Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees

From BR Bullpen

Location: Scranton, PA
League: International League 2007-present
Class: AAA 2007-present
Affiliation: New York Yankees 2007-present
Ballpark: PNC Field

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees began play in 2007 after a several team affiliation shuffle at the AAA level following the previous season. After the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons spent seventeen years as the International League affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, the Phillies opted to terminate their player development contract with the club in order to relocate the struggling Ottawa Lynx to a newly built facility in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The Red Barons became affiliated with the New York Yankees after the Yanks ended their twenty seven year affiliation with the Columbus Clippers. Management renamed the team the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, making them one of only five AAA teams that share a name with their parent club.

In their first year as a New York affiliate, the Yankees posted the best regular season record in the IL and won the North Division by seven games before falling to the Richmond Braves in the first round of the playoffs. Shelley Duncan led the offense with 25 homers and 76 RBIs, and skipper Dave Miley was named IL Manager of the Year. Yankees stars Roger Clemens and Jason Giambi made rehab appearances with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, while major league veterans Andy Phillips, Jose Cruz Jr., Erubiel Durazo, Jim Brower, and Runelvys Hernandez all saw considerable playing time.