120-857: The New Orleans Baby Cakes (formerly the New Orleans Zephyrs ) were a Minor League Baseball team in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins . They were located in Metairie, Louisiana , a suburb of New Orleans , and played their home games at the Shrine on Airline . The team began play in 1993 as a member of the Triple-A American Association (AA) when
240-596: A Double-A Southern League team to the city and continue operations as the Baby Cakes. However, due to Major League Baseball 's reorganization of Minor League Baseball , the campaign ultimately failed. Professional baseball was first played in New Orleans in the late 19th century. The city's longest-running team was the New Orleans Pelicans who played off and on from 1887 to 1977 primarily in
360-488: A fleur-de-lis . Longtime New Orleans sports public address announcer Doug Moreau joined the game day staff in 2003 as the organization's fifth stadium announcer and remained behind the microphone for 13 seasons, giving him the longest stretch in the organization's time in New Orleans. J.L. Vangilder was the official scorer from the beginning of the team's time in New Orleans until June 2014. At that point, Moreau took on
480-448: A hurricane hunter aircraft to investigate the system. At the time, the system had a well-defined outflow in all but the southeast and southwest quadrants, and data from the hurricane-hunter aircraft confirmed that the tropical depression had strengthened into a tropical storm, which was soon designated Tropical Storm Gustav. A brief period of disorganization proved to be temporary as a well-defined eye wall formed that same night. In
600-812: A no-hitter against the Iowa Cubs . On September 2, 2019, the PCL Triple-A New Orleans Baby Cakes played their final game ever as the "Baby Cakes" on the road against the Oklahoma City Dodgers in Oklahoma City with a 10-1 win over the Dodgers to cap off 27 years of Triple-A baseball in the Big Easy since the team relocated there in 1993. The team relocated to Wichita, Kansas , in 2020 and re-branded as
720-549: A Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale , with sustained winds near 125 mph (201 km/h). Gustav continued its rapid deepening trend, and three hours later, it had already reached Category 4 strength. Gustav's maximum sustained winds had reached 150 mph (240 km/h) with a minimum pressure of 941 millibars. On August 30, Gustav made landfall twice on Cuba : first, on Isla de la Juventud and then on
840-688: A championship pennant. The first true minor league is traditionally considered to be the Northwestern League of 1883 to 1884. Unlike the earlier minor associations, it was conceived as a permanent organization. It also, along with the NL and the American Association (AA), was a party to the National Agreement of 1883 . Included in this was the agreement to respect the reserve lists of clubs in each league. Teams in
960-468: A complete season in Triple-A is 150 games, Double-A is 138 games, and High-A and Single-A are each 132 games. In addition to the below organized leagues, the off-season Arizona Fall League has six teams that play approximately 30 games apiece in autumn, with rosters comprising the top prospects associated with each of the six MLB divisions. This classification currently includes two affiliated leagues:
1080-490: A flat-fee purchase amount of $ 5,000 for the contract of any player from an NA member league team. This measure was leveled primarily at the Baltimore Orioles , then a Triple-A team that had dominated the minors by keeping players longer than many competitors, allowing the players to more fully develop, driving up their sale value to major-league teams and giving Baltimore a talent advantage. Deprived of this option by
1200-439: A helicopter counting the number of vessels and barges that potentially would be a safety issue to people, property, and the levee system during a hurricane. Parish officials called the owners of about 150 vessels and told them to move the vessels or the parish would sink them. 70 of the 150 were sunk, some by the parish, some by the owners. [1] Also, parish officials started a last-ditch effort to save Belle Chasse by constructing
1320-591: A limited membership which excluded less competitive and financially weaker teams. Professional clubs outside the NL responded by forming regional associations of their own. There was a series of ad hoc groupings, such as the New England Association of 1877 and the Eastern Championship Association of 1881. These were loose groups of independent clubs which agreed to play a series of games over the course of one season for
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#17327799299691440-434: A playoff spot late in a season, it gives them fresh players, while for teams not in contention, it gives them an opportunity to evaluate their second-tier players against major league competition. Some Triple-A players are "career minor leaguers", former prospects whose skill growth has halted and who are not likely to advance to MLB, unless as a temporary replacement. There are currently three leagues in this classification:
1560-404: A pronounced eye as it made landfall on Haiti, with 75 mph (121 km/h) winds, near the town of Jacmel. As the hurricane moved over Haiti's mountainous terrain its circulation was disrupted and it lost a little strength. Although downgraded to a tropical storm, it still had a pronounced eye in its mid- and upper-level structures. Its outflow improved throughout the night of August 26, and
1680-655: A rear wall collapsed. The roof of the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce was also blown away. Overall, the area was considered to have dodged a bullet. Had the storm come ashore farther west, the Intracoastal Waterway would have been a highway for storm surge to penetrate into the heart of Houma. However, flooding was relatively minor in the region. Central Louisiana was also hard hit. Many trees and power lines were knocked down in that region as well, and many houses sustained damage from
1800-427: A red alert and advised the population to take precautions, but few Haitians took heed. Fair weather led many to doubt whether a hurricane was even approaching. American Airlines canceled all of its flights into and out of Port-au-Prince on August 26, stranding travelers hoping to escape the storm. On August 25, Carnival Cruise Lines diverted one of its ships from Montego Bay , Jamaica , to Mexico in order to avoid
1920-411: A result of the hurricane. Some 2,100 houses were destroyed and another 8,150 damaged, causing an estimated 7,200 people to live in temporary shelters, including churches, community centers and schools. In Jamaica, 15 deaths were reported after Gustav swept through the area as a tropical storm. Flash flooding was also reported on the island as a result of Gustav's heavy rains. The banana sector in
