THE HISTORY OF
THE COLUMBUS CLIPPERS
By Clippers
Historian, Joseph M. Santry
When the
Columbus Jets pulled up stakes and moved away after the 1970
season,
it left
Columbus without professional baseball for the first time in 75 years. For
six years central Ohio fans did without baseball as Jet Stadium deteriorated.
Franklin County Commissioner Harold Cooper (right) had led the drive to
buy the Jets in 1955. In 1977, Cooper again pushed for a professional team
and a major stadium renovation. The Columbus Clippers and Franklin County
Stadium were born. A multi-million dollar renovation made Franklin County
Stadium the jewel of the International League and the first minor league
facility to have Astroturf.
The Columbus
Clippers were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1977-78. The Clippers
finished in seventh place both seasons but they developed a lot of young
talent. Righty Tim Jones was 15-6 in ’77 and second baseman Mike
Edwards
made All-League honors. Catcher Steve Nicosia, outfielders Mike
Easler and Alberto Lois, infielders Dale Berra, Doe
Boyland, Gary Hargis and pitchers
Eddie Whitson
and Don Robinson all played for the 1979 World Champion Pirates.
THREE OF A
KIND
Marshall Brant, Dave Righetti and Steve
Balboni
In 1979,
General Manager George Sisler, Jr. signed a working agreement with the
New York Yankees. The Bronx Bombers finished in first place in 1980 & ’81.
Their Triple-A farm club did them one better by becoming the first team ever
to win three consecutive International League pennants and Governors’ Cup
championships, despite having a different manager each season.
Gene
Michael’s ’79 club was led by co-International League MVP outfielder
Bobby Brown (.349 & 25 SB), first baseman Dennis Werth (17 HRs,
.299), pitching aces Bob Kammeyer (16-8) and Rick Anderson
(13-3, 21 saves, 1.63 ERA). Joe Altobelli’s Clippers won the following
year on the strength of great defense, first baseman Marshall Brant’s
bat (23 HRs, 92 RBI and .289) and one of the strongest pitching staffs in
history. Bob Kammeyer won 15 games and Greg Cochran added 12
more, on a staff that had nine hurlers with ERAs less than 3.00. Ken Clay
led all hurlers with a 1.96 ERA. The only losing record on the staff belonged
to rookie 21-year-old southpaw, Dave Righetti (6-10, 4.63). Frank
Verdi’s squad made it three in a row in 1981, powered by first basemen
Steve Balboni (33 HRs, 98 RBIs) and Brant (25 HRs,95 RBIs), third
baseman Tucker Ashford (17 HRs, 86 RBI’s, .300) and outfielder Mike
Patterson (15 HRs). Pitchers Dave Wehrmeister, John Pacella
and Paul Boris all won in double figures. Dave Righetti turned
things around going 5-0 with a 1.00 ERA in his first seven games before being
called up by the Yankees. Thirteen former Clippers on the 1981 American
League Champion Yankees joined Righetti.
A NEAR
MISS
Manager
Frank Verdi’s club just missed their fourth consecutive pennant in 1982.
Injuries and poor pitching caused Columbus to finish 3.5 games back of the
Richmond Braves. Brant (31 HRs & 96 RBIs),
Ashford (101RBI’s and .331) and 21-year-old outfielder Don Mattingly
(.315) were the only Clippers to have 400 at bats. Steve Balboni
cracked 32 home runs and 86 RBIs. But nine second basemen and six shortstops
kept the middle infield in a state of flux. Centerfielder Otis Nixon
had 46 stolen bases in just 59 games. Jim Lewis was the only standout
on the mound at 12-6 with a 2.60 ERA.
BACK ON TOP
Butch Hobson and
Rex Hudler
Manager
Johnny Oates led Columbus back to the penthouse in 1983. The Clippers had
a terrific offense led by outfielders Mattingly
(.340), Brian Dayett (a Clippers record 35 HRs, with 105 runs and 108
RBIs), Nixon (129 runs, 94 RBIs and .291) and Matt Winters (29
HRs, 99 RBIs and .292). Butch Hobson hit 19 home runs and reserve
outfielder Mike Patterson added ten more. Brad Gulden (.316)
and Juan Espino (.280) shared the catching duties, combining for 19 HRs
and 89 RBIs. Dennis Rasmussen (13-10), Jamie Werly (9-2) and
Curt Kaufman (6-3 with 25 saves) led the pitching corps.
