Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
{{short description|American independent baseball league}}
{{redirect|Atlantic League}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title = Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
| logo = Atlantic League of Professional Baseball logo.svg
| pixels = 150px
| current_season = 2025 Atlantic League season
| sport = Baseball
| classification = Independent baseball
| founded = 1998
| teams = 10
| country = United States
| champion = York Revolution (2024)
| most_champs = Somerset Patriots (6)
| website = {{URL|atlanticleague.com}}
}}
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League{{cite news |title=Indy Atlantic League designated MLB Partner League |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2020/09/23/indy-atlantic-league-designated-mlb-partner-league/ |access-date=October 2, 2020 |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publishing |date=September 23, 2020}}{{cite news |title=American Association, Frontier League now MLB Partner Leagues |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2020/09/24/american-association-frontier-league-now-mlb-partner-leagues/ |access-date=October 2, 2020 |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publishing |date=September 24, 2020}} based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are located at Penn Medicine Park in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
The Atlantic League operates in cities not served by Major League Baseball (MLB) or Minor League Baseball (MiLB) teams; most of its teams are within suburbs and exurbs too close to other teams in the organized baseball system to have minor league franchises of their own. The Atlantic League requires cities to have the market for a 4,000 to 7,500-seat ballpark and for the facility to be maintained at or above Triple-A standards.{{cite web | title=Atlantic League Market Requirements | work=Atlantic League of Professional Baseball | url=http://www.atlanticleague.com/about.html | access-date=May 6, 2006| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060502073844/http://www.atlanticleague.com/about.html| archive-date= May 2, 2006 | url-status= live}} When Atlantic League professionals are signed by MLB clubs, they usually start in their Double-A or Triple-A affiliates.{{cite news|last1=Walk|first1=John|date=May 18, 2012|url=http://ydtalk.com/revs/?p=1532|title=Ian Thomas earns first affiliated contract|work=The York Dispatch|access-date=July 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821184525/http://ydtalk.com/revs/?p=1532|archive-date=August 21, 2016|url-status=dead}}
The league uses a pitch clock and limits the time between innings in an effort to speed up the game.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jerrybeach/2018/07/13/for-the-atlantic-league-the-all-star-game-is-all-about-its-amazing-balancing-act/|title=For the Atlantic League, the All-Star Game is All About Its Amazing Balancing Act|first=Jerry|last=Beach|work=Forbes|date=July 13, 2018|access-date=September 1, 2018}} In 2019, the Atlantic League began a three-year partnership with Major League Baseball allowing MLB to implement changes to Atlantic League playing rules, in order to observe the effects of potential future rule changes and equipment.{{cite news |title=MLB to Test Experimental Rules, Equipment in Atlantic League |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2019/02/26/mlb-to-test-experimental-rules-equipment-in-atlantic-league/ |access-date=February 28, 2019 |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publishing |date=February 26, 2019}} In 2020, the Atlantic League, together with the American Association, the Frontier League, and the Pioneer League, expanded this agreement to become an official MLB Partner League.
The Atlantic League is generally regarded as the most successful and highest level of baseball among independent leagues, and is comparable to the Double-A level. The Atlantic League has had more marquee players than any other independent league, including Jose Canseco, Mat Latos, Steve Lombardozzi Jr., Francisco Rodríguez, Chien-Ming Wang, Roger Clemens, Rich Hill, Scott Kazmir, Juan González, and Dontrelle Willis. Two former Atlantic League players are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Tim Raines and Rickey Henderson. Gary Carter, another Hall of Famer, managed in the league. The Atlantic League has had many notable managers and coaches, including Wally Backman, Frank Viola, Tommy John, Sparky Lyle, and Bud Harrelson. The Atlantic League has consistently posted higher per game and per season attendance numbers than other independent circuits such the American Association, Frontier League and Pioneer League.{{cite web|last1=Knight|first1=Graham|title=Independent Leagues 2014 Attendance|url=http://www.baseballpilgrimages.com/attendance/independent-leagues-2014.html|access-date=July 11, 2015|website=BaseballPilgrimages.com}}{{cite news|last1=Recihard|first1=Kevin|date=September 16, 2013|title=2013 Independent Attendance by League|work=Ballpark Digest|url=http://ballparkdigest.com/201309166632/attendance/news/2013-independent-attendance-by-league|access-date=July 11, 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Reichard|first1=Kevin|date=September 24, 2012|title=2012 Independent Attendance by League|work=Ballpark Digest|url=http://ballparkdigest.com/201209245606/attendance/news/2012-independent-attendance-by-league|access-date=July 11, 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Reichard|first1=Kevin|date=September 19, 2011|title=2011 Independent Average Attendance by League|work=Ballpark Digest|url=http://ballparkdigest.com/201109194206/attendance/news/2011-independent-average-attendance-by-league|access-date=July 11, 2015}}
History
In 1998, the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball played its inaugural season, with teams in Bridgewater, Newark, and Atlantic City, New Jersey; Nashua, New Hampshire; Newburgh, New York; and Bridgeport, Connecticut. The creation of the league was the result of the New York Mets' objection to Frank Boulton's proposal to move the former Albany-Colonie Yankees because of its territorial rights to the region. Boulton, a Long Island, New York native, decided to create a new league that would have a higher salary cap for its players and a longer season than most of the other independent baseball organizations. He modeled the Atlantic League after the older Pacific Coast League, with facilities that exceed AAA-level standards. Boulton also emphasized signing players of Major League Baseball experience for all Atlantic League teams, raising the level of play above other independent leagues.