2040-486: A sand levee across Louisiana Highway 23 . Approximately eight hours later, the parish government announced the completion of the levee. The Mississippi River was shut to all ship traffic between the Gulf of Mexico and New Orleans on August 30. Pilots at Lake Charles in west Louisiana, and Sabine Pass in east Texas, also were making plans as of August 30 to halt traffic. Tulane University , Loyola University New Orleans ,
2160-409: A schedule of approximately 60 games and are named "complex leagues" because games are played at their parent clubs' spring training complexes. Rosters consist primarily of newly drafted players who are not yet ready for a higher level of play. These leagues are intended almost exclusively to allow players to hone their skills; no admission is charged and no concessions are sold. As of the 2024 season,
2280-516: A statement, asserting that it is "unnecessary and unacceptable to wipe out one-quarter of minor league teams" and characterized the proposal as a way "to improve the profitability of MLB". Manfred rebuked Minor League Baseball for releasing the negotiations to the public and threatened to cut ties with MiLB altogether. The following changes, which represent the first significant overhaul of minor league classifications since 1963, have since been implemented: When MLB teams announced their affiliates for
2400-455: A steady supply of players, as many NA and independent teams could not afford to keep their doors open without the patronage of Major League Baseball. The leagues of the NA became subordinate to the major leagues, creating the first minor leagues in the current sense of the term. Other than the Pacific Coast League (PCL), which under its president Pants Rowland tried to become a third major league in
2520-529: A total of 136 electric towers toppled over and that the electrical grid on Isla de la Juventud was 100% damaged. In all, damage from Hurricane Gustav totaled $ 2.1 billion in Cuba. Although the storm was still in its formative stages on August 26, fears that Hurricane Gustav might eventually disrupt oil production in the Gulf of Mexico caused oil prices to rise. On August 27, U.S. oil and natural-gas companies began evacuating personnel from their oil rigs in
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#17327799299692640-481: A total of eight hours and seven minutes. The game matched the longest game, in terms of innings played, in PCL history. The Zephyrs scored once in the eighth inning and once in the ninth, and the teams remained tied through 18 innings before curfew was called. New Orleans won, 5–4, on the second day on a Wiki González RBI single. The Zephyrs set 12 franchise records, including striking out a league-record 29 times. In 2008,
2760-546: A tropical storm that afternoon and into a hurricane early on August 26. Later that day it made landfall near the Haitian town of Jacmel . It inundated Jamaica and ravaged Western Cuba and then steadily moved across the Gulf of Mexico . Once into the Gulf, Gustav gradually weakened because of increased wind shear and dry air. It weakened to a Category 2 hurricane late on August 31, and remained at that intensity until landfall on
2880-512: Is considered Cuba's worst hurricane in 45 years, the last hurricane that was worse than Gustav for Cuba was Hurricane Flora in 1963, which was the deadliest Cuban storm since the 1932 Cuba Hurricane . Cuban Civil defense authorities initially stated that there were "many people injured" on Isla de la Juventud, an island of 87,000 people south of the mainland. Nearly all the island's roads were washed out and some regions were heavily flooded. No fatalities have been reported in Cuba, despite
3000-579: Is the High-A level, named "Class A-Advanced" before 2021. This classification has three leagues: the 12-team Midwest League , known as High-A Central for the 2021 season, covering the Midwest, the six-team Northwest League , known as High-A West for the 2021 season, with teams in the Pacific Northwest, and the 12-team South Atlantic League , known as High-A East for the 2021 season, with teams in
3120-887: The Alabama National Guard was mobilized to assist evacuees from the other states. Governor Bob Riley called for mandatory evacuation of Dauphin Island, Plash Island, Gulf Shores, as well as everything south of Fort Morgan Road, Gulf Shores on August 31. The Mobile Regional Airport closed on August 31, and remained closed September 1. It is reopened September 2. The Bankhead Tunnel in Mobile , Alabama , closed on August 31. On Friday, August 29 several state rural waters associations activated their Water Agency Response Networks to prepare for Gustav's landfall. WARN systems are agreements between rural water associations and government agencies in neighboring states that coordinate
3240-658: The Democratic National Convention in Denver , Colorado , to assist in preparations. The residents of low-lying Grand Isle, Louisiana , were under a voluntary evacuation order beginning August 29. Traditionally, the community is one of the first to vacate when tropical storms threaten. Residents of lower Cameron Parish , Louisiana , were also given a voluntary evacuation order on August 29. Mandatory evacuation orders have since been given. In Plaquemines Parish , Parish President Billy Nungesser flew in
3360-662: The Denver Zephyrs relocated to New Orleans. They joined the PCL in 1998. New Orleans has qualified for the postseason on three occasions and has won the PCL championship twice as the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros (1998 and 2001). At the end of the 2019 season, the team relocated to Wichita, Kansas , where they continue as the Wichita Wind Surge . Initially, the city of New Orleans hoped to bring
3480-509: The Gulf Outlet . High water splashed over the floodwalls onto new splash guards (designed to prevent foundation erosion), but the walls were not breached. Minor street flooding began in the upper Ninth Ward of New Orleans . In Baton Rouge, Louisiana , it was considered to be the worst storm to hit the area since Hurricane Betsy in 1965. An elderly couple was killed when a tree fell on the house they were temporarily staying in and 85% of
3600-587: The Interstate 20 corridor. Highest rainfall totals received thus far across the state include 16.37 inches (416 mm) near Bunkie , Louisiana , and 19.17 inches (487 mm) at Barataria Bay Pass. President Bush declared 34 Louisiana parishes as disaster areas and visited the area on September 3. On Wednesday, September 3, field staff and emergency supplies from the Arkansas Rural Water Association departed to assist