Scott Patterson (1982-86) the star of The Gilmore Girls. Don Mattingly.
The
Clippers won their fifth pennant with yet another manager, Stump Merrill,
in 1984. First baseman Dan Briggs (15 HRs, 71 RBIs and .285), second
baseman Rex Hudler (.292) and third baseman Hobson were the
heart of the offense. IL MVP and Rookie of the Year catcher Scott Bradley
(.335) was the star of the team. The pitching staff was led by Jim
Deshaies (10-5, 2.39 ERA) and energized by two mid-season call-ups,
Kelly Faulk (11-1, 2.82) and Joe Cowley (10-3). On August 19, 1984
the stadium was renamed Cooper Stadium to honor former Franklin County
Commissioner Harold M. Cooper, the International League President at
that time and also the former GM of the Columbus Jets.
CLOSE BUT ONE
CIGAR
Hal Morris, Al Lieter, Roberto Kelly and Jay Buhner with
Bucky Dent.
From 1985-89 the Clippers had three close calls but went "pennantless".
But Cooper Stadium was
still filled with future major league stars as Bob Tewksbury, Doug
Drabek, Jay Buhner,
Roberto Kelly,
Deion Sanders and brothers Al and Mark Leiter. Juan
Bonilla (.330) won the batting title in 1985, as did Hal Morris
(.326) in 1989. Following in the footsteps of Bradley in ‘84, Dan
Pasqua was named the IL’s MVP and Rookie of
the Year in ’85. Orestes Destrade gave Columbus
it’s third straight Rookie of the Year the following season in ‘86. Brad
Arnsberg (12-5, 2.88 ERA) was named the IL’s Most Valuable Pitcher in 1987
as he led Bucky Dent’s (right) Clippers to the Governors’ Cup
Championship.
At the 1989
baseball winter meetings in Nashville, The Clippers received The Bob
Freitas Award as the Triple-A “Organization of
the Decade”.
Ken Schnacke
replaced the retiring George Sisler, Jr. as general manager in the fall
of 1989, having trained under Sisler since the franchise’s beginning in 1977.
THREE MORE IN A
ROW
Rick Down took over for Stump Merrill midway through the 1990
season and led Columbus to three straight first place finishes. The 1990 club
was led by a pair of IL MVP’s, third baseman Hensley “Bam-Bam” Meulens
(26 HRs, 96RBIs, .285) and the Clippers all-time winningest pitcher, Dave
Eiland (16-5, 2.87 ERA).
The 1991 squad
literally stole the Western Division title. They had no power hitters or
great starting pitching. What they did have was great defense and speed. Jim
Walewander led the league with 54 stolen bases, followed by Mike
Humphreys’ 34 swipes and Andy Stankiewicz’s 29 pilfered bags.
Catcher John Ramos (.308) and center fielder Bernie Williams
(.294) led the hitters. The bullpen of Darrin Chapin (10-3 and 12
saves) and Rich Monteleone (17 saves) were the unsung heroes.
Columbus
celebrated their 100th season in professional baseball in 1992 with one of the
greatest teams in minor league history. Eight Clippers were named on the IL
All-Star team. MVP and Rookie of the Year first baseman J.T. Snow (15
HRs, 78 RBIs and a league leading .313), third baseman Hensley “Bam-Bam”
Meulens (26 HRs, 100 RBIs, .275), shortstop Dave Silvestri (13 HRs,
73 RBIs), center fielder Bernie Williams (.306), right fielder
Gerald Williams (16 HRs, 86 RBIs, .285), starting pitcher Sam Militello
(12-2) and reliever Mike Draper (a Columbus record 37 saves). Three
other pitchers, Bob Wickman, Royal Clayton and
Ed Martel
won in double figures. The season was capped off when the Clippers defeated
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons in a dramatic ninth inning victory in the
final game of the Governors’ Cup Championship.
