The names of the 30 Major League Baseball teams aren’t particularly funny. Yeah, Chris Farley got off a good Yankee joke in ‘Tommy Boy” but there was a whole lot of context there. Minor league teams, however, have some pretty funny names. Maybe it’s our lack of familiarity with them. Or maybe because its because they are legitimately goofy.  Here are twelve funny baseball team names.

The Lansing Lugnuts (Class-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays)
Lansing has a pretty long history of being an auto-manufacturing town, so the lug nut moniker does make sense. And, hey, alliteration. Still, the lug nut is clearly the goofiest of all the nuts and bolts. Team co-owner Tom Dickson is the one responsible for the funny name. He chose it out of a fan submitted list of over 2000 when the franchise formed in the mid-ninties

The Vermont Lake Monsters (Class-A affiliate of the Oakland A’s)
He doesn’t get the press of the Loch Ness Monster, but Vermont has its own probably-mythical sea monster. His name is Champ and the aquatic beast stalks Lake Champlain. So why wouldn’t the only minor league baseball team in the Green Mountain State be named after this horrifying sea creature? (Actually, the question should be what are the A’s still doing having a minor league team in Vermont?)

The Modesto Nuts (Class-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies)
Maybe it’s less funny than lug nuts, but nuts by itself does have two pretty goofy implications for a collection of men.  Actually, they really do grow all sorts of nuts in the Modesto area. Hence the name, which garnered 52 percent of the vote in the franchise’s 2005 “rename the team” contest. We do, however, suspect many of those voters weren’t thinking about the town’s agricultural roots when they checked the box next to “nut.”

The Albuquerque Isotopes (Class-AAA affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers)
What do Isotopes have to do with Albuquerque? Nothing actually. It was the nuclear power themed nickname of the Springfield baseball team in ‘The Simpsons; that Homer tries to prevent from relocating to New Mexico. When Albuquerque did get a triple-A team the franchise paid homage to TV’s longest running prime time show by naming the team the Albuquerque Isotopes. Now that’s pretty funny.

Brevard County Manatees (Class-AA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewer)
Manatees are clearly the most funny of all the marine-mammals and just a generally goofy name for a sports team because of their sloth-like speed. The Brevard County squad also has a mascot named Manny the Manatee. You need to be extra careful around Manny because riding or harassing manatees in Florida is actually a crime.

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Class-AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies)
“Pigs” would be a pretty inappropriate name for a baseball team. IronPigs, now that sounds like something you’d see on a Pink Floyd album cover. “It was the weirdest name out there, I guess,” Ron Steele, who submitted the name during Lehigh Valley’s 2008 name that franchise contest, explained. “I think the uniqueness got a lot of people into it.” Indeed.

Arkansas Travelers (Class-AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.)
The Arkansas Travelers are “derived from the famous minstrel known as the Arkansas Traveler, who roamed the Ozark Mountains selling his wares and singing songs,” according to the team’s website. Well, maybe it’s not that funny of a name by itself.  But it is a bit humorous when you look up at the scoreboard at a “Travs” game and see that it is a matchup between the “Travelers” and the “Visitors.”

Las Vegas 51ers (Class-AAA affiliate of the New York Mets)
So what happened in Las Vegas in ‘51? Gold rush? Was that when gambling was legalized? None of the above. The 51 in the New York Mets Triple-A affiliate nickname actually refers to Area 51, the Southern Nevada military airfield that has long been associated with UFOs and extraterrestrials. The Las Vegas Class-AAA team used to be called the Stars. Now they can have a much more interesting mascot.

Savannah Sand Gnats (Class-A affiliate of the New York Mets)
Savannah, Georgia is full of a insect called a sand gnat. This little buggers bite hard and have been called the scourge of the low-country. It is unclear why one would use a minor league baseball team name to remind the residents of the Gothic city of this unfortunate infestatio. But, again, alliteration.

Montgomery Biscuits (Class-AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays)
Unlike sand gnats, which everybody hates, only a person lacking a soul and taste buds would dislike a delicious biscuit. It’s just, you know, a pretty silly name for a sports team. “A native of Montgomery, Tripp Vickers, submitted the name ‘Biscuits’ and we fell in love with it,” explained the team’s general manager. “Not only was it representative of the region, but it was campy, quirky, and playful.” Alrighty then.

Richmond Flying Squirrels (Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.)
Squirrels would be a pretty funny name for a baseball team. Flying squirrels is even more funny. Like many of the minor league’s more humorous names this was a result of a fan contest the team ran before they started play in 2008. The moral of the story is that if you ask the general public for your team’s name it’s probably going to be a little off-beat.

Lakeland Flying Tigers (Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers)
While flying squirrels are actually a thing, flying tigers are not. And it’s a good thing too.  That would be terrifying. The Flying Tigers actually get their name from a military plane the United States used during World War I and World II. History for the win!

Sabermetrics is revolutionizing how baseball is played and understand. New statistics which measure the total worth of a player and help to predict what that player will do in the future have helped baseball executives like Andrew Friedman in Tampa Bay and Billy Beane in Oakland assemble competitive teams despite the constraints of small market payrolls.

While that is all fine and good for the Rays and A’s and their depleted fan bases, you might be wondering “what can sabermetrics do for me?” Well, if you play fantasy baseball, they can do a whole lot. In this article we will discuss two fairly simple sabermetric principles and how they can help you win your fantasy league.

