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Vermont Mountaineers

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Vermont Mountaineers
Team logo Cap insignia
Information
LeagueNECBL (Northern Division)
LocationMontpelier, Vermont
BallparkMontpelier Recreation Field
Founded2003
Nickname(s)Mountaineers, Neers
League championships3 (2006, 2007, 2015)
Post-Season Division championships6 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2022)
Regular-Season Division championships4 (2006, 2015, 2022, 2024)
ColorsGreen, Black, White
   
MascotSkip
OwnershipBoard of Directors
ManagementBrian Gallagher (GM)
ManagerMitch Holmes
MediaJosh Bartosik
Websitethevermontmountaineers.com

The Vermont Mountaineers are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Montpelier, Vermont. The team, a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, plays their home games at Montpelier Recreation Field. In 2022, the Mountaineers broke the NECBL record for wins in a single season, with 32.

History

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In 2001, local citizens formed "Green Mountain Community Baseball", an organization formed in hopes of attracting an NECBL franchise to Montpelier, Vermont. In September of the following year the NECBL voted to expand to far-away Vermont, and to award a franchise to the group.[1] The team's name, the Vermont Mountaineers, was chosen from more than 300 fan entries.[2]

John Russo has been the team's manager since 2004 and has held some role with the team since its arrival in the league. General Manager Brian Gallagher spear-headed organizing the franchise and led the team since its inception.

The team's first game was on June 7, 2003, an 8-5 loss to the Manchester Silkworms. The game's attendance of 2,471 set a then-NECBL record for single game attendance.[3] Although their inaugural season was not a success on the field (the Mountaineers had the second-worst record in the NECBL),[4] it was in terms of attendance, with the club leading the league in average attendance per game. Nearly 35,000 fans watched the Mountaineers at Montpelier Recreation Field that season.

After reaching the playoffs in 2004, the team has enjoyed playoff success, qualifying for the playoffs in six of their first seven seasons. They have reached the NECBL Championship Series six times (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2022) winning it three times (2006, 2007), 2015). Three of their six finals appearances have come against the Newport Gulls.

Postseason appearances

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Year Division Semi-Finals Division Finals NECBL Championship Series
Vermont Mountaineers
2004 Keene Swamp Bats L (0-2)
2005 Holyoke Giants W (2-0) Keene Swamp Bats W (2-1) Newport Gulls L (0-2)
2006 Holyoke Giants W (2-0) Sanford Mainers W (2-1) Torrington Twisters W (2-0)
2007 Keene Swamp Bats W (2-0) Holyoke Giants W (2-0) Newport Gulls W (2-0)
2008 Sanford Mainers L (1-2)
2009 North Adams SteepleCats W (2-0) Holyoke Blue Sox W (2-0) Newport Gulls L (1-2)
2011 Holyoke Blue Sox L (0-2)
2012 Keene Swamp Bats L (0-2)
2013 North Adams SteepleCats W (2-0) Keene Swamp Bats L (1-2)
2014 Laconia Muskrats W (2-0) Sanford Mainers L (2-0)
2015 Laconia Muskrats W (2-0) North Adams SteepleCats W (2-1) Mystic Schooners W (2-1)
2022 Sanford Mainers W (2-1) Martha's Vineyard Sharks L (0-2)
2023 Danbury Westerners L (0-2)
2024 Martha's Vineyard Sharks W (2-0) Sanford Mainers L (2-0)

Records

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Below is a list of all-time New England Collegiate Baseball League records set by the Mountaineers.[5]

Team

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Individual

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Awards

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End-of-season awards

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  • 2004 Top Relief Pitcher – McKenzie Willoughby (co-winner)[6]
  • 2005 Sportsmanship Award – Matt Rizzotti[7]
  • 2005 Manager of the Year – John Russo
  • 2006 Defensive Player of the Year – Curt Smith[8]
  • 2006 Top Relief Pitcher – Mark Murray
  • 2006 Sportsmanship Award – Robbie Minor
  • 2006 Rookie of the Year – Chris Friedrich
  • 2007 10th Player Award – A. J. Pollock[9]
  • 2008 Most Improved Player – Alejandro Balsinde[10]
  • 2014 Rookie of the Year – Blake Tiberi

All-NECBL Team

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  • 2005 – First Team: 1B Matt Rizzotti; Second Team: 3B Miguel Magrass.[7]
  • 2006 – First Team: P Joe Esposito, SS Robbie Minor, P Mark Murray, 3B Curt Smith, C Zach Zaneski; Second Team: P Chris Friedrich, 2B Troy Krider.[8]
  • 2007 – First Team: 1B Mike Sheridan, DH Curt Smith; Second team OF AJ Pollock.[9]
  • 2008 – Second Team P Casey Harman.[10]
  • 2009 – First Team OF Henry Dunn, C Jayson Hernandez; Second Team P Rob Kumbatovic.[11]

Attendance

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From their inception the Mountaineers have had some of the league's largest attendance figures. In their inaugural season the Mountaineers enjoyed the highest average attendance in the league and have consistently been near the top of the league in this category since.[12]

Attendance figures

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Season Game Avg. League Rk.
2003 1,666 1st
2004 1,643 3rd
2005 1,707 2nd
2006 1,754 2nd
2007 1,518 3rd
2008 1,720 3rd
2009 1,350 3rd
2010 1,038 4th
2011 1,743 3rd
2012 1,498 2nd

