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Erie SeaWolves

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Erie SeaWolves
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassDouble-A (1999–present)
Previous classesClass A Short Season (1995–1998)
LeagueEastern League (1999–present)
DivisionSouthwest Division
Previous leagues
New York–Penn League (1995–1998)
Major league affiliations
TeamDetroit Tigers (2001–present)
Previous teamsAnaheim Angels (1999–2000) Pittsburgh Pirates (1995–1998)
Minor league titles
League titles (2)
  • 2023
  • 2024
Division titles (8)
  • 1997
  • 1999
  • 2001
  • 2007
  • 2019
  • 2022
  • 2023
  • 2024
First-half titles (2)
  • 2023
  • 2024
Second-half titles (1)
  • 2022
Team data
NameErie SeaWolves (1995–present)
ColorsBlack, red, gold, gray, white
         
BallparkUPMC Park (1995–present)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Fernando Aguirre
General managerGreg Coleman
ManagerGabe Álvarez
MediaErie Times-News
Erie News Now
Fox Sports Radio AM 1330
Websitemilb.com/erie

The Erie SeaWolves are an American professional baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They compete in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) as a member of the Eastern League's Southwest Division, serving as the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The team was founded in 1989 and began playing in Erie for the 1995 season. The SeaWolves currently play their home games at UPMC Park in downtown Erie, next door to Erie Insurance Arena and the Warner Theatre.

The "SeaWolves" name refers to the city's location along Lake Erie as well as their original affiliation with the Pittsburgh Pirates. "Sea wolf" is a historical epithet for sailors who engaged in piracy.[1]

History

[edit]

The team was established in 1989 in Welland, Ontario as a New York–Penn League member, known initially as the Welland Pirates, playing their home games at Welland Stadium. After six challenging seasons, the team relocated to Erie following the exit of the previous baseball team, the Erie Sailors. This move eventually led the Frontier League-affiliated club to settle in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where they became the Johnstown Steal (currently known as the Florence Y'alls in Florence, Kentucky). Before this, the Sailors had played in the New York–Penn League but relocated to Wappingers Falls, New York, becoming the Hudson Valley Renegades, due to the team's owner, Marvin Goldklang not upgrading Ainsworth Field to meet Major League Baseball standards.

After the civic government obtained an $8 million grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to construct UPMC Park (previously known as Jerry Uht Park), the Welland Pirates relocated to Erie. Although Erie did not have an affiliated baseball team in 1994, the city hosted an independent franchise in the Frontier League that revived the "Sailors" name. The SeaWolves eventually became the successor to several Erie-based baseball teams, including all iterations of the Sailors, with the New York–Penn League franchise now known as the State College Spikes.

Early years (1995–2001)

[edit]

On June 20, 1995, the SeaWolves triumphed over the Jamestown Jammers in their inaugural game in Erie. José Guillén, a Major League Baseball alumnus from the Dominican Republic, hit the game-winning home run for the team.[2]

The SeaWolves were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1995 to 1998. In 1999, the Double-A Eastern League expanded by adding two new franchises, with Erie being granted one of them. As a result, the team transitioned from the Short-Season A level to the Double-A level, and the current SeaWolves organization is considered a continuation of the previous franchise despite this change in classification. Minor League Baseball permitted Erie to retain its New York–Penn League records and history while joining the Eastern League. Subsequently, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers entered the New York–Penn League as an expansion franchise rather than a continuation of the SeaWolves. After moving to the Double-A level, the team affiliated with the Anaheim Angels. In 2001, the SeaWolves switched their affiliation to the Detroit Tigers, with whom they still have a partnership.[3]

Realignment (2021)

[edit]

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the SeaWolves were organized into the Double-A Northeast.[4] In 2022, the Double-A Northeast became known as the Eastern League, the name historically used by the regional circuit before the 2021 reorganization.[5]

Championships (2023–2024)

[edit]

On September 26, 2023, the SeaWolves completed a full sweep of the playoffs, capped off by a 10–0 win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies in Game 2 of the Eastern League Championship Series, leading to their first championship title in franchise history.[6]