3720-504: The Louisiana Rural Water Association restore water and wastewater service to impacted communities. Staff and supplies from other state associations, including Alabama, Mississippi and Florida went on stand-by the same day. By Friday, September 5, response teams from Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi were assisting efforts to restore water and wastewater service. There was little structural damage to
New Orleans Baby Cakes - Misplaced Pages Continue
3840-610: The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players of 1871 to 1875, commonly referred to as the National Association, comprised all fully professional teams. This system proved unworkable, however, as there was no way to ensure competitive balance, and financially unsound clubs often failed in midseason. This problem was solved in 1876 with the formation of the National League (NL), with
3960-695: The Northwest League and Midwest League promoted with 75% of their teams. The Carolina League dropped to Low-A with seven of its ten teams and added five from the old South Atlantic League in trade; the SAL in turn moved to High-A with half of its previous 12-team roster, filling it out with two Carolina League High-A holdovers, one Midwest League returnee, and three formerly short-season New York-Penn League promotees. On February 12, 2021, Major League Baseball announced new league alignments for all 120 affiliated Minor League Baseball clubs effective as of
4080-582: The Reliant Astrodome will not be used as a shelter for evacuees if Hurricane Gustav hits New Orleans because Houston is also vulnerable to Hurricane Gustav. Emmett said that it would make more sense to evacuate to a more inland area. Voluntary evacuations of Jefferson and Orange Counties started on August 30 with mandatory evacuations in the two counties started on August 31. Also, the Texas Governor deployed other assets to help handle
4200-573: The Southern Association . The Pelicans left after the 1977 season, and the city went without a pro team until 1993. The New Orleans Zephyrs came to New Orleans by way of Denver, Colorado , in 1993. With the arrival of the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball expansion team , the city's Denver Zephyrs were forced to relocate. Louisiana lawyer and business promoter Robert E. Couhig, Jr. led
4320-684: The Texas Military Forces on August 29 in response to the possible crisis, in addition to preparations made by other agencies. As of August 29, other preparations in Texas to deal with Gustav and its effects were implemented. Some evacuees were being placed in Northeast Texas, including in Dallas County , Tarrant County , and Tyler , Texas. In Harris County , Texas, the administrative County Judge Ed Emmett said that
4440-567: The United States Congress signed a letter sent to Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred opposing the proposal, noting that it "is not in the best interest of the overall game of baseball" and that it would "devastate our communities, their bond purchasers and other stakeholders affected by the potential loss of these clubs." A response from MLB highlighted that the proposal aims to improve player travel and working conditions. On November 21, 2019, Minor League Baseball released
4560-458: The University of New Orleans , and Xavier University of Louisiana all closed their campuses for the entire week but resumed classes on the following Monday of September 8, 2008. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette also canceled classes for September 2 and 3, as did Louisiana State University and Baton Rouge Community College . On September 1, Plaquemines Parish officials asked
4680-462: The Wichita Wind Surge . After the 2021 MiLB reorganization , the team was not invited back as a Triple-A affiliate and was instead invited to serve as a Double-A team. Minor League Baseball Minor League Baseball ( MiLB ) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), including teams affiliated with MLB clubs. Entering the 2021 season, the number of full-season MLB-affiliated minor leagues with teams in
4800-576: The 12-team Eastern League , known as Double-A Northeast for the 2021 season, with teams in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S., the eight-team Southern League (known as Double-A South for the 2021 season) with teams in the Deep South, and the 10-team Texas League (known as Double-A Central for the 2021 season) with teams in the Southwest and Great Plains. Some players jump to
4920-658: The 1950s and early 1960s. In 1949, the peak of the postwar minor league baseball boom, 448 teams in 59 leagues were members of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, with the number of teams falling to 324 in 1952, and 243 in 1955. By the end of 1963, only 15 leagues above Rookie-level survived in the United States and Canada. After the 1962 season, the Triple-A American Association—which had lost key markets such as Milwaukee , Kansas City , Minneapolis–Saint Paul and Houston to
New Orleans Baby Cakes - Misplaced Pages Continue
5040-731: The 1998 PCL championship and went on to win the Triple-A World Series against the Buffalo Bisons , 3–1. The Zephyrs were also slated to participate in the 2001 championship series with the Tacoma Rainiers , but the playoffs were cancelled in the wake of the September 11 attacks , and the teams were named co-champions. The Zephyrs finished out the last portion of their home games for the 2005 Pacific Coast League season three days before Hurricane Katrina hit
5160-436: The 20-team International League and the 10-team Pacific Coast League , known as Triple-A East and Triple-A West, respectively, for the 2021 season. For most of the 20th century, Triple-A also included the American Association , based in the Midwest, but that league disbanded with its clubs absorbed by the other two leagues, as part of a reorganization of the Triple-A level in 1997. The International League features teams from
5280-523: The 2021 season on December 9, 2020, each of the 30 MLB teams had one affiliate at four levels—Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, and Low-A—for a total of 120 affiliated teams. Approximately 40 teams lost their MLB affiliations; the Fresno Grizzlies were demoted from Triple-A to Low-A; and the majority of surviving clubs at High-A and Low-A swapped levels, with the former Florida State League and California League dropped down nearly as intact units and
5400-401: The 2021 season. Contrary to previously published reports indicating that realignment would retain the names of the existing minor leagues, Major League Baseball elected to abandon the names of existing minor leagues in favor of a new, class- and region-based naming system. Triple-A was divided into two leagues: Hurricane Gustav Hurricane Gustav ( / ˈ ɡ ʊ s t ɑː v / ) was
5520-509: The 2021 season. All three leagues were demoted from High-A to Single-A effective with the 2021 season. These leagues are a mix of players moving up from Rookie leagues, as well as the occasional experienced first-year player. Most of the teams in the Florida State League are owned by major league parent clubs and use their spring training complexes. In 2022, the official name of the class became Single-A. Minor leagues with
