Frederick Keys
Encyclopedia
The Frederick Keys minor league baseball
team is the "High-A" class A baseball affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles
. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland
. The franchise is named for Star Spangled Banner poet Francis Scott Key
, a native of Frederick County. The team mascot is a coyote known as Keyote. The team is currently owned by Maryland Baseball Holding LLC, after being purchased in 2006 from Comcast Spectacor. Home games are played at Harry Grove Stadium
.
. The city of Frederick convinced the owners of the then-Hagerstown Suns
to move the team to Frederick and promised a 4,000-seat stadium to be built for the 1990 season. For the 1989 season, the Keys played at McCurdy Field, a Babe Ruth League stadium, while waiting for the construction of the new stadium to be completed. The Keys opened by losing both ends of a doubleheader
(including a seven-inning perfect game
by Dennis Burlingame) against the Durham Bulls
. Their first win came on April 11, 1989 with a 3-1 victory over the Kinston Indians
in the Keys' first-ever home game.
Only two players in Keys history have been transferred directly from Frederick to the Baltimore Orioles (excluding rehab related transfers). On September 3, 1996, Eugene Kingsale
's contract was purchased by the Orioles. On June 11, 2005, Jeff Fiorentino
's contract was purchased by the Orioles in order to replace the injured Luis Matos
.
The Keys have played in the Carolina League Championship Series, the Mills Cup Series, four times, the first three against the Kinston Indians
and the most recent against the Salem Avalanche, winning three Mills Cup championships. They won their first in 1990, and their second in the 2005 season, defeating Kinston both times. In 2005, they defeated Kinston three games to two at historic Grainger Stadium
in the best of five series. They were swept by the Indians in 2006, 3 games to 0. They won the 2007 series against the Salem Avalanche.
, Francisco de la Rosa, Luis Mercedes, Jack Voigt
, and Pete Rose, Jr.
Other Keys alumni include:
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team is the "High-A" class A baseball affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
. The franchise is named for Star Spangled Banner poet Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown, who wrote the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".-Life:...
, a native of Frederick County. The team mascot is a coyote known as Keyote. The team is currently owned by Maryland Baseball Holding LLC, after being purchased in 2006 from Comcast Spectacor. Home games are played at Harry Grove Stadium
Harry Grove Stadium
Harry Grove Stadium, located in Frederick, Maryland, is the home of the Frederick Keys, a class A minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Opened in 1990, it seats 5,400 fans....
.
History
The team was founded in 1989 when the Baltimore Orioles decided to move their Class A affiliate from Hagerstown, MarylandHagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
. The city of Frederick convinced the owners of the then-Hagerstown Suns
Hagerstown Suns
The Hagerstown Suns are a Minor League Baseball team based in Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. They play in Municipal Stadium, which was opened in 1930 and seats 4,600 fans....
to move the team to Frederick and promised a 4,000-seat stadium to be built for the 1990 season. For the 1989 season, the Keys played at McCurdy Field, a Babe Ruth League stadium, while waiting for the construction of the new stadium to be completed. The Keys opened by losing both ends of a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
(including a seven-inning perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
by Dennis Burlingame) against the Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
. Their first win came on April 11, 1989 with a 3-1 victory over the Kinston Indians
Kinston Indians
The Kinston Indians were a minor league baseball team of the Carolina League , and the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. They were located in Kinston, North Carolina, and were named for their parent club...
in the Keys' first-ever home game.
Only two players in Keys history have been transferred directly from Frederick to the Baltimore Orioles (excluding rehab related transfers). On September 3, 1996, Eugene Kingsale
Eugene Kingsale
Eugene Humphrey "Gene" Kingsale is a former Major League Baseball player with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and Detroit Tigers from until...
's contract was purchased by the Orioles. On June 11, 2005, Jeff Fiorentino
Jeff Fiorentino
Jeffrey Philip Fiorentino is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball. He attended Florida Atlantic University and Nova High School in Davie Florida...
