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Albuquerque Isotopes Information | |
| Team Name: | Albuquerque Isotopes |
| MLB Affiliation: | Los Angeles Dodgers - Player Development Contract through the 2014 season
Los Angeles Dodgers - (2009-present seasons) |
| Minor League Level: | Triple-A (AAA) level |
| Minor League: | Pacific Coast League |
| Who else is in the Pacific Coast League? | Click here for the PCL layout |
| Isotopes Established: | 2003 Season |
| Who have played for the Isotopes? | Isotopes All-Time Roster |
| Isotopes PCL Heritage | The Isotopes' heritage as a PCL member started with the Dallas/Ft. Worth Rangers in 1963. Here
is how the Isotopes franchise evolved through relocations and affiliations:
1963 Dallas/Ft. Worth Rangers (Twins) |
| Isotopes Owner: | Albuquerque Baseball Club, L.L.C. |
| Isotopes Address, Phone, Web: |
1601 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE Albuquerque, NM 87106 Phone: (505)924-BALL (924-2255) Fax: (505)242-8899 Web: www.abqisotopes.com |
| High-Profile Management: |
Ken Young, President Emmett Hammond, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer John Traub, General Manager |
| Stadium Name: | Isotopes Park (13,279) |
| Stadium Dimensions and Features | Home Plate to Wall Dimensions: 340' Left Foul Pole 383' Left-Center 428' Left side of Outfield Hill 400' Center of Outfield Hill 428' Right side of Outfield Hill 404' Right-Center 340' Right Foul Pole An Isotopes employee told me the right field fence is 14 feet tall and the left field fence is 12 feet tall (no second source to confirm the info has been found) Outfield Hill ("Isotopes Hill") in straight-away center field (similar to Minutemaid Park, Houston) - 20 feet from wall to warning track, 4'6" tall, 127 feet across Turf: Kentucky Bluegrass |
Field of Play Elevation: | 5,140 feet (1,566 meters) above sea level |
| Stadium Capacity: | Total Capacity: 13,279
11,054 Chairbacks, breakdown as follows: Reserved Seats: 5,851 Box Seats: 3,951 Club Seating: 712 Suite Seating: 540 Berm (1,800) and picnic areas (425) add additional capacity Top 50 Crowds in Isotopes Park History and Promotion: 1) 16,229 on July 4, 2013 2) 16,059 on July 4, 2011 3) 15,358 on July 4, 2009 4) 15,321 on June 23, 2009 (Manny Ramirez rehabilitation assignment) 5) 15,309 on July 4, 2012 6) 15,276 on July 3, 2010 7) 15,189 on July 4, 2008 8) 15,083 on June 25, 2009 (Manny Ramirez rehabilitation assignment) 9) 15,020 on July 3, 2006 10) 15,004 on July 3, 2007 11) 14,855 on August 29, 2013 (final 2013 Isotopes home game) 12) 14,744 on July 4, 2005 13) 14,547 on June 16, 2007 14) 14,194 on September 2, 2012 15) 14,177 on April 4, 2004 (Marlins/Isotopes Exhibition) 16) 14,093 on August 27, 2011 (Fan Appreciation night) 17) 13,798 on July 21, 2012 18) 13,576 on August 24, 2008 19) 13,520 on August 28, 2011 20) 13,501 on July 3, 2004 21) 13,411 on July 23, 2011 22) 13,398 on August 27, 2005 23) 13,390 on July 25, 2008 24) 13,380 on August 31, 2003 25) 13,345 on September 3, 2006 26) 13,305 on May 4, 2013 27) 13,210 on June 11, 2005 28) 13,193 on August 12, 2006 29) 13,168 on July 30, 2005 30) 13,160 on August 18, 2012 31) 13,100 on July 3, 2003 32) 13,098 on July 20, 2013 33) 13,087 on May 5, 2012 34) 13,085 on August 29, 2009 35) 13,076 on June 24, 2009 36) 13,065 on May 4, 2012 37) 13,021 on August 29, 2010 38) 13,013 on May 5, 2008 39) 13,012 on June 14, 2003 40) 13,009 on July 9, 2005 41) 13,002 on September 2, 2010 42) 12,928 on July 10, 2004 43) 12,870 on May 7, 2011 44) 12,831 on July 5, 2008 45) 12,794 on June 18, 2011 46) 12,742 on August 23, 2008 47) 12,738 on June 10, 2006 48) 12,695 on July 29, 2005 49) 12,525 on July 31, 2009 50) 12,469 on August 6, 2011 Notable Attendance Outside The Top 50 Crowds: 12,215 on April 11, 2003 (Isotopes Park First Game) 12,367 on July 11, 2007 (Triple-A All-Star Game) |
| Stadium Architect | HOK Sports Facilities Group of Kansas City, Missouri |
| Stadium Primary General Contractor | Bradbury Stamm Ceremonial Groundbreaking October 25, 2001 Opened April 11, 2003 |
| Stadium Owner | City of Albuquerque |
