Tennessee Smokies

	Tennessee Smokies; Founded in 2000; Knoxville, Tennessee;
; Team Logo	; Cap Insignia
	Class-level
	Double-A;
	Minor league affiliations
	Southern League North Division; ;
	Major league affiliations
	Chicago Cubs (2007-present); Arizona Diamondbacks (2005-2006); St. Louis Cardinals (2003-2004); Toronto Blue Jays (2000-2002);
	Name
	Tennessee Smokies;
	Ballpark
	Smokies Park (2000-present);
	Minor league titles
League titles
Division titles	2004
	Owner(s)/Operated by: SPBC, LLC
	Manager: Ryne Sandberg
	General Manager: Brian Cox

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The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in the Knoxville, Tennessee metropolitan area. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball as of the 2009 season. Smokies Park, the team's ballpark, is located near Sevierville, Tennessee in the town of Kodak, opened in 2000, and seats 6,412 fans.

The team's nickname, "Smokies", refers to the Great Smoky Mountains mountain range which permeates the region; mountains in the chain are often clouded in a hazy mist that often appears as smoke rising from the forest.

Prior to 2005, the Smokies were the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals and before that the Toronto Blue Jays. However, when the Cardinals purchased the El Paso Diablos, which had been the Arizona Diamondbacks' AA affiliate, the Diamondbacks retained the Smokies as their new AA affiliate. On September 21, 2006, the Chicago Cubs reached a two-year player development contract with the Smokies through the 2008 season. The contract was renewed for the 2009 season.

Some notable major league baseball players that have played for the Smokies are Roy Halladay, Carlos Delgado, Shawn Green, and Felipe López.

The team was based in Knoxville, Tennessee and called the Knoxville Smokies for many years before moving and changing its name in 2000. The current voice of the Smokies is local east Tennessee media personality Mick Gilsippe.

[edit] History

Knoxville's first organized baseball franchise, the Appalachians, played in the original South Atlantic League (Class C) in 1909. The club dropped out of the "Sally League" that season, but - after Knoxville fielded teams in the Class D Southeastern and Appalachian leagues - returned to the South Atlantic loop, now Class B, as the Smokies from 1925-29. On July 22, 1931, the Mobile Bears franchise of the A1 Southern Association moved to Knoxville and played as the Smokies through July 5, 1944 when the club returned to Mobile. The transfer marked the end of Knoxville's membership in the Southern Association.

In 1946, the Smokies joined the Class B Tri-State League and played in it until the loop folded in 1955. But in July 1956, when the Montgomery Rebels of the Class A South Atlantic League needed a new home, they transferred to Knoxville. The Smokies' manager that season: eventual Hall of Famer Earl Weaver.

The Smokies continued in the Sally League through 1963, when it was reclassified Class AA, and were charter members of the Sally's successor, the Southern League, in 1964. Apart from a four-year (1968-71) hiatus, they have continued in the Southern loop ever since.

Knoxville returned in 1972 as the Knoxville White Sox or Knox Sox, the Chicago White Sox's AA club. They transferred their affiliation to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1980, a link that lasted until 1999. From 1980 though 1992, the team was officially known as the Knoxville Blue Jays, or locally referred to as simply the K-Jays. The Smokies moniker was reintroduced beginning in the 1993 season.

From 1955 to 1999, Knoxville baseball teams played in Bill Meyer Stadium, formerly known as Knoxville Municipal Stadium. The stadium was named for Knoxville native son and former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Billy Meyer.

Smokies Park experienced its largest crowd ever of 7,655 on July 3rd, 2009 against the Huntsville Stars. The Smokies won an intense game 5-3 which included Hall of Fame manager Ryne Sandberg being ejected. The previous attendence record was May 24th, 2008 when John Smoltz, then of the Atlanta Braves, made a rehab appearance with their Double-A affiliate Mississippi Braves. News of his appearance drew a crowd of 7,381 to the ballparkas the Smokies won 3-2.^[1]

In December of 2008 Ryne Sandberg, Baseball Hall Of Fame former Chicago Cubs All-Star second baseman, was named the manager for the 2009 season.

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] Year-by-year record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
2000	71-69	4th	Rocket Wheeler
2001	80-60	2nd	Rocket Wheeler
2002	69-71	6th	Rocket Wheeler
2003	72-67	4th	Mark DeJohn	Lost in 1st round
2004	69-71	6th	Mark DeJohn	Co-Champs*
2005	64-76	7th	Tony Perezchica
2006	70-69	5th	Bill Plummer
2007	73-65	2nd	Pat Listach	Lost in Semi-Finals
2008	62-77	5th	Buddy Bailey

* Due to Hurricane Ivan the finals series was cancelled. Tennessee and Mobile were declared co-champions.

[edit] Current roster

Tennessee Smokies roster

Players

Coaches/Other

Pitchers

Catchers

16 Welington Castillo
38 Steve Clevenger

Infielders

Outfielders

Manager

23 Ryne Sandberg

Coaches

10 Tom Beyers (hitting)
40 Dennis Lewallyn (pitching)
Nick Frangella (trainer)

† Disabled list
* On Chicago Cubs 40-man roster
∞ Reserve list
§ Suspended list
‡ Restricted list
# Rehab assignment
Roster updated 2009-05-14
Transactions