's contract was purchased by the Orioles in order to replace the injured Luis Matos
Luis Matos
Luis David Matos is a professional baseball outfielder. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Baltimore Orioles between 2000–06 and briefly for the Washington Nationals in late 2006...
.
The Keys have played in the Carolina League Championship Series, the Mills Cup Series, four times, the first three against the Kinston Indians
Kinston Indians
The Kinston Indians were a minor league baseball team of the Carolina League , and the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. They were located in Kinston, North Carolina, and were named for their parent club...
and the most recent against the Salem Avalanche, winning three Mills Cup championships. They won their first in 1990, and their second in the 2005 season, defeating Kinston both times. In 2005, they defeated Kinston three games to two at historic Grainger Stadium
Grainger Stadium
Grainger Stadium is a sports venue located in Kinston, North Carolina. The Kinston Indians of the Carolina League, and all the professional Kinston baseball teams since 1949, played their home games there.-History and naming:...
in the best of five series. They were swept by the Indians in 2006, 3 games to 0. They won the 2007 series against the Salem Avalanche.
Notable former Keys
Several Keys alumni have gone on to play in the major leagues. In their inaugural season, the opening day roster featured several future major leaguers: David SeguiDavid Segui
David Vincent Segui, is a Cuban-American former Major League Baseball first baseman. Segui played collegiate baseball for Louisiana Tech University and Kansas City Kansas Community College. During a 15-year baseball career, he played with the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Montreal Expos,...
, Francisco de la Rosa, Luis Mercedes, Jack Voigt
Jack Voigt
John David Voigt is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of seven seasons in the majors, from until , for the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Oakland Athletics...
, and Pete Rose, Jr.
Other Keys alumni include:
- Andy Van SlykeAndy Van SlykeAndrew James Van Slyke is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and former first base coach for the Detroit Tigers.-Career:...
: 1995 - Arthur RhodesArthur RhodesArthur Lee Rhodes, Jr. is a Major League Baseball left-handed relief pitcher.-Career:Rhodes played high school baseball at La Vega High School in Waco, Texas. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2nd round of the 1988 Major League Baseball Draft.Rhodes made his MLB debut with the Orioles...
: 1989, 1990 - Joe BorowskiJoe Borowski (baseball player)Joseph Thomas Borowski is a sports broadcaster for the Arizona Diamondbacks, as well as a former professional baseball right-handed relief pitcher...
: 1989, 1990 - Sidney PonsonSidney PonsonSidney Alton Ponson is a Major League pitcher who is currently a free agent. According to the Atlantic League website Ponson was placed on the "Retired" list as of June 18, 2010. Ponson stands at 6'1" tall and weighs 260 pounds. He throws right-handed...
: 1996 - Brian RobertsBrian RobertsBrian Michael Roberts is an American Major League Baseball All Star second baseman, nicknamed B-Rob.He made his Major League debut in and has spent his entire professional career with the Baltimore Orioles organization, located in Baltimore, Maryland.-Early life, education and college-baseball...
: 2000 - Eli WhitesideEli WhitesideDustin Eli Whiteside is a Major League Baseball catcher for the San Francisco Giants.-Baltimore Orioles :...
: 2002 - Nick MarkakisNick MarkakisNicholas William Markakis is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Baltimore Orioles. Of Greek and German descent , Markakis is known for his arm strength, stellar right field defense and smooth hitting....
: 2005 - Adam LoewenAdam LoewenAdam Alexander Loewen is a Canadian professional baseball outfielder and infielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed...
: 2005 - Matt WietersMatt WietersMatthew Richard Wieters is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Baltimore Orioles. Wieters was drafted 5th overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft. Wieters played college baseball for Georgia Tech, and his agent is Scott Boras. Wieters is a tall athletic hitter, standing 6 feet...
: 2008 - Brad Bergesen: 2009