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===Great West League (2015–2017)===
===Great West League (2015–2017)===
The Pickles were charter members of the [[Great West League]], having been founded in 2015 by GWL commissioner Ken Wilson. The Pickles (claimed to have) played before 16 sell-outs and to 99% of capacity in their inaugural 2016 season (announced figures). A month before their second season on April 5, 2017, it was announced that [[Seattle Seahawks]] punter [[Jon Ryan]] and marketing entrepreneur Alan Miller would become part of the Pickles ownership group, along with members from Rose City Baseball LLC.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 4, 2017 |title=Pickles Add To Ownership Group |url=http://lincolnpotters.com/news/index.html?article_id=10 |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=lincolnpotters.com |language=en}}</ref> Former [[Major League Baseball]] pitcher and Oregon-native [[Jeff Lahti]] took over the managerial role for the 2017 season,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tribune |first=Portland |date=2016-10-10 |title=Former MLB hurler Lahti takes Pickles reins; Winterhawks' Glass named WHL player of the week |url=https://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/former-mlb-hurler-lahti-takes-pickles-reins-winterhawks-glass-named-whl-player-of-the-week/article_ecee8c66-dd5e-550e-9ce4-d9ac0fb44ff3.html |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=PortlandTribune.com |language=en}}</ref> and the Pickles were eliminated from the Great West League playoffs by the [[Medford Rogues (Great West League)|Medford Rogues]].
The Pickles were charter members of the [[Great West League]], having been founded in 2015 by GWL commissioner [[Ken Wilson (sportscaster)|Ken Wilson]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 28, 2015 |title=2016 GREAT WEST LEAGUE SCHEDULE RELEASED |url=http://www.greatwestleague.com/news-items/2016-great-west-league-schedule-released |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325134454/http://www.greatwestleague.com/news-items/2016-great-west-league-schedule-released |archive-date=March 25, 2016 |website=Greatwestleague.com}}</ref> The Pickles (claimed to have) played before 16 sell-outs and to 99% of capacity in their inaugural 2016 season (announced figures).
A month before their second season on April 5, 2017, it was announced that [[Seattle Seahawks]] punter [[Jon Ryan]] and marketing entrepreneur Alan Miller would become part of the Pickles ownership group, along with members from Rose City Baseball LLC.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 4, 2017 |title=Pickles Add To Ownership Group |url=http://lincolnpotters.com/news/index.html?article_id=10 |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=lincolnpotters.com |language=en}}</ref> Former [[Major League Baseball]] pitcher and Oregon-native [[Jeff Lahti]] took over the managerial role for the 2017 season,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tribune |first=Portland |date=2016-10-10 |title=Former MLB hurler Lahti takes Pickles reins; Winterhawks' Glass named WHL player of the week |url=https://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/former-mlb-hurler-lahti-takes-pickles-reins-winterhawks-glass-named-whl-player-of-the-week/article_ecee8c66-dd5e-550e-9ce4-d9ac0fb44ff3.html |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=PortlandTribune.com |language=en}}</ref> and the Pickles were eliminated from the Great West League playoffs by the [[Medford Rogues (Great West League)|Medford Rogues]].


===West Coast League (2018–present)===
===West Coast League (2018–present)===

Revision as of 13:27, 24 March 2024

Portland Pickles
Information
LeagueWest Coast League (2018–present)
LocationPortland, Oregon
BallparkCharles B. Walker Stadium at Lents Park
Founded2015
Nickname(s)Picks
League championships0
Division championships1
Former league(s)Great West League (2016–2017)
ColorsNavy Blue, Green and White
     
MascotDillon the Pickle
OwnershipRose City Baseball, LLC:
Alan Miller
Jon Ryan
Scott Barchus
ManagerMark Magdaleno
General ManagerRoss Campbell
Websitewww.portlandpicklesbaseball.com

The Portland Pickles are a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the South Division of the West Coast League, a premier collegiate summer baseball league based in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. The Pickles play their home games at Walker Stadium in Portland's Lents Park.