In 2010, the league announced that it would be expanding to Sugar Land, Texas and adding its first franchise not located in an Atlantic coast state.{{cite news|last1=Reichard|first1=Kevin|title=Atlantic League to expand to Sugar Land|url=http://ballparkdigest.com/201005172772/independent-baseball/features/atlantic-league-to-expand-to-sugar-land|access-date=July 11, 2015|work=Ballpark Digest|date=May 17, 2010}} The Sugar Land Skeeters began play in 2012. In 2010, amid financial struggles, the Newark Bears moved from the Atlantic League to the Can-Am League, leaving the Bridgeport Bluefish and Somerset Patriots as the only teams remaining from the league's inaugural season.{{cite news|last1=Reichard|first1=Kevin|title=It's official: Bears to Can-Am Association|url=http://ballparkdigest.com/201010063169/independent-baseball/news/its-official-bears-to-can-am-association|access-date=July 11, 2015|work=Ballpark Digest|date=October 6, 2010}} In the summer of 2013, then-ALPB President Frank Boulton announced that he would be resigning so that he could devote more time to operating the Long Island Ducks. He was replaced by longtime high-ranking Major League Baseball executive Rick White.{{cite news|last1=Merrill|first1=Everett|title=Atlantic League's New President Wants To Innovate|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/atlantic-leagues-new-president-wants-to-innovate/|access-date=July 11, 2015|work=Baseball America|date=February 5, 2014}} On July 8, 2015, the Atlantic League began using Rawlings baseballs with red and blue seams, virtually unused in the sport since the American League swapped the blue in their seams for red in 1934.{{cite news|last1=Fagan|first1=Ryan|title=Atlantic League set to introduce red, white and blue baseballs|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2015-06-30/atlantic-league-red-white-blue-baseballs-stitching-historic|access-date=July 11, 2015|work=Sporting News|date=June 30, 2015|archive-date=July 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712124712/http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2015-06-30/atlantic-league-red-white-blue-baseballs-stitching-historic|url-status=dead}}
On September 1, 2015, the Atlantic League announced conditional approval for an expansion team or a relocated team to play in New Britain, Connecticut for the 2016 season.{{cite news|url=http://www.myrecordjournal.com/sports/latestsports/7711075-129/new-britain-gains-atlantic-league-ok.html|title=New Britain gains Atlantic League OK|work=Record-Journal|date=September 1, 2015|access-date=September 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905070456/http://www.myrecordjournal.com/sports/latestsports/7711075-129/new-britain-gains-atlantic-league-ok.html|archive-date=September 5, 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Baseball-Will-Likely-Return-to-New-Britain-Next-Season-323755511.html|title=Baseball Will Likely Return to New Britain Next Season|work=NBC Connecticut|date=September 1, 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://connecticut.cbslocal.com/2015/09/01/conditional-deal-for-baseball-in-new-britain-in-2016/|title=Conditional Deal For Baseball In New Britain In 2016|work=CBS Connecticut|date=September 1, 2015|access-date=September 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903000143/http://connecticut.cbslocal.com/2015/09/01/conditional-deal-for-baseball-in-new-britain-in-2016/|archive-date=September 3, 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.atlanticleague.com/about/press-releases/?article_id=296|title=New Britain Conditionally Approved to Begin Atlantic League Play in 2016|work=Atlantic League Professional Baseball: Newswire|date=September 1, 2015}} On October 21, 2015, the Camden Riversharks announced they would cease operations immediately due to the inability to reach an agreement on lease terms with the owner of Campbell's Field, the Camden County Improvement Authority.{{cite web|url=http://www.atlanticleague.com/about/press-releases/index.html?article_id=361|title=Riversharks Baseball Ceases Operation; Team Not Offered New Lease|work=Atlantic League Professional Baseball: Newswire|date=October 22, 2015}} The team was replaced by the New Britain Bees for the 2016 season.{{cite news|url=http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-new-britain-riversharks-1023-20151022-story.html|title=Atlantic League Baseball: Camden Is Out, New Britain Is In|first1=Don|last1=Stacom|work=Hartford Courant|date=October 22, 2015|access-date=October 23, 2015}} On May 29, 2016, Jennie Finch was the guest manager for the league's Bridgeport Bluefish, thus becoming the first woman to manage a professional baseball team.{{cite news|last=Eisenberg |first=Matt |url=https://www.espn.com/espnw/culture/the-buzz/story/_/id/15809795/guest-manager-jennie-finch-leads-bridgeport-bluefish-win |title=Guest manager Jennie Finch leads Bridgeport Bluefish to win |work=Espn.go.com |date=May 29, 2016 |access-date=May 31, 2016}}
