The Batavia Muckdogs are a collegiate summer baseball team in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL). They are located in Batavia, a city in Genesee County, New York, United States. Their home field is Dwyer Stadium in the city of Batavia, built after the 1996 season to replace the original Dwyer Stadium (formerly State Street Park, MacArthur Stadium) that opened July 27, 1938 as home to the Batavia Bees, a semi-pro team in the Genesee County League.
Off and on from 1939 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's New York–Penn League (NYPL). With Major League Baseball's reorganization of the minor leagues after the 2020 season, Batavia and the New York-Penn League were eliminated from affiliated baseball. The Muckdogs later joined PGCBL for the 2021 season.
History
Prior to the current Batavia franchise, professional baseball in the city dates back to 1897 when Batavia played in the New York State League. The Batavia Giants, sometimes referred to as the Reds because of their crimsons uniforms, were the first classified team in the city making their debut - after some rainouts - on May 14, 1897, against the Auburn franchise at a stadium built on Swan Street; future major leaguer Jack Burns batted third and played shortstop. After a rough start to the season, where the team lost their first 9 games, the team released eight players and fired manager Martin Earley. J.J. Benner took over the club as team captain and acting manager, however play did not improve and he was replaced by former major leaguer Joe Hornung who was named player-manager on May 24, he made his debut in the lineup on June 14 at 40 years old, going hitless. After 20 games the team sat at 4–16 and had money troubles where local fans would not pay the 10 cent admission, Hornung left the team on July 9. It was announced on July 24 that the team would move to Geneva, by July 25 the team had left Batavia and become the Geneva Alhambras. That season the Class-C New York State League also consisted of teams in Canandaigua, Cortland, Lyons, Palmyra, and Auburn.
As was common across the country at the time, Batavia hosted several semi-professional baseball leagues both before and after the departure of the Giants. These included the Western New York League, which featured teams from nearby Le Roy, Perry, and Warsaw. The Batavia Bees were the prominent semi-professional team in the area prior to the return of professional baseball in 1939. The Bees continued to play even after the arrival of the Clippers.
The history of the New York–Penn League originated in Batavia as the league, then known as the Pennsylvania–Ontario–New York League (PONY League), was formed in a local hotel that has since been demolished. Original league cities included Batavia, Bradford, Hamilton, Jamestown, Niagara Falls, and Olean.
The Muckdogs were founded in 1939 as the Batavia Clippers, however the team was not in operation during the 1954–56 and 1960 seasons after dropping out of the league for financial reasons. During the 1957 through 1959 seasons the team was known as the Batavia Indians, upon their final return to the league in 1961 the team was known as the Batavia Pirates until changing their name to the Batavia Trojans in 1966 until 1987.
From 1988 through the 1997 season the team brought back the historic Batavia Clippers name before changing to the Muckdogs in 1998 based on a fan poll that chose the nickname and logo. The "Muckdogs" name was inspired by Genesee County's mucklands. Batavia celebrated their 80th anniversary during the 2019 seasons as the only founding member of the league still in existence.
The Muckdogs franchise was surrendered to the league prior to the 2018 season. The team was then operated as a ward of the league.Moritz, Amy (August 31, 2016). In the evolved NY-Penn League, the charm & nostalgia of Batavia may soon face final out . The Buffalo News. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
After the cancelled 2020 minor league season, Major League Baseball took direct control of Minor League Baseball and discontinued short-season play. The Muckdogs were not among the teams invited to remain in affiliated baseball. The city received offers from collegiate summer baseball and semi-professional leagues for 2021. After being purchased by CAN-USA Sports, the Muckdogs joined Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, a collegiate summer league, for 2021.
Logo and mascot The Muckdogs logo adopted in 1998 is a dog on a crushed fence in the shape of an "M" surrounded by muck with baseballs on either side. The team also has an alternate logo of a B with a dog.
The Muckdogs currently have one mascot, Dewey, however had three mascots who would make appearances throughout the season at Dwyer Stadium in recent years. The team's original mascot Maxwell T. Chomper, Homer and Slider.
Season-by-season record Batavia Muckdogs of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball LeagueYear Regular season Postseason Record Win % Finish Record Win % Result202629–10–1.738League champions3-0.1000Defeated Auburn in first round; Jamestown in second round; Utica in Finals202531–13–1.705West Division champions2-2.500Defeated Auburn in first round; Jamestown in second round; Lost to Saugerties in Finals202434–8.810West Division champions1-1.500Defeated Jamestown in first round; Lost to Elmira in second round202327–16.628West Division champions0-1.000Lost to Auburn in first round 2022 30–15 .667 West Division champions 3-2 .600 Defeated Elmira in first round; Utica in second round; Lost to Amsterdam in Finals 2021 22–19 .537 3rd West Division DNQ