2004 All-Star Game

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The 2004 NECBL All-Star Game drew 4,127 fans to Montpelier Recreation Field, which set a then-NECBL record for All-Star Game attendance. Vermont's Northern Division squad was defeated by the Southern Division 7-4.[13] The record has since been broken at the 2009 NECBL All-Star Game hosted by the Holyoke Blue Sox. The 2009 game attracted 4,906 fans to Mackenzie Stadium in Holyoke, Massachusetts.[14] However, the mark set in 2004 remains a Montpelier Recreation Field record.[13]

Pro alumni

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Below is a list of Mountaineers alumni who have gone on to play professional baseball. In total, over 103 former Mountaineers have signed professional contracts after playing for Vermont.[15] 13 have reached the majors, with two players currently on active MLB rosters.

As of August 1, 2018.

Reached the Majors

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Player Year w/ VER Current/Most recent team Active
A.J. Pollock 2007 San Francisco Giants Yes
Rob Delaney 2005 Tampa Bay Rays No
David Carpenter 2005 Texas Rangers No
Darin Mastroianni 2004-05 Minnesota Twins No
Blake Lalli 2004 Arizona Diamondbacks No
Christian Friedrich 2006 San Diego Padres No
Michael Brady 2006-07 Oakland Athletics No
Nick Greenwood 2008 Minnesota Twins No
Nick Martinez 2009-10 San Diego Padres Yes
Micah Johnson 2010 Atlanta Braves No
Matt Duffy 2010 Texas Rangers No
Cody Ege 2011 Los Angeles Angels No
Troy Scribner 2011 Arizona Diamondbacks No
Brian O'Grady 2012 San Diego Padres No
Tyler Rogers 2012 San Francisco Giants Yes
Danny Mendick 2013 New York Mets Yes
Nick Solak 2014 Detroit Tigers Yes (AAA)
Trey Amburgey 2014 Cincinnati Reds Yes (AAA)
Joe Jacques 2016 Boston Red Sox Yes (AAA)
Jonathan Stiever 2016 Chicago White Sox Yes (AAA)

National teams

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Broadcasting

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The following former Mountaineer broadcasters have gone on to broadcast in professional baseball: Tim Hagerty-AAA (Mountaineers 2003), Kyle Berger-A (2004), Scott Montesano -Ind. (2005),[16] Jonathan Barr-Ind. (2006), Paul Roper-Ind. (2007, currently broadcasting in the OHL), Carmine Vetrano -AHL/FHL/CanAm. (2010, currently broadcasting in American Hockey League, Federal Hockey League, and Can-Am League),[17]

Media

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Wcax.com, an area online news website run by WCAX-TV, produces reports and video highlights of Mountaineers games.[18] The Barre Montpelier Times Argus, a local newspaper, also provides press coverage of games.[19] The games are broadcast on the NECBL Broadcast Network.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Green Mountain Community Baseball Field Montpelier, Vermont Archived May 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine at dufresnegroup.com
  2. ^ Baseball in Vermont at thevermontmountaineers.com, URL accessed August 17, 2009
  3. ^ VER v. MAN Boxscore 6/7/03 Archived October 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine at necbl.com, URL accessed August 17, 2009
  4. ^ 2003 Standings Archived October 21, 2007, at the Wayback Machine at necbl.com
  5. ^ "NECBL Record Book | New England Collegiate Baseball League".
  6. ^ 2004 Awards Archived 2007-10-20 at the Wayback Machine at necbl.com, URL accessed August 19, 2009
  7. ^ a b 2005 Awards Archived 2007-10-20 at the Wayback Machine at necbl.com, URL accessed August 19, 2009
  8. ^ a b 2006 Awards Archived October 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine at necbl.com, URL accessed August 19, 2009
  9. ^ a b 2007 Awards Archived May 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine at necbl.com, URL accessed August 19, 2009
  10. ^ a b 2008 Awards Archived December 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine at necbl.com, URL accessed August 19, 2009
  11. ^ 2009 Awards Archived 2009-12-13 at the Wayback Machine at necbl.com, URL accessed August 21, 2009
  12. ^ NECBL team statistics archive Archived October 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine at necbl.com, URL accessed December 21, 2008
  13. ^ a b Southern Division All-Stars Outshine Northern Division, 7-4 Archived May 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine by Kyle Berger at necbl.com, URL accessed August 18, 2009
  14. ^ 2009 ASG Boxscore Archived July 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine at necbl.com, URL accessed August 18, 2009
  15. ^ Alumni at thevermontmountaineers.com, URL accessed August 17, 2009
  16. ^ Scott Montesano at staatalent.com, URL accessed November 9, 2009. Archived 2010-02-03 at the Wayback Machine 11/9/09
  17. ^ http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090915/HOCKEY01/309159932 at goerie.com, URL accessed April 15, 2010
  18. ^ Vermont Mountaineers Win Season Opener Archived 2012-02-14 at the Wayback Machine at wcax.com
  19. ^ NECBL team peaked for the playoffs at timesargus.com, URL accessed August 18, 2009
  20. ^ Mountaineers' Wild Walkoff Forces Game Three at thevermontmountaineers.com, URL accessed August 18, 2009
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