RELOADING
The longest
period the Clippers failed to make the post season playoffs was from 1993-95.
This despite a powerful consistent lineup which included Don Sparks,
Dave Silvestri, Russ Davis, Mike Humphreys, and Bubba
Carpenter, and included pitchers Dave Eiland and Royal Clayton.
Eighteen Clippers from this era were on the World Champion Yankees of 1996,
including shortstop Derek Jeter, pitchers Andy Pettitte,
Mariano Rivera and Brian Boehringer, infielder Andy Fox and
catcher Jorge Posada.
Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Bernie
Williams
ANOTHER CUP
The 1996
Clippers were seven games back in late June. Stump Merrill’s crew
fought back to take the lead a month later. Then the club went on to win 13
of 14 and held off a determined Norfolk Tides team. Columbus swept Norfolk
and Rochester for the Governors’ Cup. The Clippers were powered by first
baseman Ivan Cruz (28 HRs, 96 RBIs), third baseman Tracy Woodson
(21 HRs, 81 RBIs) and outfielder Ricky Ledee (21 HRs & 64 RBIs).
Brian Boehringer led the staff with eleven victories and Dave Pavlas
was 8-2, with 26 saves and a 1.99 ERA. Cruz and catcher Jorge Posada
won IL All-Star recognition.
Ivan Cruz
(24 HRs & 95 RBIs), outfielder Shane Spencer (30 HRs & 86 RBIs) and
All-Star shortstop Matt Howard (.312) brought Columbus home in first
again in ’97. Willie Banks (14-5) was the team’s stopper but it was a
newcomer from across the Pacific that got most of the ink. Japan’s Hideki
Irabu (2-0 & 1.67 ERA) drew large crowds while with the team
whenever
he pitched.
With the
most power-laden lineup in
team history, the Columbus fans were
eager for the 1998 season. Unfortunately for manager Stump Merrill,
Ivan Cruz, Shane Spencer, Ricky Ledee, Mike Lowell
and Mike Figga only appeared in the lineup together once during the
season. The team got off to a horrible 2-13 start. By mid-June the club had
battled back into first place. Only to drop out of the race with a 1-13
streak between July & August. The Clippers had 110
roster moves and 19 different starting pitchers. One bright spot was
Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez (6-0). Other bright spots were Mike
Lowell (26 HRs, 99 RBIs, .304), outfielders Scott Pose (.297 and a
league leading 47 stolen bases), Shane Spencer (.322 and 18 HRs in half
a season) and catcher Mike Figga (26 HRs, 95 RBIs and .280). Fifteen
’98 Clippers played for the World Champion Yankees.
REAL GRASS,
REAL BASEBALL, REAL FUN!
Harold Cooper, George Sisler, Jr., Dick Fitzpatrick and
Ken Schnacke
During the
winter of 1998, the Columbus Clippers pulled up the carpeting that had adorned
the floor of Cooper Stadium since ‘77 and laid down sod, provided by The
Scotts Company of Marysville, Ohio. It was only one of the many changes
Columbus had in store in 1999. Other changes included a new scoreboard and a
new manager, Trey Hillman.
The 1999
Clippers were a blend of both familiar names and new faces. Back from last
year were shortstop D'Angelo Jimenez, outfielder Bubba Carpenter
and pitcher Mike Buddie. Major league veteran free agents such as
infielders Andy Stankiewicz and Brian Raabe;
infielder-outfielders Alonzo Powell, Mike Coolbaugh and Tony Torasco
; catchers B.J. Waszgis and Izzy Molina and pitchers
Chris Nichting, Dave Pavlas and Jeff Juden gave Hillman a firm
backbone for the team. Prospects like first baseman Kirk Bierek,
pitchers Jay Tessmer,
Ed Yarnall, Ryan
Bradley
and Luis De
Los Santos added an interesting combination of youth to the equation.
The Clippers
burst out of the gate and never looked back. At the end of May, the team had
an incredible .653 winning percent. The year before, Columbus had one player
who had hit over .300. Half way through the season, the Clippers were hitting
over .300 as a team.
