Portland Pioneers: The Complete History

[tobin834]

The Portland Pioneers represent the culmination of years of hard work, vision, and determination to bring Major League Baseball to the Rose City. Announced as one of two new expansion teams to start in 1997, alongside the Charlotte Speed, the Pioneers are set to make their debut in the American League West in 1997, capitalizing on the popularity of baseball in the Pacific Northwest and fulfilling a long-awaited dream for the people of Portland.

For decades, Portlanders have supported their beloved Trail Blazers, but the excitement of Major League Baseball had remained just out of reach—until now. With the addition of the Pioneers, our city is about to be part of something much larger than sports; we’re joining the ranks of other great baseball cities and forging a new chapter in Portland’s sports history.

The Pioneers are more than just a team—they are Portland’s team, and this journal will be there to capture every moment of their rise to greatness.

[tobin834]

Before we begin:

- I have bumped the Active Roster size from 28 to 30.

- This journal is inspired by the look of artoodeetoo's clean look that I think he has perfected.

- I am a baseball fan, but not a genius by any stretch. I will make mistakes you think are stupid.

- This journal will begin in 1997, right before the Expansion Draft for both Portland and Charlotte.

- I'm also saving this space here for additional journal notes that may be relevant if the time comes.

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Reserved for future use.

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Reserved for future use..

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Reserved for future use...

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Tues. Jan 25, 1997

The MLB Expansion Draft took place last night at the Sun Hotel in Miami, Florida. Our Portland Pioneers are now an official team in Major League Baseball. Of course, there is a lot of minor league personnel and players to continue being signed, but the roster spots have started to be handed out.

For an Expansion Draft that wasn't loaded with players like the Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies got some years back, both teams are just happy to have gotten that process over so they can start thinking of how to improve. Portland drafted Starting Pitcher Doug Drabek from Minnesota as their first pick overall, following it up with five positional players that all have great defensive skill.

“The strategy for us anyway was to stay within' our budget, and collect some players that could help us in the field. We're not dillusional enough to think we'll be competing for the division in the first year, but we are aggressive enough to know that goal starts today” said Pioneers General Manager Travis Thomas.

The complete list of draftees and what round they went for Portland is pictured below:

Number of protected players: 20 players
Auto-Protect players with 4 years or less
3 Picks from a single team.

1- SP Doug Drabek
2- 1B Scott Stahoviak
3- SS Tim Bogar
4- CF Chuck Carr
5- 2B Mark Lemke
6- 3B Mike Blowers
7- SP Pat Rapp
8- SP Geremi Gonzalez
9- SP Rich Robertson
10- C Kirk Manwaring
11- SS Pat Lennon
12- RF Dan Rohrmeier
13- LF Pete Incaviglia
14- RP Kent Bottenfield
15- SP Scott Kamieniecki
16- RP Stan Belinda
17- LF Marvin Benard
18- RP Jim Mecir
19- LF Rudy Pemberton
20- C Tom L Wilson
21- 2b Kurt Abbott
22- LF Ray Montgomery
23- 2B Keith Mitchell
24- LF Billy Ashley
25- C Brent Mayne
26- LF Phil Plantier
27- RH Tony Tarasco
28- C Chris Norton
29- 2B Craig Counsell
30- LF Curtis Pride
31- LF Mike Wolff
32- LF Tony Barron
33- LF Gerald Williams
34- SP Carlos Crawford
35-LF Mike Simms

Mon. Feb. 24th, 1997

The Portland Pioneers send 27-year-old LF Rudy Pemberton and 30-year-old LF Gerald Williams to the Detroit Tigers for 25-year-old LF Bubba Trammell, 29-year-old RHP Doug Brocail, 24-year-old RHP Marino Santana, a 29th round draft pick in next year's (1998) MLB Draft and $500,000 in cash. In addition, the Tigers will fully absorb Bubba Trammell's contract.

Towards the end of the Expansion Draft, Portland's strategy was to get the best available player to return the highest value upon trade. This resulted in a large number of Outfields, particularly Left Fielders. With this trade, Portland gets Trammell as a major cornerstone of the deal, but they also get rid of two Left Fielders who wouldn't have started. The deal is also a money priority for Portland who is $3Million over budget at the moment due to all of the signings. This deal helps gain $500k towards meeting that budget.


