Birmingham Barons Sign Four Year Extension with Chicago White Sox Organization

MLN Newswire - BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Birmingham Barons are proud to announce that the team will sign a four-year contract extension this afternoon to remain as the Class AA minor league affiliate of the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox through the year 2010.

“Our affiliation with the Chicago White Sox is very special,” said Jonathan Nelson, General Manager of the Birmingham Barons.  “Over the past 21 years, Barons fans have witnessed some of the greats of the game lay the foundations of their Major League careers here in Birmingham.  Many of those great memories will never be forgotten, such as Frank Thomas’ Minor League Player of the Year season in 1990, Bo Jackson’s injury rehabilitation assignment in 1991 and Michael Jordan’s only historic year in professional baseball in 1994.  We look forward to continuing this great partnership with the Chicago White Sox in providing Barons fans with talented teams that will continue striving to bring another Southern League Championship to Birmingham.”

Since Birmingham’s affiliation with the White Sox began in 1986, the Barons have gone to the playoffs 11 times and have won four Southern League Championships (1987, 1989, 1993, 2002).  Birmingham has also seen 182 of its players make it to the Major Leagues since 1986, including Thomas, Robin Ventura, Mark Buehrle, Joe Crede and Bobby Jenks.  With its current affiliation of 21 years, Birmingham is the second-longest continuous minor league affiliate in Chicago White Sox history.  The Barons are the longest-tenured current affiliate within the White Sox minor league system, as well. 

Overall, Birmingham owns the second-longest current affiliation with its parent club amongst all Class AA teams, and the 11th-longest existing affiliation amongst all minor league clubs.  The Barons, who own the second-longest current affiliation with their Major League team among all Southern League squads, are the only Class AA team in the country to have drawn a quarter of a million fans during each of the last 18 years. 

“As new owners of the Barons, one of the easiest decisions we had to make was renewing our relationship with the Chicago White Sox,” said Stan Logan, Managing Partner of the Birmingham Barons.  “The quality of baseball players that the White Sox organization develops through its farm system is second to none.  When you add into the mix the professionalism of the White Sox front office and the hospitality that they continue to provide the Barons, there really was no decision to make.  By renewing our relationship, the Birmingham community will continue to see the best baseball prospects that the game has to offer.”


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Barons announce contract extension with White Sox

With their four-game sweep over the Houston Astros in the 2005 World Series, the Chicago White Sox snapped an 88-year drought and captured their first championship trophy since the 1917 season.  Chicago’s sweep in late October marked just the 19th time in World Series history that the feat had been accomplished in four games.  Moreover, with their 11-1 record in the 2005 playoffs, the White Sox tied the second-best single-season winning percentage (.917) in post-season history.

Seven former Barons suited up for the White Sox in the 2005 post-season, including Buehrle, Crede, Jenks, Thomas, Neal Cotts, Jon Garland and Aaron Rowand.  Overall, 17 of the 40 players on the White Sox Championship roster played in Birmingham at some point in their professional career.

“It has been the White Sox priority to maintain continuity and stability within the player development system, and this especially holds true considering our long-standing relationship with Birmingham,” said Ken Williams, General Manager of the Chicago White Sox.  “The White Sox relationship with Birmingham has been positive for everyone involved over the years.  The community has always been behind the Barons 100 percent, the organization has been great for us to work with, and in turn the Sox have made a concerted effort to provide a championship-caliber team every season.”

2006 marks the 107th season of baseball in Birmingham, as well as the 122nd year of existence for one of the most historic and proud franchises in minor league baseball.