Or, actually, it’s really just one principle. The idea that there are only three true outcomes during an at-bat — a strikeout, a walk (or HBP) or a home run.  And anything else that happens during plate appearance is subject to a good degree of luck.

Let’s start with a statistic called BABIP or batting average balls in play. It’s calculation is simple enough: it’s the percentage of hits vs. outs a player gets when he doesn’t strikeout, walk or hit a homerun.

The average BABIP for a major leaguer is right at .300. If a player is fast (infield hits) and/or has a good line drive percentage (harder to catch) he should have a higher than average BABIP. The opposite is true for a player with less speed and less ability to square the ball.

So a good BABIP isn’t necessarily a function of luck. However if a player’s BABIP fluctuates widely from one year to another, causing a corresponding big jump up or down in batting average, this can suggest the BABIP variation was based more on luck than a change in skill.

For example, let’s say a over the previous three years a player has hit 285 with a .300 BABIP, .269 with a .288 BABIP and .289 with a .308 BABIP. Then, in his fourth season, he hits .337 with a .400 BABIP.

Not only is this latest BABIP out of sorts with his previous career numbers, but .400 is an extraordinarily high BABIP for anyone to have, particularly a player who had previously been a solid but not spectacular average hitter. What this aberration in BABIP suggests is that during the fourth season the player in question got lucky on batted balls — ie more pop ups that landed between outfielders, dribblers that got through the infield, or even a higher percentage of hard line drives that didn’t frustratingly find a glove.

And thus in that player’s next season he would be even more due for the dreaded regression to the mean than usual.

This is where you should apply sabermetrics to your fantasy draft or auction. While your opponents may value this hypothetical player as the .337 hitter he was the year before, you know that he is more likely to be a .280 hitter going forward, and you can value him accordingly and more accurately.

Likewise, if a player has a large one year dip in BABIP (and batting average) that isn’t the result of aging or a lingering injury this is a player you want to target in your draft because he is likely to rebound and produce more value than the other players you could have snagged at the same price or draft position.

The concept of three true outcomes also applies to pitchers. Here the relevant sabermetric stat is FIP or Fielding Independent Pitching. FIP is a bit more complicated to calculate than BABIP, but you don’t need to know its formula to use it for your fantasy benefit.

Instead, you just need to know that FIP is normed to look like an ERA. So if a pitcher finishes the year with a 4.10 ERA but a 3.50 FIP that means he got unlucky on batted balls and is due for the good kind of regression. And if a pitcher has 3.40 ERA but a 4.10 ERA he got lucky and has the bad kind of regression in his future

So let’s backtrack a little. What FIP is measuring is what a pitcher’s expected ERA would be if only his strikeout, walks and home runs — those three true outcomes — are considered, and everything else is held to the league average on batted balls. Sabermetricians believe that a pitcher has no control over what happens to a batted ball that isn’t a home run. So FIP aims not to punish (or reward) a pitcher for bad fielding or the same “luck” on batted balls that causes a hitter’s BABIP to fluctuate.

Now using FIP to value a pitcher for a fantasy purposes isn’t quite as cut and dry as using BABIP to value a hitter. The fielders who play behind a pitcher have a lot to with his FIP and if he hasn’t switched teams in the off-season he is likely dealing with the same quality (or lack of quality) defense as he did the year before.

Nevertheless, a good chunk of what FIP is measuring is just the random luck of where pop flies drop, etc. So when a pitcher has a big discrepancy between his FIP and ERA this is something you should be mindful of during a draft or auction, and value accordingly.

The best place to find sabermetric stats such as FIP and BABIP is Fangraphs.com, where they are prominently displayed and easily sortable.

As sabermetrics become more and more popular, more and more fantasy players will apply these techniques and they will no longer be an effective way to gain an advantage on draft day.

But they should work for now. And make sure to stay on top of the latest developments in Baseball Sabermetrics — they might just be what wins your fantasy league five years in the future.

Founded in 1870, the Chicago Cubs are the longest continuous one-city franchise in North American sports history. They are currently in the Central Division of the National League and have played their home games at Wrigley Field in Chicago since 1916. Their colors are blue, red, white and grey.

Chicago didn’t adopt the Cubs name until 1903, having previously gone by the Orphans, Colts and White Stockings. At that point Chicago had established themselves as a National League dynasty, winning six 19th century league titles behind star hitter Cap Anson. The Cubs continued their dominance in the World Series era posting an all-time best .763 winning percentage in 1906, and then winning back-to-back Fall Classics in ‘07 and ‘08. Their infield during that time period of Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers and Frank Chance was immortalized in the poem “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon.”

After a bit of a lull, the Cubs had a few very competitive teams in the late twenties and thirties, with Hall of Famers such as Hack Wilson, Gabby Hartnett, Rogers Hornsby and Kiki Cuyler and Dizzy Dean making their home at Wrigley. However the Cubs couldn’t win another World Series in three chances.

The Cubs made the Fall Classic again in 1945 and in Game Four of the series, with the Cubs up over the Tigers two games to one, team owner P.K. Wrigley ejected fan Billy Saines from Wrigley Field because he had brought his pet goat. Allegedly Saines muttered something about the Cubs “never winning again” as he was being escorted out. The Cubs lost the ‘45 Series in seven, and the “Curse of the Billy Goat” was born.

