Augusta GreenJackets
Encyclopedia
The Augusta GreenJackets are a minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...

 team that plays in Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...

, as a Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

. Lake Olmstead Stadium
Lake Olmstead Stadium
Lake Olmstead Stadium is a stadium in Augusta, Georgia, USA. It was built in 1995 and can hold 4,400 people. The stadium also serves as an outdoor-arena style event venue....

 has been the home of the GreenJackets since the 1995 season, although Augusta has fielded a team in the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...

 since 1988. The team is named in honor of The Masters golf tournament held in Augusta, where the winner receives a green jacket.

Before the Giants took over the club's affiliation after the 2004 season, the GreenJackets were a part of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

 organization. The Red Sox replaced the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

 in Augusta, but as the club with the briefest affiliation, the GreenJackets have third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...

 Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Edmund Youkilis , also known as "Youk" , is an American professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...

 and Dustin Pedroia as the only prospects to make the Red Sox roster, although knuckle baller Tim Wakefield
Tim Wakefield
Timothy Stephen Wakefield is an American professional baseball pitcher. Wakefield began pitching with the Red Sox in 1995, making him the longest-serving player currently on the team. Wakefield is also the oldest current active player in the majors, and one of two active knuckleballers, the other...

 pitched there in 1989 with the Pirates organization. The Red Sox' relationship with Augusta met with immediate success when the GreenJackets won the South Atlantic League championship in their first year as an affiliate team.

Stadium

Built primarily as a baseball facility between 1994 and 1995, Lake Olmstead Stadium was transformed by the GreenJackets into a versatile entertainment center for Augusta and the surrounding communities. The stadium seats 4,400 with nearly 1,000 box seats, 830 reserved seats, over 2,000 general admission seats, and also offers a large 500 person picnic area down the left field line and a Grill and Bar area down the right field line. Lake Olmstead Stadium has been the site of events associated with The Masters golf tournament, many concerts, the Annual Masters Beach Blast Concert, and other special events as well.

Recent history

Despite holding the best overall record in their division, the GreenJackets missed the playoffs in 2009 and 2010. Only the winners of the first- and second-half advance due to the playoff format of the South Atlantic League, something Augusta failed to do in either season.

Notable alumni

Besides Wakefield and Youkilis, other Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 players that performed at Lake Olmstead Stadium include Moisés Alou
Moisés Alou
Moisés Rojas Alou |Spanish:]] ; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs...

, Emmanuel Burriss
Emmanuel Burriss
Emmanuel "Manny" Allen Burriss is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the San Francisco Giants. He is a switch-hitter who throws right-handed and has played second base, shortstop, and third base.-Early life:...

, Carlos García, John Grabow
John Grabow
John William Grabow, nicknamed "Grabes" , is a Major League Baseball left-handed reliever....

, Brian Horwitz
Brian Horwitz
Brian Jeffery Horwitz, nicknamed "The Rabbi," is an American baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has won two minor league batting titles, and made his major league debut in 2008....

, Jason Kendall
Jason Kendall
Jason Daniel Kendall is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He is the son of former catcher Fred Kendall, who played in the majors from 1969–1980.-High school:...

, Orlando Merced
Orlando Merced
Orlando Luis Merced Villanueva is a former Major League Baseball first Baseman and outfielder. He played all or part of thirteen seasons in the majors for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Toronto Blue Jays , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , Chicago Cubs , Montreal Expos , and Houston Astros...

, Hanley Ramírez
Hanley Ramirez
Hanley Ramirez is a shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Miami Marlins. Ramírez was named 2006 NL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. In 2009, Ramírez won the NL batting title and is a three-time All-Star starter...

, Pablo Sandoval
Pablo Sandoval
Pablo E. Sandoval , nicknamed Kung Fu Panda, is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. Sandoval is a 5'11", 237 pound switch hitter. He was born left handed, but did not want to have to play outfield all of his career. He therefore...

, Eugenio Vélez
Eugenio Vélez
Eugenio Vélez Vancomper is a Dominican professional baseball infielder and outfielder who is a free agent.-Toronto Blue Jays :...

, and Tony Womack
Tony Womack
Anthony Darrell Womack is a former second baseman and shortstop in Major League Baseball who played most of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Arizona Diamondbacks, then with several other teams during his last four years...

.

External links

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