# 1991 Southern League season

The 1991 Southern League was a Class AA baseball season played between April 11 and September 4. Ten teams played a 144-game schedule, with the top team in each division in each half of the season qualifying for the post-season.
The Orlando Sun Rays won the Southern League championship, as they defeated the Birmingham Barons in the playoffs.

## Team changes

* The Columbus Mudcats relocated to Zebulon, North Carolina and are renamed to the Carolina Mudcats. The club ended their affiliation with the Houston Astros and began a new affiliation with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
* The Jacksonville Expos ended their affiliation with the Montreal Expos and began a new affiliation with the Seattle Mariners. The club was renamed to the Jacksonville Suns.

## Teams

1991 Southern League :
| Division | Team | City | MLB Affiliate | Stadium |
| East | Carolina Mudcats | Wilson, North Carolina Zebulon, North Carolina | Pittsburgh Pirates | Fleming Stadium Five County Stadium |
| East | Charlotte Knights | Charlotte, North Carolina | Chicago Cubs | Knights Stadium |
| East | Greenville Braves | Greenville, South Carolina | Atlanta Braves | Greenville Municipal Stadium |
| East | Jacksonville Suns | Jacksonville, Florida | Seattle Mariners | Wolfson Park |
| East | Orlando Sun Rays | Orlando, Florida | Minnesota Twins | Tinker Field |
| West | Birmingham Barons | Birmingham, Alabama | Chicago White Sox | Hoover Metropolitan Stadium |
| West | Chattanooga Lookouts | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Cincinnati Reds | Engel Stadium |
| West | Huntsville Stars | Huntsville, Alabama | Oakland Athletics | Joe W. Davis Stadium |
| West | Knoxville Blue Jays | Knoxville, Tennessee | Toronto Blue Jays | Bill Meyer Stadium |
| West | Memphis Chicks | Memphis, Tennessee | Kansas City Royals | Tim McCarver Stadium |

## Regular season
### Summary

* The Greenville Braves finished the season with the best record in the league for the first time since 1988.

### Standings

East Division :
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Greenville Braves | 88 | 56 | .611 | – |
| Orlando Sun Rays | 77 | 67 | .535 | 11 |
| Jacksonville Suns | 74 | 69 | .517 | 13.5 |
| Charlotte Knights | 74 | 70 | .514 | 14 |
| Carolina Mudcats | 66 | 76 | .465 | 21 |
| West Division |||||
| Birmingham Barons | 77 | 66 | .538 | – |
| Chattanooga Lookouts | 73 | 71 | .507 | 4.5 |
| Knoxville Blue Jays | 67 | 77 | .465 | 10.5 |
| Huntsville Stars | 61 | 83 | .424 | 16.5 |
| Memphis Chicks | 61 | 83 | .424 | 16.5 |

## League Leaders
### Batting leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| AVG | Jim Bowie, Jacksonville Suns | .310 |
| H | Fernando Ramsey, Charlotte Knights | 151 |
| R | Ron Coomer, Birmingham Barons | 81 |
| 2B | Jeff Kent, Knoxville Blue Jays | 34 |
| 3B | Benny Colvard, Chattanooga Lookouts Kinnis Pledger, Birmingham Barons Reggie Sanders, Chattanooga Lookouts | 8 |
| HR | Elvin Paulino, Charlotte Knights | 24 |
| RBI | Elvin Paulino, Charlotte Knights | 81 |
| SB | Shawn Gilbert, Orlando Sun Rays | 43 |

### Pitching leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| W | Nap Robinson, Greenville Braves | 16 |
| ERA | Pat Mahomes, Orlando Sun Rays | 1.78 |
| CG | Jim Bullinger, Charlotte Knights Tim Wakefield, Carolina Mudcats | 8 |
| SHO | Mike Anderson, Chattanooga Lookouts Jimmy Rogers, Knoxville Blue Jays José Ventura, Birmingham Barons | 3 |
| SV | Tim Peek, Huntsville Stars | 26 |
| IP | Mike Trombley, Orlando Sun Rays | 191.0 |
| SO | Mike Trombley, Orlando Sun Rays | 175 |

## Playoffs

* The Orlando Sun Rays won their second Southern League championship, defeating the Birmingham Barons in four games.

### Playoff bracket

| Division finals | Division finals | Division finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| E1 | Greenville | 0 | | | |
| E2 | Orlando | 3 | | | |
| E2 | Orlando | 3 | E2 | Orlando | 3 |
| | | | W1 | Birmingham | 1 |
| W1 | Birmingham | 3 | W1 | Birmingham | 1 |
| W2 | Knoxville | 1 | | | |

## Awards

Southern League awards :
| Award name | Recipient |
| Most Valuable Player | Ryan Klesko, Greenville Braves |
| Pitcher of the Year | Mark Wohlers, Greenville Braves |
| Manager of the Year | Chris Chambliss, Greenville Braves |