Shortly before the conclusion of the 2017 season, the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut voted to not continue with professional baseball in the city and announced plans to convert The Ballpark at Harbor Yard into a music amphitheater; the Bridgeport Bluefish announced plans to relocate to High Point, North Carolina in 2019 when the construction of a new multipurpose facility in High Point is completed.{{cite news|title=End Of An Era: Bluefish Will Be Moving From Bridgeport To North Carolina|url=http://bridgeport.dailyvoice.com/sports/end-of-an-era-bluefish-will-be-moving-from-bridgeport-to-north-carolina/721142/|access-date=December 27, 2017|work=Daily Voice|date=September 10, 2017|location=Bridgeport, Connecticut}} League officials announced the return of the Pennsylvania Road Warriors, an all road game team, to keep the league at an even eight teams while the Bluefish go inactive for the 2018 season.{{cite web|url=http://atlanticleague.com/about/newswire/index.html?article_id=860|title=2018 Atlantic League Schedule Announced|website=atlanticleague.com|access-date=December 27, 2017|date=October 23, 2017|archive-date=December 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227122235/http://atlanticleague.com/about/newswire/index.html?article_id=860|url-status=dead}}
In 2015, the Atlantic League experienced a watershed moment for independent baseball when it signed a formal agreement with Major League Baseball which put into writing the rules which the ALPB would follow in selling its players' contracts to MLB clubs and their affiliates. This marked the first time that MLB, which has enjoyed a U.S. Supreme Court-granted antitrust exemption since 1922, had made any formal agreement with or acknowledgment of an independent baseball league.{{cite news|last1=Cooper|first1=J.J.|title=MLB, Atlantic League Sign Player Transfer Agreement|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/mlb-atlantic-league-sign-player-transfer-agreement/|access-date=July 11, 2015|work=Baseball America|date=May 15, 2015}}
=2020s=
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced that it would be unable to operate for the 2020 season with the current 8-member ballclubs, thereby canceling its season.{{Cite web|title=Independent Atlantic League cancels season due to virus|url=https://apnews.com/0aff8aa0f137ab7b3a081993bcd71b2b|date=June 19, 2020|website=AP NEWS|access-date=June 20, 2020}} Several teams (Somerset, York, and Lancaster) did not gain the necessary approval from governmental and health officials to open their ballparks to the capacity level necessary for competition.{{cite web|url=http://atlanticleague.com/news/?article_id=1429|title=Atlantic League Clubs Announce Updated 2020 Plans|work=atlanticleague.com|access-date=June 20, 2020|archive-date=June 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621162043/http://www.atlanticleague.com/news/?article_id=1429|url-status=dead}} They used their stadiums to host recreational and community-based events, as well as local baseball activities where allowed. Meanwhile, the Long Island Ducks, High Point Rockers, and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs initially attempted to partner with teams from other leagues to play a 70-game season from mid-July through the end of September. However, due to ongoing restrictions and capacity limitations, they ultimately decided to suspend all baseball activities for the 2020 season. The only team that played in 2020 was the Sugar Land Skeeters, who would create a new 4-team independent league in Texas, with all 60 games played at Constellation Field, and the Somerset Patriots, who played weekend games with a second squad called the New Jersey Blasters.{{cite web|title=Skeeters Intend to Host Four-Team Pro Baseball League at Constellation Field|url=https://www.sugarlandskeeters.com/news/skeeters-intend-to-host-four-team-pro-baseball-league-at-constellation-field|website=sugarlandskeeters.com|date=June 13, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.somersetpatriots.com/news/index.html?article_id=4356|title=Somerset Patriots Series Brings Baseball To Sellout Crowds And Community|date=August 26, 2020|access-date=November 17, 2020}}
In July 2020, the league announced the addition of a new franchise in Gastonia, North Carolina beginning in 2021; it is the league's second team based in North Carolina.{{cite web |url=http://atlanticleague.com/news/?article_id=1452 |title=Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Expands to City of Gastonia, NC |work=AtlanticLeague.com |date=July 28, 2020 |access-date=July 28, 2020 |archive-date=July 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728144351/http://atlanticleague.com/news/?article_id=1452 |url-status=dead }}
In November 2020, the Atlantic League lost its last charter franchise and its westernmost franchise when both teams became official minor league affiliates. On November 7, the Somerset Patriots announced that they were leaving the league to join the MLB-affiliated Eastern League, where they will replace the Trenton Thunder as the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees.{{cite web|url=https://somersetpatriots.com/news/?article_id=4381|title=The Somerset Patriots Are The New York Yankees Double-A Affiliate |work=somersetpatriots.com|date=November 7, 2020}} Approximately two weeks later, the Houston Astros announced that they had purchased a controlling stake in the Sugar Land Skeeters and, as a result, the Skeeters would become the Astros' Triple-A affiliate and join the Pacific Coast League.{{cite news |last1=Rome |first1=Chandler |title=Astros officially make Sugar Land Skeeters the Triple-A affiliate |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/Astros-official-Sugar-Land-Skeeters-AAA-affiliate-15742565.php |work=Houston Chronicle |date=November 20, 2020}}
