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Las Vegas Aviators

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Las Vegas 51s
File:LasVegas51s.png File:LasVegas51sCap.png
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassTriple-A (1983–present)
LeaguePacific Coast League (1983–present)
ConferencePacific Conference
DivisionSouthern Division
Major league affiliations
TeamOakland Athletics (from 2019)
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles (2)
  • 1986
  • 1988
Division titles (10)
  • 1983
  • 1984
  • 1986
  • 1987
  • 1988
  • 1992
  • 1996
  • 2002
  • 2013
  • 2014
Team data
NameLas Vegas 51s (2001–2018)
Previous names
  • Las Vegas Stars (1983–2000)
ColorsBlue, gray
   
MascotCosmo
BallparkLas Vegas Ballpark (from 2019)
Previous parks
Cashman Field (1983–2018)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Summerlin Las Vegas Baseball Club LLC
ManagerFran Riordan

The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and are named for Area 51 which is located near Rachel, Nevada, about 80 miles north of Las Vegas. The team logo jokingly depicts one of the grey aliens thought by UFO believers to inhabit that base.

The team will experience a number of changes in 2019. They plan to move into Las Vegas Ballpark, a new 10,000-seat facility in Summerlin. The 51s previously played at Cashman Field from its opening in 1983 until the end of the 2018 season. Along with a new ballpark and major league affiliate, the 51s plan to rebrand by adopting a new name and logos.[1][2]

The 51s won the PCL championship as the Stars in 1986 and 1988.

History

Las Vegas Stars (1983–2000)

File:Las Vegas Stars cap logo.jpg
Las Vegas Stars cap logo

The Las Vegas Pacific Coast League franchise traces it roots to the Portland Beavers who entered the PCL in 1919 after a two-year hiatus. The team relocated to Spokane, Washington, in 1973, becoming the Spokane Indians. The franchise moved once again in 1983, becoming the Las Vegas Stars.

The Stars, who were the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, became the first professional sports team to play in Las Vegas since the Las Vegas Wranglers baseball club who played from 1947 to 1952 and 1957 to 1958. The Stars inaugural season was quite successful, posting an 83–60 record and winning the first-half championship for the Southern Division leading to a playoff berth, but eventually losing to the Albuquerque Dukes. The following season, the Stars posted another successful campaign, going 71–65 and winning their second division championship (first half), but ultimately losing in the league semifinals to the Hawaii Islanders. After a dismal 1985 campaign, the Stars finished the 1986 season with an 80–62 record and winning the second half of the Southern Division. In the league semifinals, the Stars defeated the Phoenix Firebirds, 3–2, and went on to win their first PCL championship, defeating the Vancouver Canadians in five games. The Stars won their second PCL championship in 1988, once again defeating Vancouver, this time in four games.

After winning five division titles and two league championships in their first six years, the Stars hit a skid, posting a .500 or better record only four times and winning shares of only two division championships in the following 12 years. The Stars were unable to advance past the first round of the playoffs in both seasons that they qualified. The team's affiliation with the Padres ended after the 2000 season.

Las Vegas 51s (2001–present)

Las Vegas 51s baseball game against the Iowa Cubs at Cashman Field in 2008

In 2001, Las Vegas became the top farm club of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The new affiliation was accompanied by rebranding to the Las Vegas 51s in reference to Area 51, a military base located north-northwest of Las Vegas legendary for rumors of its housing UFOs and other extraterrestrial technology. The team adopted a logo featuring a grey alien head and introduced a mascot, Cosmo.

A new affiliate, moniker, and appearance did not translate into improved performance on the field. The 51s experienced only two winning seasons during their eight years as the Triple-A Dodgers. Their only division title came under manager Brad Mills in 2002 as the team posted the best record in the league at 85–59, but lost three games to one to the eventual PCL champion Edmonton Trappers.

On March 24, 2008, Mandalay Baseball Properties sold the 51s franchise to Stevens Baseball Group.[3] There were no plans to move the team,[4] and talks of building a new stadium became stagnant.[5][6] The Dodgers and the 51s had a rocky relationship during their eight-year affiliation. The Dodgers were not pleased with Cashman Field, which barely met the standards for Triple-A baseball. It had no weight room or indoor batting cages, and it was decrepit compared to other stadiums in the league. Citing the inadequacies of Cashman Field and lack of planning for a replacement, Los Angeles decided not to renew their player development contract (PDC) with Las Vegas after the 2008 season.[7]

Following the departure of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the 51s signed a PDC with the Toronto Blue Jays, marking the first time that the 51s were affiliated with an American League club.[8] The only time the team finished over .500 with the Blue Jays was in 2012 when Marty Brown led the team to a 79–64 second-place finish. The Blue Jays ended their affiliation with the 51s after the season.