| Stadium Financing: | - $10 Million General Obligation Bond - $15 Million in loans from the New Mexico Finance Authority up to 10% surcharge on concessions, souvenirs, tickets to pay off loan Rent: $700,000 base rent a year for 25 years |
| 2012 Ticket Prices and Parking Fee: | $15.00 Box Level Seats ($13.00 purchased in advance)
$13.00 Reserved Level Seats
$25.00 Club Level Seats $7.00 Right-field berm (add $3 to each July 4th ticket in Club, Box and Reserved levels and $2 to each berm ticket)
Stadium Seating Chart available on the Isotopes official web site Tickets available at the Albuquerque Isotopes Box Office or at Ticketmaster $5 fee for parking unless there are four or more occupants in a vehicle or the vehicle displays valid disabled parking placards. |
| 2013 Home Game Start Times: | Typically 7:05pm or 6:35pm Weekdays and Saturday, 1:35pm or 6:05pm Sundays; there are a few 12:05pm starts and other odd start times sprinkled throughout the home schedule so refer to the Schedule page for the start time for a specific home date. |
| Who are the broadcast rightsholders? | Cumulus Radio is the radio rightsholder through the 2015 season.
Cumulus Radio is airing weekday evening, weekend and holiday games on KNML-AM 610 "The Sports Animal"
and most weekday non-holiday afternoon games on KTBL-AM 1050. Links to KNML and KTBL online audio
can be found at abqisotopes.com to listen to the games without a subscription. No television rightsholder has been named and traditionally the Albuquerque clubs have not had a television (broadcast or cable) rightsholder. In 2013, most games involving the Isotopes can be viewed via MiLB.TV subscription service on the internet. |
| Number of Suites: | 30 suites |
| Team Mascot Name: | Orbit |
| Where does the team name come from? | It is a debated question. Most say it comes from a March 2001
"The Simpsons" television show episode titled "Hungry, Hungry Homer" in which Homer discovers and foils a plan to move the Springfield Isotopes baseball team to Albuquerque. Others say it is related to the atomic history in New Mexico. The first atomic bomb was developed and tested in New Mexico and there are two national laboratories in New Mexico - one in Los Alamos and one in Albuquerque. Few say it is a stylish team name used to generate sales of team souvenirs. |
| Isotopes Team History: |
Total Regular Season Record Through 2012: 731-703 Total Playoff Record Through 2012: 3-9
2012: 81-67 (80-64 Regular, 2-3 Playoffs) PCL American Conference Southern Division Champions
2011: 70-74 (2nd place, PCL American Conference Southern Division -- 17.0 games back of division winner Round Rock Express (AAA Rangers)
2010: 72-71 (2nd place, PCL American Conference Southern Division -- 1.0 games back of division winner Oklahoma City Redhawks (AAA Rangers)
2009: 80-67 (80-64 Regular, 0-3 Playoffs) PCL American Conference Southern Division Champions
2008: 68-75 (2nd place, PCL American Conference Southern Division -- 7.5 games back of division winner Oklahoma Redhawks (AAA Rangers)
2007: 72-70 (2nd place, PCL American Conference Southern Division -- 2.0 games back of division winner New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA Mets)
2006: 70-72 (4th place, PCL American Conference Southern Division -- 14.0 games back of division winner Round Rock Express (AAA Astros)
2005: 78-66 (2nd place, PCL American Conference Southern Division -- 2.5 games back of division winner Oklahoma Redhawks (AAA Rangers)
2004: 67-77 (4th place, PCL American Conference Central Division -- 12.5 games back of division winner Iowa Cubs (AAA Cubs)
2003: 75-73 (74-70 Regular, 1-3 Playoffs) |
| History about the loss of the Albuquerque Dukes: | Here is some info from my Albuquerque Dukes archive web page |
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| The Albuquerque Isotopes baseball club established the Albuquerque Professional
Baseball Hall of Fame (APBHOF) in 2007 as part of the 2007 Triple-A All-Star Fiesta,
the events related to and including the 20th Annual Triple-A All-Star Game at Isotopes Park.