On February 18, 2021, the league announced the addition of the Lexington Legends, previously the Class A South Atlantic League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, for the 2021 season.{{Cite web |date=February 18, 2021 |title=Atlantic League Welcomes Lexington Legends |url=https://atlanticleague.com/news/?article_id=1520 |access-date=February 18, 2021 |website=AtlanticLeague.com |archive-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218184229/https://www.atlanticleague.com/news/?article_id=1520 |url-status=dead }} The Charleston Dirty Birds, formerly the West Virginia Power of the South Atlantic League, announced their move to the league on February 24, 2021.{{Cite web |title=Power announces new league, ownership for 2021 |url=https://www.milb.com/news/power-announces-new-league-ownership-for-2021 |access-date=February 24, 2021 |date=February 24, 2021 |website=Minor League Baseball |language=en}}
On September 1, 2021, the league announced the addition of a new Hagerstown, Maryland franchise with the intent to begin play in 2023 pending ballpark construction.{{Cite news |first=Keith |last=Schweigert |date=September 1, 2021 |title=New baseball team in Hagerstown, MD will join the Atlantic League in 2023 |url=https://www.fox43.com/article/sports/baseball/new-baseball-team-in-hagerstown-md-will-join-the-atlantic-league-in-2023/521-0e0a8d4b-8700-44d7-8a95-431bd4108852 |access-date=October 19, 2023 |work=WPMT |language=en-US}} In 2022 it was announced that the team wouldn't begin play until 2024 due to construction delays.{{Cite news |last=McMillon |first=Dave |date=March 1, 2022 |title=New Hagerstown baseball stadium expected to be completed in 2024 |work=The Herald-Mail |publisher=Herald-Mail Media |location=Hagerstown, Maryland |url=https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/story/news/2022/03/01/new-hagerstown-baseball-stadium-expected-completed-2024/6895016001/ |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=October 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220301145053/https://eu.heraldmailmedia.com/story/news/2022/03/01/new-hagerstown-baseball-stadium-expected-completed-2024/6895016001/ |archive-date=March 1, 2022}}
In 2022, Kelsie Whitmore signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League, and started a game for them in left field; this made her the first woman to start an Atlantic League game.{{cite news |last=Adams |first=Cindy |url=https://nypost.com/2022/04/11/welcome-whitmore-this-woman-is-making-baseball-history-in-nyc/ |title=Welcome Whitmore — This woman is making baseball history in NYC |newspaper=New York Post |date=April 11, 2022 |access-date=May 3, 2022}}{{cite news |last=Axisa |first=Mike |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/kelsie-whitmore-becomes-first-woman-to-start-game-in-atlantic-league-of-professional-baseball/ |title=Kelsie Whitmore becomes first woman to start game in Atlantic League of Professional Baseball |work=CBSSports.com |date=May 1, 2022 |access-date=May 3, 2022}} Later that year she became the first woman to pitch in an Atlantic League game when she made her first pitching appearance for Staten Island; entering the game with the bases loaded and two outs, she retired Ryan Jackson, a former major leaguer, on a fly out to end the inning.{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/kelsie-whitmore-first-woman-to-pitch-in-atlantic-league |title=Kelsie Whitmore makes history pitching for FerryHawks |first=Manny |last=Randhawa |website=MLB.com |date=May 4, 2022 |access-date=May 4, 2022}}
On July 20, 2023, the Hagerstown team announced that they would be named the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars.{{Cite news |last=McMillon |first=Dave |date=July 20, 2023 |title=Hagerstown Flying Boxcars to be the name of new Atlantic League baseball team |work=The Herald-Mail |publisher=Herald-Mail Media |location=Hagerstown, Maryland |url=https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/story/news/local/2023/07/20/hagerstown-baseball-team-selects-fairchild-aircraft-for-its-name-flying-boxcars/70434475007/ |url-status=live |access-date=October 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721003236/https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/story/news/local/2023/07/20/hagerstown-baseball-team-selects-fairchild-aircraft-for-its-name-flying-boxcars/70434475007/ |archive-date=July 21, 2023}} In September 2023 it was announced that Spire City Ghost Hounds would be on hiatus during the 2024 season due to the league now having an odd number of teams with the addition of the Hagerstown franchise. The team was set to return for the 2025 season;{{Cite web |last=Reichard |first=Kevin |date=September 23, 2023 |title=Ghost Hounds to sit out 2024 season |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2023/09/23/ghost-hounds-to-sit-out-2024-season/ |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |access-date=October 19, 2023 |language=en-US}} however, the Ghost Hounds were not listed on the 2025 season schedule and would later announce an intent to return in 2026 based on the Atlantic League's plans for expansion.{{cite web |title=Atlantic League announces 2025 schedule |url=https://atlanticleague.com/atlantic-league-announces-2025-schedule/ |website=Atlantic League of Professional Baseball |access-date=October 10, 2024 |date=October 8, 2024}}{{cite press release|url=https://goghosthounds.com/ghost-hounds-to-extend-hiatus-through-2025/|title=Ghost Hounds to Extend Hiatus through 2025|date=October 15, 2024|publisher=Spire City Ghost Hounds}}
