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Joliet Slammers

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Joliet Slammers
Team logo Cap insignia
Information
LeagueFrontier League (West Division)
LocationJoliet, Illinois
BallparkDuly Health and Care Field
Founded2010
Nickname(s)Jailbirds
League championships2 (2011, 2018)
Division championships2 (2011, 2016)
Playoff berths
3
2011
2016
2018
ColorsGreen, orange, black, white
       
MascotSpikes & J.L Bird
OwnershipMike Veeck
Bill Murray
Night Train Veeck
General ManagerHeather Mills
ManagerMike Pinto
Media1340 WJOL, The Herald-News, The Joliet Bugle
Websitejolietslammers.com

The Joliet Slammers are a professional baseball team based in Joliet, Illinois. The Slammers compete in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the West Division in the Midwest Conference, and play their home games at the Duly Health and Care Field. The Slammers were founded in 2010, a year before their rival Schaumburg Boomers.

They replaced the Joliet JackHammers of the Northern League after the franchise was crippled by numerous financial issues. The JackHammers franchise was put up for sale and Steel City Baseball, LLC, bought out all assets, including the front office, the ticketing system, and the lease of the ballpark. The company behind the popular card game Cards Against Humanity announced in December 2017 that they had purchased the naming rights to the stadium, calling it the "Cards Against Humanity Baseball Place", but the company's claim has been disputed by Slammers management.[1]

The "Slammers" name refers to the famous prisons of Joliet and Will County (Joliet Correctional Center and Stateville Correctional Center) as well as a common baseball term.

On September 18, 2011, the Slammers were named Frontier League champions after defeating the River City Rascals, 6–5 in Joliet, taking the best-of-five Frontier League championship series three games to one. Following the 2012 season, the Slammers were purchased on October 15, 2012, by Joliet Community Baseball & Entertainment, LLC. The team's name, stadium, league, and overall branding remained the same.

In January 2024 the team announced new ownership, headed by Mike Veeck, Bill Murray as well as Night Train Veeck. Murray and Veeck were part-owners of the St. Paul Saints until 2023, when, following the team's shift into affiliated ball, that team was sold to a new ownership group.[2][3]

Season-by-season records

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Joliet Slammers
Season Record Win % Finish Manager Playoffs
2011 56–40 .583 1st Bart Zeller Won Division Series vs. Lake Erie Crushers, 3–0
Won Frontier League Championship vs. River City Rascals, 3–1
2012 37–58 .389 6th Bart Zeller Did not qualify
2013 38–57 .400 6th Mike Breyman Did not qualify
2014 40–56 .417 6th Jeff Isom Did not qualify
2015 42–54 .438 5th Jeff Isom Did not qualify
2016 51–45 .531 1st Jeff Isom Lost Division Series vs. Evansville Otters, 3–1
2017 42–54 .438 5th Jeff Isom Did not qualify
2018 54–42 .563 2nd Jeff Isom Won Division Series vs. River City Rascals, 3–2
Won Frontier League Championship vs. Washington Wild Things, 3–2
2019 40–56 .417 4th Jeff Isom Did not qualify
2020 21-5 .807 1st Billy Petrick Won City of Champions Cup (Non-Frontier League)
2021 39–56 .417 4th Aaron Nieckula Did not qualify
2022 49–47 .510 4th Daniel Schlereth Did not qualify
2023 46–50 .479 5th Daniel Schlereth Did not qualify
2024 38–58 .396 8th Mike Pinto Did not qualify
Totals 547–628 .484 — — 13–8 Playoff record
2 Division series wins, 2 Frontier League championships

Single season records

[edit]

Statistics as of the completion of the 2023 season

Offensive

[edit]
Statistic Record Player Year
Hits 135 Grant DeBruin 2014
Doubles 29 Grant DeBruin/Carter Bell 2014/2016
Triples 6 Josh Flores 2011
Home Runs 27 Matt Warkentin 2023
RBIs 77 Erik Lis 2011
Walks 57 Russell Moldenhauer 2014
Stolen Bases 35 Josh Flores 2011

Pitching

[edit]
Statistic Record Player Year
Wins 13 Jake Renshaw 2011
Strikeouts 131 Cole Cook 2023
Saves 28 Ryan Quigley 2011

Franchise leaders

[edit]

Statistics as of the completion of the 2023 season

Offensive

[edit]

Games played
1. Tyler Depreta-Johnson...257 (2021–2023)
2. Kyle Maunas...248 (2011–2013)
3. Lane Baremore…219 (2021–2023)