On September 24, 2024, the SeaWolves completed their playoff run by defeating the Somerset Patriots 3-2 in Bridgewater, New Jersey. They won the Eastern League championship for a second straight year.[7] In addition, they became the 11th team in Eastern League history and the first since the Trenton Thunder in 2007 and 2008 to repeat as champions.[8]

Ownership

[edit]

Palisades Baseball was the original owner of the SeaWolves when the team began play in 1995. In 2003, Palisades sold the team to Mandalay Sports Entertainment, which had previously owned and operated several Minor League Baseball clubs. On March 27, 2015, Fernando Aguirre was announced as the new owner of the SeaWolves. A seasoned executive from Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Chiquita Brands International, Aguirre purchased the team from Mandalay for an undisclosed amount and expressed his commitment to keeping the team in Erie.[9][10] Aguirre also holds a minority share in the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball and possesses a one-third stake in the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs in the Carolina League.[11]

Logos and uniforms

[edit]

The SeaWolves' primary colors are black, red, and white, complemented by minor accents of gold and gray. Their primary logo features a stylized "pirate wolf" positioned over two intersecting baseball bats with sword hilts. The wordmark arches in alignment with the wolf's tricorne, using a color scheme of white, black, and gold. Additionally, the SeaWolves have a secondary logo that depicts a weathered Jolly Roger on a "bat sword," highlighted by a red letter E. This emblem pays homage to Erie's nickname, "Flagship City," which references the Flagship Niagara, commanded by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry during his 1813 victory over the British Royal Navy in the Battle of Lake Erie.[1]

The home uniforms consist of a black cap adorned with the "bandanna wolf" logo and white jerseys with black piping. The "SeaWolves" wordmark arches across the front in black letters outlined in red, while the crossed "bat swords" logo appears on the left sleeve. The away uniforms feature a gray jersey with black piping, showcasing the "Erie" wordmark in red with a black outline and the crossed "bat swords" logo on the left sleeve. Additionally, the alternate jersey is red with black piping and includes the "Erie" wordmark in white outlined in black, with the "tricorne wolf" logo featured on the left sleeve.[1]

  • 1995–1998
    1995–1998
  • 1999–2000
    1999–2000
  • 2001–2012
    2001–2012
  • 2013–pres
    2013–pres

Culture

[edit]

Mascots

[edit]
C. Wolf with youth softball player in June 2015

The Erie SeaWolves' official mascot is an anthropomorphic, gray Canidae named C. Wolf. He wears the team's official red alternate jersey with a pirate hat, a red and white bandana, and an eye patch. His friends include Paws (the Detroit Tigers' official mascot) as well as three anthropomorphic sausages sponsored by the Erie-based Smith's Provision Company: Kenny Kielbasa, Herbie Hot Dog, and Santino the Italian Sausage.[12]

Promotions

[edit]

Alternative Facts Night

[edit]

On March 10, 2017, the Erie SeaWolves made national headlines for their "Alternative Facts Night" promotion on Friday, August 25, 2017. Their opponent was the Akron RubberDucks, whose alternative name was the "Akron Yellow Bath Toys" for the game. The promotion was a reference to a news story in which Kellyanne Conway, counselor to U.S. president, Donald Trump, coined the phrase "alternative facts" to bolster a disputed claim that more people attended Trump's presidential inauguration on January 20, 2017 than the first inauguration of Barack Obama on January 20, 2009. The SeaWolves hosted Alternative Facts Night to "celebrate facts that the team knows to be true—even if some media outlets may dispute them." As part of the promotion, the first 1,000 fans received a 2016 SeaWolves Eastern League Championship ring, although the RubberDucks earned the title. The club notionally expected to have 1.2 million fans attend the game between Erie and Akron, even though UPMC Park only has a seating capacity of 6,000. The proceeds for Alternative Facts Night went to the Erie City School District.[13][14][15]

In anticipation of "Alternative Facts Night," Fernando Aguirre published a message on Twitter that read, "This is huge! #AlternativeFactsNight. We will build a [right field] wall, and Akron will pay for it. I promise."[16] This was a parody of Donald Trump's political campaign, in which he stated, "I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I'll build them very inexpensively—I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words."[17]