5640-606: The 2022 season, the minor league system is divided into four classes: Triple-A (AAA), Double-A (AA), High-A (A+), and Single-A (A). Major League Baseball franchises may also maintain one or two complex-based rookie teams in the Arizona Complex League or Florida Complex League , and international summer baseball teams in the Dominican Summer League . While major league teams play a 162-game schedule, minor league seasons are shorter. As of 2022 ,
5760-636: The Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League seasons commence in early May and conclude in late July in order to provide players with previous experience in the Dominican Summer League with a full season in stateside professional baseball without having to compete for playing time with newly drafted players selected in the July Major League Baseball draft . This adjusted schedule also allows
5880-596: The Atlantic coast and midwestern U.S., while the Pacific Coast League features teams from the Pacific coast and the southwest. Both young players and veterans play for Triple-A teams. Parent clubs often hold players who are on the 40-man roster , but not on the active MLB roster, at the Triple-A level. Such players are eligible to be added to a team's active major league roster. For teams in contention for
6000-516: The City of New Orleans, and though Zephyr Field sustained moderate damage, the team was able to open the 2006 season at home, making them the first professional team in New Orleans to do so after the hurricane. On May 5–6, 2006, the Zephyrs and Nashville Sounds participated in a 24-inning game at Nashville, Tennessee 's Herschel Greer Stadium which was played over the course of two days and lasted
6120-522: The Dominican Summer League who have not yet been assigned to a domestic affiliate, as well as players placed on the minor league 60-day and full-season injured lists—during the minor league season, with a limit of 175 domestic players during the offseason. During the minor league season, the following roster limits for each classification are used: Triple-A Double-A High-A Single-A Rookie Off-season leagues Showcase league Partner leagues The earliest professional baseball league,
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#17327799299696240-470: The Gulf of Mexico amid continued forecasts that Gustav would strengthen and move into the gulf. By August 30, 76.77% of oil production and 37.16% of natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico had been shut in . By mid-day August 31, 96% of oil production had stopped. Out at sea, one death was reported. Sunk in the Gulf as an artificial reef in 2006, the USS ; Oriskany (CV-34) shifted and
6360-566: The Haitian coast, north of Port-au-Prince to the northern border with the Dominican Republic. Hours later, when Gustav was upgraded to a tropical storm, the tropical storm warning was upgraded to a hurricane warning and the tropical storm watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning. The Haitian government ordered emergency shelters to prepare. The country is particularly vulnerable to floods and landslides as rainfall runs off its largely deforested mountains. The government issued
6480-490: The High-A level is Single-A, named "Class A" before 2021, when it was also known as Single-A or Full-Season A, and "Low-A" for the 2021 season. This classification has three leagues: the 8-team California League , known as Low-A West for the 2021 season, located entirely in California , the 12-team Carolina League , known as Low-A East for the 2021 season, and the 10-team Florida State League , known as Low-A Southeast for
6600-553: The Major Leagues since 1953—disbanded. The surviving International and Pacific Coast leagues absorbed the four remaining American Association franchises. Meanwhile, at the Double-A level and below there were even more significant changes: Designations below Class A disappeared because the lower levels could not sustain operation during a large downturn in the financial fortunes of minor league baseball, due to factors including
6720-625: The NL and the AA could only reserve players who had been paid at least $ 1,000. Northwestern League teams could reserve players paid $ 750, implicitly establishing the division into major and minor leagues. Over the next two decades, more minor leagues signed various versions of the National Agreement. Eventually, the minor leagues allied to negotiate jointly. In the late 1890s, the Western League run by Ban Johnson decided to challenge
6840-581: The NL's position. In 1900, he changed the name of the league to the American League (AL) and vowed to make deals to sign contracts with players who were dissatisfied with the pay and terms of their deals with the NL. This led to a turf war that heated up in 1901 enough to concern Patrick T. Powers , president of the Eastern League, and many other minor league owners about the conflict potentially affecting their organizations. Representatives of
6960-562: The Rookie classification play a shortened season that traditionally began in mid-June and ended in late August or early September. This lowest level of minor league baseball consists of two US-based leagues, the Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League , known as the Arizona League and Gulf Coast League, respectively, before 2021, and one Caribbean-based league, the Dominican Summer League . The U.S.-based Rookie leagues play
7080-607: The Texas League, which had last operated in 1942, and the Southern Association) became Class AA. Class A remained the third-highest classification, with lower levels still ranked Class B through Class D in descending order, with Class D being the equivalent of later Rookie leagues. The impact of the Korean War in 1950 caused a player shortage in many cities below Class B. In 1952, the "Open" classification
7200-460: The Triple-A Inter–American League (1979). None lasted more than a full season. In October 2019, Baseball America reported that Major League Baseball had proposed dramatic changes to MiLB that would take effect after expiration of the Professional Baseball Agreement, which governed the MLB–MiLB relationship, at the end of the 2020 season. This included the elimination of many minor league teams. In mid-November 2019, more than 100 members of
7320-425: The U.S. totaled to $ 6 billion (2008 USD) with additional damage of $ 2.1 billion in Cuba and $ 210 million in damage in Jamaica. Gustav formed out of a tropical wave that had previously produced t-rain and squalls in the Lesser Antilles . It developed well-defined curved bands and briefly exhibited an upper-level eye feature . The NHC designated it Tropical Depression Seven and dispatched
