Mankato MoonDogs
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The Mankato MoonDogs are an American amateur baseball team that plays in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. Their home games are played at ISG Field in Mankato, Minnesota. Several former Mankato players have gone on to play in Major League Baseball, including Curtis Granderson, Brandon Crawford, Alex Vesia, and Jacob Wilson.
History
The team started play in 1999 as the Mankato Mashers, effectively serving as a replacement for the Kenosha Kroakers club which had folded after the 1998 season. In their inaugural season, the Mashers were the only team in the Northwoods League to broadcast their games on television.
The Mashers were renamed in 2002 to the MoonDogs when the franchise was acquired by Joe Schwei. The Moondogs were again sold in January 2013 to Mark Ogren. The current ownership group of Chad Superenant and Kyle Smith took over the club in 2018.
From 2008 to 2018 the MoonDogs made the playoffs eight of eleven season, making it to the NWL Summer Collegiate World Series on three occasions. In 2014 the MoonDogs were defeated by the Lakeshore Chinooks in a two-game series sweep.
Season-by-season
| Season | W | L | Divisional result | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 28 | 34 | ||
| 2000 | 27 | 37 | ||
| 2001 | 36 | 28 | ||
| 2002 | 33 | 31 | ||
| 2003 | 27 | 37 | ||
| 2004 | 21 | 43 | ||
| 2005 | 34 | 34 | ||
| 2006 | 32 | 35 | ||
| 2007 | 35 | 32 | ||
| 2008 | 41 | 27 | ||
| 2009 | 39 | 29 | 2nd of 7 | Lost division finals vs Rochester Honkers |
| 2010 | 29 | 41 | 8th of 8 | DNQ |
| 2011 | 42 | 28 | 2nd of 8 | Won division finals vs Alexandria Beetles Lost finals vs Battle Creek Bombers |
| 2012 | 42 | 27 | 1st of 8 | Won division finals vs Willmar Stingers Lost finals vs La Crosse Loggers |
| 2013 | 38 | 32 | 4th of 8 | DNQ |
| 2014 | 42 | 30 | 3rd of 10 | Won division finals vs Willmar Stingers Lost finals vs Lakeshore Chinooks |
| 2015 | 33 | 39 | 6th of 9 | DNQ |
| 2016 | 46 | 26 | 2nd of 9 | Lost division semifinals vs Willmar Stingers |
| 2017 | 44 | 28 | 1st of 10 | Won division semifinals vs Eau Claire Express Lost division finals vs St. Cloud Rox |
| 2018 | 46 | 26 | 3rd of 10 | Lost division semifinals vs Willmar Stingers |
| 2019 | 36 | 36 | 4th of 5 | DNQ |
| 2020 | 17 | 25 | 4th of 5 | DNQ |
| 2021 | 44 | 24 | 2nd of 5 | Lost sub-division series vs St. Cloud Rox |
| 2022 | 40 | 28 | 3rd of 5 | DNQ |
| 2023 | 38 | 30 | 3rd of 6 | DNQ |
| 2024 | 38 | 32 | 3rd of 6 | DNQ |
| 2025 | 38 | 33 | 3rd of 6 | Won sub-division series vs St. Cloud Rox Lost division finals vs Duluth Huskies |
| 2026 | 37 | 33 | 2nd of 6 | DNQ |
Notable alumni (played in MLB)
Staff
The team's General Manager, Walker Regier, is from Southern Minnesota, he previously interned for the Willmar Stingers, another Northwoods League team.
Muttnik
Listed at 6'3" and 210 lbs, the MoonDogs mascot throws and bats right pawed. Muttnik can be seen mingling with the crowd during games or at various community events throughout the year.