It was a harsh curse indeed and the Cubs struggled mightily for the next twenty years. It looked like they were going to turn things around in 1969, but their squad made up of Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Billy Williams and Ferguson Jenkins epically blew a 9.5 game late August division lead to miss the playoffs. The blew another huge division lead in 1977 and in 1984 they lost the NLCS as the heavy favorite to the San Diego Padres.

The Cubs next best chance at an elusive World Series win was in 2003 when they advanced to the NLCS against the Marlins. They were on the verge of winning Game Six and the series when a Cubs fan named Steve Bartman reached toward Wrigley’s railing and caught a foul ball off the bat of Luis Castillo before left fielder Moises Alou could get to it. Castillo ended up reaching base and scored, and Batman’s gaffe ended up contributing to a Cubs defeat and eventual series loss.

As of 2013 the Cubs haven’t won a World Series in 104 years, the longest championship drought in North American sports history.

Key players: Albert Spalding, Cap Anson, Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, Frank Chance, Three-Finger Brown, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Hack Wilson, Gabby Hartnett, Rogers Hornsby, Kiki Cuyler, Ernie Banks, Lou Brock, Ron Santo, Billy Williams, Ferguson Jenkins, Rick Sutcliffe, Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson, Mark Grace, Greg Maddux, Sammy Sosa, Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Alfonso Soriano.

Key managers: Joe McCarthy, Jim Fry, Dusty Baker, Lou Piniella

Division titles: 2008, 2007, 2003, 1989, 1984.

League pennants: 1945, 1938, 1935, 1932, 1929, 1918, 1910, 1908, 1907, 1906, 1886, 1885,
1882, 1881, 1880, 1876.

World Series titles: 1908, 1907.

All-time record: 10,438 and 9,976.

Who said camp is just for the kids? Twenty four major league baseball teams offer annual fantasy camps that are not only geared towards adults, but actually require attendees to be a minimum age, usually 25 or 30.

The structure of these camps is basically the same: they generally take place in the team’s spring training facility in January or February; they are usually about a week long and feature instructions and game action and players get their very own team uniforms which they can keep.

One of the big draws of the fantasy camps is the former major leaguers that take part in the camp as either instructors or lecturers. The quality of these big leaguers varies from fantasy camp to fantasy camp, but tend to be big names in at least the host franchise’s team history.

Other variations in Fantasy camp include cost (although they are all in the $3500 to $6,000 range) and inclusiveness (some packages include airfare and dinner, while these will be extras in others.)

The average age of a fantasy camper is between 40 and 50, and just about every camp says you don’t need much baseball experience to participate. However hey do recommend you be in good enough shape to not drop dead from some calisthenics.

We’ve listed information about all the 24 active fantasy camps below, alphabetically by team. Additionally most fantasy camps allow for a reduced price a spouse or companion to come to the camp but not participate in the baseball exercises  While most camp base their price on double occupancy hotels, you can usually upgrade to a single occupancy room for between $300 and $500 more. Some camps also offer VIP packages, which typically involve more time and a golf outing with the former player. Make sure to book as soon as possible as most camps will sell out.

Arizona Diamondbacks Fantasy Camp
Where: Scottsdale, Arizona
When: January
How long: Six days and nights
Cost $4000 with a $500 deposit
Minimum age: 30
Special features:Authentic home and batting practice jersey. Reunion party during home game.
Scheduled to appear: Matt Williams, Mark Grace, Luis Gonzalez Joe Garagiola Sr.
Contact: 602-462-3710 http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/ari/fan_forum/academy/fantasycamp.jsp

Atlanta Braves Fantasy Camp
Where: Kissimmee, Florida. Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort.
When: January
How long: Five days and five nights
Cost: $4,299 with a $500
Minimum age: 25
Special features: Rates for spouses. Welcome party
Scheduled to appear: Javy Lopez, Steve Avery, Sid Bream, Zane Smith
Contact: 404-614-1526

http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/atl/fan_forum/fantasycamp.jsp?c_id=atl

Baltimore Orioles Fantasy Camp
Where: Sarasota, Florida. Lido Beach Resort Hotel
When: January
How long: Seven days six nights
Cost: $4.299
Minimum age: 30
Special features: Airfare from Baltimore included. Fantasy camp video.
Scheduled to appear: Mike Bodicker, Rich Dempsey, Chris Hoiles, Boog Powell
Contact: 410-547-6063

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/bal/fan_forum/dream_week.jsp

Where: Fort Myers, Florida. Holiday Inn at Gulf Coast Town Center.
When: January
How long: Eight days, seven nights
Cost: $4,799
Minimum age: 30
Special features: Unlimited food and beverage happy hour every day. Pre camp golf tourney
Scheduled to appear: Luis Tiant, Rich Gedman, Trot Nixon, Mike Timlin
Contact: 617-226-6400 http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/fan_forum/fantasy_camp.jsp

Chicago Cubs Fantasy Camp
Where: Mesa, Arizona. Dobson Inn Ranch
When: January
How long: Seven days, seven nights
Cost: $4,195
Minimum age: 30
Special features: Personalized baseball card. Engraved Louisville Slugger bat.
Scheduled to appear: Ferguson Jenkins, Billy Williams, Randy Hundley.
Contact: http://www.cubsfantasycamp.com/html/imagine.html

