Minor league baseball team
Richmond Flying Squirrels
Team logo
Cap insignia
Class Double-A (1995–present) League
Eastern League (1995–2020, 2022–present) Division Southwest Division Previous leagues
Team
San Francisco Giants (2003–present) Previous teams League titles (1) Division titles (3) First-half titles (1) Second-half titles (1) Name
Richmond Flying Squirrels (2010–present)
Previous names
Connecticut Defenders (2006–2009)
Norwich Navigators (1995–2005)
Colors Red, black, gray, white Mascots Nutzy and Nutasha Ballpark
The Diamond (2010–present) Previous parks
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)
Lou DiBella General manager Todd Parnell Manager Dennis Pelfrey
The Richmond Flying Squirrels are a
Minor League Baseball team based in
Richmond, Virginia . The team, which is a part of the
Eastern League , is the
Double-A affiliate of the
San Francisco Giants
major league club, and plays at
The Diamond . The Flying Squirrels have been affiliated with the Giants since 2010, making it the longest-running active affiliation in the Giants organization among teams not owned by the Giants.
[1] The Squirrels were previously known as the
Connecticut Defenders .
The Flying Squirrels mark affiliated baseball's return to Richmond after a one-year absence prompted by the relocation of the former
Triple-A
International League 's
Richmond Braves to
Lawrenceville, Georgia in 2009, where they are now called the
Gwinnett Stripers .
History
On September 23, 2009, it was announced that the
Connecticut Defenders would leave
Norwich for their current home at
The Diamond in
Richmond, Virginia , where they will continue seeking proposals for a new ballpark in the Richmond metropolitan area. The team name was changed to the "Flying Squirrels".
[2]
The name the Richmond Flying Squirrels was chosen through a
Richmond Times-Dispatch readers' "name-the-team-contest," which ended on October 15, 2009.
[2] The name was submitted by Brad Mead of Prince George, Virginia. Other finalists were the Rock Hoppers, Hambones, Rhinos, Flatheads, and Hush Puppies. (The name Hambones was later ruled out of the contest after the city's uproar and the NAACP finding that "the Hambones" could be seen as a derogatory term directed towards the African-American community.)
In conjunction with
Major League Baseball 's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Flying Squirrels were organized into the
Double-A Northeast .
[3] In 2022, the Double-A Northeast became known as the Eastern League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.
[4]
Logo
The new Flying Squirrels logo was unveiled on December 1, 2009.
[5] It is a black, red, and grey flying squirrel with a patch in the shape of an "R" (for Richmond) on top of an acorn over its heart. The logo was designed by San Diego-based sports branding firm Brandiose. It was named the logo of the year by Ballpark Digest in 2010
[6] and the best minor-league logo by Baseball America in 2015.
[7]
Season records
As Norwich Navigators
1995 : 70–71 (3rd), manager Jimmy Johnson
1996 : 71–70 (3rd), manager
Jim Essian
1997 : 73–69 (2nd), manager
Trey Hillman
1998 : 66–76 (4th), manager
Trey Hillman
1999 : 78–64 (2nd), manager
Lee Mazzilli
2000 : 76–66 (3rd), manager
Dan Radison
2001 : 83–59 (2nd), manager
Stump Merrill
2002 : 76–64 (1st), manager
Luis Sojo
2003 : 62–79 (6th), manager
Shane Turner
2004 : 69–74 (5th), manager
Shane Turner
2005 : 71–72 (3rd), manager
Dave Machemer
As Connecticut Defenders
As Richmond Flying Squirrels
2010: 68–73 (5th), manager Andy Skeels
2011: 76–66 (2nd), manager
Dave Machemer
2012: 70–71 (4th), manager
Dave Machemer
2013: 70–72 (4th), manager
Dave Machemer
2014: 79–63 (1st), manager
Russ Morman
2015: 72–68 (3rd), manager
José Alguacil
2016: 62–79 (5th), manager
Miguel Ojeda
2017: 63–77 (5th), manager Kyle Haines
2018: 62–76 (6th), manager
Willie Harris
2019: 55–84 (6th), manager
Willie Harris
[8]
2020: Season canceled due to
COVID-19 pandemic
2021: 57–56 (4th), manager Jose Alguacil
2022: 66–71 (5th), manager Jose Alguacil
2023: 74–64 (2nd), manager Dennis Pelfrey
Playoffs
1997 season: Lost to
Portland , 3–2, in first round
1999 season: Defeated
Trenton 3–2, in first round; lost to
Harrisburg 3–2, in championship round.
2001 season: Lost to
New Britain , 3–1, in first round
2002 season: Defeated
New Haven , 3–0, in first round; defeated
Harrisburg 3–2 to win Eastern League title.
2009 season: Defeated
New Britain , 3–1, in first round; lost to
Akron 3–1, in championship round.
2014 season: Defeated
Akron , 3–1, in first round; lost to
Binghamton 3–0, in championship round.
2022 season: Lost to
Erie SeaWolves 2–0 in first round
2023 season: Lost to
Erie SeaWolves 2–0 in first round
Roster
Players
Coaches/Other
Pitchers
Catchers
84 Brandon Martorano
16 Adrián Sugastey
9 Andy Thomas
Infielders
1 Brett Auerbach
26 Damon Dues
5 Jimmy Glowenke
6
Christian Koss
*
29 Dilan Rosario
35 Luis Toribio
8 Will Wilson
41
Logan Wyatt
Outfielders
Manager
Coaches
21 Cory Elasik (hitting)
51 Rolando Marcano (bullpen)
17 Lipso Nava (fundamentals)
58 Paul Oseguera (pitching)
60-day injured list
90 Michael Stryffeler
-- Nick Zwack (full season)
7-day injured list
* On
San Francisco Giants
40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated April 23, 2024
Transactions
→ More rosters:
MiLB •
Eastern League
→
San Francisco Giants minor league players
References
Notes
^
"San Francisco Giants Minor League Affiliates" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved July 27, 2017 .
^
a
b O'connor, John (October 15, 2009).
"Flying Squirrels picked as new baseball team name" . Richmond Times-Dispatch . Richmond, VA: Media General Communications Holdings. Archived from
the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2010 .
^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021).
"MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues" . Major League Baseball . Retrieved February 12, 2021 .
^
"Historical League Names to Return in 2022" . Minor League Baseball . March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022 .
^
"Flying Squirrels unveil logos" . Richmond Times-Dispatch . December 1, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2020 .
^
"Logo of the Year: Richmond Flying Squirrels" . BallparkDigest.com . Retrieved January 11, 2018 .
^
"Flying Squirrels No. 1 minor league logo according to Baseball America" . Richmond.com . Retrieved January 11, 2018 .
^
"2019 Richmond Flying Squirrels" . baseball-reference.com . Retrieved April 12, 2020 .
Sources
External links
Franchise Ballparks
Culture Lore Rivalries Retired numbers Pre-World Series Champions (2) Temple Cup Champions (1) World Series Champions (8) National League Championships (23) Division titles (9) Wild card (3)
Minor league affiliates
Seasons (142)
1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
Northeast Division Southwest Division