Toronto Raptors

Note: not all players or conditions are listed, only those affected the team most significantly will be shown. * * * Owner. None yet. * * Manager. None yet. * Player and manager.
Record: 33 Wins - 49 Losses; 4th in Atlantic Division, 11th in Eastern Conference. * Manager.

Vince Carter's mother also made comments to the media about a "wrestling match" that took place in the locker room between the coach and her son prior to his trade. Coaches. Later in the season, Alston was suspended two games for "conduct detrimental to the team" for reportedly walking out of a scrimmage practice. In addition, Eric Williams requested a trade, unhappy with the lack of minutes he was receiving. Manager. Of note, point guard Rafer Alston in a post-game interview contemplated retiring after a tough loss, as he continued to butt heads with Sam Mitchell. Future addition. Coach Mitchell was also mired in controversies off the court. There is some hope that having competition in the larger Baltimore-Washington metro market will spur the Orioles to field a better product to compete for fans with the Nationals; there may be some truth to this speculation as the retooled 2005 Orioles have been in first place since early in April.

However, the home fans were generally entertained as the team managed to thrive off the often well attended Air Canada Centre putting up a record of 22-19 at home. The new Washington Nationals (who begin play in 2005) threaten to carve into the Orioles fan base and television dollars. The Raptors inability to win on the road (11-30) and generally poor defense made Sam Mitchell's first year as head coach unimpressive. - for which Angelos has demanded compensation from Major League Baseball. Shooting from beyond the arc was a big part of the Raptor's game as Toronto had the second best three point percentage after the Phoenix Suns. Further complicating the situation for the Orioles is the relocation of the Montreal Expos franchise to nearby Washington, D.C. However, GM Babcock held on to Marshall, who eventually scored 12 three pointers in a game versus the Sixers on March 13, tying an NBA record. Going into the 2005 season, the Orioles have had seven consecutive sub-.500 seasons without a post-season visit - the combination of lackluster play of the team’s part and the ascent of the Yankees and Red Sox to the top of the game - each rival having a clear advantage in financial flexibility due to their larger media market size.

There was much speculation that Marshall would be traded before the trade deadline since he was up for free agency in the up coming season. With the decline and eventual departure of two local teams - the NFL's Baltimore Colts and baseball's Washington Senators, the Orioles' excellence paid off at the gate, as the team cultivated a large and rabid fan base at old Memorial Stadium. Veterans Jalen Rose and Donyell Marshall also shined on an otherwise lackluster team. As the Robinson boys grew older, newer stars emerged including multiple Cy Young Award winner Jim Palmer and switch-hitting first baseman Eddie Murray. After the trade that saw Carter leaving, Chris Bosh stepped up to take the helm of franchise player, and performed admirably in his sophomore campaign; he ranked 10th in defensive rebounds for the season. Apart from Bosh's emergence, the restructuring looked to take a bit of a hit with rookie 8th first round draft pick, Rafael Araujo, struggling to keep a spot in the line up during the Raptor's half-hearted run for a playoff spot during the last month of the season. They played baseball the "Oriole Way", an organizational ethic best described by acerbic manager Earl Weaver as "pitching, defense, and the three run home run.". The two Williams also saw few minutes, and were generally under utilized until the end of the season. The Orioles farm system had begun to produce a number of high quality players and coaches who formed the core of winning teams; from 1966 to 1983, the Orioles won three World Series titles (1966, 1970, and 1983), six American League pennants, and five of the first six American League Eastern Division titles.

Mourning did not show up to Toronto, forcing Babcock to buy out the remainder of his contract, leaving Mourning free to sign with the Miami Heat, where he had spent 7 years of his career prior. Robinson went on to become the first player to win the Most Valuable Player award in each league while hitting for the Triple Crown (leading the American League in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in.) The Orioles won their first ever American League championship in 1966, and in a major upset, swept the World Series by out-dueling the Los Angeles Dodgers aces Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. From that deal, the Raptors received Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two future first-round draft picks from the New Jersey Nets. In 1966, the Orioles traded with the Cincinnati Reds and acquired slugging outfielder Frank Robinson. The trading of the Raptors franchise player, Vince Carter finally came to fruition mid-season ending his 7 year tenure with the team. By the early 1960's, stars such as Brooks Robinson, John "Boog" Powell, and Dave McNally were being developed by a strong farm system. Thus, much of the 2004-2005 season's action played itself out off the court. The new AL Orioles took about six years to become competitive.

