Rocket City Trash Pandas
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Short description|Minor League Baseball team in Alabama}}
{{Infobox Minor League Baseball
| name = Rocket City Trash Pandas
| founded = 2020
| city = Madison, Alabama
| misc =
| logo = Rocket City Trash Pandas.svg
| uniformlogo =
| class level = Double-A (2020–present)
| past class level =
| current league = Southern League (2020–present)
| conference =
| division = North Division
| past league =
| majorleague = Los Angeles Angels (2020–present)
| pastmajorleague =
| nickname = Rocket City Trash Pandas (2020–present)
| pastnames =
| colors = Red, blue, gray, white, black
{{Color box|#EB3E45}} {{Color box|#2F77C4}} {{Color box|#BCBEC0}} {{Color box|#FFFFFF}} {{Color box|#1E191A}}
| ballpark = Toyota Field (2020–present)
| mascot = Sprocket
| pastparks =
| leaguenum = 0
| leaguechamps = none
| divnum = 0
| divisionchamps = none
| firsthalfnum = 1
| firsthalfchamps = {{hlist|2022}}
| secondhalfnum = 1
| secondhalfchamps = {{hlist|2022}}
| owner =
| manager = Andy Schatzley{{cite news |last1=Montgomery |first1=Charles |title=Trash Pandas announce Andy Schatzley as manager for 2022 season |url=https://www.waff.com/2022/02/25/trash-pandas-announce-andy-schatzley-manager-2022-season/ |access-date=March 24, 2022 |work=WAFF (TV) |date=February 25, 2022 |language=en}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.milb.com/rocket-city|milb.com/rocket-city}}
}}
The Rocket City Trash Pandas are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. They are located in Madison, Alabama, and play their home games at Toyota Field.{{Cite news |last=Gattis |first=Paul |url=https://www.al.com/news/2019/08/trash-pandas-release-2020-schedule-opening-vs-braves.html |title=Trash Pandas release 2020 schedule, opening vs. Braves |website=AL.com |date=August 1, 2019 |access-date=September 5, 2019}}
History
In November 2017, BallCorps LLC purchased the Southern League's Mobile BayBears from owners Michael Savit and HWS Group for the purpose of relocating the team to Madison, Alabama, in 2020.{{cite news |title=Mobile BayBears confirm sale, will play 2018 season at Hank Aaron Stadium |last=Stephenson |first=Creg |url=http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/11/mobile_baybears_confirm_sale_w.html |website=AL.com |date=November 9, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2017}}{{cite news |title=MiLB Approves Mobile BayBears Move to Madison |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2018/05/31/milb-approves-mobile-baybears-move-to-madison/ |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |date=May 30, 2018 |access-date=May 30, 2018}} Upon relocation, the team was renamed the Rocket City Trash Pandas.{{cite news |last=Ary |first=Patrick |title=Rocket City Trash Pandas chosen as new Madison baseball team's name |url=https://whnt.com/2018/09/05/rocket-city-trash-pandas-chosen-as-new-madison-baseball-teams-name/ |work=WHNT-TV |date=September 5, 2018 |access-date=September 5, 2018}} The name is a reference to both the area's association with the space industry, namely from Huntsville, and the determination and ingenuity of raccoons (which are native to the Huntsville area; "trash panda" is a slang nickname for the animal due to their facial resemblance to the panda and their tendency to dig through trash). In December 2019, Rocket City announced that it had sold more than $2 million in merchandise in just over 13 months since announcing its branding.{{cite news |title=Rocket City Trash Pandas Pass $2M Mark in Licensed Merchandise Sales |url=https://www.milb.com/rocket-city/news/rocket-city-trash-pandas-pass-2m-mark-in-licensed-merchandise-sales/c-312286700 |website=Rocket City Trash Pandas |publisher=Minor League Baseball |access-date=January 25, 2020 |language=en |date=December 23, 2019}}
The Trash Pandas were to begin their inaugural season on the road playing against the Birmingham Barons on April 9, 2020, and play their first home game on April 15; however, the start of the 2020 season was postponed before getting canceled on June 30 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,{{cite news |title=2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved |url=https://www.milb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-shelved |work=Minor League Baseball |date=June 30, 2020 |access-date=September 29, 2020}} pushing back their inaugural season by a year.