Chicago White Sox Fantasy Camp
Where: Glendale, Arizona. Residence Inn.
When: January
How long: Seven days, seven nights
Cost: $4,195
Minimum age: 21
Special features: Personalized baseball card. Guaranteed game on main field.
Scheduled to appear: White Sox greats.
Contact: 312-674-5398. http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/cws/fan_forum/fantasy_camp.jsp

Cincinnati Reds Fantasy Camp
Where: Avondale, Arizona. Hilton Garden Inn
When: February
How long: Eight days, seven nights
Cost: $4,600 first time, $4,200 veterans
Minimum age: 30
Special features: Certified umpires. Campers vs. Pros game.
Scheduled to appear: Johnny Bench, Eric Davis, Chris Sabo, Tom Browning
Contact: 800-755-REDS http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/fan_forum/fantasy_camp.jsp

Cleveland Indians Fantasy Camp
Where: Goodyear, Arizona. Renaissance Courtyard.
When: January
How long: Eight days, seven nights
Cost: $4,800 first time, $4.400 veterans.
Minimum age: 30
Special features: Daily camp newspaper. Seven game schedule.
Scheduled to appear: Mike Hargrove, Corey Snyder, Pat Tabler, Mike Jackson
Contact: 216-420-HITS http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/cle/fan_forum/fantasycamp_main.jsp

Colorado Rockies Fantasy Camp
Where: Scottsdale, Arizona. Scottsdale Plaza Resort
When: February
How long:
Cost: $4,350
Minimum age: 21
Special features: Airfare included. Championship game
Scheduled to appear:Rockies greats.
Contact: 303-312-camp http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/col/fan_forum/fantasycamp.jsp

Detroit Tigers Fantasy Camp
Where: Lakeland, Florida.
When: January
How long: 8 days, seven nights
Cost: $3,595 first time, $3,295 veteran.
Minimum age: 21
Special features: Airfare included. Games under the lights. Match up against Yankee campers.
Scheduled to appear: MIckey Lolich, Mike Heath, Frank Tanana, Willie Hernandez
Contact: 313-471-2550. http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/det/fan_forum/fantasy_camp.jsp

Houston Astros Fantasy Camp (none)
Where:
When:
How long:
Cost:
Minimum age:
Special features:
Scheduled to appear:
Contact:

Kansas City Royals Fantasy Camp
Where: Sunrise Florida
When: January
How long:
Cost: 3,995
Minimum age:
Special features:
Scheduled to appear: George Brett, Hal McRae, Brian Montgomery
Contact:

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Where: Tucson, Arizona. Doubletree Suites
When: January
How long: Seven Days, six nights
Cost: $4,250, $500 deposit
Minimum age: 30
Special features: All meals paid for. Coaches vs. Campers game.
Scheduled to appear: Rod Carew, Tim Salmon, Mickey Hatcher, Dave Frost
Contact: 818-585-3179 http://www.ladabc.com/index.php

Los Angeles Dodgers Fantasy Camp
Where: Tucson, Arizona. Doubletree Suites
When: January
How long: Seven Days, six nights
Cost: $4,250, $500 deposit
Minimum age: 30
Special features: All meals paid for. Coaches vs. Campers game.
Scheduled to appear: Rick Monday, Bill Russell, Jerry Reuss, Paul LoDuca
Contact: 818-585-3179 http://www.ladabc.com/index.php

Miami Marlins Fantasy Camp (None Offered)
Where:
When:
How long:
Cost:
Minimum age:
Special features:
Scheduled to appear:
Contact:

Milwaukee Brewers Fantasy Camp
Where: Phoenix Arizona.
When: February
How long: Eight days, seven nights
Cost: $4199
Minimum age: 30
Special features: Includes round trip airfare from Milwaukee. Reunion game at Miller Park during the season.
Scheduled to appear: Gorman Thomas, Jim Gantner, Cecil Cooper, Rob Deer
Contact: 414-321-8605 https://secure.mlb.com/mil/fan_forum/fantasy_camp_form.jsp

Minnesota Twins Fantasy Camp
Where: Fort Myers, Florida. Crowne Plaza Hotel.
When: January
How long: seven days, seven nights
Cost: $4195 first year, $3695 veterans
Minimum age: 30. 25 with an older parent.
Special features: Reunion game at Target Field. Cy Young, MVP and other awards
Scheduled to appear: Rod Carew, Bert Blyleven, Kent Hrbek, Frank Viola, Tom Brunansky
Contact: 888-446-TWIN http://yuratwin.com/twins-fantasy-camp-info/register-now.php

New York Mets Fantasy Camp
Where: Port St. Lucie, Florida. PGA Village Resort.
When: January
How long: six days, five nights
Cost: $4395
Minimum age: 30
Special features: Airfare included. Personalized videos.
Scheduled to appear: Mookie Wilson, Bobby Wine, Rodney McCray
Contact: 718-559-3035 http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/fan_forum/fantasycamp.jsp

New York Yankees Fantasy Camp
Where: Tampa, Florida. Sheraton Suits.
When: November, January
How long: Six days, five nights
Cost: $4,995 (1950 for women’s mini camp)
Minimum age 30 (21 for women’s mini camp)
Special features: Full authentic uniform
Scheduled to appear: David Wells, Lou Piniella, Luis Tiant, Bucky Dent
Contact: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/nyy/fan_forum/fantasycamp_testimonials.jsp