Community service

[edit]

The SeaWolves engage in many philanthropic efforts throughout Erie and its surrounding communities. Key team initiatives include UPMC Health Plan Paint the Park Pink Weekend to benefit local cancer charities, Northwest Bank Gloves for Kids equipment drive, and Sensory-Friendly Day at the Ballpark in partnership with the Autism Society of Northwest Pennsylvania. The team also sponsors youth sports and education programs through the SeaWolves Community Fund. On September 16, 2015, the SeaWolves earned the Erie Times-News Commitment to Erie Award for community service by a business with 50 or fewer employees.[18]

Broadcasting

[edit]

In February 2017, the SeaWolves extended their broadcasting contract with Fox Sports Radio AM 1330: The Fan, a local affiliate of Connoisseur Media, to air every game during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Greg Gania has served as the Voice of the SeaWolves since 2006 and is the longest-tenured play-by-play broadcaster in team history.[19]

Season-by-season results

[edit]

Season results in New York–Penn League

[edit]

Regular season

[edit]
Welland Pirates – 1989–1994
Season Affiliation Manager Record
1989 Pirates U. L. Washington 32–44, 5th place Stedler
1990 Jack Lind 36–42, 3rd place Stedler
1991 Lee Driggers 30–47, 6th place Stedler
1992 Trent Jewett 31–46, 6th place Stedler
1993 Larry Smith 35–42, 5th place Stedler
1994 Jeff Banister 30–44, 4th place Stedler
Erie SeaWolves – 1995–1998
Season Affiliation Manager Record
1995 Pirates Scott Little 34–41, 3rd place Stedler
1996 Jeff Richardson 30–46, 4th place Stedler
1997 Marty Brown 50–26, 1st place Stedler
1998 Tracy Woodson 26–50, 4th place Stedler

Season results in Eastern League

[edit]

Regular season

[edit]
Erie SeaWolves – 1999–present
Season Affiliation Manager Record
1999 Angels Garry Templeton 81–61, 1st place South
2000 Don Wakamatsu 47–94, 6th place South
2001 Tigers Luis Pujols 84–58, 1st place South
2002 Kevin Bradshaw 52–89, 6th place South
2003 Kevin Bradshaw 72–70, 3rd place South
2004 Rick Sweet 80–62, 2nd place South
2005 Duffy Dyer 63–79, 6th place South
2006 Duffy Dyer 60–81, 6th place South
2007 Matt Walbeck 81–59, 1st place South
2008 Tom Brookens 68–74, 4th place South
2009 Tom Brookens 71–70, 4th place South
2010 Phil Nevin 66–76, 6th place West
2011 Chris Cron 67–75, 5th place West
2012 Chris Cron 57–84, 6th place West
2013 Chris Cron 76–66, 2nd place West
2014 Lance Parrish 71–71, 4th place West
2015 Lance Parrish 64–78, 6th place West
2016 Lance Parrish 62–79, 4th place West
2017 Lance Parrish 65–75, 4th place West
2018 Andrew Graham 63–77, 5th place West
2019 Mike Rabelo 77–61, 1st place West
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Arnie Beyeler 64–55, 3rd place Southwest
2022 Gabe Alvarez 80–58, 1st place Southwest
2023 Gabe Alvarez 75–62, 1st place Southwest
2024 Gabe Alvarez 77–58, 2nd place Southwest

Playoffs

[edit]
Season Semifinals League Finals
1997 L, 2–0, Pittsfield Mets -
1999 L, 3–1, Harrisburg Senators -
2001 L, 3–1, Reading Phillies -
2004 L, 3–0, Altoona Curve -
2007 L, 3–1, Akron Aeros -
2013 L, 3–1, Harrisburg Senators -
2022 W, 2–0 Richmond Flying Squirrels L, 2–1, Somerset Patriots
2023 W, 2–0 Richmond Flying Squirrels W, 2–0, Binghamton Rumble Ponies
2024 W, 2–1 Akron RubberDucks W, 2–0 Somerset Patriots

