The Milwaukee Brewers new Double-A farm team, the Biloxi Shuckers, are in the midst of a record 55-game road trip to start their inaugural season according to Cory Collins of the Sporting News .
The Shuckers, formerly the Huntsville Stars, are on the long road trip as they await the construction of their new stadium, MGM Park. Biloxi play in the Southern League and the road trip will take them through nine cities, the Associated Press reported — the Shuckers started the season in Pensacola and are currently in Mobile. Biloxi will then travel to Jacksonville then back to Pensacola — followed by trips to Huntsville, Jackson (Mississippi), Jackson (Tennessee), Huntsville, Chattanooga, and Birmingham.
The Southern League consists of 10 teams split into two divisions (North and South) and plays 140 games that is split into two-70 games seasons. Two teams from each division makes the playoffs.
Biloxi is off to a decent start to the season despite their circumstances. The Shuckers are currently 4-3 on the season after defeating the Mobile Bay Bears 4-2 on Friday night. Biloxi will attempt to even their five-game series with Mobile at 2-2 tonight. The Shuckers are one-game behind South division leading Jacksonville Suns, who are affiliated with the Miami Marlins.
The Shuckers have eight of the Brewers top-30 prospects , including their No. 1 rated prospect, 20-year-old shortstop Orlando Arcia. The Brewers No. 2 prospect, 21-year-old center fielder Tyrone Taylor, is also in Biloxi as well as RHP Tyler Wagner (No. 11), RHP Jorge Lopez (No. 12), CF Kyle Wren (No. 17), RF Michael Reed (No. 18), SS Yadiel Rivera (No. 23) and LHP Hobbs Johnson (No. 25).
Rivera leads Biloxi with a.421 average while Arcia (.400) and Reed (.375) are also hitting over.300. Arcia, Reed, and Nick Ramirez top the team with four RBI’s apiece. Ramirez has six hits so far this season and three of those have been home runs.
Wagner is the ace of the Shuckers staff and is 2-0 on the season with a 1.64 ERA. Wagner joins 24-year-old teammate Brooks Hall, Mobile’s Seth Simmons, and Mississippi’s Jorge Reyes atop of the leagues pitching leader board with two wins apiece. Wagner has thrown 11.0 innings, which includes a six-inning rain shortened complete game to start the season against Pensacola.
Left-handed reliever Brent Suter has the other victory for the Shuckers while closer Wirfin Obsipo is one-for-one in save opportunities.
ROSTER MOVE: OF Josh Fellhauer has been placed on temporary inactive list and C Tyler LaTorre has been activated from (R) Helena.
— Biloxi Shuckers (@BiloxiShuckers) April 18, 2015
While the long trip is rare, the Associated Press reported that it is not unprecedented. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees played their entire 2012 season (144 games) away from their home stadium though they did play 37 “home” games in Rochester, New York.
[photo via the New York Post]