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#17327799299697440-451: The United States and Canada was reduced to 11, with a total of 120 teams (four per each of the 30 MLB franchises). There are also two affiliated rookie leagues based in the United States, with teams based at the parent clubs' spring training complexes in Arizona and Florida , an off-season autumn league, and one affiliated rookie league in the Dominican Republic . Additionally, four independent leagues are in association with MiLB. As of
7560-508: The Western states, the other leagues maintained autonomy in name only, being totally economically dependent upon the AL and NL. In 1922, the United States Supreme Court decision Federal Baseball Club v. National League (259 U.S. 200), which grants baseball a special immunity from antitrust laws , had a major effect on the minor leagues. The special immunity meant that the AL and NL could dictate terms under which every independent league did business. By 1925, major league baseball established
7680-416: The Zephyrs' season ended three days early due to the approach of Hurricane Gustav . When it became apparent that Gustav would hit the Gulf Coast on September 1, they cancelled their games of August 30 through September 1. On September 22, 2008, the Zephyrs became the Triple-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins (now the Miami Marlins ). In October 2009, the team unveiled a new logo with the letter Z set against
7800-409: The afternoon of August 30 as Gustav strengthened to a strong Category 4 hurricane, particularly in the low-lying Pinar del Río Province where 190,000 were evacuated. On Monday, September 1, Cuban officials reported that Gustav's 155 mph (249 km/h) winds damaged or destroyed 90,000 homes in Pinar del Río, and knocked down 80 high-tension towers. The combined damage estimate from Gustav and
7920-442: The afternoon. By that afternoon, 1.9 million people had evacuated southern Louisiana, with 200,000 being residents of New Orleans alone, making it the largest evacuation in the history of Louisiana. Officials had finalized evacuation plans, which proposed assisted evacuations as early as August 29: Contraflow lane reversal on all major highways, and 700 buses to help move evacuees. For those evacuees in need of shelter,
8040-415: The area lost power. The community of Houma , Louisiana , and the surrounding area in south-central Louisiana sustained extensive wind damage. The winds blew off many roofs, blew windows out of houses and knocked down many trees and left much of the region without power. Shingles and awnings were scattered throughout downtown Houma. At Ellender High in Houma, the school's new gym was heavily damaged, with
8160-451: The center, and tropical-storm-force winds extended 200 miles (320 km). That night, by 10 pm CDT, Gustav had been downgraded to a Tropical Storm with winds of 60 mph (97 km/h) about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Alexandria , Louisiana and by 4 am CDT on September 2 Gustav had diminished to a Tropical Depression with a threat of severe flooding in the lower Mississippi Valley and eastern Texas. Immediately upon
8280-491: The city of Jacmel. While inland, Gustav's rains triggered a landslide in the community of Benet which killed one person. Two more were killed in southwestern Haiti when their house collapsed. Another two deaths were caused by an explosion inside a house, thought to be possibly related to Hurricane Gustav. The southern town of Jacmel, where the hurricane made landfall, was bisected by floodwaters. According to Haiti's National Director of Civil Protection, 77 people died as
8400-608: The coast, after evacuation. Nearly 2 million people had evacuated from south Louisiana in the days before Gustav's arrival. The city of New Orleans had the official reopening date on Thursday (September 4), after crews had restored most electric power and other services. Damage assessments came as residents returned to inspect their properties. Damage included numerous trees down in various locations, such as around some Marriott hotels, and large tree limbs were broken from oak trees along St. Charles Avenue. Millions of smaller branches were scattered throughout neighborhoods, blown by
8520-482: The damage caused by Gustav. Anheuser-Busch provided canned water to affected residents. In the Dominican Republic, a landslide in a rural area killed eight people. Two people were injured. Government authorities said that some 67,255 persons were evacuated and more than 1,239 homes were damaged with 12 destroyed. 50 communities were isolated by the flooding. Gustav made landfall in Haiti at approximately 1 pm EDT on August 26, about 10 miles (16 km) west of
8640-615: The different minor leagues met at the Leland Hotel in Chicago on September 5, 1901. In response to the NL–AL battle, they agreed to form the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL), sometimes shortened to National Association (NA), which would later adopt the trade name "Minor League Baseball". The purpose of the NAPBL at the time was to maintain the independence of
8760-415: The dual role as official scorer and announcer for the remainder of the 2014 season and much of the 2015 season. The Zephyrs rebranded for the 2017 season. A name-the-team contest was held in search of a new team name to be accompanied by a new color scheme and logos by Brandiose . The seven finalist monikers were Baby Cakes, Crawfish, King Cakes, Night Owls, Po'boys, Red Eyes, and Tailgators. On November 15,
8880-453: The early hours of August 26, as the storm approached Haiti's southwestern peninsula, another hurricane hunter aircraft confirmed what forecasters already suspected—that Gustav had strengthened into a hurricane with winds topping 90 mph (140 km/h). Before reaching Haiti, its satellite presentation continued to intensify, a central dense overcast became more prominent, and the minimum central pressure fell. Hurricane Gustav regained
9000-642: The eastern states. All three leagues were reclassified prior to the 2021 season, with the Midwest League and the South Atlantic League promoted from Single-A and the Northwest League promoted from Class A Short Season. This level of play is often a second or third promotion for a minor league player, although some high first-round draftees, particularly those with experience playing college baseball , begin at this level. Below
9120-557: The effort to relocate the team to New Orleans. The "Zephyr" name was appropriate for New Orleans, too, as the Zephyr Roller Coaster was a popular ride at the Pontchartrain Beach amusement park (which had closed in 1983). The New Orleans Zephyrs remained in the American Association through 1997. The circuit disbanded following the season, and they joined the Pacific Coast League in 1998. The Zephyrs won