On November 22, 2023, the Atlantic League terminated the membership of the Gastonia Honey Hunters, citing significant unpaid debts to the league. Rick White, president of the Atlantic League, confirmed that the Honey Hunters were terminated, but said that the Atlantic League intended to field a team in Gastonia in 2024.{{Cite web |last=Fohner |first=Kara |date=November 22, 2023 |title=More trouble for Gastonia's Honey Hunters |url=https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/local/2023/11/22/honey-hunters-terminated-from-atlantic-league/71678663007/|work=The Gaston Gazette |publisher=Gannett Company |access-date=November 23, 2023}} In February 2024, the league named Zawyer Sports & Entertainment as the new owners for the 2024 season with the team name, Gastonia Ghost Peppers, announced in October 2024.{{cite news |first=Kevin |last=Reichard |title=Zawyer Sports & Entertainment in place for Gastonia ownership |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2024/02/07/zawyer-sports-entertainment-in-place-for-gastonia-ownership/ |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |access-date=February 7, 2024 |date=February 7, 2024}}{{cite news |first1=Cassidy |last1=Johncox |first2=Connor |last2=Lomis |url=https://www.wbtv.com/2024/10/16/gastonia-baseball-club-announces-new-team-name-see-it-here/ |title=Gastonia Baseball Club announces new team name: See it here |work=WBTV |access-date=October 16, 2024 |date=October 16, 2024}} The Gastonia Ghost Peppers played their first game on April 25, 2024, a 3–2 loss to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.{{cite web |title=Gastonia Drops Season Opener 3-2 |url=https://www.gastoniabaseballclub.com/gastonia-drops-season-opener-3-2 |website=Gastonia Baseball Club |access-date=May 20, 2024 |date=April 26, 2024}}
=Experimental rules=
== 2019 ==
In March 2019, the Atlantic League and Major League Baseball reached agreement to test multiple rule changes during the 2019 Atlantic League season:{{cite news |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-apos-experimental-rule-changes-173109627.html |title=MLB's Experimental Rule Changes for 2019 Atlantic League Include Moving Mound Back, Banning Shifts |first=Tristan |last=Jung |website=Yahoo! Sports |date=March 8, 2019 |access-date=November 14, 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- Use of a radar tracking system to assist umpires in calling balls and strikes
- Reducing the time between half innings by 20 seconds, from 2 minutes 5 seconds to 1:45
- Requiring pitchers to face at least three batters
- Exceptions: side is retired or injury
- Banning mound visits
- Exceptions: pitching change or for medical issues
- Restricting infield shifts
- Two infielders must be positioned on each side of second base
- Increasing the size of bases from {{convert|15|in|cm}} to {{convert|18|in|cm}}
- The size of home plate is not altered
- Moving the pitching rubber on the pitcher's mound back {{convert|24|in|cm}}
- This change would have taken effect in the second half of the season
In April 2019, implementation of two of the changes was delayed:{{cite news |url=https://www.closecallsports.com/2019/04/mlb-delays-atlantic-league-robo-ump.html |title=MLB Delays Atlantic League Robo Ump Experiment |website=Close Call Sports |date=April 10, 2019 |access-date=April 10, 2019}}
- The tracking system for calling balls and strikes "will be implemented gradually over the course of the 2019 season"
- Moving the pitching rubber back will not occur until the second half of the 2020 Atlantic League season; this rule change was never implemented.
The tracking system for calling balls and strikes was introduced at the league's all-star game on July 10.{{cite news |url=https://lancasteronline.com/sports/baseball/mlb/robot-umpires-debut-in-independent-atlantic-league/article_9d5cb9fe-902d-52d4-b8a9-9ba4e596f464.html |title="Robot umpires" debut in independent Atlantic League |first=Rob |last=Maaddi |agency=AP |website=lancasteronline.com |date=July 10, 2019 |access-date=July 11, 2019 |archive-date=July 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711051920/https://lancasteronline.com/sports/baseball/mlb/robot-umpires-debut-in-independent-atlantic-league/article_9d5cb9fe-902d-52d4-b8a9-9ba4e596f464.html |url-status=dead }} In addition to rule changes noted above, additional changes being implemented for the second half of the league's 2019 season are:{{cite news |url=https://www.closecallsports.com/2019/07/atlantic-league-debuts-new-rules-e-zone.html |title=Atlantic League Debuts New Rules, E-Zone |first=Gil |last=Imber |website=Close Call Sports & Umpire Ejection Fantasy League |date=July 10, 2019 |access-date=July 11, 2019}}
- Pitchers required to step off rubber to attempt pickoff
- One foul bunt permitted with two strikes
- Batters may "steal" first base
- "Any pitched ball not caught by the catcher shall be subject to the same baserunning rules for the batter as an uncaught third strike, with the exception of the first base occupied with less than two out exclusion."
- "Check swings" more batter-friendly
- "In making his ruling, the base umpire should determine whether the batter's wrists 'rolled over' during an attempt to strike at the ball and, if not, call the pitch a ball."
==2021==
The Atlantic League and MLB jointly announced that the former would adopt several additional experimental rules for the 2021 season:{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31256639/mlb-atlantic-league-experiment-moving-back-mound-double-hook-dh |title=MLB to have Atlantic League experiment with moving back mound, 'double-hook' DH |first=Jesse |last=Rogers |website=ESPN.com |date=April 14, 2021 |access-date=April 25, 2021}}
- The automated ball-strike calling system introduced for 2019 remains in use, but has been tweaked. The strike zone, which had been a three-dimensional space above home plate in 2019, changed to a two-dimensional space measured at the front of home plate.
