Introducing the Dayton Dragons

After last week's introduction to the Midwest League, we begin a look at the 15 individual teams the Hot Rods will play in their first season in the league in 2010. We start with the team that will likely be the Hot Rods biggest rival, in terms of geography, affiliation, and fan interest.

TEAM: Dayton Dragons

MLB AFFILIATE: Cincinnati Reds

LOCATION: Dayton, OH

FIRST SEASON: 2000

STADIUM (CAPACITY): Fifth Third Field (7,230)

2009 RECORD: 59-80, 5th place, Eastern Division

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS: NONE

NOTABLE MLB ALUMNI: Adam Dunn (2000), Joey Votto (2003, 2004), Jay Bruce (2006), Grant Balfour (2006), Johnny Cueto (2006)

The Dragons joined the Midwest League in 2000, taking the place of the Rockford Reds and immediately absorbing the affiliation with the Cincinnati Reds. Located less than an hour north of their parent club the Dragons made history by selling out every game in their first season before throwing out a pitch, the only team in the history of minor league baseball to pull off such a feat. That record was a sign of things to come as the Dragons have sold out every game in their ten-year history, a stretch that, including playoff games, covers more than 700 contests. In 2009 they pulled in nearly 600,000 fans, averaging 8,496 per game, the most in Class A and in the top ten in Minor League Baseball.

In ten seasons the Dragons have yet to win a championship, despite five post-season appearances. They played post-season games in their inaugural season, finishing with a 70-67 record before falling to the eventual league champion Michigan Battle Cats in the league semifinals. Their best season came a year later when they produced the second-highest win total with an 82-57 record. Led by former Reds Edwin Encarnacion (Toronto Blue Jays) and Wily Mo Pena, the Dragons beat Lansing in the first round of the playoffs before once again coming up short in the second round to South Bend.

After reaching the postseason for a third straight year in 2002, losing in the first round, the Dragons missed the playoffs until back-to-back trips occurred in 2007 and 2008. Once again, they could not make the championship round, losing their first series in '07 and their second series in '08.

In total, 39 former Dragons have reached the major leagues, the most recent being 2007 third baseman Juan Francisco, who made his MLB debut with a pinch-hit appearance on September 14. He joins a list of seven other Dragons who played in their first big league games this season.

Perhaps the most celebrated of the former Dragons in Major League Baseball is Washington Nationals slugger Adam Dunn. He played on the inaugural Dragons squad, belting 16 home runs as a 20-year-old outfielder. He advanced to Cincinnati just a year later, producing 19 homers in 66 games. Since then Dunn has racked up 316 home runs over 9 big leagues seasons, including 38 with the Washington Nationals this season.

The current Reds team is made up of a slew of former Dragons, including the likes of Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, Homer Bailey, Drew Stubbs, and Johnny Cueto. Encarnacion started the season with the Reds before being traded to the Blue Jays late in the summer. Even the Tampa Bay Rays, the Hot Rods' parent club, have been graced by a former Dragon. Relief pitcher Grant Balfour, a key cog in last year's World Series run, pitched for the Dragons in 2006.

The Hot Rods and Dragons will meet a total of 20 times in 2010, including the Hot Rods' home opener on April 11. Bowling Green's makes its first visit to Dayton in a four-game series beginning April 30.

NEXT WEEK: Fort Wayne Tincaps, affiliate of the San Diego Padres.