9240-758: The extreme damage. By September 3, Cuba's President Raúl Castro said that 20,000 of the 25,000 houses on Isla de la Juventud were damaged. More than 90,000 homes were damaged in the western province of Pinar del Río according to government news agency AIN. 3,306 tobacco houses were destroyed, with 906 tons of tobacco leaves wet. More than 32,000 acres (130 km ) of crops were ruined, including 7,239 acres (29.30 km ) of grain and nearly 1,500 of fruit. 42,000 cans of coffee were destroyed, and 3,100 tons of grapefruit lost. 930,000 chickens had to be euthanized. According to Pinar del Río civil defense authorities, 86,000 homes were damaged, 80 electric towers and 600 electric posts fell. Cuba's electric company, indicated that
9360-576: The eyewall had traveled over 4 hours along the coast. The center of the storm continued northwest across the state, so damage and deaths were widespread in many areas. Forty-eight deaths in the state of Louisiana were blamed on Hurricane Gustav. Five were due to falling trees, two due to a tornado and the rest were indirect deaths. The tornado also injured two others. Around 1.5 million people were without power in Louisiana on September 1. The state reported about 100,000 people remained on
9480-435: The flat-fee policy, minor league teams had little choice but to sell players as soon as they drew major-league interest. The earliest classifications used in the minor leagues began circa 1890, for teams that were party to the National Agreement of 1883. The different levels represented different levels of protection for player contracts and reserve clauses : After the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues
9600-446: The following assignments entering the 1902 season: Additional classifications added prior to World War II included: In 1946, with the minor leagues poised for unprecedented growth, the higher-level classifications were changed. Class AAA ("Triple-A") was created and the three Double-A circuits (the Pacific Coast League , International League , and the American Association ) were reclassified into Triple-A. Class A1 (comprising
9720-781: The impending approach of Gustav and evacuation preparations. The New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL) proceeded with plans to evacuate from New Orleans and headed to Indianapolis , where they practiced at Lucas Oil Stadium . The Saints returned to New Orleans to play their first home game as scheduled on Sunday, September 7, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24–20. Hotel and business closures related to Gustav had impact on New Orleans's Southern Decadence celebrations, which were scheduled for August 27 through September 1, 2008. Texas Governor Rick Perry activated 5,000 members of
9840-509: The island and, per usual practice, further visits were banned until the All Clear was given. Stores and gas stations were busy and each district office offered free plywood to protect windows and residents hurried about to secure their business interests and property. 60,000 were evacuated overnight on August 29 from Cuba's western coasts. Gustav was projected to strike Cuba on the afternoon of August 30. Additional evacuations were ordered on
9960-499: The later stages of the negotiations to develop rules for the acquisition of players from their leagues by the NL and the AL. The 1903 agreement ensured that teams would be compensated for the players that they had taken the time and effort to scout and develop, and no NA team was required to sell their players, although most did because the cash was an important source of revenue for most teams. The NA leagues were still fiercely independent, and
10080-539: The leagues involved. Several did not sign the agreement and continued to work independently. Powers was made the first president of the NAPBL, whose offices were established in Auburn, New York . In 1903, the conflict between the AL and NL ended in the National Agreement of 1903 , which created the National Baseball Commission to oversee the major and minor leagues. The NAPBL became involved in
10200-568: The mainland near the community of Los Palacios in Pinar del Río Province . At 2235 UTC (6:35 PM Cuba Daylight Time ), a weather station at Paso Real de San Diego recorded a wind gust of 184 knots (212 mph; 341 km/h), which at the time was the strongest wind gust from a tropical cyclone on record. By the early hours of August 31, Gustav entered the Gulf of Mexico with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph (217 km/h) and minimum central pressure of 958 millibars. During August 31,
10320-500: The majors from this level, as many of the top prospects are put here to play against each other rather than against minor and major league veterans in Triple-A. A small handful of players might be placed here to start, usually veterans from foreign leagues with more experience in professional baseball. The expectation is usually that these veteran players will be in the majors by the end of the season, as their salaries tend to be higher than those of most prospects. One level below Double-A
10440-584: The minor leagues, such as Buzz Arlett , Jigger Statz , Ike Boone , Buddy Ryan , Earl Rapp , and Frank Shellenback , as comparable to major league players. Leagues in the NA would not be truly called minor until Branch Rickey developed the first modern farm system in the 1930s. The Commissioner of Baseball , Kenesaw Mountain Landis fought Rickey's scheme, but, ultimately, the Great Depression drove teams to establish systems like Rickey's to ensure
10560-432: The morning of August 26, with Gustav still over Haiti, Louisiana emergency preparedness officials met several times to discuss predictions that Gustav would reach the state as a major hurricane in three to five days. Several areas of Louisiana planned for evacuations. Several parishes in the New Orleans area announced plans for voluntary evacuations beginning Saturday, August 30. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said that it
10680-424: The morning of September 1 near Cocodrie, Louisiana . Weakening continued, and Gustav weakened to a tropical storm that evening and to a tropical depression the next day as it meandered around the south-central US. The weak system became extratropical on September 4 and was absorbed by another low on September 5. In total, an estimated 153 deaths had been attributed to Gustav in the U.S. and Caribbean . Damage in
10800-699: The oncoming disaster. On August 27, requests and orders began for evacuations along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. All schools in Harrison County's five public school districts were closed until September 2. Several schools in Pearl River County were also confirmed closed until September 2. The University of Southern Mississippi was closed on September 2, as well as the Alcorn State University . Much of
