Staten Island Yankees

The Staten Island Yankees were a minor league baseball team that played in the New York City borough of Staten Island from 1999 to 2020. Known as the "Baby Bombers," they were a Class A Short Season team connected to the famous New York Yankees. They played their home games at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in the area called St. George.

During their time, the Staten Island Yankees were very successful, winning six New York–Penn League championships in the years 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2011. This shows how talented the players were and how much fun fans had watching them play. The team helped many young players get started on their journey to become professional baseball stars.

History

The Staten Island Yankees started in 1983 as the Watertown Pirates, linked with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1989, they changed their name to the Watertown Indians and joined the Cleveland Indians.

In 1999, the team became the Staten Island Yankees after moving to Staten Island, New York City. They played their home games at Richmond County Bank Ballpark. The team was linked with the New York Yankees and were called the "Baby Bombers."

Some players from the Staten Island Yankees went on to play in the major leagues, like Jason Anderson and Wily Mo Peña. The team stopped playing after the 2020 season because of changes in the minor league system and the COVID-19 pandemic. A new team, the Staten Island FerryHawks, started playing there in 2022.

Year-by-year record

Notable alumni

See also: Category:Staten Island Yankees players

Many players from the Staten Island Yankees went on to play in the major leagues. This list includes over a hundred names of players who made it to the big leagues after their time with the team.

The team also welcomed some major league players for short rehab assignments. These were players who used the Staten Island Yankees to get ready to return to the major leagues after an injury.

Mascots

The Staten Island Yankees had a fun mascot named Scooter the "Holy Cow." Scooter’s name came from a famous New York Yankees player and broadcaster, Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto, and his popular saying, "Holy Cow!" Scooter started with the team in 1999 when they moved to Staten Island. In 2003, Scooter got two sisters named Red and Huckleberry, or “Huck.” Together, Scooter, Red, and Huck were popular at games, leading fan activities and games between innings. They were known for their playful, silly acts, much like characters from The Three Stooges.

Retired numbers

The Staten Island Yankees honored some of their notable players by retiring their numbers. The retired numbers include 6 for Brett Gardner, 17 for Robinson Canó, 19 for Jason Anderson, 41 for Chien-Ming Wang, and 42 for Jackie Robinson. These numbers will never be used by another player on the team in honor of their contributions.