Eastern League (AA)

14 Stott Avenue

Norwich, CT 06360

1-860-887-7962

www.ctdefenders.com

Affiliation – San Francisco Giants

Radio Announcer – Shawn Holliday, Jeremy Lechan; Flagship Station – WICH 1310-AM; Ballpark – Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium; Location – Take I-395 to exit 82, follow signs to Norwich Industrial Park, stadium is in back of industrial park.

The Defenders were known as the Norwich Navigators since their inception in 1995, but the team was purchased by a group led by boxing promoter Lou DiBella. In a Name-The-Team contest last fall, Defenders was chosen to honor the submarine base. The club plays at Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium, which seats 6,275 fans. Last year, the Navigators finished 71-71 overall.

New Britain Rock Cats

Eastern League (AA)

230 John Karbonic Way

New Britain, CT 06051

1-860-224-8383

www.rockcats.com

Affiliation – Minnesota Twins

Radio Announcer – Jeff Dooley; Flagship station – WDRC-AM 1360; Ballpark – New Britain Stadium; Location –  From I-84, take U.S. 72 East (exit 35) or Route 9 South (exit 39A), left at Ellis Street (exit 25), left at South Main Street, stadium one mile on right. From Route 91 or Route 15, take Route 9 North to Route 71 (exit 24), first exit.

The 2006 season will mark the 33rd anniversary of the team, which originated as the Bristol Red Sox back in 1973. The club played at Muzzy Field from 1973 to 1982 when the team was relocated to New Britain. Still affiliated with the Red Sox, the New Britain club – led by pitcher Roger Clemens – won the 1983 Eastern League championship. In 1995, the club began its affiliation with the Minnesota Twins and changed its name to the Hardware City Rock Cats (but has since dropped the Hardware City from its nickname). Back in 1997, the Rock Cats defeated the parent Twins, 3-0, in an exhibition game featuring such players as Chuck Knoblauch, Roberto Kelly, Terry Steinbach and new Hall-Of-Famer Paul Molitor. In February of 2000, the team was solid to an investment group led by former New York Yankees vice president William F. Dowling and in 2001 the club won a franchise-record 87 games and was named, along with the Reading Phillies, as the Eastern League co-champions (the championship series never began due to the September 11 terrorist attacks). The club has had 138 future or past major leaguers suit up for them since 1983 – including Brady Anderson (1987), Jeff Bagwell (1990), Ellis Burks (1985-86), Roger Clemens (1983), Curt Schilling (1988) and Mo Vaughn (1989) and Todd Walker (1995).

Bridgeport Bluefish

Atlantic League (Independent)

500 Main Street

Bridgeport, CT 06604

Phone: 203-345-4800

Ballpark – The Ballpark at Harbor Yard; Location – Take Route 25 to Route 8, take Exit 1. At the bottom of the ramp continue straight through two lights. Go under I-95, and make a left on South Frontage Street. Continue straight to Broad Street. Turn right on Broad Street, go past ballpark and turn right on Allen Street. Entrances to parking are on Allen Street. Note: The entrances to the stadium are on Broad Street.

The $19 million Ballpark at Harbor Yard opened on May 21, 1998 and can seat 5,300 fans. Since 1998, the Bluefish have competed in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Clubs. On the field, the Bluefish play a 72 home game schedule featuring baseball’s equivalent to Double-A standards. Since opening day in 1998, the Bluefish have played before more than 1.5 million fans. The team has made three trips to the Atlantic League Championship series and took home the title in 1999.

New Haven County Cutters

Can-Am League (Independent)

252 Derby Avenue

West Haven, CT

203-777-5636 ext. 15

Ballpark – Yale Bowl; Location – From Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways, take Exit 57 (Route 34 East) directly to Yale Field or take Exit 59 (Whalley Avenue) and follow Yale Bowl Signs to Yale Field.

The New Haven County Cutters took over the Yale Field in 2004 from the New Haven Ravens, who fled the state to become the Class AA New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League. The Cutters began play in the independent Northeast League, which is now known as the Can-Am League. The nickname Cutters relates to any Coast Guard vessel over 65 feet in length, and New Haven has a Coast Guard station, complete with its own ice-breaking tug called the Bollard. The name also is used to describe heavy rowboats carried on the side of large ships. Last year, the Cutters were second-half championships in the South Division at 28-18 but were defeated by the Worcester Tornadoes in the playoffs.