10920-588: The parishes of St. Thomas , St. Mary and Portland suffered significant damage. The Hope River Bridge linking the capital Kingston with the eastern reaches of the city including Harbour View and St. Thomas collapsed and the Georgia bridge in Portland was destroyed. Jamaica's government ministry initially estimated US$ 41.8 million in damage to the road infrastructure in the country. Total damage in Jamaica
11040-435: The rebrand, the team's stadium, Zephyr Field, was changed to Shrine on Airline . The name change was met with mixed reactions. Some fans found the new moniker and logos appealing, and the team reported increased merchandise sales after the announcement. Others expressed disappointment in the new name via social media, claiming it to be an unsuitable name for a sports team and that it did not accurately reflect local culture. At
11160-471: The residents of Braithwaite , Louisiana to leave, as levee failure was considered imminent. FEMA had estimated there were only about 10,000 people left in New Orleans on September 1. One major sporting event was directly affected by the disaster preparations. On August 30, Louisiana State University (LSU) opened its 2008 football season against Appalachian State . The originally scheduled kickoff time of 4 pm CDT would have conflicted with
11280-709: The response to large water emergencies. Water technicians and trailers of portable generators, pumps, spare parts and testing equipment were readied along the Gulf Coast and neighboring states to respond to the emergency. In the aftermath, the Canadian government sent a C-17 airlifter, with a medical team, from CFB Trenton to assist in the evacuation of New Orleans. and two C-130 Hercules airlift planes from Greenwood , Nova Scotia and from Winnipeg , Manitoba . The United Kingdom sent HMS Iron Duke and RFA Wave Ruler to provide emergency assistance and assess
11400-608: The rise of television broadcasts of major league sports across broad regions of the country. As part of the 1963 reorganization, Major League clubs increased their commitments to affiliate with minor league teams through Player Development Contracts, outright ownerships, or shared affiliations and co-op arrangements. The minor league system that evolved following the 1963 reorganization remained in place through 2020, categorizing leagues into one of six classes: Triple-A (AAA), Double-A (AA), Class A-Advanced (High A or A+), Class A (Low A), Class A Short Season, and Rookie. Furthermore, Rookie
11520-644: The second most destructive hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season . The seventh tropical cyclone , third hurricane , and second major hurricane of the season, Gustav caused serious damage and casualties in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Cuba and the United States. Gustav caused at least $ 8.31 billion (2008 USD) in damages. It formed on the morning of August 25, 2008, about 260 miles (420 km) southeast of Port-au-Prince , Haiti , and rapidly strengthened into
11640-401: The start of contraflow lane reversal, and Interstate 10 is a key evacuation route through Baton Rouge . Accordingly, LSU moved kickoff to 10 am CDT. A college football game between Nicholls State University and New Mexico State University , scheduled for September 4, was cancelled. The Triple-A baseball New Orleans Zephyrs cancelled the final three games of their season because of
11760-613: The state government secured tens of thousands of shelter beds. Wary of repeating the mistakes of Hurricane Katrina , authorities chose not to use the Louisiana Superdome and New Orleans Convention Center as emergency shelters. The following day, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency , activating between 3,000 and 8,000 members of the Louisiana National Guard . Mayor of New Orleans Ray Nagin shortened his appearance at
11880-609: The storm in private homes or hotels. On Saturday August 30, 2008, Gustav made landfall on mainland Cuba near the community of Los Palacios in Pinar del Río—a region that produces much of the tobacco used to make the nation's famed cigars . In Los Palacios some 7,000 homes were roofless and many with their walls collapsed. The rice and banana farms sustained much damage. At least 300,000 people were evacuated from Gustav's path as 155 mph (249 km/h) winds toppled telephone poles and fruit trees, shattered windows and tore off
12000-517: The storm moved in a northwest direction slightly losing its strength (despite passing over a shortened Loop Current ) with sustained winds at 115 mph. On the evening of August 31, Gustav weakened to a Category 2 hurricane and remained at such intensity until landfall in the U.S. Gustav made landfall along the Louisiana coast with 105 mph (169 km/h) winds near Cocodrie, at about 9:30 a.m CDT (1430 UTC). At U.S. landfall, hurricane-force winds extended outward 70 miles (110 km) from
12120-468: The storm's designation as a tropical depression it was expected to strengthen into a tropical storm and strike the island of Hispaniola , shared by the Dominican Republic on the east and Haiti on the west. Tropical storm warnings were issued from the coast of the Dominican Republic south of Santo Domingo to the Haitian coast south of Port-au-Prince. A tropical storm watch was issued for
12240-512: The storm. Jamaica's Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) readied response systems in anticipation of Hurricane Gustav affecting the island. In the Cayman Islands , a hurricane watch was issued at 6 pm August 25 and upgraded that to a warning on 6 pm August 27. Banks and non-essential government services were closed Friday to allow residents to prepare. Extra flights were organized to get tourists off
12360-696: The strong winds. Area hotels planned to reopen the week of September 8, some by Saturday, September 6 (such as the InterContinental & 16 area Marriotts, which already had electricity restored). The Associated Press reported on the floodwall along the Industrial Canal (the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal ), which connects Lake Pontchartrain to the Mississippi River, and is susceptible to surges via
12480-747: The subsequent hurricanes Ike and Paloma is about $ 9.4 billion (USD), with about 2.1 billion of that from Gustav. On August 31, the NHC predicted with 45% probability that Gustav would remain at Category 3 or above on September 1. This influenced preparations, although in fact Gustav had dropped just below the Category ;3 threshold to Category 2 by landfall, and Category 1 shortly afterwards. Direct Relief , an emergency response organization, committed $ 250,000 in special hurricane response funds to assist nonprofit clinics, community health centers, and evacuation and shelter areas. On