Oakland A’s Fantasy Camp
Where: Phoenix, Arizona
When: January
How long: seven days, six nights
Cost: $3,500 regular, $4975 VIP
Minimum age: 30
Special features: Golf with major Leaguers, custom maple bat. (VIP)
Scheduled to appear: Dave Henderson and other Oakland greats
Contact: 877-993-7338 http://hendersonbaseball.com/As1.html

Where: Philadelphia Phillies Phantasy Camp
When: January
How long: Five days/four nights
Cost: 4,895 player 3,890 GM
Minimum age. 30 for player, 21 for GM
Special features: Can go as player or GM. Game against legends
Scheduled to appear: Mike Schmidt,Greg Luzinski, John Kruk, Larry Anderson
Contact: 610-42-3400 http://www.philliescamps.com/PhantasyCamp/pages/experiences_player.html

Pittsburgh Pirates Fantasy Camp
Where: Bradenton Florida.
When: January
How long: Seven days, six nights
Cost:
Special features:
Scheduled to appear: Steve Blass, Richie Hebner, Bob Walk, Zane Smith
Contact: 1-800-BUY-BUCS

San Diego Padres Fantasy Camp
Where: Tucson, Arizona. Doubletree Suites
When: January
How long: Seven Days, six nights
Cost: $4,250, $500 deposit
Minimum age: 30
Special features: All meals paid for. Coaches vs. Campers game.
Scheduled to appear: Randy Jones, Derrell Thomas, Garry Templeton
Contact: 818-585-3179 http://www.ladabc.com/index.php

San Francisco Giants Fantasy Camp
Where: Scottsdale, Arizona. Marriott Suites
When: January
How long: Eight days, seven nights
Cost: $4,400
Minimum age: 25
Special features: Airfare included. Three nights of dinner.
Scheduled to appear: Robb Nen, Gaylord Perry, J.T. Snow, Vida Blue
Contact: 1-800-411-1919 http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/fan_forum/fantasycamp/package.jsp

Seattle Mariners Fantasy Camp
Where: Phoenix, Arizona
When: January
How long: seven days, six nights
Cost: $3,500 regular, $4975 VIP
Minimum age: 30
Special features: Golf with major Leaguers, custom maple bat. (VIP)
Scheduled to appear: Dave Henderson and other Seattle greats
Contact: 877-993-7338 http://hendersonbaseball.com/As1.html

St. Louis Cardinals Legends Camp
Where: Jupiter, Florida. Marriott Palm Beach Gardens.
When: January
How long: Five days, four nights
Cost: $5,000, $6500 VIP
Minimum age: 30
Special features: VIP’s get gold with players. Proceeds benefit Hire Heros.
Scheduled to appear: Ozzie Smith, Dave LaPoint, Tom Pagnozzi
Contact: 1-866-915-HERO http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/stl/fan_forum/fantasy_camp.jsp?loc=details

Tampa Bay Rays Fantasy Camp (None)
Where:
When:
How long:
Cost:
Minimum age:
Special features:
Scheduled to appear:
Contact:

Texas Rangers Fantasy Camp (None)
Where:
When:
How long:
Cost:
Minimum age:
Special features:
Scheduled to appear:
Contact:

Toronto Blue Jays Fantasy Camp (None)
Where:
When:
How long:
Cost:
Minimum age:
Special features:
Scheduled to appear:
Contact:

Washington Nationals Fantasy Camp (None)
Where:
When:
How long:
Cost:
Special features:
Minimum age:
Scheduled to appear:
Contact:

The Boston Red Sox were founded in 1901 as one of the American League’s original eight franchises. They are in the American League’s East Division and have played their home games at Fenway Park in Boston since 1912.

The Red Sox began as the American League’s most successful franchise, with Cy Young and Jimmy Williams leading them to a World Series in 1903 and a pennant in 1904. They won four more World Series during the ‘10s thanks to Tris Speaker, and later in the decade a star pitcher who could also mash at the plate named Babe Ruth.

In 1919 Red Sox owner and Broadway theater producer Harry Frazee sold Ruth to the New York Yankees, and that ushered in twenty years of ineptitude. (Freeze also sold many of the Red Sox’s other good players to his hometown Yankees.)

With a lineup sporting Ted Williams, Dom Dimaggio and Jimmie Foxx, the Red Sox started to get good again in the late thirties. However, World War II killed their momentum and it wasn’t until ‘46 that they made the World Series — only to lose to St. Louis and feed in to the theory that had been cursed by Ruth’s sale.

They remained fairly competitive during the rest of Williams’ career, but never really sniffed another World Series. The Sox struggled in the decade following Williams’ retirement and then, seemingly out of nowhere, advanced to the 1967 World Series behind Carl Yastrzemski, only to be bridesmaids to St. Louis again. There was another World Series loss in 1975, and devastating one game playoff defeat to the Yankees in 1978.

By the time the ball trickled through Bill Buckner’s legs, costing the Red Sox the 1986 World Series, even a skeptic would have to acknowledge there might just be something to the Curse of the Bambino. Finally in 2004 Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling and a band of self described “idiots” led the Red Sox to a World Series victory, this time defeating the Cardinals. With the curse broken, Schilling and Josh Beckett powered the squad to another World Series win in 2007 and the team remained competitive until 2012, when they finished in last place in the AL East.

