The Carolina League of Minor League Baseball is a Single-A baseball league in the United States that began play in 1945. A league champion was determined at the end of each season by either postseason playoffs or being declared champion by the league office. As of 2019, the first-half and second-half winners in each division (Northern and Southern) competed in a best-of-five division series. Then, the Northern and Southern division winners played a best-of-five series to determine a league champion.[1]
The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[2] and the league ceased operations before the 2021 season in conjunction with Major League Baseball's (MLB) reorganization of Minor League Baseball.[3] In place of the Carolina League, MLB created the Low-A East, a 12-team circuit divided into three divisions.[4] Prior to the 2022 season, MLB renamed the Low-A Easr as the Carolina League, and it carried on the history of the league prior to reorganization.[5] In 2021, the Low-A East held a best-of-five series between the top two teams in the league, regardless of division standings, to determine a league champion.[6] As of 2022, the winners of each division from both the first and second halves of the season meet in a best-of-three division series, with the winners of the two division series meeting in a best-of-three championship series.[7]
League champions
edit- Score and finalist information is only presented when postseason play occurred. The lack of this information indicates a declared league champion.
Championship wins by team
edit| Wins | Runner-ups | Team | Championship Years | Runner-up Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 6 | Winston-Salem Dash/Cards/Red Sox/Pirates/Spirits/Warthogs | 1950, 1951, 1964, 1970, 1973, 1976, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1993, 2003 | 1966, 1983, 1994, 1998, 2010, 2012 |
| 8 | 11 | Lynchburg Red Sox/Twins/Mets/Hillcats | 1978, 1983, 1984, 1997, 2002, 2009, 2012, 2017 | 1973, 1977, 1985, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2016, 2022 |
| 6 | 8 | Kinston Eagles/Indians | 1962, 1988, 1991, 1995, 2004, 2006 | 1971, 1987, 1990, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2011 |
| 5 | 2 | Salem Pirates/Buccaneers/Avalanche/Red Sox | 1972, 1974, 1987, 2001, 2013 | 2007, 2009 |
| 5 | 5 | Wilmington Blue Rocks | 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2019 | 1993, 1995, 2001, 2004, 2015 |
| 4 | 2 | Myrtle Beach Pelicans | 1999, 2000, 2015, 2016 | 2008, 2014 |
| 4 | 2 | Prince William Yankees/Potomac Nationals | 1989, 2008, 2010, 2014 | 2013, 2018 |
| 4 | 2 | Peninsula Phillies/Pilots | 1971, 1977, 1980, 1992 | 1978, 1981 |
| 4 | 1 | Frederick Keys | 1990, 2005, 2007, 2011 | 2006 |
| 3 | 1 | Danville Leafs | 1945, 1953, 1955 | 1956 |
| 3 | 0 | Charleston RiverDogs | 2021, 2022, 2023 | — |
| 3 | 0 | Wilson Tobs | 1959, 1961, 1963 | — |
| 2 | 9 | Durham Bulls | 1957, 1967 | 1946, 1947, 1952, 1962, 1965, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1989 |
| 2 | 7 | Burlington Rangers/Indians/Senators/Pirates/Bees | 1949, 1958 | 1948, 1950, 1954, 1960, 1969, 1970, 1972 |
| 2 | 3 | Raleigh Capitals | 1946, 1947 | 1945, 1949, 1959 |
| 2 | 0 | Rocky Mount Leafs/Phillies | 1966, 1975 | — |
| 2 | 0 | Fayetteville Highlanders | 1954, 1956 | — |
| 1 | 2 | High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms | 1968 | 1955, 1957 |
| 1 | 2 | Tidewater Tides | 1965 | 1964, 1967 |
| 1 | 2 | Greensboro Yankees | 1960 | 1958, 1963 |
| 1 | 2 | Reidsville Luckies | 1952 | 1951, 1953 |
| 1 | 1 | Hagerstown Suns | 1981 | 1986 |
| 1 | 1 | Raleigh-Durham Phillies/Mets | 1969 | 1968 |
| 1 | 0 | Buies Creek Astros | 2018 | — |
| 1 | 1 | Down East Wood Ducks | 2017 | 2021, 2023 |
| 1 | 0 | Alexandria Dukes | 1982 | — |
| 1 | 0 | Martinsville Athletics | 1948 | — |
| 1 | 0 | Fredericksburg Nationals | 2024 | — |
| 0 | 1 | Fayetteville Woodpeckers | — | 2019 |
| 0 | 1 | Kannapolis Cannon Ballers | — | 2024 |
Notes
edit- a Myrtle Beach and Wilmington were declared co-champions when the series was tied 2–2 and canceled because of the threat of Hurricane Floyd.[12]
- b Down East and Lynchburg were declared co-champions as a result of the playoffs being called off because of the threat of Hurricane Irma.[13]
- c The best-of-five championship series was shortened to a one-game final due to the threat of Hurricane Florence.[14]
References
edit- General
- "League Champions". Carolina League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- Specific
- ^ "Playoff Procedures". Carolina League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ a b "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
- ^ Reichard, Kevin (February 12, 2021). "Minor League Baseball Overhaul Unveiled". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
- ^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- ^ Heneghan, Kelsie (July 1, 2021). "Playoffs Return to the Minor Leagues". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
- ^ "MiLB Playoff Procedures". MiLB.com. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ Trujillo, Nick (September 26, 2021). "Charleston Wins the Low-A East Championship". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
- ^ Terranova, Rob (September 21, 2022). "RiverDogs Sweep to Second Straight Championship". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
- ^ Mast, Allison (September 20, 2023). "RiverDogs Roll to Third straight Carolina Crown". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ Martinez-Lopez, Melanie (September 19, 2024). "FredNats Have to Play Two to Win First Crown Since Move". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
- ^ Young, Ryan (April 3, 2013). "Pelicans Through the Years". The Sun News. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
- ^ "Carolina League cancels Mills Cup Finals". Carolina League. Minor League Baseball. September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
- ^ Dykstra, Sam (September 11, 2018). "Mills Cup Finals to be one-game series". Carolina League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 11, 2018.