In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Southern League disbanded and the Trash Pandas were organized into the eight-team Double-A South.{{cite news |last=Mayo |first=Jonathan |title=MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/new-minor-league-baseball-structure |website=Major League Baseball |date=February 12, 2021 |access-date=February 12, 2021}} Their scheduled May 4, 2021, road opener was postponed due to inclement weather,{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/rocket-city/news/may-4-postponed |title=Trash Pandas Season Opener Rained Out |website=Rocket City Trash Pandas |publisher=Minor League Baseball |date=May 4, 2021 |access-date=May 5, 2021}} so they played their first game the next night against the Chattanooga Lookouts at AT&T Field in Chattanooga, Tennessee, losing 6–1.{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/gameday/trash-pandas-vs-lookouts/2021/05/05/644981#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=box,game=644981 |title=Trash Pandas vs. Lookouts Box Score 05/05/21 |website=Minor League Baseball |date=May 5, 2021 |access-date=May 5, 2021}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-historical-league-names-to-return-in-2022|title=Historical League Names to Return in 2022|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 16, 2022|access-date=March 16, 2022}} In June, the Trash Pandas won the first half North Division title to clinch a postseason playoff berth.{{cite news |last1=Chakamian |first1=Claudia |title=Rocket City Trash Pandas clinch playoff berth with first half division title |url=https://whnt.com/sports/rocket-city-trash-pandas-clinch-playoff-berth-with-first-half-division-title/ |access-date=June 24, 2022 |work=WHNT-TV |date=June 19, 2022}} Their first postseason appearance, the Trash Pandas fell to the Tennessee Smokies, 2–1, in the first round of the 2022 Southern League playoffs.{{Cite web |title=Trash Pandas Eliminated With 3-1 Loss |url=https://www.milb.com/news/september-23-2022-rctp-recap |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}} Manager Andy Schatzley was chosen for the Southern League Manager of the Year Award,{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/rocket-city/news/schatzley-torres-2022-southern-league-awards|title=Andy Schatzley, Eric Torres Earn Southern League Honors|website=Rocket City Trash Pandas|publisher=Minor League Baseball|date=November 8, 2022|access-date=November 8, 2022}} and Chase Silseth won the Southern League Pitcher of the Year Award.{{cite web|last=Terranova|first=Rob|url=https://www.milb.com/news/double-a-all-stars-mvp-top-prospect-2022|title=Double-A Award Winners and All-Stars|website=Minor League Baseball|date=November 8, 2022|access-date=November 8, 2022}}
Season-by-season results
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center;" | |||||||
| scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#EB3E45 5px solid; border-bottom:#005596 5px solid"|Season
!scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#EB3E45 5px solid; border-bottom:#005596 5px solid"|Record !scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#EB3E45 5px solid; border-bottom:#005596 5px solid"|Win % !scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#EB3E45 5px solid; border-bottom:#005596 5px solid"|League !scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#EB3E45 5px solid; border-bottom:#005596 5px solid"|Division !scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#EB3E45 5px solid; border-bottom:#005596 5px solid"|{{Abbr|GB|Games behind}} !scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#EB3E45 5px solid; border-bottom:#005596 5px solid"|Manager !scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#EB3E45 5px solid; border-bottom:#005596 5px solid"|Playoffs | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 2021
| 54–56 || .491 || 6th || 3rd || 4 || {{sortname|Jay|Bell}} || — | |||||||
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 2022
| 81–57 || .587 || 1st || 1st || — || {{sortname|Andy|Schatzley|nolink=1}} || Lost to Tennessee Smokies, 2–1, in semifinals | |||||||
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 2023
| 58–80 || .420 || 7th || 3rd || {{frac|17|1|2}} || {{sortname|Andy|Schatzley|nolink=1}} || — | |||||||
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 2024
| 61–75 || .449 || 7th || 3rd || {{frac|25|1|2}} || {{sortname|Andy|Schatzley|nolink=1}} || — | |||||||
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"| Totals | 254–268 | {{winpct|254|268}} | — | — | — | — | — |
Roster
{{Rocket City Trash Pandas roster}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official|https://www.milb.com/rocket-city}}
{{Los Angeles Angels}}
{{Southern League (baseball)}}
{{Alabama Sports}}
Category:Southern League (1964–present) teams
Category:Professional baseball teams in Alabama
Category:Baseball teams established in 2020
Category:2020 establishments in Alabama
Category:Los Angeles Angels minor league affiliates
Category:Raccoons in popular culture