A Look Back: 2006 Charlotte Knights

The Knights have enjoyed a spectacular 2012 campaign and currently lead the Norfolk Tides by eight games in the International League South Division. With that, the Charlotte Knights announced plans to put playoff tickets on-sale to the general public at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, August 13.

Question: When was the last time the Knights made the playoffs?

Answer: 2006

That season, the Knights hit .267 as a team - the second highest mark in the International League. Charlotte also hit 119 home runs (fourth), stole 155 bases (second) and had 1,264 hits (third).

Let's take a look back at that 2006 team, which went 79-62 that season and made it to the IL Playoffs. The 2006 squad, however, lost in the first round to Toledo (3-1).

Guiding Light: The 2006 Charlotte Knights were led by manager Razor Shines, who was a native of Durham, NC. Shines was originally drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 18th round of the 1978 draft and appeared in 68 games as a player for the club over parts of four seasons from 1983-85 and 1987.

After his playing days were over, the North Carolina native worked his way through the White Sox organization and managed in Kannapolis (2001), Winston-Salem (2002-03), and Birmingham (2004-05). A year later, Shines was at the helm of Charlotte and guided the Knights to postseason play for the first time since 1999. It was his only year with the Knights.

Rookie of the Year: Josh Fields had a stellar offensive season with the Knights and earned the International League's Rookie of the Year award at season's end. Fields hit .305 with 19 home runs and 70 RBIs that season and also swiped 28 bases.

A first round selection (18th overall) of the Chicago White Sox in the 2004 draft, Fields led the club in nearly every offensive category in 2006. His .305 batting average was tied for fourth-best in the IL that season with Pawtucket's Dustin Pedroia. Fields led the IL with 85 runs scored and was tied for third in the league with 141 hits.

The Heath Was On: Heath Phillips had a memorable season on the mound for the Knights in 2006. Phillips went 13-5 with a 2.96 ERA in 155 innings pitched. His 2.96 ERA and 13 wins both ranked second in the IL in '06. Phillips put together an impressive stretch of the season too - winning six-straight games from May 27-June 24. For his solid season, Phillips was named as the International League's Most Valuable Pitcher.

Rocking Ruben: In 107 games with the Knights, Ruben Rivera hit 16 home runs with 42 RBIs. His 16 home runs ranked second on the Knights in 2006 - his last season in American professional baseball. Rivera, who was ranked as the second-best prospect in all of Minor League Baseball in 1995, began playing in Mexico in 2007 and is currently still playing there at 38 years old.

Hip, Hip, Jorge!: Jorge Velandia hit .291 that season with 10 home runs for the Knights in 122 games. Velandia drove in 56 runs, stole 15 bases, and scored 69 runs. It was Velandia's only year with the Knights, but he was no stranger to the International League. The Venezuelan native spent 10-straight seasons in the IL with Norfolk (2000-03), Richmond (2004), Indianapolis (2005), Charlotte (2006), Durham (2007), Syracuse (2008), Buffalo (2008), and Lehigh Valley (2009).

Charles Was In Charge: Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger won an IL-best 14 games in 2006 and posted an overall mark of 14-6 with a 3.07 ERA in 26 games (25 starts).

Reading Redding: Not many hitters were able to "read" starter Tim Redding, or figure him out in 2006. Redding went 12-10 with a 3.40 ERA that season and ranked among the league leaders in a number of categories. His 12 wins were good for third, his 148 strikeouts were good for second, his remarkable five complete games were tops in the league, and his 3.40 ERA was good for ninth-best.

Other Notable Names: Hideo Nomo appeared in just one game for the Knights and allowed four runs (one earned) over three innings pitched... Javier Lopez led the Knights with 16 saves and had a 1.99 ERA in 39 games... Jeff Nelson, who went 48-45 with a 3.41 ERA and 33 saves at the Major League level with Seattle, New York (Yankees), Texas, and Chicago (White Sox), appeared in four games for the Knights in 2006 and went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA... Jerry Owens stole 40 bases - the fourth-highest mark in a single season by a Knights player in club history. He ranked third in the IL that season in that category.

Six years later, the 2012 club is hoping to put their name in the same conversation with the 2006 squad. Led by first-year manager Joel Skinner, the Knights have impressed many this season and have held on strong to first place for over two months (took over first on June 5).

Solid pitching and timely hitting have been key components of Charlotte's success this season. With less than a month left in the season and a lengthy lead in the standings, will the Knights of 2012 be able to make it to the postseason? Stay tuned...