Roster

[edit]
Erie SeaWolves roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 31 Austin Bergner
  • 35 Michael Bienlien
  • 34 Garrett Burhenn
  • 24 Calvin Coker
  • 12 Wilkel Hernandez
  • 15 Jake Higginbotham
  • 21 Troy Melton
  • 26 Trevin Michael
  • -- Jake Miller
  • 38 Tim Naughton
  • 29 Tyler Owens
  • 18 Joel Peguero
  • 14 Carlos Pena
  • 17 RJ Petit
  • 25 Angel Reyes
  • 20 Matt Seelinger
  • 10 Eric Silva
  • 33 CJ Weins

Catchers

  •  2 Eliezer Alfonso
  • 30 Josh Crouch
  • 19 Liam Hicks
  • 13 Julio E. Rodriguez

Infielders

Outfielders

  •  4 Brady Allen
  • 95 Daniel Cabrera ‡
  • 16 Patrick Lee
  • 22 Ben Malgeri
  •  9 Austin Murr

Manager

Coaches

  • 34 Matt Malott (bench)
  • 24 Juan Pimentel (pitching)
  • 51 CJ Wamsley (hitting)

60-day injured list

  • 85 Blair Calvo (full season)
  • 93 Trei Cruz (full season)
  • 98 Jake Holton
  • 81 TJ Hopkins (full season)
  • 89 Tyler Mattison (full season)
  • -- Nick Starr (full season)
  • 36 Bryce Tassin
  • 86 Adam Wolf

7-day injured list
* On Detroit Tigers 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated September 29, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Eastern League
 → Detroit Tigers minor league players

Notable alumni

[edit]

Retired numbers

[edit]
Sam Jethroe Jackie Robinson
CF
Retired by the
Erie SeaWolves
on June 6, 2005		 2B
Retired throughout
professional baseball
on April 15, 1997

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Hill, Benjamin (November 1, 2012). "Double-A Erie updates nautical logo". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  2. ^ "UPMC Park Info Guide". MiLB.com. 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  3. ^ McKrell, Aaron (2021). Soul of Erie: Sports in the City by the Lake. pp. 81–88. ISBN 979-8722060631.
  4. ^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  5. ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  6. ^ "'We are the champions!' SeaWolves claim their first Eastern League Championship". YourErie.com. 26 September 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  7. ^ "Back-to-back champs! Erie SeaWolves claim second Eastern League Championship". YourErie.com. 24 September 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  8. ^ "Erie SeaWolves sweep their way to second consecutive Eastern League title". blessyouboys.com. 25 September 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  9. ^ Reisenweber, Tom (March 28, 2015). "Businessman Aguirre buys SeaWolves; plans to keep team in Erie". Erie Times-News. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  10. ^ "SeaWolves Welcome New Owner Fernando Aguirre". MiLB.com. March 27, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  11. ^ Thompson, Ann (July 6, 2015). "Fernando Aguirre Enjoying Life As A Baseball Owner". Cincinnati Public Radio. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  12. ^ "Meet C. Wolf!". MiLB.com. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  13. ^ "SeaWolves To Host #AlternativeFacts Night at UPMC Park". MiLB.com. March 10, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  14. ^ Jenkins, Dan (March 10, 2017). "Tigers' Minor League Team Will Host #AlternativeFacts Night, Celebrating A Championship It Didn't Win". CBS Broadcasting, Inc. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  15. ^ Townsend, Mark (March 11, 2017). "Minor league team encourages hyperbole with 'Alternative Facts Night'". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  16. ^ Hill, Benjamin (March 17, 2017). "The Week That Was: The Truth Resides in Erie". MLBlogs.com. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  17. ^ Drew, Kate (January 26, 2017). "This is what Trump's border wall could cost". CNBC. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  18. ^ Martin, Jim (September 17, 2015). "Smith Provision, Waldameer among honorees at 2015 Commitment to Erie Awards". Erie Times-News. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  19. ^ "SeaWolves Announce Two-Year Broadcast Agreement". MiLB.com. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Erie SeaWolves.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Eastern League champions
2023, 2024 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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