Subsequently, their star player Vince Carter, demanded a trade during the off season. The team immediately took on the nickname "Orioles", a name with a long and storied history in the city:. With new general manager, Rob Babcock, and new head coach, Sam Mitchell, it was evident that restructuring of the organization was in operation. Following the 1953 season, Veeck sold his controlling interest to Clarence Miles, and the American League owners approved the relocation of the team to Baltimore. Record: 33 Wins - 49 Losses. Louis based American League pennant in 1944, but they faced their local rivals, the more successful Cardinals, and lost the 1944 World Series, 4-2. Rob Babcock was named GM on June 7, 2004. During the war, the Browns won their only St.

He was replaced with Sam Mitchell, a former NBA player who had been an assistant coach of the Milwaukee Bucks the previous two seasons. Just before World War II, the Browns came close to moving to Los Angeles, nearly two decades before big league baseball eventually arrived in California. Immediately following the season, on April 17, head coach Kevin O'Neill was fired after making some remarks which were taken to question the team's commitment to winning. Louis - the AL Browns and the NL Cardinals - eventually forced Browns majority owner Bill Veeck to consider moving his franchise. The star individual performers were Carter, with 22.5 points per game, Donyell Marshall, who led the team with 10.7 rebounds per game, and rookie Chris Bosh, a 6-10 forward-center who averaged 11.5 ppg and 7.4 rpg and was named to the rookie all-star team. Half a century of sub-par baseball and the existence of two major league teams in St. The Raptors finished up the season 3 games out of the eighth and final playoff spot. Louis Browns of the fledgling American League.

Grunwald had been the GM since 1997. The modern Orioles can trace their franchise link back to the Milwaukee Brewers of the Western League, who in 1902 became the St. With eight games to go in the regular season, the Raptors fired Glen Grunwald, the general manager on April 1. They are owned by attorney Peter Angelos. The team then suffered through a nine-game losing streak in February, dealing them a serious blow in the standings. They are in the Eastern Division of the American League. After 50 games, though, they were 25-25 and in position to make the playoffs. The Baltimore Orioles are a Major League Baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Raptors were inconsistent throughout 03-04, partly due to injuries to key players Jalen Rose, Rod Strickland, Alvin Williams and Vince Carter, with Davis traded early in the season for Rose. Bluefield Orioles
Sarasota Orioles. Record: 24 Wins - 58 Losses. Frederick Keys
Delmarva Shorebirds
Aberdeen IronBirds. if anyone can add to this please do. Bowie Baysox. At the end of the disastrous season (a year marred by defensive breakdowns that still occur today), Wilkens was unceremoniously dumped, ending a three-year stint with the team that started with so much promise but ended with too much disappointment. Ottawa Lynx.

This was the year that Wilkens overtook Bill Fitch for the lead in most losses by a NBA coach, with his loss total getting dangerously close to his win total. American League
. Almost right from day one, the Toronto media went straight for the jugular when it came to Wilkens, chastizing him for his inability- or, perhaps, unwillingness- to really clamp down on his players when he had to (The Toronto Star's Dave Perkins once wrote that all Wilkens could do during a game where the Raptors self-destructed was sit and stand, instead of yelling at his players like Perkins says he should have been doing). Pitching strikeouts: Mike Mussina, 218 (1997). However, right from the beginning of the season that optimism was lost: Carter went through a series of injuries, Davis started to express disinterest in Toronto (reportedly because his wife could not land a TV job in Toronto) and Wilkens' laissez-fair attitude created a team that lacked the motivation and spirit of the previous years' teams. Pitching Wins: John McGinnitty, 26 (1901). The 2002-03 season began with the same optimisim that the Raptors furnished in three straight playoff appearances. Hitting streak: Eric Davis, 30 games (1998).

Record: 42 Wins - 40 Losses; eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Stolen bases: Luis Aparicio, 57 (1964). Ben Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse's performances overwhelmed the offensively-limited Raptors. Triples: George Sisler, 18 (1920-1921-1922). However, the injuries to Davis and Carter were highlighted in the 3-2 series loss to the Detroit Pistons. Doubles: George Sisler, 49 (1920). In spite of an injury to Antonio Davis in January and a subsequent injury to Carter, the team made a record comeback to clinch a playoff berth. Hits: George Sisler, 257 (1920).

