Blue Wahoos Win Prestigious Bob Freitas Award

Pensacola was honored during the Awards Luncheon at the Baseball Winter Meetings.

December 6, 2016

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., - During the Baseball Winter Meetings, held in National Harbor, Maryland at the Gaylord National Resort &Convention Center, Baseball America announced during the Awards Luncheon that the Pensacola Blue Wahoos were the winner of the 2016 Double-A Bob Freitas Award.

"It is a great honor to be recognized by Baseball America as the top franchise in Double-A baseball," said team President Jonathan Griffith. "This award is a huge testament to great ownership in Quint and Rishy Studer and Bubba Watson, along with our staff who share our mission to improve the quality of life for the people in the Pensacola area."

Since 1989, Baseball America has recognized excellence in Minor League franchise operations with the Bob Freitas Awards at the Winter Meetings. The awards are named after Bob Freitas, the storied long-time minor league baseball operator, promoter and ambassador, who passed away in 1989.

The Bob Freitas Awards are designed to recognize the long-term excellence of minor league operations. Franchises are not eligible for nomination until their fifth season of existence, which the Blue Wahoos just eclipsed. The criteria for evaluation include the following: Community involvement, long-term business success and consistent operational excellence.

Baseball America provides in-depth coverage of every level of baseball, from high school and college to the minors all the way to the major leagues.

Winning this award represents the latest in a growing list of accolades for the Blue Wahoos. In 2016, Blue Wahoos Stadium was voted the best Double-A ballpark as part of Ballpark Digest's "Best of the Ballparks 2016". The Blue Wahoos were given the Southern League Community Service Award while Ray Sayre was named Groundskeeper of the Year for the fourth consecutive season.

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are the Double-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of the Southern League. Follow the Pensacola Blue Wahoos at BlueWahoos.com, facebook.com/PensacolaBlueWahoos and twitter.com/BlueWahoosBBall.

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