- A "double-hook" rule is in force for the entire season. Under this rule, once a team removes its starting pitcher, it loses the right to use a designated hitter for the rest of the game.
- During the second half of the season (starting on August 3), the pitcher's rubber was moved back {{convert|1|ft|cm}}, making the distance between the front edge of the rubber to the rear point of home plate {{convert|61|ft|6|in|m}}.
- The player salaries was raised to a minimum of $13,800 per year.{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=J. J. |date=2024-05-08 |title=How Much Are Minor League Baseball Players Paid In 2024? |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/how-much-are-minor-league-baseball-players-paid-in-2024/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America |language=en-US}}
==2022==
In January 2022, the Atlantic League announced they would no longer be using the following rules for the 2022 season:{{cite news |last1=Golden |first1=Andrew |title=The Atlantic League, pioneer of the robo umps, will return to human umps in 2022 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/01/14/atlantic-league-robot-umpires/ |access-date=May 24, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 14, 2022}}
- The automated ball-strike system that was first introduced in 2019, would no longer be used to assist home plate umpires in making ball or strike decisions. While the Atlantic League discontinued the use of the system, MLB opted to use the system in Spring Training games and in Triple A for the 2022 season.
- The distance of the pitching rubber to home plate went back to its original length, 60 feet 6 inches, down from 61 feet 6 inches. The mound was first moved a foot back (from 60 feet 6 inches to 61 feet 6 inches) on August 3, 2021, half-way through the 2021 season.
In March 2022, the MLB announced modifications to the "double-hook" rule and reintroduced the "dropped pitch" rule for the 2023 season:{{Cite web |title=Experimental rules to be tested during 2022 Atlantic League season |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/experimental-rules-for-2022-atlantic-league-season |access-date=May 24, 2023 |date=March 15, 2022 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}
- The "double-hook" rule was modified so that clubs do not lose their designated hitter if their starting pitcher completes at least five innings.
- The "dropped pitch" rule allows batters to attempt to advance for first on any pitch not caught in the air by the catcher, even with a runner on first. Those that reach first base will be awarded a hit.
== 2023 ==
In April 2023, it was announced that the Atlantic League would be testing three rules for the 2023 season:{{Cite web |first=Anthony |last=Castrovince |title=MLB, Atlantic League team up for more experimental rules |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-atlantic-league-announce-rule-experiments-for-2023 |access-date=May 24, 2023 |date=April 18, 2023 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}
- The "designated pinch-runner" rule will have clubs designate a pinch runner that is not in the starting line up. That player can be substituted into the game at any point as a baserunner, but unlike typical substitutions the player that is substituted for as well as the pinch-runner will be allowed to return to the game with no penalty.
- Pitchers will be allowed only one disengagement per at-bat. Any additional disengagements will be counted as a balk unless an out is recorded.
- The "double-hook" rule will continue being used in its 2022 form.
== 2024 ==
- The player salaries was raised to a minimum of $30,250 per year.{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=J. J. |date=2023-03-29 |title=MLB, Minor League Players Reach Deal On First MiLB CBA |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mlb-minor-league-players-reach-deal-on-first-milb-cba/ |access-date=2025-02-23 |website=College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America |language=en-US}}
Teams
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Team
!Founded !Joined !City !Stadium !Capacity |
|---|
| style="background:#384793;" colspan=8 | North Division |
| Hagerstown Flying Boxcars
|style="text-align:center;" |2021 |style="text-align:center;" |2024 |style="text-align:center;" |5,500 |
| Lancaster Stormers
|style="text-align:center;" | 2003 |style="text-align:center;" | 2005 | align=center | 8,000 |
| Long Island Ducks
|style="text-align:center;" | 1998 |style="text-align:center;" | 2000 | Fairfield Properties Ballpark | align=center | 8,002 |
| Staten Island FerryHawks
| style="text-align:center;" | 2021 | style="text-align:center;" | 2022 | align="center" | 8,171 |
| York Revolution
|style="text-align:center;" | 2006 |style="text-align:center;" | 2007 | align=center | 7,500 |
| colspan="8" style="background:#D3373B;" | South Division |
| Charleston Dirty Birds
| style="text-align:center;" | 1987 | style="text-align:center;" | 2021 | align="center" | 4,500 |
| Gastonia Ghost Peppers
| style="text-align:center;" | 2024 | style="text-align:center;" | 2024 | align="center" | 5,000 |
| High Point Rockers
| style="text-align:center;" | 2018 | style="text-align:center;" | 2019 | align="center" | 8,500 |
| Lexington Legends
| style="text-align:center;" | 2001 | style="text-align:center;" | 2021 | align="center" | 9,994 |
| Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
|style="text-align:center;" | 2006 |style="text-align:center;" | 2008 | align="center" | 6,200 |