The first half of the season ran well with expected contributions from the starters and the improvement Morris Peterson and Keon Clark. Runs: George Sisler, 137 (1920). Expiring contracts had also been traded away, so unless the Raptors succeeded with their 2001-2002 lineup, it was unlikely they would remain a very competitive team. Runs batted In: Miguel Tejada, 150 (2004). Although the team was guaranteed a powerful starting line-up for one season, it was a dangerous gamble as overall player salary almost reached the cap, making significant free-agent signing impossible. Home runs: Brady Anderson, 50 (1996). The Raptors' exciting playoff performance attracted even more fans and put unprecendented trust from the owners on Grunwald. In an attempt to satisfy Vince Carter so that he would resign with the team, long-term contracts were given to Alvin Williams, Jerome Williams and Davis, and former All-Star center Hakeem Olajuwon was signed, to provide Carter with a good supporting cast. Batting average: George Sisler, .420 (1922).

Record: 47 Wins - 35 Losses; eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. Bluefield Orioles (Rookie, Appalachian League). The series came down to the last 4 seconds of Game 7, when Vince Carter missed a fadeaway jumper, losing the series by 1 point. Aberdeen IronBirds (Short-Season A, New York - Penn League). Philadelphia took full advantage of its mismatch at center whereas Toronto counteracted with a fast-break offense with their shorter but quicker players. Delmarva Shorebirds (A, South Atlantic League). Toronto's was much more balanced with Carter, Williams and Davis providing much of the offensive game and Chris Childs and Jerome Williams providing the defensive pressure. Frederick Keys (High-A, Carolina League).

The Sixers relied on Allen Iverson and Dikembe Mutombo for their respective offensive and defensive abilities, along with steady help from Aaron McKie and other teammates. Bowie Baysox (AA, Eastern League). The next series against the Philadelphia 76ers was a landmark of exciting, entertaining play, and the best playoff performance by the Raptors so far. Ottawa Lynx (AAA, International League). These, however, were non-factors, as it was abundantly clear that the Raptors were vastly superior to the overhyped, undertalented Knicks. Jon Miller - Voice of the Orioles during the 80's and 90's. The Raptors were also lucky, as Larry Johnson was shut down by a career-ending injury and Marcus Camby was plagued by his family kidnap. Frick Award recipient.

In addition, Charles Oakley's remarks incited Vince to "play it like a man", and steady contribution from Antonio Davis prevailed over the less-focused Knicks. Ernie Harwell - Voice of the Orioles in the late 50's and Ford C. Wilkens was credited for having Williams defend shooting guard Allan Houston and Carter defend small forward Latrell Sprewell, the two major offensive threats of the Knicks. Frick Award recipient. Toronto beat New York in the first round . Chuck Thompson - Voice of the Orioles for 50 years and Ford C. As predicted by analysts, the team clinched a playoff berth without much difficulty. 42 Jackie Robinson (retired throughout baseball).

Therefore, Raptors management decided to trade McGrady to the Magic during the 2000 offseason for a first-round draft pick in a sign-and-trade deal. 33 Eddie Murray. Furthermore, McGrady's natural position is at shooting guard, the same position as Carter. 22 Jim Palmer. Although McGrady and Carter showed impressive improvement at the same time, much of the media and fan attention was focused on Carter, who dunked more often and thus was more entertaining to fans. 20 Frank Robinson. The loss of former star small forawrd Tracy McGrady was also a factor in the Williamson trade.   8 Cal Ripken, Jr.

As Vince familarized himself with the shooting guard position and played less time at small forward, Christie became expendable and was traded for small forward Corliss Williamson. However, he was a disappointment and was traded during the season for defensive workhorse Jerome Williams.   5 Brooks Robinson. Jackson was later traded to give more minutes for Williams.   4 Earl Weaver. He scored three quarters of his points in the 4th quarter during regular season. 54 Sammy Snider (bullpen catcher). The season marked the development of Alvin Williams as a clutch performer. 44 Elrod Hendricks (bullpen).

