Valley Baseball League Explained

Valley Baseball League
Sport:Baseball
Founded:1923
President:R.W. "Porky" Bowman, Jr.
Commissioner:R.W. "Porky" Bowman, Jr.
Motto:"Gateway to the majors"
Teams:12
Continent:or
Continents:-->
Champion:Harrisonburg Turks
Champ Season:2023
Classification:Collegiate
Website:Valley Baseball League

The Valley Baseball League is an NCAA and MLB-sanctioned collegiate summer baseball league in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia.[1]

The league was started in 1923 and sanctioned by the NCAA in 1961. It has been a wooden bat league since 1993. It is one of the twelve leagues in the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball. The VBL is funded in part by a grant from Major League Baseball. The Valley League has produced well over 1,000 professional baseball players, including a record 79 former players drafted in the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

In 2007, the Valley Baseball League expanded to include one new team with the addition of the Fauquier Gators. Another team was planned to be added in Lexington, Virginia but difficulties with the lighting system delayed the team's addition to the league. The VBL announced in July 2008 that the Rockbridge Rapids would start play in the 2009 season, but the team folded a couple years later. In 2011 the Strasburg Express entered the league and in 2015 the Charlottesville Tom Sox entered the league.[2]

The league canceled the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] [4]

The Culpeper Cavaliers joined as the league's 12th team in 2023.[5]

Current teams

TeamCityStadiumCapacity
Charlottesville Tom SoxCharlottesvilleCHO Airport Field1,200
Covington LumberjacksCovingtonCasey Field2,000
Culpeper CavaliersCulpeperCulpeper County High School
Front Royal CardinalsFront RoyalBing Crosby Stadium1,500
Harrisonburg TurksHarrisonburgEagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park1,200
New Market RebelsNew MarketRebel Park550
Purcellville CannonsPurcellvilleFireman's Field2,000
Staunton BravesStauntonJohn Moxie Stadium
Strasburg ExpressStrasburgFirst Bank Park
Winchester RoyalsWinchesterBridgeforth Field1,200
Woodstock River BanditsWoodstockCentral High School Field796
Waynesboro GeneralsWaynesboroKate Collins Field at Union Home Mortgage Park350

Former teams

TeamCityYears Active
Aldie SenatorsAldie2013-2015
Charles Town CannonsCharles Town, WV2013-2015
Charlottesville HornetsCharlottesville1967-1974
Elkton Blue SoxElkton1954-1957
Fauquier GatorsWarrenton2007-2009
Haymarket Battle CatsHaymarket2005
Haymarket SenatorsHaymarket2006-2012
Loudoun RangersMiddleburg2004
Luray ColonialsLuray1963-1969
Luray WranglersLuray2001-2012
Madison Blue JaysMadison1969-1988
Rockbridge RapidsLexington2009-2013
Shenandoah IndiansShenandoah1958-1975

Season structure

The regular season consists of 44 games played beginning the first week of June and continuing until late July. Through the 2019 season, teams played all inter-division opponents 3 times and intra-division opponents 5 or 6 times. Beginning in 2021, teams no longer travel to every other ballpark in a single season: rather, all inter-division meetings were scheduled as a single, 7-inning weekend doubleheader. This format was continued in 2022 but with the home teams reversed.

In 2023, the league eliminated divisions and moved to a scheduling model where each team played each other four times for an expanded 44-game schedule, an addition of two games from the previous 42.

In 2024, the league again adopted a new scheduling model where teams play games within their respective divisions for the entirety of the season. The league also reverted to a 40-game season with a change of playoff formatting.

Playoff format

Playoffs begin immediately following the regular season and continue into early August. In all series, the higher seeded team hosts games 1 and 3. No off-days are taken except for rain-outs and while waiting on other series' to finish.

First Round
  • #1 vs. #8 (Best 2 of 3 games)
  • #2 vs. #7 (Best 2 of 3 games)
  • #3 vs. #6 (Best 2 of 3 games)
  • #4 vs. #5 (Best 2 of 3 games)
    Semifinals
  • #1/#8 vs. #4/#5 (Best 2 of 3 games)
  • #2/#7 vs. #3/#6 (Best 2 of 3 games)
    Championship
  • Matchup of semifinal series winners (Best 2 of 3 games)