However their quick descent to the cellar was short-lived. Free agent additions Koji Uehara, Shane Victorino and Mike Napoli  — and the reemergence of mainstays Jacoby Ellsbury and John Lackey — led the Red Sox back to the top of American League East in 2013, and they went on to defeat their nemesis Cardinals and capture their third World Series of the twenty-first century. Not bad for a team which had spent so much of the previous century in the depths of one of sport’s most famous curses.

Key players: Cy Young, Jimmy Collins, Lefty Grove, Ted Williams, Dom Dimaggio, Johnny Pesky, Carl Yastrzemski, Tony Conigliaro, Fred Lynn, Jim Rice, Dennis Eckersley, Luis Tiant, Dwight Evans, Carlton Fisk, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Bruce Hurst, Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon, Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez, Jonathan Papelbon, Josh Beckett, Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Dustin Pedroia, Koji Uehara.

Key managers: Jimmy Collins, Darrell Johnson, John McNamara, Tito Francona.

Division titles: 2013, 2007, 1995, 1990, 1988, 1986, 1975.

League pennants: 2007, 2004, 1986, 1975, 1967, 1946, 1918, 1916, 1915, 1912, 1904, 1903.

World Series titles: 2013, 2007, 2004, 1918, 1916, 1915, 1912, 1903.

All time record: 9075 and 8463.

The Orioles’ franchise began in 1894 as the Milwaukee Brewers. Since 1954 they’ve been the Baltimore Orioles. The play in the American League East and their home park in Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland.

The franchise’s Milwaukee phase was brief and unsuccessful, and in 1902 they moved to St. Louis where they became the Browns. They were pretty lousy during their 51 years in St. Louis, with the exception being a period in the early twenties, in which their George Sisler/Ken Williams led team was highly competitive but never quite good enough. In 1944 they won an American League pennant thanks to World War II having diluted baseball of much of its talent.

Their time in St. Louis wasn’t a complete failure, however. They were a popular draw, often beating their much-better inner city rivals the St Louis Cardinals at the gate. Then there was Bill Veeck’s entertaining two year ownership of the club between 1951 and 1953, which included an at-bat by midget pinch hitter Eddie Gaedel and a controversial move to Baltimore after the 1953 season.

Veeck was actually pushed out as owner by the time the team reached Baltimore. And to further cut ties to the past, in 1954 the Orioles orchestrated a seventeen player trade with the Yankees that shed them of just about everyone who had ever played in St. Louis.

The Orioles struggled throughout the fifties, but emerged as a winner in the sixties. The finally broke through in 1966, behind a Triple Crown from Frank Robinson, and ended up sweeping Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and the Brooklyn Dodgers to win their franchise’s first World Series.

This was followed by almost two decades of perennial pennant contention thanks to manager Earl Weaver, who always promoted “The Oriole Way,” and stars such as Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Boog Powell, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr.

The club fell into a funk not long after winning the 1983 World Series with a team of aging veterans and haven’t posted very many winning seasons since. Exceptions to this were a nice run of regular season success between 1996 and 1997, behind the bats Rafael Palmeiro, Brady Anderson, Cal Ripken Jr., and Roberto Alomar and the arm of Mike Mussina. The Birds also won a surprising wild card spot in 2012 and followed it up with a winning season in 2013

Other Orioles highlights of the last thirty years include the opening of Camden Yards, with ushered in the new era of retro-classic ballpark design, and hometown boy and Oriole-for-life Cal Ripken Jr. breaking Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive games played.

Key players: George Sisler, Ken Williams, Ned Garver, Brooks Robinson, Mike Cuellar, Boog Powell, Bobby Grich, Mark Ballenger, Frank Robinson, Paul Blair, Dave McNally, Doug DeCinces, Ken Singleton, Rick Dempsey, Steve Stone, Eddie Murray, Mike Flanagan, Dennis Martinez, Cal Ripken Jr., Brady Anderson, B.J. Shuroff, Mike Mussina, Scott Erickson, Rafael Palmeiro, Roberto Alomar, Matt Wieters, Chris Davis.

Key managers: Jack O’Connor, Hank Bauer, Earl Weaver, Davey Johnson.

Division titles: 1997, 1983, 1979, 1974, 1973, 1971, 1970, 1969.

League pennants: 1983, 1979, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1966, 1944.

World Series titles: 1983, 1970, 1966.

All time record: 8326 and 9198.

Founded as the Boston Red Stockings in 1870, the Braves are arguably the oldest continuous franchise in North American sports history. They are currently in the East Division of the National League and play their home games at Turner Field in Atlanta. Their team nickname is The Bravos.

Known as the Red Stockings and the Beaneaters during their first 42 years of existence, the then-Boston located franchise became the Braves in 1912. They hadn’t had much success in the World Series era, but in 1914 they had a “Miracle” season in which the overcome a 4-18 start to win the Fall Classic. Their next 38 years in Boston were pretty lousy, with the lone bright spot being their 1948 “Spahn and Sain and pray for rain” pennant winning team.

In 1953 the Braves spearheaded Major League Baseball’s move West by relocating to Milwaukee. The team was an immediate hit in both the stands and the standings and Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews and Warren Spahn leading the Braves to a pennants in 1957 and 1958 and their franchise’s second World Series win in ‘57.

The Braves never had a losing season during their time in Milwaukee, but they were never really a factor for the postseason during the 60s, and  in1966 the team moved to Atlanta.

