Ballpark at Jackson, which opened in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corpus Christi Hooks</span> Minor league baseball team

The Corpus Christi Hooks are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are named for the city's association with fishing. The team is owned by the Houston Astros. The Hooks play their home games at Whataburger Field, which opened in 2005 and is located on Corpus Christi's waterfront.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte Knights</span> Minor league baseball team

The Charlotte Knights are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They are located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and play their home games at Truist Field, which opened in 2014 and is located in Uptown Charlotte. The team previously played at Knights Park (1976–1988), Knights Castle (1989), and Knights Stadium (1990–2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chattanooga Lookouts</span> Minor league baseball team

The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home games at AT&T Field which opened in 2000 and seats 6,340 fans. They previously played at Engel Stadium from 1930 through 1999, with a one-year break in Montgomery, Alabama's Cramton Bowl in 1943.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tennessee Smokies</span> Minor league baseball team

The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in Kodak, Tennessee, a suburb of Knoxville. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They play at Smokies Stadium, directly off Interstate 40 at Exit 407, which seats up to 8,000 fans. The team was based in Knoxville and called the Knoxville Smokies among other names for many years before moving to Kodak and changing its name prior to the 2000 season. The team's nickname refers to the Great Smoky Mountains mountain range which permeates the region; mountains in the chain are often clouded in a hazy mist that may appear as smoke rising from the forest. The team plans to move into a new facility in Knoxville beginning in the 2025 season.

Several different minor league baseball teams have called the city of Orlando, Florida home from 1919–2003. Most have played in the Florida State League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Tinker</span> American baseball player and manager

Joseph Bert Tinker was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played from 1902 through 1916 for the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Chicago Whales of the Federal League.

The Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports is a baseball stadium located at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in the Walt Disney World Resort. The stadium was built in 1997. It was most recently the home of the Rookie-league GCL Braves, until they moved to CoolToday Park in North Port.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eduardo Morlan</span> Baseball player

Eduardo Morlan Del Rio is a Cuban minor league baseball pitcher who is a free agent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Montoyo</span> Puerto Rican baseball player and manager (born 1965)

José Carlos Montoyo Díaz is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball second baseman and coach. He is currently the bench coach of the Chicago White Sox, and was previously the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte Stone Crabs</span> Minor league baseball team

The Charlotte Stone Crabs were a Minor League Baseball team located in Port Charlotte, Florida, from 2009 to 2020. They competed in the Florida State League (FSL) as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball (MLB) team. They played their home games at Charlotte Sports Park and were named for the Florida stone crab, which is indigenous to the Charlotte County region.

Orlando, Florida has a history of major events in sports. It has had a considerable measure of success in minor league sports as well, with teams winning several minor league championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesús Feliciano</span> Puerto Rican baseball coach and former player

Jesús Feliciano is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder and coach. He was most recently the first base coach for the Los Angeles Angels of the Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the New York Mets.

The Montgomery Rebels was the name of several American minor league baseball franchises representing Montgomery, Alabama, playing in various leagues between 1912 and 1980. Rebels was the predominant nickname of the Montgomery teams, but it was not the original moniker, and it was one of several used by the city's 20th century professional baseball teams, which began play in organized baseball in 1903. Others included the Billikens, Bombers, Capitals, Climbers, Grays, Lambs, Lions and Senators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darin Downs</span> American baseball pitcher (born 1984)

Darin Burton Downs is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros, and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions and Lamigo Monkeys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Field</span> American baseball player

John David Field is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played one season in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins in 2018.

The Southern League All-Star Game was an annual baseball game sanctioned by Minor League Baseball between professional players from the teams of the Double-A Southern League. Each division, North and South, fielded a team composed of players in their respective divisions as voted on by the managers, general managers, and broadcasters from each of the league's eight clubs.

References

  1. 1 2 Reichard, Kevin (May 4, 2017). "Lou DiBella/Montgomery Biscuits Era Begins". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Front Office". Montgomery Biscuits. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-09-23. Retrieved 2013-09-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  5. ↑ "2021 Double-A South". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  6. ↑ Heneghan, Kelsie (July 1, 2021). "Playoffs Return to the Minor Leagues". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  7. ↑ Sheehan, Stephanie (September 26, 2021). "Rangel Steers Braves to Double-A South Crown". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Postseason All-Stars". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  10. ↑ Meet Big Mo!
  11. ↑ Orlando Rays
  12. ↑ Biscuits’ mascot Miss Gravy to retire to Wetumpka
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.