The Savannah Sand Gnats were a minor league baseball team based in

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...

. They were a member of the A-level

South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...

. The Sand Gnats were an affiliate of the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

in their final nine seasons. The team relocated to

Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city ...

, in 2016 where they are now known as the

Columbia Fireflies The Columbia Fireflies are a Minor League Baseball team based in Columbia, South Carolina, and are the Single-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball. Their home stadium is Segra Park. The team was previously known as the ...

History

Formerly known as the Savannah Cardinals, the team played their inaugural season in 1984, affiliated with the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

. In 1996, the team changed its name to the Sand Gnats, and became an affiliate of the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

. The team was affiliated with the Texas Rangers from 1998 to 2002 and the

Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...

from 2003 to 2006. The Sand Gnats played their home games at

Grayson Stadium William L. Grayson Stadium is a stadium in Savannah, Georgia. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Savannah Bananas of the Coastal Plain League collegiate summer baseball league. It was the part-time home of the S ...

. Opened in 1927, Grayson Stadium seated 4,700 fans during its time as the home of the Sand Gnats. The Sand Gnats won four SAL championships (1993, 1994, 1997, 2013). On January 11, 2007, the Sand Gnats named

Tim Teufel Timothy Shawn Teufel (born July 7, 1958) is an American former professional baseball second baseman and current coach. He played Major League Baseball from to , most notably as a member of the New York Mets with whom he won a world championship ...

as manager for the 2007 season. On May 8, 2007, Jorge Reyes, a

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

for the Sand Gnats, was suspended for violating Minor League Baseball's substance abuse policy. Reyes was the first player to receive a 100-game suspension for his second violation. On March 20, 2008, Atlanta-based Hardball Capital purchased the Savannah Sand Gnats. Among their notable alumni are

Adrián Beltré Adrián Beltré Pérez (born April 7, 1979) is a Dominican former professional baseball third baseman. During his career, Beltré played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, and Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers ...

Jacob DeGrom Jacob Anthony deGrom (born June 19, 1988), is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets. Prior to playing professionally, deGrom attend ...

Éric Gagné Éric Serge Gagné (; born January 7, 1976) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher who played 10 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably for the Los Angeles Dodgers. After signing with the Dodgers as a free agent in 1995 ...

Edwin Encarnación Edwin Elpidio Encarnación (born January 7, 1983) is a Dominican former professional baseball designated hitter, third baseman and first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland ...

Michael Fulmer Michael Joseph Fulmer (born March 15, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the g ...

Travis Hafner Travis Lee Hafner (; born June 3, 1977) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a designated hitter and first baseman. A left-handed hitter, Hafner played for the Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indian ...

Hank Blalock Hank Joe Blalock (born November 21, 1980) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays. High school Blalock attended Rancho Bernardo High School in ...

, Steven Matz,

Collin McHugh Collin Alexander McHugh (born June 19, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the New York Mets, Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays. List ...

Brandon Nimmo Brandon Tate Nimmo (born March 27, 1993) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was drafted by the Mets in the first round of the 2011 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut with them ...

Josh Whitesell Joshua S. Whitesell (born April 14, 1982) is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and ...

Josh Satin Joshua Blake Satin (born December 23, 1984) is an American former professional baseball corner infielder. Satin played first base, second base, and third base. During his career, he played for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball, as well a ...

, and

Ryan Zimmerman Ryan Wallace Zimmerman (born September 28, 1984) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and third baseman who played 16 seasons for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Zimmerman graduated from Kellam Hig ...

Season-by-season records

, - , 1984 , , 78 , , 61 , , 3rd, Southern , , Lost in Semi-Finals , - , 1985 , , 57 , , 78 , , 4th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 1986 , , 75 , , 60 , , 2nd, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 1987 , , 69 , , 69 , , 4th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 1988 , , 68 , , 67 , , 5th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 1989 , , 69 , , 70 , , 4th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 1990 , , 73 , , 68 , , 6th, Southern , , Lost League Finals , - , 1991 , , 61 , , 77 , , 7th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 1992 , , 62 , , 78 , , 5th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 1993 , , 94 , , 48 , , 1st, Southern , , League Champions , - , 1994 , , 82 , , 55 , , 2nd, Southern , , League Champions , - , 1995 , , 56 , , 83 , , 6th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 1996 , , 72 , , 69 , , 2nd, Southern , , League Champions , - , 1997 , , 63 , , 77 , , 3rd, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 1998 , , 66 , , 76 , , 3rd, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 1999 , , 62 , , 78 , , 4th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 2000 , , 74 , , 65 , , 4th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 2001 , , 54 , , 82 , , 8th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 2002 , , 49 , , 89 , , 8th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 2003 , , 58 , , 80 , , 7th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 2004 , , 58 , , 80 , , 7th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 2005 , , 62 , , 76 , , 7th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 2006 , , 56 , , 83 , , 7th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 2007 , , 41 , , 94 , , 8th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 2008 , , 61 , , 76 , , 7th, Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , 2009 , , 65 , , 72 , , Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , , 2010 , , 75 , , 64 , , Southern , , Lost in Semi-Finals , - , , 2011 , , 79 , , 60 , , Southern , , Lost League Finals , - , , 2012 , , 69 , , 67 , , Southern , , Did Not Qualify , - , , 2013 , , 77 , , 61 , , Southern , , League Champions , - , , 2014 , , 85 , , 51 , , Southern , , Lost in Semi-Finals , - , , 2015 , , 83 , , 54 , , 1st, Southern , , Lost in League Finals

Rivals

Augusta GreenJackets

The Sand Gnats had a in-state rivalry with the

Augusta GreenJackets The Augusta GreenJackets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at SRP Park in North Augusta, South Carolina, which opened in April 2018. They previo ...

, an affiliate of the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...

Charleston RiverDogs

The Sand Gnats had a rivalry with the

Charleston RiverDogs The Charleston RiverDogs are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League. They are located in Charleston, South Carolina, and are the Single-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. The RiverDogs' home stadium is Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park. Hi ...

, an affiliate of the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...

References

{{Authority control Baseball teams established in 1984 Baseball teams disestablished in 2015 Defunct South Atlantic League teams Baseball teams in Savannah, Georgia Professional baseball teams in Georgia (U.S. state) Montreal Expos minor league affiliates New York Mets minor league affiliates Los Angeles Dodgers minor league affiliates St. Louis Cardinals minor league affiliates Texas Rangers minor league affiliates Washington Nationals minor league affiliates 1984 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) 2015 disestablishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Defunct baseball teams in Georgia