Although they still had Aaron and Matthews (the only Brave to play in all three of the franchise’s cities) they struggled through most of their first 25 years down South. However, those years were notable for Aaron’s pursuit of the Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record and Ted Turner buying the franchise and rather arrogantly dubbing it “America’s Team” because its games would play on his national cable network WTBS.

1991 ushered in the golden era of Braves baseball, with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Chipper Jones leading them to an all-time record 14 straight division titles. Sadly for Braves’ fans this unprecedented run of dominance by Bobby Cox’s squad netted only the 1995 World Series, the third in franchise history.

The Braves had a brief playoff lull between 2006 and 2009.  However over the last few years they’ve developed and traded for a new generation of stars such as Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman, Justin Upton, Andrelton Simmons and Craig Kimble.

With this new young core the Braves have made the playoffs three of the last four years, and in 2013 they won their division for the first time since their epic run between 1991 and 2005. But, being they Braves, they weren’t able to advance out of the first round in any of these post-season opportunities.

Key players: Johnny Evers, Warren Spahn, Eddie Matthews, Hank Aaron, Joe Adcock, Joe Torre, Lew Burdette, Darrell Evans, Davey Johnson, Bob Horner, Jeff Burroughs, Gary Matthews, Dale Murphy, Phil Niekro, Tom Glavine, Ron Gant, Fred McGriff, Ryan Klesko, Jeff Blauser, John Rocker, Marquis Grissom, Kenny Lofton, Terry Pendleton, Mark Wohlers, David Justice, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, Rafael Furcal, Tim Hudson, Brian McCann, Freddie Freeman, Craig Kimble, Jason Heyward.

Key managers: Harry Wright, Bobby Cox.

Division titles: 2013, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1982, 1969.

League pennants: 1999, 1996, 1995, 1992, 1991, 1958, 1957, 1948, 1914, 1898, 1897, 1893, 1892, 1891, 1883, 1878, 1877.

World Series titles: 1995, 1958, 1914.

All-time record: 10,224 and 10,161.

The Cincinnati Reds joined the National League in 1890. They are currently in the League’s Central Division and play at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Their team colors are red, white and black.

The Reds would have been charter members of the National League, however they were banned thanks due to their policy of selling beer on Sunday. That was forgiven by 1890 and the Reds were allowed to move up to the Big Leagues. Their first three decades were spent mired in the second division, despite some strong offensive season from Sam Crawford and Cy Seymour.

1919 was finally the Reds year. However their World Series victory was tainted when eight players from the opposing White Sox were banned for life from from baseball for throwing the series.

The next twenty years were a struggle for the club, with few winning seasons and pretty serious financial problems, thanks to poor attendance and the Great Depression. They turned it around behind catcher Ernie Lombardi and first baseman Frank McCormick with a pennant in 1939 and a World Series win over Detroit in 1940.

Another twenty mediocre years followed, although the farm system started to come to life in the fifties, turning out stars like Frank Robison, Vida Pinson, Pete Rose and Jim Maloney, and a little later Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Ken Griffey Sr. and Davey Concepcion. With this influx of talent the Reds made the World Series in 1961, losing to the Yankees, and they were consistent winners throughout the sixties. Trades for Joe Morgan and George Foster in the early seventies accelerated the era of the Big Red Machine, which included four World Series appearances in seven years including back to back titles in 1975 and 1976.

Remnants of the machine kept the Reds competitive into the early eighties, but the rest of the decade was pretty forgettable. They started the nineties with a World Series victory bang and a solid young nucleus featuring Barry Larkin, Eric Davis, Paul O’Neil and Jose Rijo and Rob Dibble. The group wouldn’t make another post-season, although the Reds were somewhat done in by the strike season of 1995 in which they appeared headed for the playoffs. The homecoming of Ken Griffey Jr. in 2000 also didn’t vault the Reds into the playoffs, despite sky high expectations. The Reds finally did end their playoff drought in 2010, and then returned in 2012 and 2013. However the Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips-led teams were bounced out in the first round each time.

Key players: Bid Mcphee, Sam Crawford, Cy Seymour, Eppa Rixey, Johnny Vander Meer, Ernie Lombardi, Frank McCormick, Ted Kozlowski, Frank Robinson, Vida Pinson, Jim Maloney, Jim O’Toole, Pete Rose, Ken Griffey, Tony Perez, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Davey Concepcion, George Foster, Tom Seaver, Barry Larkin, Rob Dibble, Eric Davis, Tom Browning, Jose Rijos, Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, Jay Bruce.

Key managers: Bill McKechnie, Fred Hutchinson, Sparky Anderson, Lou Piniella, Dusty Baker.

Division titles: 2012, 2010, 1995, 1990, 1979, 1976, 1975, 1973, 1972, 1970.

League pennants: 1990, 1976, 1975, 1972, 1970, 1961, 1940, 1939
1919.

World Series titles: 1990, 1976, 1975, 1940, 1919.

All-time record: 10,181 and 9839.

The Detroit Tigers are one of the eight original American League franchises, and the longest continuous one-name one city American League team. They are in the Central Division, play their home games at Comerica Park in Detroit, and their team colors are navy, blue, white and orange.

The Tigers came to be in 1894 as a charter member of the Western League, which the became the American League and was given Big League status in 1901. They struggle in their first few seasons. But the addition of Ty Cobb in 1905 vaulted them to the top of the American League, winning three straight pennants between 1907 and 1909 but losing each time in the World Series. Cobb remained their star — and eventually their manager — until 1925, and while the team was usually competitive, they never made the playoffs.