In addition, the team finally found a true point guard, when Grunwald signed veteran playmaker Mark Jackson to a 4-year deal with the team. 48 Terry Crowley (hitting). Playoff failures led Grunwald to replace Butch Carter with Lenny Wilkens, who was a Hall-of-Fame coach and player with more than 30 years of coaching experience. 34 Ray Miller (pitching). Record: 45 Wins - 37 Losses; eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.   2 Sam Perlozzo (bench). This was also the first season at the Air Canada Centre, after four years of games at the cavernous SkyDome. 55 Tom Trebelhorn (third base).

Increased attendance and change of fan base also helped contribute to the decline of the Toronto Blue Jays. 24 Rick Dempsey (first base). Progressive team improvements and the rise to fame of Vince Carter attracted many fans around Toronto, many of whom were not previously basketball fans. 12 Lee Mazzilli. However, without significant playoff experience, the Raptors were swept by the New York Knicks in the playoffs. (Expected to enter Hall of Fame in 2007 on first ballot). Rotation of Antonio, Oakley and Willis in the front court and the maturation of both Carter and McGrady helped the team make its first ever playoff appearance. Cal Ripken, Jr.

In the backcourt, Butch Carter rotated Carter, Christie, Williams and Dell Curry at the shooting guard position and Williams and Muggsy Bogues at point guard. Hoyt Wilhelm. Thus, during the 1999 draft, he decided to trade first-round draft pick Jonathan Bender for veteran power forward Antonio Davis from the Indiana Pacers, who had been forced to play off the bench behind teammate Dale Davis. Earl Weaver. He also knew that the aging Willis and Oakley would eventually have to play fewer minutes or risk injury. Louis Browns). Grunwald decided that the solution to the Raptors' lack of a true point guard and a strong front court presence would have to come from mature veteran players. Rube Waddell (St.

Record: 23 Wins - 27 Losses (a shortened 50-game schedule). Louis Browns). Although the team did not make the playoffs, many were optimistic with the brilliant performances from the Rookie of the Year Vince Carter and a much improved McGrady. George Sisler (St. The new coach Butch Carter, besides doing an excellent coaching job, also helped develop the young players on the team, especially future All-Star Tracy McGrady. Frank Robinson. With those two holes temporarily filled, the team won more games than ever before. Brooks Robinson.

Kevin Willis, another veteran acquired from trade, solidified the center position. Robin Roberts. Alvin also showed improvement, on the offensive end. Louis Browns). This was an excellent move, as Christie greatly refined his defensive game and became one of the elite defenders in NBA. Branch Rickey (St. The coaching staff temporarily solved the lack of a true point guard by rotating Dee Brown, Alvin Williams and Doug Christie to play the position. Jim Palmer.

However, Oakley's leadership proved crucial to the success of the 1998-1999 Raptors. Eddie Murray. Many thought the trade would hurt the team, since he was trading away a promising prospect for an aging veteran. George Kell. Grunwald showed his better management ability than his predecessor by trading Camby to the Knicks for proven veteran Charles Oakley, whose tough mentality and playoff experience helped the maturity of the young players. Reggie Jackson. Record: 16 Wins - 66 Losses. Rick Ferrell.

However, the players reacted by playing harder and Marcus Camby earned the first two triple doubles of his career in the last four games of the season. Hugh Duffy (Milwaukee Brewers). When Glen Grunwald was named to succeed Thomas in 1998, virtually nobody thought he could turn the team around, demonstrated by the booing from the crowd when he made his first appearance to Air Canada Centre for a speech. Luis Aparicio. Thomas, a brilliant player and skilled evaluator of talent but lacking in management skills, failed to stop the downfall of the team which led to the dismantling of the core players and resignations of the head coach Darrell Walker and eventually of Thomas himself. The huge post-season crowds at their temporary home, Municipal Stadium, caught the attention of the big league brass and helped open the door to the return of major league baseball to Baltimore. All optimism evaporated when the team was hit by numerous injuries in early 1997-1998 season. The Orioles of the IL won several league championships, including 1944 after they had lost their home field Oriole Park in a disastrous mid-season fire.

Record: 30 Wins - 52 Losses. Baltimore's own George Herman Ruth - nicknamed "Babe" - pitched for the Orioles before being sold to the AL Boston Red Sox in 1916. Marcus Camby who was drafted 2nd overall in the 1996 draft by the Raptors had a season to forget in his first season as a Raptor. As a member of the high-minor league level International League, the Orioles competed at the AAA level from 1903-1953. Analysts predicted a playoff-contending or even a championship caliber team in a matter of a few seasons. In 1901, Baltimore and McGraw were awarded an expansion franchise in the growing American League, but the team was transferred to New York City in 1903 and, after some early struggles, eventually became baseball's most successful franchise - the New York Yankees. The team record improved by 9 games from its inaugural season and attendance was rising. Despite its on-field success, it was one of the four teams contracted by the National League after the 1899 season.