History

Team founding and Naming (2015)

Pickles Original Logo (2015–2023)

In 2010, the Portland Beavers minor league baseball club left Portland, leaving the city without a team.[1] On March 11, 2015, it was announced that baseball would return to Portland with the establishment of a new collegiate wood-bat team. The as-yet-unnamed team would be owned and operated by Rose City Baseball LLC, in partnership with the city of Portland, and would play at Walker Stadium in PP&R’s Lents Park.[2]

On April 21, 2015, team officials announced the team's name at Woodstock Elementary School in Southeast Portland. The name was selected by online voting from six candidates. In order of vote, Pickles was followed by Mud Hounds, Red Dogs, Posse, Pliers, and Pixels.[3] In August, J.J. Altobelli was named as the team's first manager.[4] The team introduced its mascot, Dillon the pickle, in October.[5]

Great West League (2015–2017)

The Pickles were charter members of the Great West League, having been founded in 2015 by GWL commissioner Ken Wilson.[6] The Pickles (claimed to have) played before 16 sell-outs and to 99% of capacity in their inaugural 2016 season (announced figures).

A month before their second season on April 5, 2017, it was announced that Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan and marketing entrepreneur Alan Miller would become part of the Pickles ownership group, along with members from Rose City Baseball LLC.[7] Former Major League Baseball pitcher and Oregon-native Jeff Lahti took over the managerial role for the 2017 season,[8] and the Pickles were eliminated from the Great West League playoffs by the Medford Rogues.

West Coast League (2018–present)

On October 24, 2017, the Pickles announced that they were leaving the GWL and joining the West Coast League.[9] Prior to the 2018 season, Gresham GreyWolves head coach Justin Barchus replaced Lahti as manager.[10] His team won the South Division in the first half of the season with a 17–9 record, securing them a playoff spot in their first year. The Pickles went on to claim the best record in the WCL by going 37–17 overall, but could not get past the Corvallis Knights in the first round of playoffs. Justin Barchus went on to win WCL Coach of the Year along with Kelowna Falcons manager Bryan Donohue.

Wild Wild West League (2020)

On June 5, 2020, the West Coast League board of directors voted to cancel the 2020 season due to COVID-19 pandemic.[11] The Pickles organization founded the Wild Wild West League in response, playing in Bob Brack Stadium at North Marion High School in Aurora, Oregon. The league consisted of four teams: the Pickles, Portland Gherkins, Gresham GreyWolves, and West Linn Knights. The Gherkins were founded as a farm team for the Pickles and were to play an independent schedule prior to the pandemic. The team plays fellow teams in the WCL including the Pickles with Gherkin players given the opportunity to move up to the Pickles roster based on ability. Games ran from July 11 to August 7 with playoffs on August 8 and a final championship game on August 9. The West Linn Knights took on the Portland Pickles in the championship and took the title in a close match up, winning 8–7.[12]

After only one season in the WWWL, the Pickles would return to the WCL full-time in 2021 while the WWWL moved on with two new teams, the Portland Rosebuds and Willamette Wild Bills, also owned by the Pickles organization.

CBD sponsorship

On May 15, 2019, the Portland Pickles announced a two-year-long sponsorship with Lazarus Naturals. The deal with the Portland-based CBD (Cannabidiol) company acted as the very first deal of its kind in Baseball history. Along with this, Lazarus Naturals sponsored a concert series at the Pickles ballpark, Walker Stadium.

The sponsorship also took shape in the form of the Lazarus Naturals Veterans at The Park Program which allows for local veterans to be submitted for special tickets in the Lazarus Naturals Patriot Box at Walker Stadium.[13]

Relationship with the Venados

On October 9, 2019, the Portland Pickles faced off against the Mazatlan Venados in a friendly exhibition game in front of 16,000 people. In the lead up to the game, the Pickles held tryouts amongst fans in Portland for the chance to travel with the team to Mexico and play in the game. There is currently a documentary on the game in the works that is slated to be released soon.[14]