When injuries
slowed some players, others, particularly Mike Coolbaugh, caught fire
in the second half of the season. Ricky Ledee, Shane Spencer, Clay
Bellinger and Darryl Strawberry added big sparks while on loan from
the Yankees. In early September, the Clippers led the rest of the division by
12 games.
Ed
Yarnall
(13-4), Jeff
Juden (11-12), Chris Nichting (8-5) and
Ryan Bradley all started over 20 games, giving the Clippers a solid
starting rotation. Bullpen mates Mike Buddie, Ben Ford, Dave Pavlas and
Greg McCarthy combined for a 21-8 record.
Columbus won the
West Division by nine and a half games with a record of 83-58. It marked the
eleventh time in 23 seasons that the Clippers have finished in first place.
Ed
Yarnall
was voted the
International League's Most Valuable Pitcher. He was 1st in the IL
in ERA (3.47), 2nd in wins (13) and 3rd in strikeouts
(146). Jay Tessmer was voted the league's top reliever with his 28
saves. First baseman Kirk Bierek hit a Clippers record 42 doubles and
added 23 home runs and 95 RBI's to win the IL's Rookie of the Year Award.
The Clippers
keystone combination of Brian Raabe (35 doubles, 77 RBI's and .327) and
D'Angelo Jimenez (32 doubles, 88 RBI's and .327) were named to the
league's All-Star team.
Seven Clippers
hit in double figures in home runs: Alonzo Powell (24 HRs, 90 RBI's,
.315), Bierek (23
HRs, 95 RBI’s, .280), Bubba Carpenter (22 HRs, 81 RBI's, .283), Tony
Torasco (19 HRs, 66 RBI's, .295), Mike Coolbaugh (15 HRs),
Jimenez (15 HRs) and Raabe (11 HRs). Chris Ashby clubbed
nine home runs in just 70 games.
Trey
Hillman's
squads finished
in second place in 2000 and 2001. Brandon Knight led the I.L. in strikeouts
both seasons. Columbus fans even got a glimpse of the future in young
infielder Alfonso Soriano and Nick Johnson (right).
Bucky Dent
returned to manage the Clippers in 2003. After a slow start, Columbus came
roaring back to just miss out of the playoff picture. They finished in second
place with a record of 76-68. Fernando Seguignol
won the IL’s MVP Award on the strength of his league leading .341 and 28 home
runs, despite missing five weeks on the DL.
Fernando Seguignol
The Columbus
Clippers won the Western Division by 13 games and set a club record by having
twenty players wear both Yankees and Clippers pinstripes in 2004.
Bucky
Dent brought a mixture of veterans and young players north to start the
season. The Clippers were 9-11 in April despite leading the league in
hitting. The offense was led by the young keystone combination of Caonabe
Cosme (.365 -left) and shortstop Felix Escalona (.328).
Outfielder Darren Bragg chipped in with a .343 average. Reliever
Colter Bean did not allow an earned run during the month. The big
submariner continued his dominance all season, finishing with nine victories
and a 2.29 ERA. The reliever finished in the International League’s Top Ten
in strikeouts
Bucky’s
Bunch caught fire in May (18-11) when Andy Phillips (right)
brought his bat to town after a year on the DL. Phillips hit seven home runs
with a .387 average. Third baseman Jeff Deardorff also hit seven
dingers during the month. Seven Clippers hit over .300 in May. Southpaw
Alex Graman (left) was 4-0 and joined teammate Sam Marsonek as I.L.
pitcher of the week.
Columbus continued
to roll in June (17-11). The hitting slumped but Mike Kelly
(sliding right) with seven home runs and Michael Vento (seven doubles,
3 HR and .311) carried the team. Right-hander Buddy Carlyle returned
from Trenton to post a 2-0, 1.83 ERA for the month, easing the burden of call
ups to the pitching staff.
Randy
Johnson trade rumors swirled around the clubhouse all July (11-18). Every day
different Yankee farm hands were talked about in the press in different trade
cinereous. Catcher Dioner Navarro (20-years-old), second baseman
Robinson Cano (21-years-old) and 24-years-old pitcher Chein-Ming Wang
were brought up to be showcased vs. Triple-A competition and earned a place on
the Columbus roster.
