The Tampa Yankees are a minor league baseball

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 based in Tampa

Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....

, Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

. They are currently members of the Florida State League

Florida State League

The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...

 and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

 Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 team. Home games are played at George M. Steinbrenner Field, a miniature replica of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx

The Bronx

The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...

.

The team was established in 1994. In 1996 they moved to the new George M. Steinbrenner Field, the New York Yankees' spring training

Spring training

In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...

 facility. Since their inception they have won five league championships, in 1994, 2001, 2004, 2009, and 2010.

History

The team was founded in 1994. The city of Tampa

Tâmpa

Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...

 had been without a professional baseball team since 1988, when the Tampa Tarpons

Tampa Tarpons

The Tampa Tarpons were a minor league baseball team based in Tampa, Florida. They played in the Class A Florida State League from 1957–1988, when they were sold, relocated, and renamed the Sarasota White Sox...

 were sold and relocated. The Tampa Yankees joined the Florida State League

Florida State League

The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...

, and have been the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

 since their inception.

Notable major league players to once play for the Tampa Yankees are Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter

Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...

, Ruben Rivera

Ruben Rivera

Rubén Rivera Moreno is a professional baseball player, who is currently an outfielder for the Piratas de Campeche of the Mexican League. He played Major League Baseball for five different teams, from to...

, Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian right-handed baseball pitcher who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. Nicknamed "Mo", Rivera has served as a relief pitcher for most of his career, and since 1997, he has been the Yankees' closer...

, Ramiro Mendoza

Ramiro Mendoza

Ramiro Mendoza , nicknamed "El Brujo" , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Mendoza played with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed. Although Mendoza made 62 starts in his major league career, he was primarily known as a middle relief pitcher...

, Tim Raines

Tim Raines

Timothy Raines , nicknamed "Rock", is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos...

, Eric Milton

Eric Milton

Eric Robert Milton is a former American left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball...

, and Sojo. The current manager Luis Sojo. Luis Sojo

Luis Sojo

Luis Beltrán Sojo Sojo is a former Major League Baseball infielder and right-handed batter who played with the Toronto Blue Jays , California Angels , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates...

 is a very well known for a slow bouncer up the middle in game 1 of the 2000 World Series against the New York Mets to put the Yankees ahead.

George M. Steinbrenner Field

George M. Steinbrenner Field, originally Legends Field, opened in 1996. It also serves as the spring training

Spring training

In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...

 stadium for the New York Yankees

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

. It seats 10,386 fans, and sits adjacent to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...

' football facility, Raymond James Stadium

Raymond James Stadium

Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...

. It was renamed after Yankees owner George M. Steinbrenner in 2008.

External links

Official Website