Staten Island Yankees

Team history

The Staten Island Yankees were brought to Staten Island in 1999 in a deal brokered by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. The team came from the Watertown Indians and the Oneonta Yankees. The Staten Island Yankees played their first two seasons at College of Staten Island Baseball Complex before moving into the Richmond County Bank Ballpark for the 2001 season.

The first SI Yankee to reach the major leagues as a New York Yankee was pitcher Jason Anderson, pitching in relief in an 8-4 Yankee win over the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. The first Staten Island Yankee to reach the majors for any team was Wily Mo Peña, who broke in with the Cincinnati Reds.

On March 26, 2006, the Staten Island Advance reported that the teams' majority owners, the Getzler family, were considering selling their 51% share of the team, and were asking for between three and five million dollars. The New York Yankees purchased the Getzler's interest in the team and in return hired Mandalay Sports Properties to run the day-to-day operations of the team. Part of the agreement was that the New York Yankees and Mandalay become equal partners and Mandalay now owns 50% of the Staten Island Yankees.

In 2006, the Yankees were managed by Gaylen Pitts, noted for frequently being ejected from games. In a game on August 25, 2006, Pitts was ejected and then returned to the field in sandals after a batter was hit by a pitch in the 9th inning of a 21-6 victory over the Brooklyn Cyclones.

In 2007, the Yankees were managed by Mike Gillespie, who led the 1998 USC Trojans to a College World Series championship. Gillespie led the Baby Bombers to their third consecutive playoff appearance before losing to the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2007 NYPL Playoffs, 2 games to none.

Former Florida Gator coach Pat McMahon had managed the Yankees for the 2008 season.

Former major league catcher Josh Paul had managed the Yankees for the 2009 season and returned for the 2010 season.

Due to Dave Eiland taking a leave of absence, manager Josh Paul was summoned to fill in as the New York Yankees bullpen coach. Until Paul returns, former major leaguer Jody Reed is filling in as the interim manager for the Staten Island Yankees.

On June 20, 2016 the team launched a campaign to rename the organization starting with the 2017 season. On September 8, 2016, the potential names were whittled down to 5, with an online vote beginning on the team's website from that date; the candidate names were the Bridge Trolls, Heroes, Killer Bees, Pizza Rats, and Rock Pigeons. Ultimately, the team decided put its rebranding plans on hold and to retain the Yankees moniker.

Notable alumni

Since their inception the Staten Island Yankees have a total of 42 players to reach the major leagues not including players who have played for the team while on a rehab assignment.

The Following players have made rehab appearances for the Staten Island Yankees.

Mascots

The original Staten Island Yankees Mascot is Scooter the "Holy Cow". A combination of New York Yankees shortstop, Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto, and his commentating catch phrase "Holy Cow!". Scooter debuted for the Staten Island Yankees when the franchise relocated from Watertown, New York, in 1999. In the summer of 2003, the Baby Bombers debuted Scooter's brothers Red and Huckleberry (or "Huck"). Since then, Scooter and his brothers have been a staple at SI Yankee games, leading fan rallies and between-inning on-field games. The cows are known to have a The Three Stooges-like relationship in which Red and Huck often team up to trick and trap Scooter

Retired numbers