A
six game losing streak dropped the Clippers out of first place on July 24th
and five days later Columbus found themselves trailing Toledo by 3.5 games.
But the Clippers stepped up to the plate and won 21 of their last 33 games to
win the West by 13.5 games. It was the Clippers first playoff appearance in
five years. Brad Halsey (right), Wang, Graman and Lance
Davis each won three games in the month. Phillips (9 hr, 30 RBI, .359),
Escalona (7 doubles, .356) and John Rodriguez (seven doubles, 3 HR,
.354) spearheaded the offense.
Yankees
Slugger Jason Giambi (left) played for the Clippers on major league
rehab during the series. The Clippers lost to the Braves in the first round
of the playoffs, three games to two.
Brad Halsey
(11-4, 2.63) and Alex Graman (11-6, 3.37) were the pitching staff’s top
winners. Graman led the league in strikeouts with 129. Sam
Marsonek led the team again in saves with 17 in a half season of work
During the season
the Clippers had 4/5 of the Yankees starting rotation take the mound at The
Coop. Orlando Hernandez, Kevin Brown, Jose Contreras and Mike
Mussina all appeared in Clippers pinstripes in 2004.
Six Clippers hit in
double figures in home runs. Despite missing the first month of the season,
Andy
Phillips put up MVP type numbers (26 HR, 85 RBI, .318). Other big
contributors were centerfielder John
Rodriguez (27 doubles, 10 triples and 16 HR), third baseman Jeff
Deardorff (18 HR, 76 RBI, .271),
shortstop Felix Escalona (32 doubles, .308) infielder Homer
Bush (.291), Mike Vento (28 doubles, 15 HR, 72 RBI, .275) and
Kevin Reese (.323). Reese split the season between Trenton and Columbus
ended the season with 98 runs, 50 doubles, seven triples and 16 HR).
In August, Chien-Ming
Wang (Taiwan-right) and Todd Betts (Canada) played for their
countries in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
2005 So
Close
The 2005 Columbus
Clippers missed the playoffs by just one game, despite 121 roster moves
involving 55 different players. The Clippers sent a record 24 players to New
York during the season. Columbus finished third behind Toledo and
Indianapolis, who faced off the Governor's Cup finals.
The Clippers
jumped out to a 14-10 record in April, on the strength of a team .297 batting
average. Robinson Cano (right) hit .337 with 8 doubles, 2
triples, 4 home runs and 23 RBIs, earning him a May 3rd call up to New York.
First baseman
Mitch Jones had a great start (7 HR, 16 RBIs, .360), as did Michael
Vento (3 HR, 20 RBIs, .333), Caonabo Cosme (.300), Damian
Rolls (.326) and Russ Johnson (10 doubles, 3 HR, 283). Jones hit
for the cycle on April 15th and came back two days later with three home runs,
including a game winning walk off homer in the 12th inning.
The bats fell
silent in May but the pitching came through in big fashion. Veteran Brad
Voyles (3.25) and youngster Sean Henn (1.35) were 3-1. Alex
Graman was 2-1 with a 2.50 for the month. The bullpen came through in big
fashion, led by Jason Anderson (1-1, 2.16), Wayne Franklin (2-0,
1.59), Scott Proctor (1-0, 2.93) and Kris Wilson (1-0, 0.00).
June saw the bats
come alive again. On June 3rd, Wil Nieves, Andy Phillips, Michael
Vento, Mitch Jones and Ryan Hankins set a record by hitting home
runs in the same inning at Buffalo. The last four were consecutive. Jones (8
doubles, 9 HR, 25 RBIs, .342), Andy Phillips (6 doubles, 7 HR, 18 RBIs,
.314) and Vento (15 doubles, 5 HR, 27 RBIs, .374) stayed hot all month.
Newcomers Melky Cabrera (.300) and Andy Cannizaro (.316) added a
spark as the club posted a 18-10 in June.
