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Eugene Emeralds Selected for Baseball America’s Top Award

The Eugene Emeralds have been selected as Baseball America’s Short-Season recipients of the Bob Freitas Award
December 3, 2020

The Eugene Emeralds are proud to announce that they have been selected by Baseball America as the Short-Season recipients of the Bob Freitas Award, which recognizes the top overall operation at each level of the minor leagues. The annual award is given to one team in each classification of Minor

The Eugene Emeralds are proud to announce that they have been selected by Baseball America as the Short-Season recipients of the Bob Freitas Award, which recognizes the top overall operation at each level of the minor leagues.

The annual award is given to one team in each classification of Minor League Baseball and the criteria is based on community involvement, long-term business success and consistent operational excellence. Its namesake, Bob Freitas, was a legendary minor league baseball operator who also served as an ambassador and promoter of the game. The Emeralds were selected based on their commitment to the community as a whole as we deal with the effects of the coronavirus and the aftermath of the wildfires.

Despite the cancellation of the 2020 Northwest League season, the Emeralds remained active in the local community through collection drives, blood drives, mask making/distribution programs and volunteering in the community.

“That’s just part of what being a community-based baseball team does. No, it’s not just when the team arrives, when we have a game, when we do things at the ballpark,” said Allan Benavides, General Manager for the Emeralds. “We’ve got to be there year-round.”

Throughout the year the Emeralds have worked with local nonprofits and sponsors to help bridge the gap of needs created throughout this difficult year. Their drives ranged from food, diapers, PPE supplies, school supplies, cleaning supplies and even blood drives. The team also had their mascot, Sluggo, participate in online gym classes and multiple school parades throughout the area.

“We wanted to make sure we showed up for the community,” said Director of Community Relations Anne Culhane. “They have supported us summer after summer, so we felt like we needed to step up and show them that we are still here and that we care.”

The Emeralds continued to answer the call in September, when the Holiday Farm Fire started. The team worked with local partners, including Kendall Auto and The Hope Project, to provide hot meals and created local distribution centers for all those effected.

Although the Emeralds have not taken the field since August of 2019, the Eugene Emeralds have continued their work in the community. The team is honored to be selected for this national award. The Emeralds, along with the three other 2020 Bob Freitas Award winners, are currently featured in the latest edition of Baseball America, both in print and online here.