Valley Baseball League
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1923 |
| Motto | "Gateway to the majors" |
| No. of teams | 11 |
| Country |  United States |
| Most recent champion(s) | Strasburg Express |
| Official website | Valley Baseball League |
The Valley Baseball League is an NCAA and MLB-sanctioned collegiate summer baseball league in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia.[1] Each Valley Baseball League season consists of 44 games played during summer.
The league was started in 1923 and sanctioned by the NCAA in 1961. It has been a wooden bat league since 1993. It is one of eight leagues in the National Alliance of Collegiate Summer Baseball. The VBL is funded in part by a grant from Major League Baseball. The Valley League has produced well over 1,000 professional baseball players, including a record 79 former players drafted in the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
In 2007, The Valley Baseball League expanded to include one new team with the addition of the Fauquier Gators. Another team was planned to be added in Lexington, Virginia but difficulties with the lighting system delayed the team's addition to the league. The VBL announced in July 2008 that the Rockbridge Rapids would start play in the 2009 season, but the team folded a couple years later. In 2011 the Strasburg Express entered the league and in 2015 the Charlottesville Tom Sox entered the league.[2]
Teams
North
- Front Royal Cardinals
- Purcellville Cannons
- Strasburg Express
- Winchester Royals
- Woodstock River Bandits
- New Market Rebels
South
- Covington Lumberjacks
- Harrisonburg Turks
- Staunton Braves
- Waynesboro Generals
- Charlottesville Tom Sox
Valley League Playoff Series
Quarterfinals:
#1 vs. #8 (Best 2 of 3 games)
#2 vs. #7 (Best 2 of 3 games)
#3 vs. #6 (Best 2 of 3 games)
#4 vs. #5 (Best 2 of 3 games)
Semifinals:
Highest Remaining Seed Vs. Lowest Remaining Seed (Best 2 of 3 games)
Next Highest Seed vs. Next Lowest Seed (Best 2 of 3 games)
Championship:
Highest Remaining Seed vs. Other Remaining Seed (Best 2 of 3 games)
VBL Champions
| Year | VBL Champion |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Strasburg |
| 2015 | Strasburg |
| 2014 | Waynesboro |
| 2013 | Waynesboro |
| 2012 | Harrisonburg |
| 2011 | Covington |
| 2010 | Luray |
| 2009 | Haymarket |
| 2008 | Luray |
| 2007 | Waynesboro |
| 2006 | Luray |
| 2005 | Covington |
| 2004 | Winchester |
| 2003 | Winchester |
| 2002 | New Market |
| 2001 | Winchester |
| 2000 | Harrisonburg |
| 1999 | Staunton |
| 1998 | Waynesboro |
| 1997 | Winchester |
| 1996 | Staunton |
| 1995 | Staunton |
| 1994 | New Market |
| 1993 | Winchester |
| 1992 | Winchester |
| 1991 | Harrisonburg |
| 1990 | Winchester |
| 1989 | New Market |
| 1988 | Waynesboro |
| 1987 | Winchester |
| 1986 | Front Royal |
| 1985 | Staunton |
| 1984 | Waynesboro |
| 1983 | Winchester |
| 1982 | Winchester |
| 1981 | Winchester |
| 1980 | Winchester |
| 1979 | Winchester |
| 1978 | Madison |
| 1977 | Harrisonburg |
| 1976 | Staunton |
| 1975 | Madison |
| 1974 | Shenandoah |
| 1973 | Shenandoah |
| 1972 | Shenandoah |
| 1971 | Harrisonburg |
| 1970 | Harrisonburg |
| 1969 | Harrisonburg |
| 1968 | Luray |
| 1967 | Luray |
| 1966 | Luray |
| 1965 | Luray |
| 1964 | Harrisonburg |
| 1963 | Shenandoah |
| 1962 | Harrisonburg |
| 1961 | Shenandoah |
| 1960 | Shenandoah |
| 1959 | Harrisonburg |
| 1958 | Harrisonburg |
| 1957 | Staunton |
| 1956 | Elkton |
| 1955 | Harrisonburg |
| 1954 | Staunton |
Championships per team
(in alphabetical order)
- Covington -2
- Elkton -1
- Front Royal -1
- Haymarket -1
- Harrisonburg -12
- Luray-7
- Madison -2
- New Market -3
- Shenandoah -6
- Staunton -6
- Strasburg -2
- Waynesboro -6
- Winchester -13
- Not all teams have been with VBL since 1954. Throughout its history, teams have been removed and added.
The summer of 2008 was highlighted by a promotion called Around the Valley in 60 Days. This promotion was started by Crystal Clear Delivery and S. Carter Studios and encouraged patrons to visit all 11 parks in the 60-day season. The program was deemed a huge success as some fifty fans completed the program and attended all 11 ballparks.
Notable players
- Daniel Murphy Luray ’04 ’05
- Brett Gardner, New Market '03 Center Field
- Ben Guez, Covington '06
- Jason Kipnis, Covington '07, second baseman for the Cleveland Indians
- Javier Lopez, New Market ’96
- Mike Lowell, Waynesboro ’93
- Mike Maroth, Staunton ’96 ’97
- Kyle Snyder, Winchester ’97
- Cory Spangenberg, Winchester ’10
- Aubrey Huff, Staunton
- Luke Scott, Staunton
- Juan Pierre, Harrisonburg
- Steve Finley, Harrisonburg
- Clint Robinson, Harrisonburg '05
- Mo Vaughn, Harrisonburg
- Jon Rauch, Harrisonburg
- David Eckstein, Harrisonburg
- Chris Hoiles, Harrisonburg
- Chris Devenski, Woodstock
- Guido Knudson, Woodstock
References
- ^ Fisher, Marc (June 16, 2004). "Perfect Pitch". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- ^ "Tom Sox Chosen as Name of Charlottesville's New VBL Team". NBC29.com. February 5, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2015.