The APBHOF honors professional baseball players, managers, coaches, clubs, executives, and media that have contributed to the legacy of baseball in Albuquerque. APBHOF plaques can be viewed by going to McKernan Hall at Isotopes Park. |
The Hall of Famers: |
1972 Albuquerque Dukes (2009) |
Hall of Fame Member Capsules: |
2007 Class |
| Tommy Lasorda - Manager - inducted July 11, 2007 at the Triple-A All-Star Luncheon
Lasorda managed the 1972 Albuquerque Dukes to a 92-56 (.622) record and a Pacific Coast League Championship in the Dukes' first season as a Triple-A franchise. The following year, Lasorda joined the Dodgers as a coach then took over as manager from 1976-1996, winning World Series titles in 1981 and 1988. Lasorda had a three year big league career (1954-1956), playing two of those seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Lasorda went 0-4 with a save, walked 56 and struck out 37 and had a 6.48 ERA in 58.1 innings of major league pitching. |
2008 Class |
| A committee of 14 Albuquerque baseball experts selected the following inductees: |
| Del Crandall - Manager - Inducted July 23, 2008 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Crandall managed the Double-A Texas League Albuquerque Dodgers in 1969 and 1970, compiling a 150-121 (.554) record and winning a Texas League championship in 1970. Crandall was the skipper when the Albuquerque Dodgers moved from Tingley Field to the new 10,500 seat Albuquerque Sports Stadium in 1969. Crandall returned to Albuquerque to manage the Triple-A Pacific Coast League Albuquerque Dukes for five full seasons (1978-1982) and part of another season (1983). Crandall resigned his manager position with the Dukes 75 games into the 1983 season to become manager of the Seattle Mariners. Just over a year later, the Mariners fired Crandall. Crandall had a 471-314 (.600) record with the Dukes, winning a Co-Championship in 1978 and outright PCL Championship titles in 1980, 1981 and 1982.
Crandall's major league experience mostly consisted of playing with the Boston Braves and Milwaukee
Braves clubs in a 16-season career with a two year break for Korean War service (1949-1950, 1953-1966).
Crandall hit .254 for his career with 179 homers and 657 RBI in 1,573 games and was an eight time
National League All-Star and a four time Gold Glove winner. |
| Pat McKernan - Executive - Inducted posthumously July 23, 2008 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
McKernan was a General Manager for the Triple-A Albuquerque Dukes from 1979-2000 (until the
Albuquerque franchise was sold and moved to Portland). McKernan was a three-time Pacific Coast
League Executive of the Year. During the 2000 Baseball Winter Meetings in Dallas, TX,
McKernan was given the "King of Baseball Award". McKernan passed away July 10, 2001 after a long
battle with cancer. |
| 1981 Albuquerque Dukes - Club - Inducted July 23, 2008 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Del Crandall managed the 1981 Triple-A Albuquerque Dukes to a 94-38 record (.712) and the Dukes swept the Tacoma Tigers 3 games to none to win the Pacific Coast League Championship. The Dukes even defeated their parent club Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0 in an exhibition game in Los Angeles after the Major League mid-season strike was settled. Among some of the players on the 1981 Dukes squad were catcher Don Crow; infielders Mike Marshall, Jack Perconte, Gary Weiss, and Larry Fobbs; outfielders Rudy Law, Candy Maldonado, Ron Roenicke, Tack Wilson and Bobby Mitchell; and pitchers Brian Holton, Ricky Wright, Ted Power, Alejandro Pena, Brent Strom, Kevin Keefe, Dave Patterson, Steve Shirley, and Bill Swiacki. The 1981 Dukes led the PCL in batting average (.325), runs (875), hits (1,393), RBI (774), stolen bases (281), walks (642), and slugging percentage (.467). The pitching staff compiled a fourth league-best team ERA of 4.25.