A .500 record in
July kept the club in the thick of the race with solid performances by
Felix Escalona (.316), Hankins (.333), Nieves (.325), Kevin Thompson
(.305), Vento (.301) and hurlers Darrell May, right, (3-0, 0.95) and
Eric Schmitt (3-2). Jones and Vento were named to the I.L. Triple-A
All-Star team. Jones won the Triple-A All-Star Home Run Derby.
Injuries
decimated the pitching staff the last month of the season, as Voyles, Henn,
Wilson and Tim Redding had season ending injuries. But Kevin Reese
(4 doubles, 2 triples, 3 HR and .304) continued his consistent season. Nieves
(.295) and Johnson (.295) helped keep the Clippers in games. Pete
Munro (3-0, 2.45) and Jorge DePaula (2-0, 2.76) finished the season
strong.
Hideo Nomo
Pitchers Chien-Ming
Wang and Hideo Nomo added a international flair to the Clips this
season.
Despite the
injuries and call ups, the Clippers were not eliminated until there was only
one game left in the season. The team's final record was a solid 77-67.
Reese (left)
finished first in the league in doubles (38), 3rd in runs (92), 4th in extra
base hits (69) and 5th in hits (149). Jones finished 5th in home runs (27).
Vento was 2nd in doubles (37).
Escalona broke
Marshall Brant's career Clippers record by being hit by a pitch a record 18
this season. Felix has been hit 35 times as a Clipper.
Colter Bean
set a club record by appearing in 65 games and Jones set a mark by striking
out 174 times.
Jones was named
first baseman on the post season International League All-Star team.
2005 Columbus
Clippers
Clippers end 2006 season on a high
note
It was a tough year to be the
manager of the Columbus Clippers. Players were coming and going at a record
pace, 58 different players came and went 158
times. Add to that thirteen players on the DL for a total of 391 days, it was a
tough season. The only players available to manager Dave Miley every game this
season was shortstop Andy Cannizaro, second baseman Danny Garcia and relief
pitcher Mark Corey. Even Miley missed a portion of the season, being
hospitalized with back problems.
The Clippers had eight different
players play first base, nine at second base, eight at shortstop, ten third
basemen, fifteen outfielders, seven catchers, 28 designed hitters and 27
pitchers.
After a rough April (9-15) the
Clippers played six games under .500 from May through July. In August, Columbus
turned things around and had the best record (19-11) in the league.
Cannizaro led the team in runs
(69 tied with Kevin Thompson) hits (115) and doubles (32). Mitch Jones paced
the club with 21 home runs and 78 RBIs. Garcia stole 21 bases. Bronson Sardinha
and Thompson each hit five triples
Colter Bean (9-2) and Kris
Wilson (9-6) led the pitching staff in wins. Tommy Phelps pitched well in a
starting role and Mark Corey out of the pen. Both men finished with a 7-4
mark. Bean led all pitchers with 116 strikeouts.
Five young hurlers were called
up to the Yankees late in the season, T. J Beam (2-0, 1.71), Sean Henn (3-1,
4.01), Darrell Rasner (4-0, 2.76), Jose Veras ( 5-3, 2.41 with 21 saves) and
Jeff Karstens, who was 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA after being recalled in July.
“If we had the club we had at
the end of the season, for 30 more days, we would have won the whole thing.”
said pitching coach, Neil Allen. With an abundance of good young talent in the
Yankees farm system, the Clippers have a bright outlook for 2007.
Beaner Honored
In
the fifth inning of the final home game at The Coop Saturday, the game was
stopped to honor Clippers pitcher Colter Bean. Earlier in the month, Bean
set a record for the most games pitched by a Columbus pitcher (1866-present).
President and G.M. Ken Schnacke presented Colter with a handsome check for his
infant son's Gipson college education.
“This is a
great major step forward for our franchise to have our affiliate in Columbus,
Ohio.”
-
Jim Bowden, Vice President / General Manger, Washington Nationals
Click on the logos at the left to watch the board meeting and press
conference.
The
Columbus Baseball Team, Inc. Board of Trustees voted in special session
Wednesday to sign a two year Player Development Contract with the Washington
Nationals for the Franklin County owned Columbus Clippers, Triple-A ball club.
