Defenders and Giants Renew Affiliation
Published on September 25, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Connecticut Defenders News Release
NORWICH, CT-The Connecticut Defenders have renewed their Player Development Contract with the San Francisco Giants through the 2010 season. The Giants AA affiliate has been located in Norwich since the 2003 season.
"The Giants organization and our minor league players and coaches appreciate the hard work of the Connecticut front office staff and the support of City leaders and fans in Connecticut," said Giants Director of Player Personnel Bobby Evans. "We have a lot of young talent ready to be tested at a AA level and look forward to the 2009 season in Norwich."
During the course of the six seasons that the Giants have been in Norwich, the Navigators/Defenders have compiled a 397-451 record in the Eastern League. In that time frame, Norwich has served as a spring board for the Giants player development department as they have continuously pushed major league talent through Dodd Stadium. A quick look at the Giants current 40-man roster shows 26 players with ties to Norwich.
The 2008 season was especially fruitful as four Defenders players were promoted directly to the major league club from Norwich (Sergio Romo, Pablo Sandoval, Ryan Rohlinger, Osiris Matos) During the 2008 season, the Giants set a team mark as 16 players made their major league debuts during this season. Many of the young players that were given the opportunity to play in the major leagues made a lasting impression.
Defenders General Manager Charlie Dowd is delighted with the return of the Giants. "The San Francisco Giants are well positioned to get back into pennant contention in the coming years as their farm system continues to produce quality players. We are proud to be a part of the success of their organization as they build from within. Homegrown talent is the key to winning at the major league level and it is exciting to see some of 'our' guys making an impact in the major leagues. "
The Giants have had much success at the A-level and Defenders fans will likely see many of those players in the coming seasons. First round picks Tim Alderson, Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey are working their way through the system and will likely spend time in Norwich in the near future.
Dodd Stadium is one of the keys to the relationship. Built for the 1995 season, the facility has been upgraded from a fan and player personnel perspective. Recent additions to the baseball amenities include a state of the art hitting facility, upgraded clubhouses and the installation of a new playing surface prior to the 2008 season. Dowd added: "The City of Norwich and the Norwich Stadium Authority have been great partners in facilitating changes to the building that make it an attractive site to house a AA baseball team". This offseason, renovations to the public restrooms are being performed to ensure fan comfort.
The Connecticut Defenders are the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. They play a 142 game schedule and 71 games at Senator Thomas J. Dodd Stadium. The Defenders begin their 2009 season on April 8 against the Portland Sea Dogs and open at home on April 16 versus the Trenton Thunder. For additional information, please visit the team's official website at ctdefenders.com or call the front office at (860) 887-7962.
Eastern League Stories from September 25, 2008
- Defenders and Giants Renew Affiliation - Connecticut Defenders
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