The 1981 Dukes are considered one of the best teams ever in Minor League Baseball and
several Dukes earned 1981 The Sporting News awards - Mike Marshall won the Minor League Player
of the Year, manager Del Crandall was named the Minor League Manager of the Year, and
General Manager Pat McKernan was named the Minor League Executive of the Year. |
| Mike Marshall - Player - Inducted July 23, 2008 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Marshall was a key player on the 1981 Triple-A Albuquerque Dukes club. Marshall was named to the Pacific Coast League All-Star team, hit for the cycle on July 30, 1981 against the Tucson Toros and ended the season leading the PCL in batting (.373), home runs (34) and RBI (137), winning the Triple Crown. Marshall was named the Minor League Player of the Year by the The Sporting News and by Baseball America in 1981. Marshall made his major league debut with the Dodgers after the 1981 Albuquerque season ended, hitting .200 in 14 games. Marshall began the 1982 season in Albuquerque, batting .388 with 14 homers and 58 RBI in 66 games before rejoining the Dodgers.
Marshall had an 11 season big league career (1981-1991), playing for the Dodgers from 1981-1989.
In his career, Marshall hit .270 with 148 homers and 530 RBI and was a one time National League
All-Star (1984) and won a World Series ring in 1988. |
| Hershel Martin - Manager - Inducted posthumously July 23, 2008 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Martin managed the Albuquerque Dukes club in the Class C West Texas-New Mexico League at Tingley Field for four seasons (1948 to 1951), winning two league titles. Martin compiled a 342-226 (.602) record as Dukes manager and never finished worst than second place in the league in any season at the helm. Martin was a three-time league All-Star as a Dukes player/manager, and in 1948 led the West Texas-New Mexico League in doubles (61) and average (.425).
Martin had blg-league experience - an outfielder from 1937-1940 with the Philadelphia
Phillies and 1944-1945 with the New York Yankees. In 1938, Martin was a National League All-Star and
finished 30th in National League MVP voting that season. |
| Tom Bolack, John McMullen - Executives - Inducted posthumously July 23, 2008 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Bolack, along with McMullen, was instrumental in securing the Dukes relationship with the
Dodgers, which lasted 38 seasons (1963-2000). Bolack owned the Dukes from 1956 until
1963 when he sold the club to the Los Angeles Dodgers. |
| J.D. Kailer - Sportswriter - Inducted July 23, 2008 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Kailer was an Albuquerque Journal sports editor from 1950 to 1959. Kailer spent many a game during the decade observing the action from the Tingley Field Press Box and writing up reports for the Journal as well as typing up and mailing the official box score to The Sporting News for publication. |
2009 Class |
| Tom Paciorek - Player - Inducted July 29, 2009 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Paciorek, 1972 Pacific Coast League MVP and The Sporting News Minor League Baseball Player of the Year,
hit .307 with 27 homers and 107 RBI. Paciorek led the PCL in hits, runs, total bases, doubles and
homers. 1972 was Paciorek's only season as an Albuquerque Duke and Paciorek is a member of
the Albuquerque Journal's all-time Dukes Team (1972-2000).
|
| Dennis Lewallyn - Player - Inducted July 29, 2009 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Lewallyn played with the Albuquerque Dukes from 1975-1980 and is the Dukes' all-time leader
in wins (74) and saves (51). In 1980, Lewallyn went 15-2 with 24 saves and a 2.13 ERA. Lewallyn
led the PCL in wins, ERA and saves that season and won the Pacific Coast League MVP award.