Hits
1. Alfredo Rodriguez…205 (2015–2016)
1. Kyle Maunas…205 (2011–2013)
2. Lane Baremore…204 (2021–2023)
3. Tyler Depreta-Johnson...199 (2021–2023)

Doubles
1. Brylie Ware...43 (2021–2022)
1. Kyle Manus…43 (2011–2013)
2. Grant DeBruin…41 (2013–2014)
3. Brad Netzel…39 (2011–2012)

Triples
1. Matt McGarry…9 (2022–2023)
2. Josh Flores…6 (2011)
2. Scott Holzwasser…6 (2021–2023)
3. Ridge Hoopii-Haslam...5 (2017–2019)

Home Runs
1. Kyle Manus...32 (2011–2013)
2. Erik Lis...28 (2011–2012)
3. Matt Warkentin…27 (2023–present)

RBI
1. Kyle Manus...128 (2011–2013)
2. Erik Lis...122 (2011–2012)
3. Danny Zardon...110 (2017–2018)
3. Matt McGarry…110 (2022–2023)

Stolen Bases
1. London Lindley...53 (2018–2019)
1. Ridge Hoopii-Haslam...53 (2017–2019)
2. Charlie White...48 (2015–2016)
3. Travis Bolin...41 (2017–2019)

Pitching

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Innings Pitched
1. Cam Aufderheide...323.2 (2021–2023)
2. Cole Cook…254.1 (2022–2023)
3. Liam O’Sullivan...244.2 (2016, 2018)

Strikeouts
1. Cole Cook… 240 (2022–2023)
1. Cam Aufderheide…240 (2021–2023)
2. Shane Bryant...187 (2015–2018)
3. Liam O’Sullivan...186 (2016, 2018)

Wins
1. Cole Cook...23 (2022–2023)
2. Liam O’Sullivan...22 (2016, 2018)
3. Scot Hoffman...14 (2017–2019)
3. Jake Renshaw...14 (2011–2012)

Saves
1. Ryan Quigley...28 (2011)
2. Ryan Koziol...23 (2019)
3. Confesor Lara...20 (2016–2017)

Current roster

[edit]
Joliet Slammers roster
Active roster Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 39 Jake Armstrong
  • 44 Ian Delleman
  • 36 Geno Encina
  • 26 Kevin Fee
  • 40 Zach Grace
  •  6 David Harrison
  • 21 Dwayne Marshall
  •  4 Jacob Morin
  • 11 Frank Plesac
  • 33 Brett Sanchez
  • 25 Cameron Smith
  • 16 Cole Wesneski
  • 19 Zac Westcott



  

Catchers

  • 23 Brandon Heidal
  • 38 Drew Stengren
  • 22 Tommy Stevenson

Infielders

  • 68 Zach Biermann ‡
  •  1 Jeissy De La Cruz
  • 14 Cal Hejza
  •  8 Victor Nova
  • 12 Antonio Valdez
  • 35 Matthew Warkentin

Outfielders

  •  2 Chris Davis
  •  9 Braden Duhon
  • 28 Liam McArthur
  • 17 Jonathan Sierra
  

Manager

  •  3 Mike Pinto

Coaches

  •  5 Ron Biga (bench)
  • -- Tyler Martin (pitching)

Disabled list
‡ Inactive list
§ Suspended list

 updated July 19, 2024
 Transactions

Notable alumni

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Several notable players have competed for the Slammers; years in parentheses are seasons when the player was with the team.

Kaleb Ort became the first Joliet Slammers player to make it to the MLB. He made his major league debut on September 13, 2021 as a member of the Boston Red Sox in a game against the Seattle Mariners.

Dietrich Enns had previously played for the Minnesota Twins in the 2017 season. He has moved around the Twins', Padres', and Rays' minor league teams before coming to Joliet due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Enns was picked up by the Tampa Bay Rays after pitching just 18 innings for the Joliet Tully Monsters in the City of Champions Cup, a four-team league hosted by the Joliet Slammers. Enns was called up to the Rays in the 2021 season.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Okon, Bob (December 22, 2017). "Joliet won't have a Cards Against Humanity Stadium". The Herald-News. Joliet, Illinois. Archived from the original on 2017-12-22.
  2. ^ "The Veecks and Bill Murray are Coming to Joliet!". Joliet Slammers. March 20, 2024.
  3. ^ Neveau, James (January 8, 2024). "Bill Murray, Mike Veeck complete purchase of Joliet Slammers baseball team". NBC Chicago. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
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