# 2009 Carolina League season

The 2009 Carolina League was a Class A-Advanced baseball season played between April 9 and September 7. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, with two teams from each division competing in the playoffs.
The Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, defeating the Salem Red Sox in the final round of the playoffs.

## Team changes

* The Salem Avalanche ended their affiliation with the Houston Astros and began a new affiliation with the Boston Red Sox. The club was renamed the Salem Red Sox.
* The Winston-Salem Warthogs are renamed the Winston-Salem Dash. The club remained affiliated with the Chicago White Sox.

## Teams

2009 Carolina League :
| Division | Team | City | MLB Affiliate | Stadium |
| North | Frederick Keys | Frederick, Maryland | Baltimore Orioles | Harry Grove Stadium |
| North | Lynchburg Hillcats | Lynchburg, Virginia | Pittsburgh Pirates | Calvin Falwell Field |
| North | Potomac Nationals | Woodbridge, Virginia | Washington Nationals | G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium |
| North | Wilmington Blue Rocks | Wilmington, Delaware | Kansas City Royals | Daniel S. Frawley Stadium |
| South | Kinston Indians | Kinston, North Carolina | Cleveland Indians | Grainger Stadium |
| South | Myrtle Beach Pelicans | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | Atlanta Braves | BB&T Coastal Field |
| South | Salem Red Sox | Salem, Virginia | Boston Red Sox | Lewis Gale Field |
| South | Winston-Salem Dash | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Chicago White Sox | Ernie Shore Field |

## Regular season
### Summary

* The Wilmington Blue Rocks finished with the best record in the league for the first time since 2003.

### Standings

North division :
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Wilmington Blue Rocks | 84 | 55 | .604 | – |
| Potomac Nationals | 79 | 58 | .577 | 4 |
| Lynchburg Hillcats | 73 | 66 | .525 | 11 |
| Frederick Keys | 64 | 75 | .460 | 20 |
| South division |||||
| Winston-Salem Dash | 73 | 65 | .529 | – |
| Salem Red Sox | 67 | 72 | .482 | 6.5 |
| Kinston Indians | 60 | 78 | .435 | 13 |
| Myrtle Beach Pelicans | 53 | 84 | .387 | 19.5 |

#### First half standings

North division :
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Lynchburg Hillcats | 45 | 24 | .652 | – |
| Potomac Nationals | 37 | 30 | .552 | 7 |
| Wilmington Blue Rocks | 38 | 31 | .551 | 7 |
| Frederick Keys | 31 | 38 | .449 | 14 |
| South division |||||
| Winston-Salem Dash | 38 | 30 | .559 | – |
| Salem Red Sox | 32 | 37 | .464 | 6.5 |
| Kinston Indians | 27 | 41 | .397 | 11 |
| Myrtle Beach Pelicans | 25 | 42 | .373 | 12.5 |

#### Second half standings

North division :
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Wilmington Blue Rocks | 46 | 24 | .657 | – |
| Potomac Nationals | 42 | 28 | .600 | 4 |
| Frederick Keys | 33 | 37 | .471 | 13 |
| Lynchburg Hillcats | 28 | 42 | .400 | 18 |
| South division |||||
| Salem Red Sox | 35 | 35 | .500 | – |
| Winston-Salem Dash | 35 | 35 | .500 | – |
| Kinston Indians | 33 | 37 | .471 | 2 |
| Myrtle Beach Pelicans | 28 | 42 | .400 | 7 |

## League Leaders
### Batting leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| AVG | Robbie Widlansky, Frederick Keys | .341 |
| H | Donell Linares, Myrtle Beach Pelicans | 145 |
| R | Danny Espinosa, Potomac Nationals | 90 |
| 2B | Jordy Mercer, Lynchburg Hillcats | 36 |
| 3B | Alex Presley, Lynchburg Hillcats | 11 |
| HR | Cody Johnson, Myrtle Beach Pelicans | 32 |
| RBI | Brandon Waring, Frederick Keys | 90 |
| SB | Derrick Robinson, Wilmington Blue Rocks | 69 |

### Pitching leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| W | Tommy Milone, Potomac Nationals | 12 |
| ERA | Eric Berger, Kinston Indians | 2.45 |
| SV | R.J. Rodriguez, Lynchburg Hillcats | 27 |
| SO | Eammon Portice, Salem Red Sox | 141 |
| IP | Anthony Carter, Winston-Salem Dash | 154.2 |

## Playoffs

* The Lynchburg Hillcats won their sixth Carolina League championship, defeating the Salem Red Sox in three games.

### Playoff bracket

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| N1 | Wilmington | 2 | | | |
| N2 | Lynchburg | 3 | | | |
| N2 | Lynchburg | 3 | N2 | Lynchburg | 3 |
| | | | S2 | Salem | 0 |
| S1 | Winston-Salem | 0 | S2 | Salem | 0 |
| S2 | Salem | 3 | | | |

## Awards

Carolina League awards :
| Award name | Recipient |
| Most Valuable Player | Brandon Waring, Frederick Keys |
| Pitcher of the Year | Zach Britton, Frederick Keys |
| Manager of the Year | Joe McEwing, Winston-Salem Dash |