Lexington Legends

History

The Class-A Kissimmee Cobras of the Florida State League contracted following the 2000 season; the Lexington Legends were established as an expansion franchise in the South Atlantic League in 2001 and assumed the Houston Astros affiliation from the Cobras.

The 2001 season began under manager J. J. Cannon. The team finished their first regular season with 92 wins and 48 losses and first place in the sixteen-team South Atlantic League. In the postseason, the Legends defeated the Hagerstown Suns in the first round and advanced to play the Asheville Tourists in the League Championship Series. However, the series was canceled after the Legends won the first two games due to the September 11 attacks, and the Legends were declared co-champions after having gone up 2–0 before game three was canceled.

Cannon returned to manage in 2002 and led the team to another winning record, but the Legends failed to qualify for the playoffs. Lexington returned to the playoffs in 2003 but was defeated by the Lake County Captains in the first round. In 2004, the Legends finished with a record of 68–72, their first losing record in team history. The following season, the Legends posted an 81–58 regular season record and finished in first place under manager Tim Bogar.

Roger Clemens

On May 31, 2006, Roger Clemens announced that he would come out of retirement to pitch for the Houston Astros for the remainder of the 2006 season. Clemens, planning to keep himself to a strict 60-pitch limit, returned to baseball with the Legends, where his oldest son Koby played. Father and son denied reports that Koby would catch his dad for the return. "He doesn't listen to me," Roger Clemens said. "We'd be shaking each other off and arguing too much." In his first game, Clemens threw 62 pitches, allowed no walks, and only one run while striking out 6 batters in three innings of work with the Legends, who won the game 5–1.

Joe Mikulik incident

The team received national attention again in 2006 following a controversial game against the Asheville Tourists on June 25. In the fifth inning of the game, Tourists manager Joe Mikulik went on an extended tirade after being ejected from the game following an argument with an umpire. The event received coverage on various television programs, including NBC's The Tonight Show, ESPN's Pardon the Interruption and SportsCenter, and MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Roger Clemens' appearance as a Legend and Joe Mikulik's meltdown are chronicled in the 2011 documentary film Legendary: When Baseball Came to the Bluegrass.

2021 and beyond

The Lexington Legends were one of the minor league teams that lost MLB affiliation under a new plan by MLB. On February 18, 2021, the team announced that it would be joining the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent MLB Partner league, for the 2021 season.

On October 28, 2022, the team and their ballpark were sold to Nathan and Keri Lyons.

2023 name change

It was announced March 6, 2023, that the team was changing its name to the Lexington Counter Clocks. For that season, their ballpark was known as Counter Clocks Field.

2024 sale and name change

It was announced January 25, 2024, that the team had been sold to Temerity Baseball along with several local investors. On February 15, 2024, it was announced the team would be renamed back to the Lexington Legends.

Branding and mascots

The Legends' mascot from 2001 to 2022 was Big L, a mustachioed baseball player caricature. His best friend was Pee Wee, another team mascot. The team's colors were blue, green, and yellow.

Along with its new name, in 2023 the Lexington Counter Clocks introduced two new mascots: Hoss, a horse that races to the left, and Dinger, a clock swinging a bat. The team's colors are now blue, red, and white.

Along with the name change announced on February 15, 2024, a new mascot was introduced: Mighty Lex, a baseball with arms, legs, and the same mustache worn by past mascot Big L.

Season-by-season results

Since its inception, the Lexington franchise has played 22 seasons, initially in the South Atlantic League (2001–2019) and later in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (2021–present). As of the completion of the 2022 season, the club had played in 2,886 regular season games and compiled a record of 1,400–1,486 for a .485 winning percentage. The team postseason record was 19–8.

Notes

• This column indicates overall wins and losses during the regular season and excludes any postseason play.
• This column indicates overall position in the league standings.
• This column indicates overall position in the divisional standings[split seasons for 2013 and 2014].
• Determined by finding the difference in wins plus the difference in losses divided by two, this column indicates "games behind" the team that finished in overall first place in the division [split seasons for 2013 and 2014].
• This column indicates wins and losses during the postseason.
• Due to the September 11 attacks, the 2001 best-of-five League Championship Series against Asheville was cancelled. Asheville and Lexington were declared SAL Co-Champions.

Roster

(hitting) (pitching)

Lexington Legends Hall of Fame

The Lexington Legends honored ten past members of the organization by inducting them into the Lexington Legends Hall of Fame. These individuals are:

• Josh Anderson, outfielder (2004), inducted in 2005
• John Buck, catcher (2001), inducted in 2005
• Joe Cannon, manager (2001–2002), inducted in 2006
• Félix Escalona, second baseman (2001), inducted in 2005
• Mike Gallo, pitcher (2002), inducted in 2007
• Kirk Saarloos, pitcher (2001), inducted in 2006
• Dave Coggin, pitcher (2005), inducted in 2008
• Alan Stein, Team President/COO, inducted in 2005
• Charley Taylor, pitching coach, inducted in 2005
• Jon Topolski, outfielder (2001), inducted in 2005
• Tommy Whiteman, shortstop (2001–2002), inducted in 2007

References

;General

• "Lexington, Kentucky Minor League History." Baseball-Reference. Retrieved on September 11, 2010.
• "Lexington History (SAL)." The Baseball Cube. Retrieved on September 11, 2010. ;Specific

References

1. "Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Official Colors (1998 through present)".
2. (January 25, 2024). "Goodbye Counter Clocks. Under new owner, Lexington's baseball team changing name again.". [[Lexington Herald-Leader]].
3. (November 21, 2024). "Lexington Legends hire new manager ahead of 25th anniversary baseball season". [[Lexington Herald-Leader]].
4. Reichard, Kevin. (September 23, 2020). "Indy Atlantic League designated MLB Partner League". August Publishing.
5. Reichard, Kevin. (September 24, 2020). "American Association, Frontier League now MLB Partner Leagues". August Publishing.
6. Bailey, Rick. (June 2, 2006). "Pitch and catch at the park, Clemens style". [[Lexington Herald-Leader]].
7. (November 17, 2019). "Lexington Legends part of proposed downsizing". [[Lexington Herald-Leader]].
8. (February 18, 2021). "Legends join the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball".
9. (October 28, 2022). "Nashville developer acquires Lexington Legends, Wild Health Field".
10. Geoghegan, Zack. (October 28, 2022). "Lexington Legends, Wild Health Field sold to Nashville developer".
11. (March 6, 2023). "New for 2023: Lexington Counter Clocks". August Publications.
12. (February 15, 2024). "The Lexington Legends are back with a new mascot for the 2024 Atlantic League season". [[Lexington Herald-Leader]].
13. (March 6, 2023). "We're the Lexington Counter Clocks".
14. "Legends Hall Of Fame".