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| Jesse Priest - Player - Inducted July 29, 2009 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Priest, who pitched for the Albuquerque Dukes of the West Texas-New Mexico League in 1951 and 1952,
compiled a 38-13 record over two seasons. In 1951, went 19-4 with a 3.15 ERA and in 1952, went
19-9 with a 3.06 ERA. In an interesting note, Priest married Barbara Wages at home plate
before a Dukes game at Tingley Field on July 12, 1952.
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| 1972 Albuquerque Dukes - Inducted July 29, 2009 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Tommy Lasorda managed the 1972 Dukes to a 92-56 record and a Pacific Coast League championship
in the first season the Dukes joined the PCL and became a Triple-A team. The Dukes
were the best hitting team in the PCL and had four of the top eight hitters in the league - Von Joshua
(.337 - batting champion), Ron Cey (.329), Larry Hisle (.325) and Davey Lopes (.317). Leading
pitchers were Doug Rau (14-3), Geoff Zahn (10-1) and knuckleballer Charlie Hough (14-5). The Dukes
swept Eugene for the PCL Championship and traveled to Hawaii for the first and only World Baseball
Classic. The Dukes defeated the other Triple-A league champions, Evansville (American Association)
and Tidewater (International League), before losing the tournament title to a squad of Caribbean All-Stars.
|
2010 Class |
| Jack Perconte - Player - Inducted July 17, 2010 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Perconte played four seasons for the Dukes (1979-1981, 1987). He played in 390 games over his first three Dukes seasons while batting .331 with 5 homers, 172 RBI and 121 stolen bases. In the 1980 PCL Championship season, Perconte hit .326 in 120 games with 44 steals and in the 1981 PCL Championship season, he hit .346 in 127 games with 107 runs scored and 45 stolen bases.
Perconte came back to the Dukes one last time for the 1987 season, hitting .279 in 119
games before calling it a career. The Dukes won the 1987 PCL Championship, giving
Perconte three out of the Dukes' eight total PCL Championship rings.
|
| Joe Simpson - Player - Inducted July 17, 2010 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Simpson played six seasons in a Dukes' suit, with a handful of games in 1973 and 1974 before appearing in over a hundred games per season from 1975-1978. Simpson appeared in 521 games over the six seasons, hitting .304 with 13 homers and 262 RBI. Simpson scored 363 runs and swiped 143 bases.
Simpson earned his only PCL Championship ring in 1978 as the Dukes were
declared league co-champions. In that campaign, Simpson hit .309 in 140 games
with 110 runs scored, 5 homers, 73 RBI and 35 stolen bases.
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| Mike Roberts - Broadcaster - Inducted July 17, 2010 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Roberts became known as the "Voice of the Dukes", doing play-by-play of Dukes games from 1982-1997. Roberts worked alongside Jim Lawwill from 1982-1995 and Russ Langer from 1996-1997 on KKOB-AM radio until 1996 and on KNML-AM/KHTL-AM in 1997. The Dukes radio rights went to non-Citadel Broadcasting owned radio stations from 1998-2000, ending Roberts' reign calling the Dukes on the radio since Roberts remained a Citadel Broadcasting employee. Roberts has also played a part in the history of the Isotopes, working home games alongside Bob Socci on KNML-AM from 2003-2005.
Roberts was also a longtime voice of the University of New Mexico Lobos sports on
the radio and was inducted into the Albuquerque/New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame
in 1993/1994 and the New Mexico Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2008.
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| Charlie Blaney - Executive - Inducted July 17, 2010 (Dukes Retro Night) at Isotopes Park
Blaney was a General Manager of the Albuquerque Dodgers Class-AA Texas League club in 1969-1971 and retained the GM position as the Albuquerque Dukes began their history in 1972 as a Class-AAA Pacific Coast League club and was the Dukes GM through the 1974 season.
Blaney was the 1969 Class-AA Executive of the Year, oversaw from the front
office the Albuquerque Dodgers' Texas League championship in 1970 and the
Dukes' 1972 Pacific Coast League Championship.
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