| style="background:orange;" colspan=8 | Hiatus |
| Spire City Ghost Hounds
|style="text-align:center;" | 2022 |style="text-align:center;" | 2023 | Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium | align=center | 5,400 |
= Map of teams =
{{OSM Location map
| nolabels = 1
| coord = {{coord|38.280|-78.310}}
| zoom = 6
| width = 600
| height = 500| caption = {{hlist
| 11px North Division
| 11px South Division
| 11px Hiatus
}}
| mark1 = blue pog.svg|shape-color1 = blue| label1 = Flying Boxcars| mark-title1=Hagerstown Flying Boxcars| mark-coord1 = {{coord|39.642|-77.720}}| label-pos1 = left| label-color1 = black
| mark2 = blue pog.svg|shape-color2 = blue| label2 = Stormers| mark-title2=Lancaster Stormers| mark-coord2 = {{coord|40.038|-76.306}}| label-pos2 = right| label-color2 = black
| mark3 = blue pog.svg|shape-color3 = blue| label3 = Ducks| mark-title3=Long Island Ducks| mark-coord3 = {{coord|40.791|-73.202}}| label-pos3 = top| label-color3 = black
| mark4 = blue pog.svg|shape-color4 = blue| label4 = FerryHawks| mark-title4=Staten Island FerryHawks| mark-coord4 = {{coord|40.575|-74.136}}| label-pos4 = bottom| label-color4 = black
| mark5 = blue pog.svg|shape-color5 = blue| label5 = Revolution| mark-title5=York Revolution| mark-coord5 = {{coord|39.960|-76.735}}| label-pos5 = left| label-color5 = black
| mark6 = red pog.svg|shape-color6 = red| label6 = Dirty Birds| mark-title6=Charleston Dirty Birds| mark-coord6 = {{coord|38.351|-81.638}}| label-pos6 = right| label-color6 = black
| mark7 = red pog.svg|shape-color7 = red| label7 = Ghost Peppers| mark-title7=Gastonia Ghost Peppers| mark-coord7 = {{coord|35.262|-81.187}}| label-pos7 = left| label-color7 = black
| mark8 = red pog.svg|shape-color8 = red| label8 = Rockers| mark-title8=High Point Rockers| mark-coord8 = {{coord|35.956|-80.005}}| label-pos8 = right| label-color8 = black
| mark9 = red pog.svg|shape-color9 = red| label9 = Legends| mark-title9=Lexington Legends| mark-coord9 = {{coord|38.046|-84.497}}| label-pos9 = right| label-color9 = black
| mark10 = red pog.svg|shape-color10 = red| label10 = Blue Crabs| mark-title10=Southern Maryland Blue Crabs| mark-coord10 = {{coord|38.641|-76.898}}| label-pos10 = bottom| label-color10 = black
| mark11 = orange pog.svg|shape-color11 = orange| label11 = Ghost Hounds| mark-title11=Spire City Ghost Hounds| mark-coord11 = {{coord|39.414|-77.411}}| label-pos11 = right| label-color11 = black
|float = left}}
{{Clear}}
=League timeline=
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
ImageSize = width:1200 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2025
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:20 left:20 bottom:50 top:5 #> to display a count on left side of graph, use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20"<#
Colors = id:barcolor
id:line value:pink
id:bg value:white
id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a current league member
id:Other value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another current league
id:Future value:rgb(0.565,0.933,0.565) # Use color for a proposed new team/relocation
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2006 text:Atlantic City Surf (1998–2006)
bar:1 color:Other from:01/01/2007 till:12/31/2008
bar:2 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2018 text:Bridgeport Bluefish (1998–2017)
bar:3 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2005 text:Nashua Pride (1998–2005)
bar:3 color:Other from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2011
bar:4 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2010 text:Newark Bears (1998–2010)
bar:4 color:Other from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2013
bar:5 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2001 text:Newburgh/Lehigh Valley Black Diamonds (1998–2001)
bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2002 till:12/31/2004 text:Pennsylvania Road Warriors (2002–2004)
bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2007 shift: 50 text:Road Warriors (2006–2007, 2011, 2018, 2020)
bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2011
bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2018
bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2020 till:12/31/2020
bar:7 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2020 text:Somerset Patriots (1998–2020)
bar:7 color:Other from:01/01/2021 till:end
bar:8 color:Full from:01/01/2000 till:12/31/2000 text:Aberdeen Arsenal (2000)
bar:9 color:Full from:01/01/2000 till:end text:Long Island Ducks (2000–present)
bar:10 color:Full from:01/01/2001 till:10/21/2015 text:Camden Riversharks (2001–2015)
bar:11 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:end text:Lancaster Barnstormers (2005–present)
bar:12 color:Full from:01/01/2007 till:end text:York Revolution (2007–present)
bar:13 color:Full from:01/01/2008 till:end text:Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (2008–present)
bar:14 color:Full from:01/01/2012 till:12/31/2020 text:Sugar Land Skeeters (2012–2020)
bar:14 color:Other from:01/01/2021 till:end
bar:15 color:Full from:01/01/2016 till:10/28/2019 text:New Britain Bees (2016–2019)
bar:15 color:Other from:10/29/2019 till:end
bar:16 color:Full from:01/01/2019 till:end text:High Point Rockers (2019–present)
bar:17 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:11/22/2023 text:Gastonia Honey Hunters (2021–2023)
bar:18 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:end text:Lexington Legends (2021–present)
