By the time Casey Stengel became manager of the Oakland Oaks for the 1946 season, the franchise already had nearly a half-century of backstory. Sometimes it stood tall and strong among Pacific Coast League competitors, but often seeming overshadowed by the San Francisco Seals, whose city was about five times

MiLB.com staff combed through decades of stats to uncover Minor League hitting and pitching leaders among players active for at least one season in the 21st century. "Modern marvels" presents their stories. We covered the hits leaders, the strikeouts leaders and the home run leaders in previous editions.

Phil Niekro, 300-game winner and Hall of Famer, passed away on Dec. 26 at the age of 81. He was the best knuckleball pitcher in baseball history. Niekro, often referred to by his knuckleball-referencing nickname of Knucksie, spent 24 seasons (1964 through 1987) in the Major Leagues and pitched until

MiLB.com staff combed through decades of stats to uncover Minor League hitting and pitching leaders among players active for at least one season in the 21st century. In "Modern marvels," we present their stories. Read about the hits leaders and the strikeouts leaders in previous editions. It should come as

Tommy Lasorda enjoyed one of the longest careers in professional baseball history, one that spanned from 1945 to his death at age 93 on Jan. 7. Of course, he will be best remembered as the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a post he held from 1976 through 1996. Lasorda's

MiLB.com staff combed through decades of stats to uncover Minor League hitting and pitching leaders among players active for at least one season in the 21st century. In "Modern marvels," we present their stories. Learn about the hits leaders here.

MiLB.com staff combed through decades of stats to uncover Minor League hitting and pitching leaders among players active for at least one season in the 21st century. This is the first installment of a new series called "Modern marvels." It’s been 12 years since Jason Wood stepped to the plate

Any Minor League franchise that sticks around for a while is bound to run into a good season or two, maybe even a championship. For the Greenville Braves, though, the 1992 campaign was more a matter of alchemy than statistical probability. “It was an unbelievable team we had from the

Win or lose, there are always opportunities for prospects to stand out on defense, to make highlight plays that turn into web gems that ultimately go viral. In the 2010s, there was no shortage of these kinds of feats. There were dazzling displays of athleticism with bodies sacrificed to make

There are tens of thousands of games in a Minor League season and the majority of them come with an element of suspense. The very best of them might include a milestone – a no-hitter, a three- or four-homer game, a cycle or a triple play. Scads of them may

A record-breaking three-homer, 10-RBI night. A couple of no-hitters, one in which the ball did not leave the infield and one in which a very promising prospect set a team record with 14 strikeouts. And a 15-strikeout hitless effort that put a team within one win of a league championship.

A host of players have piled up astonishing accomplishments over long professional careers on the diamond without making a lasting impression on the game's most celebrated stage. Monsters of the Minors provides introductions to Minor League legends sometimes overlooked by fans of baseball history.

On paper, Juan Marichal coasted through the Minor Leagues. In reality, beginning with his first professional assignment to the Michigan City (Indiana) White Caps in 1958, he was navigating uncharted waters. “When he signs with the Giants, there is no star Latino pitcher and no Dominican pitcher for sure," said

Throughout the 1946 season, fans of the Kingsport Cherokees -- one of eight teams in the Class D Appalachian League -- voted for a team MVP. The leading vote-getter at season’s end was awarded an Elgin watch. The runner-up received a Schick electric razor. Leo “Muscle” Shoals was the team’s

Over the past two-and-a-half months, five members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame passed away: Tom Seaver, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Whitey Ford and Joe Morgan. They will be forever missed, and never forgotten. The Major League careers of this Cooperstown quintet ended long ago. Tom Seaver, the last

A host of players have piled up astonishing accomplishments over long professional careers on the diamond without making a lasting impression on the game's most celebrated stage. Monsters of the Minors, presented by Uncle Ray's, provides introductions to Minor League legends sometimes overlooked by fans of baseball history.

Just before the 1981 season, a prospect made a deal with a legend. Scott Patterson was entering his second professional season in the Braves system and it was time to negotiate his contract with the club’s senior vice president: Hank Aaron. The 22-year-old didn’t have an agent or advisor in

Tales of ballplayers who arrive on United States shores from across Latin America are well documented. A teenage player from a baseball hotbed signs a contract or heads to school and makes his way to the Draft. He journeys to far-flung destinations with the ultimate goal of big league ball

A championship by any other name would still be as sweet to win. And at the Triple-A level, there have been a lot of names. From the first Little World Series in 1904 to the Triple-A National Championship Game fans know today, hundreds of prospects and farmhands have played for

This space started honoring the short-season leagues after their respective campaigns were delayed in June. Now, following the cancellation of all Minor League Baseball in 2020, we've turned it into an appreciation of the full-season circuits as well. So Toolshed has been revisiting the 10 most notable individual seasons put

This is the time of year when Minor League championships are won. But the absence of a Minor League Baseball season has meant the absence of playoffs, which has meant the absence of championships. You, of course, already knew this. So enough talk about absence. This article is about those

This space started honoring the short-season leagues after their respective campaigns were delayed in June. Now, following the cancellation of all Minor League Baseball in 2020, we're turning it into an appreciation of the full-season circuits as well. So Toolshed is revisiting the 10 most notable individual seasons put together

A host of players have piled up astonishing accomplishments over long professional careers on the diamond without making a lasting impression on the game's most celebrated stage. Monsters of the Minors, presented by Uncle Ray's, provides introductions to Minor League legends sometimes overlooked by fans of baseball history.

This space started honoring the short-season leagues after their respective campaigns were delayed in June. Now, following the cancellation of all Minor League Baseball in 2020, we're turning it into an appreciation of the full-season circuits as well. So Toolshed is revisiting the 10 most notable individual seasons put together

It's been a strange year in baseball. A season traditionally viewed as a marathon became a 60-game sprint. Previously unfamiliar terms like player pools, alternate training sites and taxi squads have become daily nomenclature. With each passing day, the game's future stars make their big league debuts inside ballparks filled