Mascot Theft Incident

In 2022, the mascot costume for Dillon T. Pickle was stolen after delivery in a case of package theft. The team had been playing in the Dominican Republic and the luggage containing the mascot costume was separated from the team. After being found by the airline it was shipped to the wrong house in Portland and subsequently stolen off the front porch in an act of package theft by an unknown party. It was eventually dropped off at Voodoo Doughnut by a person wishing to remain anonymous.[15] The incident attracted the attention of some national media, who covered the saga in a bemused fashion.[16]

Results by season

Year League Won Lost Regular Season Finish Postseason Manager
2016 Great West League 32 25 3rd League J.J. Altobelli
2017 Great West League 31 29 4th League Lost semi-finals (Medford) Jeff Lahti
2018 West Coast League 37 17 1st South Division Lost 1st Round (Corvallis) Justin Barchus
2019 West Coast League 24 29 4th South Division Justin Barchus
2020 Wild Wild West League[nb 1] 8 8 2nd League Won semi-finals (Gresham)
Lost championship (West Linn)		 Justin Barchus
2021 West Coast League 26 22 3rd South Division Justin Barchus (Until June 8), MarkAll-Star Game selectionsWest Coast League
2022 WCL 36 16 2nd Lost Divisional Series 0–2 (Ridgefield) Mark Magdaleno
2023 WCL 28 26 4th Won Divisional Series 2-0 (Raptors)
Lost Division Championship (at Knights) 		Mark Magdaleno
Division winner League champions

All-Star Game selections

Year Players Ref
2018 Zander Clarke, Joey Cooper, Gio Diaz, Brad McVay, Michael Newstrom, Connor Pellerin [18]
2019 Titus Groeneweg, Conner Thurman [19]
2020 2020 WCL Season cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic

Notes

  1. ^ Due to the cancellation of 2020 West Coast League season, the Pickles founded and played in the Wild Wild West League during 2020[17]

References

  1. ^ Fentress, Aaron (2010-08-22). "Three strikes and the Portland Beavers are out". oregonlive. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  2. ^ "Baseball is Coming Back to Portland in 2016". www.portland.gov. 2015-03-11. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  3. ^ Brandon, Steve (April 21, 2015). "Name that team: Portland Pickles is the winner". Portland Tribune. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  4. ^ "PORTLAND PICKLES NAME FIRST MANAGER". Greatwestleague.com. August 17, 2015. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016.
  5. ^ "PORTLAND PICKLES BRANDING UNVEILED". Greatwestleague.com. October 7, 2015. Archived from the original on July 21, 2016.
  6. ^ "2016 GREAT WEST LEAGUE SCHEDULE RELEASED". Greatwestleague.com. September 28, 2015. Archived from the original on March 25, 2016.
  7. ^ "Pickles Add To Ownership Group". lincolnpotters.com. April 4, 2017. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  8. ^ Tribune, Portland (2016-10-10). "Former MLB hurler Lahti takes Pickles reins; Winterhawks' Glass named WHL player of the week". PortlandTribune.com. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  9. ^ "Pickles Join the West Coast League". PORTLAND PICKLES BASEBALL. Archived from the original on October 25, 2017. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  10. ^ Tribune, Portland (2017-12-01). "Pickles pick manager for 2018". PortlandTribune.com. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  11. ^ "WCL Cancels 2020 Season". West Coast League. 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  12. ^ "2020 Wild Wild West League". gc.com. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  13. ^ West Coast League's Portland Pickles Unveil First-Ever CBD Sponsorship In Baseball, Forbes, May 16, 2019
  14. ^ Portland Pickles open tryouts to the public before game in Mexico, KATU 2 Website, August 21, 2019
  15. ^ "The Portland Pickles Have Recovered Their Stolen Mascot".
  16. ^ Treisman, Rachel (10 February 2022). "The Portland Pickles need your help finding their stolen mascot, Dillon T. Pickle". NPR.
  17. ^ "WCL Cancels 2020 Season". June 5, 2020.
  18. ^ "WCL Announces All-Star Game Rosters". westcoastleague.com. 10 July 2018. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  19. ^ "WCL All-Star Game Rosters Announced". westcoastleague.com. 22 July 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
General
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