bar:19 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:end text:Charleston Dirty Birds (2021–present)
bar:20 color:Full from:01/01/2022 till:end text:Staten Island FerryHawks (2022–present)
bar:21 color:Full from:01/01/2022 till:12/31/2022 text:Wild Health Genomes (2022)
bar:22 color:Full from:01/01/2023 till:12/31/2023 text:Spire City Ghost Hounds (2023)
bar:23 color:Full from:01/01/2024 till:end text:Hagerstown Flying Boxcars (2024–present)
bar:24 color:Full from:01/01/2024 till:end text:Gastonia Ghost Peppers (2024–present)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/1998
TextData =
fontsize:L
textcolor:black
pos:(0,30) tabs:(400-center)
text:^"Atlantic League Timeline"
- > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space. {{Font color||{{RGB|190|186|218}}|League members}} {{Font color||{{RGB|255|255|179}}|Moved to another league}} <#
{{Font color||{{RGB|190|186|218}}|League members}} {{Font color||{{RGB|255|255|179}}|Moved to another league}}
=Former teams=
==Proposed teams that never played==
| class="wikitable"
!Team !City !Stadium !Planned start |
| Bergen Cliff Hawks
|2000–2011 |
| Loudoun Hounds
|2012–2016 |
| Virginia Beach Neptunes
|2016–2017 |
Championship Series
The ALPB Championship Series is played as a best-of-five. Numbers in parentheses denote the number of championships won by a team to that point, when more than one.
All-Star Games
{{dagger}} Freedom Division won the 2019 game in a "homer-off" after the teams were tied at the end of nine innings.{{cite tweet |user=AtlanticLg |number=1149142203366858752 |title=Hometown hero Isaias Tejeda of the @YorkRevolution wins the 2019 Atlantic League All-Star Game in a homer-off after the teams were tied at three following nine innings!! Congratulations to the Freedom Division! |date=July 10, 2019 |access-date=July 11, 2019}}
League records
{{main|Atlantic League records}}
Major League Baseball players
Some Atlantic League players have come from, or advanced to, the higher ranks of Major League Baseball. Some have resurrected their careers and returned to the majors, while others played in the independent league during the start or end of their careers.{{cite web |url=https://atlanticleague.com/about-us/about-us|title=Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, About Us|access-date=April 21, 2021}} The following is a list of some of those players:
- Ruben Sierra - Played for the Atlantic City Surf in 1999 after more than a decade in MLB. Returned to the Texas Rangers in 2000 and named American League Comeback Player of the Year in 2001.
- Jose Canseco - Played for the Newark Bears in 2001 after a long MLB career. Returned to the majors for the Chicago White Sox.
- Tim Raines - Played for the Somerset Patriots briefly in 2000. Returned to the Montreal Expos in 2001.
- Carlos Baerga - Played for the Long Island Ducks in 2001. Returned to the Boston Red Sox in 2002.
- Rickey Henderson - Played for the Newark Bears in 2003 before signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Henderson then returned to the Newark Bears in 2004, his final season in the Atlantic League.
- Stephen Drew - Drafted in the first round in 2004 by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Played 19 games for the Camden Riversharks in 2005 before agreeing to terms with the Diamondbacks. Drew played for several major league teams and won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2013.
- Ross Detwiler - Drafted in the first round in 2007 by the Washington Nationals. Became a key member of Nationals' pitching staff in 2011 and 2012 and pitched well in the franchise's first playoff series since moving from Montreal. Bounced around several teams, then signed with the York Revolution in 2018. Called back to several MLB teams, including the Miami Marlins in 2021.
- Steve Lombardozzi Jr. - Drafted in the 19th round in 2008 by the Washington Nationals. Bounced around several teams, then signed with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in 2016. Advanced back to MLB later that year but did not play much and signed with the Long Island Ducks in 2019.
- Brandon Phillips - Drafted by the Montreal Expos in 2002. He went on to play 10 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds. In 2021, it was announced that he would join the Lexington Legends as a player and part-owner.{{Cite web|title=Lexington Legends Sign Future MLB Hall of Famer Brandon Phillips|url=https://www.milb.com/news/brandon-phillips-player-release|access-date=June 7, 2021|website=Minor League Baseball|language=en}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite news |url=https://deadspin.com/atlantic-league-batter-steals-first-makes-baseball-his-1836353576 |title=Atlantic League Batter Steals First, Makes Baseball History |first=Gabe |last=Fernandez |website=Deadspin |date=July 14, 2019 |access-date=July 14, 2019}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- {{Official website}}
- [https://atlanticleague.com/content/uploads/2024/04/2023-atlantic-league-archive-update.pdf Record Book, 1998-2023] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20240530182533/https://atlanticleague.com/content/uploads/2024/04/2023-atlantic-league-archive-update.pdf Archived version])
{{Atlantic League}}
{{Atlantic League stadiums}}
{{Professional Baseball}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Atlantic League Of Professional Baseball}}
Category:1998 establishments in the United States