1998 Southern League season

1998 Southern League season Southern League Baseball April 2 – September 7 140 10 Regular season Jacksonville Suns Mobile BayBears Gabe Kapler, Jacksonville Suns Playoffs Mobile BayBears Jacksonville Suns List of Southern League seasons SL 1997 Southern League season 1997 1999 Southern League season 1999 The 1998 Southern League was a Class AA baseball season played between April 2 and September 7. Ten teams played a 140-game schedule, with the top team in each division in each half of the season qualifying for the post-season. The Mobile BayBears won the Southern League championship, as they defeated the Jacksonville Suns in the playoffs. Team changes The Southern League relocated to Jackson, Tennessee and were renamed to the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. The club ended their affiliation with the Seattle Mariners and began a new affiliation with the Chicago Cubs. The Orlando Rays ended their affiliation with the Chicago Cubs and began a new affiliation with the Seattle Mariners. Teams 1998 Southern League Division Team City MLB Affiliate Stadium East Carolina Mudcats Zebulon, North Carolina Pittsburgh Pirates Five County Stadium Greenville Braves Greenville, South Carolina Atlanta Braves Greenville Municipal Stadium Jacksonville Suns Jacksonville, Florida Detroit Tigers Wolfson Park Knoxville Smokies Knoxville, Tennessee Toronto Blue Jays Bill Meyer Stadium Orlando Rays Orlando, Florida Seattle Mariners Tinker Field West Birmingham Barons Birmingham, Alabama Chicago White Sox Hoover Metropolitan Stadium Chattanooga Lookouts Chattanooga, Tennessee Cincinnati Reds Engel Stadium Huntsville Stars Huntsville, Alabama Oakland Athletics Joe W. Davis Stadium Mobile BayBears Mobile, Alabama San Diego Padres Hank Aaron Stadium West Tenn Diamond Jaxx Jackson, Tennessee Chicago Cubs Pringles Park Map of teams left 10px East Division 10px West Division 915 445 370 190 545 USA 1750 USA 35.82 -78.27 Blue pog.svg 80 top Carolina #ffe USA 34.78 -82.35 Blue pog.svg 80 top Greenville #ffe USA 30.33 -81.64 Blue pog.svg 80 top Jackson-ville #ffe USA 35.98 -83.91 Blue pog.svg 80 top Knoxville #ffe USA 28.54 -81.40 Blue pog.svg 80 top Orlando #ffe USA 33.34 -86.85 Red pog.svg 80 top Birming-ham #ffe USA 35.05 -85.29 Red pog.svg 80 top Chattan-ooga #ffe USA 34.70 -86.59 Red pog.svg 80 top Huntsville #ffe USA 30.65 -88.12 Red pog.svg 80 top Mobile #ffe USA 35.68 -88.77 Red pog.svg 80 top West Tenn #ffe Regular season Summary The Jacksonville Suns and Mobile BayBears finished the season with the best record in the league. This was the first time for the Suns since 1987 and the first time for the BayBears in team history. Standings 1998 SOUL Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed March 14, 2025 East Division Team Win Loss % GB Jacksonville Suns 86 54 86 54 – Knoxville Smokies 71 69 71 69 15 Orlando Rays 67 71 67 71 18 Greenville Braves 67 72 67 72 18.5 Carolina Mudcats 59 80 59 80 26.5West Division Mobile BayBears 86 54 86 54 – Huntsville Stars 72 68 72 68 14 West Tenn Diamond Jaxx 66 74 66 74 20 Chattanooga Lookouts 65 73 65 73 20 Birmingham Barons 58 82 58 82 28 League Leaders Batting leaders 1998 SL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed March 14, 2025 Stat Player Total AVG Jason LaRue, Chattanooga Lookouts .365 H Gabe Kapler, Jacksonville Suns 176 R Gabe Kapler, Jacksonville Suns 113 2B Robert Fick, Jacksonville Suns Gabe Kapler, Jacksonville Suns 47 3B Bo Porter, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx 11 HR Gabe Kapler, Jacksonville Suns 28 RBI Gabe Kapler, Jacksonville Suns 146 SB Bo Porter, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx 50 Pitching leaders 1998 SL Pitching Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed March 14, 2025 Stat Player Total W Dave Borkowski, Jacksonville Suns 16 ERA Bryan Wolff, Mobile BayBears 2.29 CG Brian McNichol, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx Jason Olsen, Birmingham Barons 4 SHO Tim Harikkala, Orlando Rays Bryan Wolff, Mobile BayBears 2 SV Sean Spencer, Orlando Rays 18 IP Buddy Carlyle, Mobile / Chattanooga 188.2 SO Brian McNichol, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx 168 Playoffs The Mobile BayBears won their first Southern League championship, defeating the Jacksonville Suns in four games. Playoff bracket Division finals Finals E1 Jacksonville 3 E2 Knoxville 0 W1 Mobile 3 W2 Huntsville 0 E1 Jacksonville 1 W1 Mobile 3 Awards Southern League awards Award name Recipient Most Valuable Player Gabe Kapler, Jacksonville Suns Pitcher of the Year Bruce Chen, Greenville Braves Manager of the Year Mike Ramsey, Mobile BayBears See also 1998 Major League Baseball season References External links Minor League Baseball official website Southern League season Category:1998 in sports in Alabama Category:1998 in sports in Florida Category:1998 in sports in North Carolina Category:1998 in sports in South Carolina Category:1998 in sports in Tennessee