In April 2013, the team was purchased by Summerlin Las Vegas Baseball Club LLC, a joint venture of Howard Hughes Corp and Play Ball Owners Group, including investors Steve Mack, Bart Wear, and Chris Kaempfer, with intentions of moving it to a proposed stadium in Summerlin near the Red Rock Resort Spa and Casino.[9]

The 51s became affiliated with the New York Mets in 2013 when they were the only Triple-A team left without a MLB parent.[10] They won back-to-back division titles in 2013 and 2014 under manager Wally Backman, but were eliminated in the Pacific Conference championship series on both occasions.

In October 2017, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority approved a 20-year, $80 million naming rights agreement to help pay for a new $150 million 10,000-seat ballpark which could open in 2019. Las Vegas Ballpark, located Summerlin, is expected to include 22 suites, a center field pool, kids' zone, and several bars.[11] Construction began in 2018 and will be completed for the 2019 season.[12]

In late 2017, the Mets announced plans to move its Triple-A affiliation to the Syracuse Chiefs beginning in 2019.[13] Las Vegas then signed a two-year PDC with the Oakland Athletics that runs through 2020.[14]

Season-by-season results

This is a list of the last ten seasons completed by the 51s.

Records accurate as of end of the 2017 PCL season

Season Affiliate Conference Division Regular Season Postseason Awards
Finish[a] Wins Losses Win% GB
2008 LAD Pacific South 2nd 74 69 .517 9 — —
2009 TOR Pacific South T-3rd 71 73 .493 15.5 — Randy Ruiz (MVP)
2010 TOR Pacific South 4th 66 78 .458 13 — J. P. Arencibia (MVP)
2011 TOR Pacific South 2nd 71 73 .493 17 — David Cooper (Batting Champion)
2012 TOR Pacific South 2nd 79 64 .552 6.5 — —
2013 NYM Pacific South 1st 81 63 .563 0 Lost to Salt Lake, 1-3 —
2014 NYM Pacific South 1st 81 63 .563 0 Lost to Reno, 1-3 Wally Backman (Manager of the Year)
2015 NYM Pacific South 2nd 77 67 .535 1.0 — —
2016 NYM Pacific South 3rd 70 74 .486 3.5 — —
2017 NYM Pacific South 4th 56 86 .394 17 — Amed Rosario (Rookie of the Year)
2018 NYM Pacific South 3rd 71 69 .507 11.5 — —

Media

The Las Vegas 51s are covered by Las Vegas' two daily newspapers, the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Las Vegas Sun. Every 51s game is broadcast by KBAD 920-AM, the local NBC Sports Radio affiliate, with Russ Langer as the broadcast's play-by-play man. Several prominent sports radio and television personalities made their start as broadcaster for the Stars and 51s, most notably Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd.

Broadcasters

Roster

Las Vegas Aviators roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders


Manager

  • 39 Fran Riordan

Coaches

60-day injured list

7-day injured list
* On Oakland Athletics 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated September 4, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Pacific Coast League
 → Oakland Athletics minor league players

Award winners

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ Gemma, Jim (April 16, 2018). "L.V. 51s are rebranding in 2019! Name the Team Sweepstakes!". LV51.com. Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  2. ^ Reichard, Kevin (April 17, 2018). "New Home, New Branding for Las Vegas 51s in 2019". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  3. ^ Gemma, Jim. "Stevens Baseball Group – New Owner of Las Vegas 51s." Las Vegas 51s. March 24, 2008. Retrieved March 28, 2008.
  4. ^ Gemma, Jim. "Mandalay Baseball Transacts More Business – Sells Las Vegas 51s Franchise." Las Vegas 51s. October 31, 2007. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  5. ^ Anderson, Mark. "Logan lobbies for new stadium. Las Vegas Review-Journal. July 11, 2001. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  6. ^ Iole, Kevin. "Dodgers threaten to quit 51s." Las Vegas Review-Journal. July 2, 2003. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  7. ^ Dewey, Todd (September 19, 2008). "Bye, bye, Blue". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  8. ^ Dewey, Todd (September 21, 2008). "Las Vegas, Toronto birds of a feather". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  9. ^ Brewer, Ray (May 20, 2013). "Some Pacific Coast League stadiums will be tough for proposed Summerlin project to match". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  10. ^ Harrington, Mike. Bisons, Blue Jays start talking affiliation deal. The Buffalo News. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  11. ^ Kraft, Alex (October 10, 2017). "Report: 51s to move into new ballpark in 2019". milb.com. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  12. ^ "Construction 'rolling' on Las Vegas 51s new ballpark in Summerlin". April 16, 2018.
  13. ^ Dixon, Marvin Clemons and Amber. "Mets to leave Las Vegas 51s after '18 season, but bigger deal is stadium vote Tuesday".
  14. ^ "A's Announce Partnership with Las Vegas 51s". Major League Baseball. September 17, 2018.
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