Carolina Sandlappers
Donny Ray Swearingen   8 years  734- 562  1 World Series  3 Divisions

    Manager Record Post-Season G O+S HR RBI IP Wins Saves ERA (min 81 IP)
1994 Maine Squeeze Rob Boudreau 80-82, 2nd   D.White  162 Boone  .728 D.White  19 D.White  91 Clemens  238 Clemens  22 Fetters  35 Clemens  2.04
1995 Maine Squeeze Rob Boudreau 71-91, 4th   Boone  162 Naehring  .823 Stanley  23 Boone  84 Glavine  229 Glavine  13 Fetters  14 Glavine  3.23
1996 Maine Squeeze Harold Richter 64-98, 4th   Molitor  156 Stanley .842 Stanley 29 Stanley 74 Glavine  240 Stottlemyre  15 Wendell  15 Glavine  3.15
1997 Argenta Bombers Brian Potrafka 63-99, 5th   Joyner  135 Joyner  .855 Finley  23 Finley  84 Baldwin  220 Burkett  11 Nen  12 D.Reyes  4.55
1998 Cape Hatteras Lumber Patrick Dulwick 89-73, 2nd   Easley  159 Galarraga  .876 Galarraga  42 Galarraga  127 Moyer  214 Reed  18 Belinda  21 Osborne  3.08
1999 Cape Hatteras Lumber Patrick Dulwick 96-66, 4th   Velarde  161 Henderson  .934 Justice  23 Karros  112 Moyer  227 Moyer/Finley 14 Leskanic/  Wasdin  11 A.Fernandez 3.25
2000 Louisville Cyclones Terry Buchanan 66-96, 5th   Karros  152 Floyd  .955 Karros  34 Karros  95 Finley  237 Finley  12 R.Hernandez  27 Castillo  2.77
2001 Louisville Cyclones Terry Buchanan 67-95, tie 3rd   Floyd  156 Sweeney  .872 Floyd  28 Sweeney  94 Dessens  212 Dessens/  Castillo  8 Smoltz  15 Dessens  3.55
2002 Louisville Cyclones Terry Buchanan 81-81, 2nd   Hillenbrand  157 Sweeney  .930 Floyd  32 Floyd  105 Dessens  195 Dessens  13 Smoltz  27 Castillo  3.19
2003 Munich Yodelers Stefan Schasche 63-99, 4th   Berroa  150 Byrnes  .787 Hillenbrand  19 Hillenbrand  59 Seo  202 Seo  10 Smoltz  22 Villareal  2.88
2004 Sedona Vortex Benjamin Quortrop 48-114,  6th   Lee,D.  162 Bradley  .773 Lee,D.  22 Lee,D.  78 Lilly  203 Lilly  12 Rodriguez,E.  6 Lilly  3.90
2005 Carolina Sandlappers Donny Ray Swearingen 83-79, 3rd   Lee,D.  162 Lee,D.  .972 Lee,D.  37 Lee,D.  110 Lowe  217 Lowe  15 Speier  32 Lowe  2.99
2006 Carolina Sandlappers Donny Ray Swearingen 92-70, 3rd   Dye  154 Sizemore  1.076 Dye  41 Dye  135 Lowe  231 Lilly  15 Gonzalez  15 Benoit  2.12

  2005 Signings 2006 Signings 2007 Signings
1b Lee Lee Wigginton
2b Spivey Cano Durham
3b   Betemit Betemit
ss Adams   Ramirez
lf Sledge Bradley Murton
cf     Sizemore
rf Werth Dye, Blake Dye, Snelling
c   LaRue  
ut      
sp Lilly, Capuano, C.Young, Chacin, Kazmir, L.Hudson Lilly, Capuano, Lowe, Chacin, Kazmir Lilly, Capuano, Lowe, Chacin
cl     M.Gonzalez
rp      

Personnel History

A few incarnations ago, this franchise won the 1992 World Series as the Maine Squeeze, but there has been a lot of water under that bridge. The Squeeze sank to 71 wins by 1995, and two dreadful seasons later, Patrick Dulwick got close to a playoff spot in both 1998 and 1999 with Rickie Henderson at age 40 and Jamie Moyer, nearly 40. That team fell apart, of course, and Terry Buchanan got it back to .500 before it cratered again. Ben Quortrop tried a complete overhaul, managed to reel in Derrek Lee (at the cost of John Smoltz and Cliff Floyd, though) and the young pitching set the stage for veteran manager Don Swearingen's return to +.500.

It was Quotrop's draft and trade that brought in Derrek Lee and the semblence of a pitching staff, and Swearingen added Jermaine Dye, Robinson Cano, Stephen Drew, and Wilson Betemit. In 2006, Don traded for veteran presence and the result was a playoff spot, even if the pitching wasn't enough to get past the first round.

2006

The Sandlappers made the playoffs for the first time in the franchise history. The team adopted a win now attitude, cutting bait on promising young players like Robinson Cano, Scott Kazmir, and Stephen Drew, and they also dealt away the injured Derrek Lee. The prize in return was Grady Sizemore, also Aramis Ramirez and Ray Durham were keys to the new Carolina offense. The three, along with Jermaine Dye (.336/41/135) provided the core of an offense that scored 839 runs. Surprisingly, the Sandlappers led the Conference in ERA, despite having only two dependable starters in Lilly and Lowe. Carolina got good bullpen production out of middle relievers Joaquin Benoit, Ron Villone,  and Jason Frasor. Despite the personnel changes the team was rather steady. Facing a long 16 game road swing in September, the Sandlappers survived at 8-8 and returned home the last week to win 5 of 7 and gain a playoff spot. In the playoffs the Sandlappers pitching couldn't get the Seoul Fighters out, allowing double figures in games 3,4, and, finally, game 6.

2005

Less was expected from the Sandlappers than what they ultimately delivered. The pitching was surprisingly robust. Derek Lowe came over in a trade for Chris Young and won 15. Young pitchers Gustavo Chacin and Scott Kazmir impressed, and Chris Capuano and Ted Lilly were good roster fillers. First round pick Jermaine Dye (30HRs/100 RBI) provided some protection to Derrek Lee (305/37/110) but the rest of the attack was rather pedestrian. Nonetheless, the conference playoff berths were in reach most of the season, and after taking 3 of 4 against Cincinnati in late August, the Sandlappers found themselves only one game back in the division. Sadly, though, they managed only 6 runs at home in three games against Dresden and went 17-23 the rest of the way.

2004

Simply put, a building year. The draft brought in four young quality pitchers: Scott Kazmir, Chris Capuano, Chris Young, and Gustavo Chacin, but they weren't really ready for prime time. The Vortex traded away Cliff Floyd and John Smoltz, their two best veterans, for Derrek Lee, who underperformed but still led the team with 22 HRs and 78 RBIs.

2003

This was a pretty dreadful team. Mike Sweeney and Cliff Floyd slumped from O+S of .930 and .883 to .762 and .754. Nobody hit 20 HRs, nobody drove in as many as 60 runs, and only reliever John Smoltz was decent. It did, however, feature Wayne Franklin's historic 23 loss season. The fact that this team managed to avoid losing 100 games is notable.