12600-416: The system was not very disrupted when it moved back over water into the Gulf of Gonâve . However, the storm's movement slowed, and continued interaction with nearby Haiti, combined with the incursion of mid-level dry air from the northeast, resulted in further weakening during the day on August 27. The storm began a west-southwesterly movement that brought it closer to Jamaica. On the morning of August 28 it
12720-429: The team unveiled Baby Cakes as the new team name and purple, green, and gold as the new team colors, as well as a unique promotion to promote the name: any child born in the state of Louisiana during 2017 was eligible for a lifetime pass to Baby Cakes games, and would be entered into a raffle wherein the winner would receive a full four-year tuition to a state college in Louisiana upon their 18th birthday in 2035. As part of
12840-404: The term minor was seldom used in reference to them, save by the major-market sportswriters. Sports news, like most news generally, often did not travel far in the days before radio and television, so, while the leagues often bristled at the major market writers' descriptions, they viewed themselves as independent sports businesses. Many baseball writers of that time regarded the greatest players of
12960-464: The time it seemed like the PCL would eventually become a third major league. The PCL would revert to Triple-A in 1958, due to increasing television coverage of major league games and in light of the Dodgers and Giants moving to Los Angeles and San Francisco , respectively. A significant reorganization of the minor leagues took place in 1963, caused by the contraction of clubs and leagues during
13080-480: The time of the branding announcement, the team noted fan interest in retaining the Zephyrs moniker, but pointed out that the name had relocated from Denver to New Orleans and had no regional ties or significance other than the roller coaster at Pontchartrain Beach which closed in 1983. On April 14, 2017, Baby Cakes pitchers Scott Copeland (7 IP ), Hunter Cervenka (1 IP), and Brandon Cunniff (1 IP) combined to pitch
13200-501: The tin roofs of homes. Cuban authorities declared that Gustav is the worst hurricane to hit the country in 50 years. Authorities called the storm damage the worst since 1956. The 211 mph (340 km/h) wind gusts registered in the city of Paso Real de San Diego were the highest in Cuba's history, according to the provincial newspaper, the Guerrillero . Winds were so strong that the weather station instruments broke. Gustav
13320-447: The top Rookie-level prospects in each organization to be promoted to class Single-A for the final two months of the professional baseball season upon the conclusion of the complex league seasons. As of the 2024 season, each major league club may have no more than 165 players assigned to the rosters of their domestic affiliates (i.e., Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, Single-A, and complex-league Rookie)—excluding international players assigned to
13440-572: The water infrastructure, with power loss the primary difficulty. Rural water teams provided 771 on-site technical assistance visits to 370 affected water and wastewater systems. Later, the LRWA efforts received applause from the Louisiana Joint Select Committee on Homeland Security. The LSU football team postponed their game, scheduled for September 6, against Troy University and rescheduled it for November 15 after damage
13560-535: The winds and localized flooding. Part of the roof at the Alexandria Mall collapsed. Two people died in the region — one was electrocuted and one had a tree crush her trailer. The area's water supply was also hampered as power was knocked out to most of the water wells in the Alexandria and Pineville areas. Damage and significant power outages were reported as far north as northern Louisiana, in
13680-409: Was buried 10 feet deeper in the ocean floor after Gustav passed over. In the state of Louisiana, 34 parishes were declared as disaster areas. Hurricane Gustav reached the Louisiana coast on the morning of September 1, making landfall near Cocodrie, Louisiana ( see rainfall map ); however, at 9 am wind speed at Grand Isle had been 115 mph (185 km/h), the highest eyewall speed, indicating
13800-410: Was created. The Pacific Coast League (PCL), which had been rated Triple-A since 1946, was the only minor league to obtain this classification, which it held through 1957. At this time, the major leagues only extended as far west as St. Louis, Missouri , and as far south as Washington, D.C. This classification severely restricted the rights of the major leagues to draft players out of the PCL, and at
13920-527: Was estimated at $ 210 million. In the Cayman Islands, Gustav's heavy rains and storm surge flooded the streets of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman , the smaller easternmost "Sister Islands" in the chain. More than 1,100 people spent the night in government shelters in the three islands as high waves and heavy winds battered the chain, the National Emergency Operations Center said in a statement. Most people waited out
14040-399: Was found that, overnight, Gustav had either reformed farther to the south or had moved farther to the south than previously thought. The storm was also found to have restrengthened nearly to hurricane status. It then was upgraded to a hurricane again during the late afternoon of August 29. At 11:00 a.m EDT (1500 UTC) on August 30, as Gustav neared the west end of Cuba, it was upgraded to
14160-422: Was founded in 1901, classifications were redefined: † Draft fee set an amount for a team in a higher class to select a player; n/a for Class A as it would be up to each team to negotiate with an interested major league club. ‡ Protection fee reserved a player to a team, even after a contract expired, preventing the player for seeking employment with any other team. All minor leagues were classified, and had
14280-519: Was further informally subdivided into Rookie Advanced, complex-based Rookie, and international summer baseball. There have also been some failed start-up leagues. During the 1970s, three official minor leagues (members of NAPBL) attempted unsuccessfully to revive unaffiliated baseball (teams not associated with specific MLB franchises) within the organized baseball structure. These were the Class A Gulf States League (1976) and Lone Star League (1977), and
14400-433: Was possible thousands of people who need city help could start leaving on Saturday, as the first wave of a full-scale evacuation. Later, he ordered the mandatory evacuation of the whole of New Orleans commencing on the morning of August 31, calling Gustav "the storm of the century ... the mother of all storms." On August 31, Nagin also declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew and the cessation of city assistance in evacuations by
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