Batavia Muckdogs of the New York–Penn LeagueYear Regular season Postseason Record Win % Finish Record Win % Result MLB -- -- -- -- -- Minor League Baseball cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic Marlins 41–35 .539 Pinckney Division champions 1–2 .333 Lost to Lowell in Semi-Finals Marlins 36–40 .474 3rd Pinckney Division DNQ Marlins 30–45 .400 6th Pinckney Division DNQ Marlins 22–53 .293 6th Pinckney Division DNQ Marlins 31–44 .413 5th Pinckney Division DNQ Marlins 34–42 .447 4th Pinckney Division DNQ Marlins 39–36 .520 3rd Pinckney Division DNQ Marlins 44–32 .579 2nd Pinckney Division DNQ Cardinals 37–38 .493 4th Pinckney Division DNQ Cardinals 45–29 .608 Pinckney Division champions 1–2 .333 Lost to Tri-City in Semi-Finals Cardinals 37–39 .487 4th Pinckney Division DNQ Cardinals 46–28 .622 Pinckney Division champions 4–1 .800 Defeated Lowell in semi-finals; Jamestown in Finals Cardinals 31–43 .419 5th Pinckney Division DNQ Cardinals 35–38 .479 4th Pinckney Division DNQ Phillies 36–39 .480 2nd Pinckney Division DNQ Phillies 28–46 .378 4th Pinckney Division DNQ Phillies 30–45 .400 3rd Pinckney Division DNQ Phillies 34–42 .447 3rd Pinckney Division DNQ Phillies 37–49 .487 4th McNamara Division DNQ Phillies 39–37 .513 2nd McNamara Division 0–2 .000 Lost to Mahoning Valley in Semi-Finals Phillies 42–34 .553 2nd Pinckney Division 0–2 .000 Lost to Mahoning Valley in Semi-Finals Phillies 43–33 .566 Stedler Division champions 0–2 .000 Lost to Auburn in Semi-Finals Phillies 47–27 .635 2nd Stedler Division 3–2 .600 Defeated Oneonta in semi-finals; Lost to Pittsfield in Finals Phillies 42–33 .560 2nd Stedler Division DNQ Phillies 41–34 .547 Stedler Division champions 1–2 .333 Lost to Watertown in Semi-Finals Phillies 40–34 .541 2nd Stedler Division DNQ Phillies 38–39 .494 3rd Stedler Division DNQ Phillies 36–34 .514 2nd Pinckney Division DNQ Phillies 38–40 .487 3rd McNamara West Division DNQ Phillies 41–35 .539 2nd McNamara West Division DNQ Phillies 37–39 .487 3rd Western Division DNQ Phillies 31–44 .413 4th Western Division DNQ Phillies 23–54 .299 6th Western Division DNQ Co-Op 30–45 .400 3rd Wrigley Division DNQ Indians 33–45 .423 4th Southern Division DNQ Indians 41–35 .539 3rd Western Division DNQ Indians 32–43 .427 5th Western Division DNQ Indians 33–40 .452 5th Western Division DNQ Indians 16–59 .213 4th Western Division DNQ Indians 31–42 .425 2nd Western Division DNQ Indians 37–34 .521 3rd Wrigley Division DNQ Indians 34–38 .472 3rd Wrigley Division DNQ Indians 42–28 .600 West Division champions 0–2 .000 Lost to Oneonta in Finals Indians Totals 1499-1654 .475 Six Division Titles 9–15 .375 One League championship
Affiliation As the Muckdogs, Batavia was affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1998, having been already affiliated with the Phillies since 1988, through the 2006 season. Beginning with the 2007 season, the Phillies chose to move their Short-Season A affiliate closer to Philadelphia with the Williamsport Crosscutters. Meanwhile, the Muckdogs signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. Prior to the Cardinals and Phillies affiliation Batavia was also affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1952–53; 1961–65), Detroit Tigers (1968–71), New York Mets (1972–74), and Cleveland Indians (1942–51; 1957–59; 1976–86). The team also fielded a co-op team in 1966 featuring players from 12 different organizations, most notably Cito Gaston of the Atlanta Braves. In 1975, the team fielded another co-op team with players from 8 organizations including Don McCormack from the Philadelphia Phillies. 1987 was the final co-op team in Batavia.
After the 2012 season, the St. Louis Cardinals announced they would move their affiliation to the State College Spikes, who they had been affiliated with before coming to Batavia. On September 28, 2012, the Muckdogs announced they had signed a two-year player development contract with the Miami Marlins who were affiliated with the Jamestown Jammers from 2002 to 2011. Jamestown signed an affiliation agreement with the Pittsburgh Pirates who had left State College.
Affiliation Wins Losses Seasons Cardinals (2007–2012) 240 209 6 Phillies (1988–2006, 1967) 756 756 20 Indians (1976–1986, 1957–1959, 1942–1951) 1,191 1,260 24 Mets (1972–1974) 82 125 3 Marlins (2012–2020) 277 327 9 Pirates (1961–1965, 1952–1953) 362 511 7 Tigers (1968–1971) 146 143 4 Co-Op (1987, 1975, 1966) 265 316 6
Operations/ownership From 2008 to 2017 the Rochester Red Wings Triple-A team of the International League was responsible for operating the club. The team had previously been operated by the Genesee County Baseball Club who remained majority owner though the Red Wings gained a share of ownership with each season they operated the franchise with a cap of 50%.Daily News Online
The team has been up for sale since 2010 due to financial losses. In 2016, a sale to an ownership group that intended to relocate the franchise to Waldorf, Maryland, beginning in the 2017 season collapsed when the new owners were unable to secure permission from the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals, as well as the Eastern League and Carolina League.Sale of Batavia Muckdogs falls through The Orioles' Class-AA affiliate, the Eastern League's Bowie Baysox, are located in nearby Bowie, Maryland; the Nationals' Class-A affiliate, the Potomac Nationals, are based in nearby Woodbridge, Virginia. A Muckdogs move to Maryland would have impacted those teams' territorial rights.
Surrender of franchise The Muckdogs ownership group surrendered their franchise to the NYPL on December 19, 2017, after the NYPL declined the Red Wings offer to continue to operate the ball club and the remaining owners could not meet the financial requirements to keep the team solvent. Under the terms of the surrender, if the NYPL sells the franchise, the Red Wings and Genesee County Baseball Club each will receive 45% of the proceeds, with the league keeping a 10% fee for themselves. GCBC will retain the rights to the Batavia Muckdogs name, should the league opt to relocate the franchise to a city other than Batavia. The NYPL did not guarantee the franchise will play in 2018 if a buyer could not be found. GCBC spoke of the possibility of bringing collegiate summer baseball to Batavia in the event the NYPL left.