The Portland Pioneers send 26-year-old RF Tony Tarasco and 26-year-old LF Billy Ashley to the New York Mets in exchange for 26-year-old minor league SS Rey Ordonez and $600,000 in cash in return.

The move is a needed one for the Pioneers who are looking to get very defensive on the infield. Ordonez, while not supplying a hefty bat, will be a very solid defensive player for the club. The trade also brings back $600K in money to the Pioneers who are now just $1.7M in the red. (They started the day over budget by $3M.)

Tue Apr. 1, 1997

The Portland Pioneers send 28-year-old Catcher Brent Mayne to the Cincinnati Reds for 33-year-old RHP Jeff Brantley, 27-year-old RHP Hector Carrasco, and a 17th-round draft pick in the upcoming year's MLB Draft.

In need of Relief Pitchers of all things, nobody was available on the waiver wire and on the active roster there were only 4 somehow. Brent Mayne was someone who was getting ready to be sent down to El Paso (AAA) so we decided to trade him instead and get some value out of it.

[tobin834]

Tues April 1, 1997

Portland, We Have an Uh-oh!

Portland, OR - Portland Pioneers General Manager Travis Thomas sits alone in his office overlooking the field just behind home plate at PDX Park. A few hours from now his team, the Portland Pioneers will take the field for the first time in franchise history. Its something that seemed surreal to him – so was the moment the Baltimore Orioles arrived at the park, hours before the game.

This was a fanbase in Portland that would have been happy seeing a college team trot out there against the Orioles. It didn't matter. Baseball was back in Portland. But for Thomas, he knew better. He knew the team wasn't currently built for anything but holding all the others up. He had no development system, he had no roster worth winning.

He knew his best players, the Scott Stahoviak and Kurt Abbott's of the world were stars here, but on other teams were merely role players. In his opinion Major League Baseball allowed far too many protections for current teams, but he had no option to play along. He knew he would have to get on the phone with a lot off General Managers. He knew the process would be introducing himself to everyone of them, slowly building trust, and in the meantime waiting for the process to take place while getting absolutely shelled by his own fans who would be calling for his head by June.

He needed to build a roster, a minor league team, and he needed to do all of this with really no pieces to trade. But with Doug Drabek as a starter in your roation, you wouldn't sleep much either. Thomas was trying to enjoy the game tonight, but the creeping sense of insecurity was already nipping at his ankles.

“Lets just see how good Doug is” he though to himself. “Maybe, just maybe there is a way to turn this roster around. He just needed to be smart with it.

April 1, 1997

Baltimore Orioles at Portland Pioneers
Apr 1, 1997	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Extras	R	H	E
Baltimore (0-0)	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	5	9	16	2
Portland (0-0)	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	4	8	2
W: J. Orosco (1-0) L: M. Santana (0-1)

>

A heartbreaker tonight on Opening Night at the Stadium as Portland's efforts weren't enough for the Baltimore Orioles. A lot of effort from the boys tonight, but the Extra Innings proved just how shallow we are in the bullpen and overall as a team. I will be making more moves early to form us up a bit, but it's going to be a rocky year.


April 2, 1997

TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT: The Portland Pioneers send 26-year-old C Tom L Wilson and a 68th round draft pick to the Houston Astros getting 25-year-old RHP Chris Holt in return.

The Portland Pioneers send 27-year-old 2B Kurt Abbott and 26-year-old 2B Craig Counsell to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for 15-year-old minor league 2B Wilson Betemit, a 13th round draft pick, and $20,000 in cash considerations.

Baltimore Orioles at Portland Pioneers
Apr 2, 1997	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Baltimore (1-0)	1	3	0	0	4	1	0	0	1	10	16	1
Portland (0-1)	0	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	5	12	0
W: S. Erickson (1-0) L: G. Gonzalez (0-1)

Another loss to the Orioles tonight, 10-5. Brady Anderson hit 2 home runs and added 3 RBI to his total for the year as the O's take the series, and a possible sweep tomorrow night. Geremi Gonzalez picked up the loss for Portland who really seemed to struggle out there. The team as a whole had a bit of a struggle as they lose 10-5.

The Pioneers celebrated a win for the franchise though today, trading for youth and investing in a 15-year-old prospect who hasn't had much time to prove himself but now will get a chance to take his time and fully develop under the Pioneers.