Record: 21 Wins - 61 Losses. That team had started as a charter member of the American Association in 1882. However, Stoudamire proved to be the one bright point in a terrible first season as he won Rookie of the Year honors by averaging 19 points and 9.3 assists per game. In the 1890's, a powerful and innovative National League Orioles squad included several future Hall of Famers, such as "Wee" Willie Keeler, Wilbert Robinson, Hughie Jennings and John McGraw, and won three straight pennants. The Raptors' pick of Stoudamire was greeted with boos from those present at the NBA Draft at the SkyDome in Toronto, many of whom bought into the hype surrounding UCLA star Ed O'Bannon. Isiah chose to build the franchise around Damon Stoudamire, a point guard out of Arizona.

After Isiah Thomas was named the general manager in 1995, he quickly staffed the management with his own personnel, including the first head coach Brandon Malone (who was later reunited with Thomas in the Knicks organization in 2003). They are currently the only NBA team based outside of the United States. The Toronto Raptors are a National Basketball Association team based in Toronto, Ontario. (December 17, 2004.).

2004- 2005 season: traded Vince Carter to the New Jersey Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, and two future first round draft picks. 2004 offseason: signed Rafer Alston. 2003-2004 season: traded Jerome Williams and Antonio Davis to the Bulls for Jalen Rose and Donyell Marshall. 2002 offseason: lost Keon Clark through free agency to the Kings.

2002 offseason: lost Chris Childs through free agency to the Nets. 2000-2001 season: traded Mark Jackson to the Knicks for Chris Childs. 2000-2001 season: traded Kevin Willis to the Denver Nuggets for Keon Clark. 2000-2001 season: traded Corliss Williamson to the Detroit Pistons for Jerome Williams.

2000 offseason: signed Mark Jackson. 2000 offseason: traded Tracy McGrady to the Magic for a 1st round draft pick. 2000 offseason: traded Doug Christie to the Kings for Corliss Williamson. 1999 offseason: signed Muggsy Bogues.

1999 offseason: signed Dell Curry. 1999 draft day: traded 1st round draft pick Jonathan Bender to the Pacers for Antonio Davis. 1998 offseason: traded with the Rockets for Kevin Willis. 1998 offseason: traded Marcus Camby to the Knicks for Charles Oakley.

1997-1998 season: traded Damon Stoudamire to the Portland Trail Blazers for Alvin Williams. 1996-1997 season: traded with the New York Knicks for Doug Christie. 2004 8th overall Rafael Araujo. 2003 4th overall Chris Bosh.

2002 20th overall Kareem Rush (draft-day trade for 27th overall Chris Jeffries). 2001 17th overall Michael Bradley. 2000 21st overall Morris Peterson. 1999 5th overall Jonathan Bender (traded for Antonio Davis).

1998 4th overall Antawn Jamison (traded on draft day for 5th overall pick Vince Carter). 1997 9th overall Tracy McGrady. 1996 2nd overall Marcus Camby. 1995 7th overall Damon Stoudamire.

Current: Rob Babcock (hired on June 7, 2004). March 1998 - April 2004: Glen Grunwald. 1995 - March 1998: Isiah Thomas. Current: Sam Mitchell (hired on June 29, 2004).

2003 - 2004: Kevin O'Neill. 2000 - 2003: Lenny Wilkens. Feb 1998 - 2000: Butch Carter. 1996 - Feb 1998: Darrell Walker.

1995 - 1996: Brendon Malone. Rafer Alston PG. Morris Peterson F/G. Rafer Alston PG.

Alvin Williams G. Jalen Rose G. Donyell Marshall PF. Chris Bosh C/F.

Jerome Williams (JYD Junkyard Dog). Damon Stoudamire. Hakeem Olajuwon. Tracy McGrady.

Antonio Davis. Keon Clark. Doug Christie. Vince Carter (Vinsanity, Half man Half Amazing, Air Canada).

Marcus Camby. Charles Oakley (Oaktree, Blagnum).