After a bunch of lean post-Cobb years, The Tigers won a pennant in 1934 and a World Series in 1935, behind veterans Charlie Gehringer and youngsters Hank Greenberg and Schoolboy Rowe. That trio was still around for a loss in the 1940 World Series and Greenberg got back from World War II in time to help the Tigers to a 1945 Fall Classic victory.

The Tigers inexplicably waived Greenberg after the 1946 and the team struggled through most of the 50s. They started to get good again in the sixties, led by Al Kaline, Norm Cash and eventually Denny McLain and Mickey Lolich. In 1968, McLain’s thirty-one wins propelled them to a third World Series, a seven game classic over the St. Louis Cardinals and Bob Gibson. Their aging core got one last shot at the postseason in 1972 but lost to the As in the American League Championship Series.

Soon Kaline, Cash and Lolich were gone and the next decade was a lean one for the Tigers. Then in 1984 a team led by a new young core of Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, Lance Parrish, Kirk Gibson and Jack Morris started the season 35-and-5, won 104, and captured the World Series with only one postseason loss.

While this should have lead to more good things, the next two decades were quite forgettable for the franchise, including a record 119 loss season in 2003. In 2006 they made a rather surprise trip to the World Series, losing to St. Louis.

Behind the bat of Miguel Cabrera and the pitching of Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, the Tigers have won three straight division titles between 2011 and 2013. However they haven’t been able to add a fifth World Series to the ancient franchise’s trophy case.

Key players: Ty Cobb, Harry Heilmann, Sam Crawford, Charlie Gehringer, Mickey Cochrane, Schoolboy Rowe, Hank Greenberg, Al Kaline, Norm Cash, Mickey Lolich, Jim Bunning, Rocky Colavito, Denny McClain, Dick McAuliffe, Bill Freehan, Willie Horton, Lance Parrish, Kirk Gibson, Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, Jack Morris, Dan Petry Willie Hernandez, Cecil Fielder, Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Max Scherzer, Ian Kinsler.

Key managers: Ty Cobb, Charlie Gehringer, Mayo Smith, Sparky Anderson, Jim Leyland

Division titles: 2013, 2012, 2011, 1987, 1984, 1972.

League pennants: 2012, 2006, 1984, 1968, 1945, 1940, 1935, 1934, 1909, 1908, 1907.

The Cleveland Indians were one of the original eight franchises of the American League. They are in the League’s central division and play at Progressive Park in Cleveland. Their colors are navy, white and red and they go by the nicknames “The Tribe” and the “Wahoos.”

The Cleveland Indians were initially called the Bluebirds, but that quickly became “The Naps,” after team captain Napoleon Lajoie, and finally the Indians in 1915 after Lajoie left the club. Despite the best efforts of Lajoie and Shoeless Joe Jackson, the Indians never got higher than third place during their first nineteen seasons. Their twentieth was a bittersweet one. The Tris Speaker lead team won the 1920 World Series. However it was a difficult victory to enjoy, as on August 16, 1920 star shortstop Ray Chapman was struck in the head by a pitch from Carl Mays and died from the injuries, becoming the only Major League player ever killed during a game.

The Indians hovered around .500 for the next twenty-five years, but did start accumulating some pretty good ball players around in the late thirties and early fourties, including Lou Boudreau, Kent Ketner, Bob Feller and Bob Lemon. Negro League star Larry Doby and former Yankee Joe Gordon bolstered that core, and the Indians won their second World Series in 1948. The Indians won 111 games in 1954, but were swept in the World Series by the New York Giants.

The remained a decent team until 1960, when they traded away star hitter and fan favorite Rocky Colavito to Detroit for 1959 batting champion Harvey Kuenn, who only lasted a year in Cleveland. “The Curse of Rocky Colavito” proceeded to haunt the franchise for the next thirty-four years, a period which featured very few winning season but one game forfeited thanks to a ten-cent beer night fiasco and the 1989 film Major League, which was premised on the Indians being baseball’s ultimate losers.

The Indians started to change this reputation in 1995 when they finished 100-44 and ran away with the Central Division. However in what became a pattern for the coming Indians’ mini-dynasty, which would feature stars like Jim Thome, Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, Omar Vizquel, Roberto Alomar, Kenny Lofton, Charles Nagy and Bartolo Colon, they lost in the World Series.

The Tribe would win six of seven Central Division titles between ‘95 and 2001, selling out 455 consecutive games in the process. But they were never able to capture baseball ultimate prize. And they haven’t since, despite playoff appearances in 2007 and 2013, leaving Cleveland title-less since 1948.

Key players: Nap Lajoie, Joe Jackson, Tris Speaker, Ray Chapman, Earl Averill, Lou Boudreau, Bob Feller, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, Larry Doby, Joe Gordon, Rocky Colavito, Satchel Paige, Al Rosen, Minnie Minoso, Gaylord Perry, Jim Thome, Orel Hershiser, Charles Nagy, Carlos Baerga, Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle, Omar Vizquel, Kenny Lofton, Roberto Alomar, Bartolo Colon, C.C. Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore, Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner, Shin-Soo Choo.

Key managers: Nap Lajoie, Lou Boudreau, Mike Hargrove.

Division titles: 2007, 2001, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995.

League pennants: 1997, 1995, 1954, 1948, 1920.

World Series titles: 1948, 1920.

Overall record: 8931 and 8613.