    VBL champions

    Year VBL Champion Runner-up Series
    2024Charlottesville Tom SoxPurcellville Cannons2-1
    2023Harrisonburg TurksCharlottesville Tom Sox2-0
    2022Charlottesville Tom SoxWoodstock River Bandits2-0
    2021Strasburg ExpressWaynesboro Generals2-0
    2020NoneNoneN/A
    2019Charlottesville Tom SoxStrasburg Express2-0
    2018New Market RebelsCharlottesville Tom Sox2-0
    2017Charlottesville Tom SoxStrasburg Express2-1
    2016Strasburg ExpressWaynesboro Generals2-0
    2015Strasburg ExpressStaunton Braves2-1
    2014Waynesboro GeneralsCharles Town Cannons2-1
    2013Waynesboro GeneralsStrasburg Express2-1
    2012Harrisonburg TurksWinchester Royals3-1
    2011Covington LumberjacksRockbridge Rapids2-1
    2010Luray WranglersFront Royal Cardinals2-0
    2009Haymarket SenatorsCovington Lumberjacks3-1
    2008Luray WranglersCovington Lumberjacks3-0
    2007Waynesboro GeneralsLuray Wranglers4-1
    2006Luray WranglersStaunton Braves3-2
    2005Covington LumberjacksNew Market Rebels2-1
    2004Winchester RoyalsStaunton Braves2-0
    2003Winchester RoyalsNew Market Rebels3-2
    2002New Market RebelsCovington Lumberjacks3-1
    2001Winchester RoyalsCovington Lumberjacks3-2
    2000Harrisonburg TurksStaunton Braves3-0
    1999Staunton BravesWinchester Royals3-0
    1998Waynesboro GeneralsStaunton Braves3-0
    1997Winchester RoyalsFront Royal CardinalsForfeit
    1996Staunton BravesHarrisonburg Turks3-1
    1995Staunton BravesWaynesboro Generals3-0
    1994New Market RebelsHarrisonburg Turks3-2
    1993Winchester RoyalsStaunton Braves3-2
    1992Winchester RoyalsHarrisonburg Turks3-1
    1991Harrisonburg TurksFront Royal Cardinals3-1
    1990Winchester RoyalsStaunton Braves3-2
    1989New Market RebelsHarrisonburg Turks3-1
    1988Waynesboro GeneralsMadison Blue Jays3-2
    1987Winchester RoyalsWaynesboro Generals3-0
    1986Front Royal CardinalsHarrisonburg Turks3-1
    1985Staunton BravesNew Market Rebels3-0
    1984Waynesboro GeneralsHarrisonburg Turks3-0
    1983Winchester RoyalsStaunton Braves4-3
    1982Winchester RoyalsNew Market Rebels3-0
    1981Winchester RoyalsNew Market Rebels4-0
    1980Winchester RoyalsNew Market Rebels3-1
    1979Winchester RoyalsMadison Blue Jays4-3
    1978Madison Blue JaysHarrisonburg Turks4-1
    1977Harrisonburg TurksWaynesboro Generals4-0
    1976Staunton BravesHarrisonburg Turks4-0
    1975Madison Blue JaysHarrisonburg Turks4-2
    1974Shenandoah IndiansWaynesboro Generals4-2
    1973Shenandoah IndiansMadison Blue Jays4-2
    1972 Shenandoah IndiansCharlottesville Hornets4-2
    1971Harrisonburg TurksShenandoah Indians4-0
    1970Harrisonburg TurksNew Market Rebels4-1
    1969Harrisonburg TurksStaunton Braves4-0
    1968Luray ColonialsHarrisonburg Turks4-0
    1967Luray ColonialsHarrisonburg Turks2-0
    1966Luray ColonialsShenandoah Indians4-1
    1965Luray ColonialsNew Market Rebels4-2
    1964Harrisonburg TurksShenandoah Indians4-0
    1963Shenandoah IndiansNew Market Rebels4-1
    1962Harrisonburg TurksShenandoah Indians4-2
    1961Shenandoah IndiansHarrisonburg Turks4-0
    1960Shenandoah IndiansStaunton Braves4-3
    1959Harrisonburg TurksNew Market Rebels4-2
    1958Harrisonburg TurksNew Market Rebels4-3
    1957Staunton BravesHarrisonburg Turks4-3
    1956Staunton BravesShenandoah Indians4-2
    1955Harrisonburg TurksShenandoah Indians4-3
    1954Staunton BravesElkton Blue Sox4-1

    Championships per team

    Not all teams have been with VBL since 1954. Throughout its history, teams have been removed and added.

    The summer of 2008 was highlighted by a promotion called Around the Valley in 60 Days. This promotion was started by Crystal Clear Delivery and S. Carter Studios and encouraged patrons to visit all 11 parks in the 60-day season. The program was deemed a huge success as some fifty fans completed the program and attended all 11 ballparks.

    Notable players

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. News: Fisher . Marc . June 16, 2004 . Perfect Pitch . . October 26, 2014.
    2. News: Marty . Hudtloff . Tom Sox Chosen as Name of Charlottesville's New VBL Team . . February 5, 2015 . February 5, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150205193627/http://www.nbc29.com/story/27416103/tom-sox-chosen-as-name-of-charlottesvilles-new-vbl-team . February 5, 2015.
    3. The 2020 Valley League Has Been Cancelled . ValleyLeagueBaseball.com . Valley Baseball League . April 6, 2020 . April 2, 2020.
    4. News: Hite . Patrick . Valley Baseball League season canceled . April 6, 2020 . . April 2, 2020 . . en.
    5. News: Payne . Devin . Summer college baseball coming to Culpeper in 2023 . 2022-06-15 . . en.
    6. Web site: Cardinals That Made it to The Show . . March 27, 2018.
    7. Web site: Eddy Rodríguez . . March 27, 2018.