// Workers AI · dad joke modeDid the 1980 Carolina League season pitch a good time? It was a home run.

1980 Carolina League season
League	Carolina League
Sport	Baseball
Duration	April 11 – August 31
Games	140
Teams	8
Regular season
Season MVP	Julio Franco, Peninsula Pilots
Playoffs
League champions	Peninsula Pilots
Runners-up	Durham Bulls

The 1980 Carolina League was a Class A baseball season played between April 11 and August 31. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, with the top team from each division competing for the league championship.

The Peninsula Pilots won the Carolina League championship, defeating the Durham Bulls in the final round of the playoffs.

League changes

• With two new teams joining the league, the teams were split up into two four-team divisions.
• The new divisions are the North Division and the South Division.

Team changes

• The Durham Bulls rejoin the league as an expansion team. They began an affiliation with the Atlanta Braves.
• The Rocky Mount Pines join the league as an expansion team.
• The Alexandria Mariners ended their affiliation with the Seattle Mariners. The team was renamed the Alexandria Dukes.

Teams

1980 Carolina League
Division	Team	City	MLB Affiliate	Stadium
North	Durham Bulls	Durham, North Carolina	Atlanta Braves	Durham Athletic Park
	Kinston Eagles	Kinston, North Carolina	Toronto Blue Jays	Grainger Stadium
	Rocky Mount Pines	Rocky Mount, North Carolina	None	Municipal Stadium
	Winston-Salem Red Sox	Winston-Salem, North Carolina	Boston Red Sox	Ernie Shore Field
South	Alexandria Dukes	Alexandria, Virginia	None	Municipal Stadium at Four Mile Run
	Lynchburg Mets	Lynchburg, Virginia	New York Mets	City Stadium
	Peninsula Pilots	Hampton, Virginia	Philadelphia Phillies	War Memorial Stadium
	Salem Pirates	Salem, Virginia	Pittsburgh Pirates	Salem Municipal Field

Map of teams

Durham

Kinston

Rocky Mount

Winston-Salem

Alexandria

Lynchburg

Peninsula

Salem

North division South division

Regular season

Summary

• The Peninsula Pilots finished with the best record in the league for the first time since 1978.
• The Rocky Mount Pines set a league record for losses in a season (114) and lowest winning percentage (.174)
• Playoff berths are based on the winner of each half of the season in each division.

Standings

North division
Team	Win	Loss	%	GB
Durham Bulls	84	56	.600	–
Winston-Salem Red Sox	76	64	.543	8
Kinston Eagles	69	69	.500	14
Rocky Mount Pines	24	114	.174	59
South division
Peninsula Pilots	100	40	.714	–
Salem Pirates	79	60	.568	20.5
Lynchburg Mets	71	68	.511	28.5
Alexandria Dukes	54	86	.386	46

League Leaders

Batting leaders

Stat	Player	Total
AVG	Wil Culmer, Peninsula Pilots	.370
H	Wil Culmer, Peninsula Pilots	184
R	Wil Culmer, Peninsula Pilots	112
2B	John Csyfalvay, Lynchburg Mets	30
3B	Bienvenido DeLaRosa, Salem Pirates	15
HR	Craig Brooks, Winston-Salem Red Sox	24
RBI	Julio Franco, Peninsula Pilots	99
SB	Albert Hall, Durham Bulls	100

Pitching leaders

Stat	Player	Total
W	Roy Smith, Peninsula Pilots	17
ERA	James Wright, Peninsula Pilots	1.85
CG	Tim Lewis, Alexandria Dukes	10
SV	Martin Rivas, Winston-Salem Red Sox	21
SO	Don Carman, Peninsula Pilots	141
IP	Jay Fredlund, Winston-Salem Red Sox	211.0

Playoffs

• The Peninsula Pilots won their third Carolina League championship, defeating the Durham Bulls in four games.

Playoff bracket

	Finals
	N1	Durham	1
	S1	Peninsula	3

Awards

Carolina League awards
Award name	Recipient
Most Valuable Player	Julio Franco, Peninsula Pilots
Pitcher of the Year	Roy Smith, Peninsula Pilots
Manager of the Year	Johnny Lipon, Peninsula Pilots

See also

• 1980 Major League Baseball season

External links

• Minor League Baseball official website