1978 Bluefield Orioles Roster
Team Record: 29-40
Finished 6th in the AL
Manager: J. R. Miner (29-40)
Affiliation: Baltimore Orioles
Location: Bluefield, West Virginia
Ballpark: Bowen Field
Attendance: 28,625, Avg. 830
The Bluefield Orioles of the Appalachian League ended the 1978 season with a record of 29 wins and 40 losses, finishing sixth in the AL.
The Orioles scored 291 runs and conceded 348 runs, most in the circuit. Larry Sheets led Bluefield with 11 home runs and drove in 48 runs. Vic Rodríguez paced batters with significant playing time by connecting at a .321 clip. Tim Norris topped the team with 5 wins, while Don Welchel recorded a 2.43 ERA, best among regular hurlers.
Players from the 1978 Bluefield Orioles who spent time in the Majors during their careers included Don Welchel, John Shelby, Larry Sheets, Cal Ripken, Vic Rodríguez and Mike Boddicker.
J. R. Miner served as manager.Click on column headings to sort.
| Player | Bats | Throws | Birth Date | Height | Weight | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Banks | R | 6'2" | 195 | |||
| Mike Boddicker | R | R | August 23, 1957 | 5'11" | 172 | Cedar Rapids, IA US |
| Donald Bowman | R | R | September 10, 1957 | 6'5" | 223 | Harrisonburg, VA US |
| Robert Boyce | R | R | 6'1" | 180 | ||
| Michael Byars | R | R | 5'11" | 170 | ||
| Brooks Carey | L | L | March 18, 1956 | 6'2" | 185 | Key West, FL US |
| James Delmonico | L | R | 6'1" | 180 | ||
| Allen Edwards | R | R | March 12, 1957 | 6'0" | 180 | |
| Kurt Fabrizio | L | L | 6'0" | 190 | ||
| Eddie Hook | R | R | January 17, 1960 | 6'2" | 185 | Santa Monica, CA US |
| Daniel Keck | R | R | 6'1" | 195 | ||
| Michael Lacasse | R | R | 6'1" | 175 | ||
| David Loeffler | R | R | 6'5" | 210 | ||
| Jim Loftin | L | L | 6'1" | 190 | ||
| William Marrero | R | R | 6'0" | 185 | ||
| Richard Moore | R | R | 6'1" | 185 | ||
| Douglas Nave | R | R | 6'0" | 175 | ||
| Tim Norris | R | R | February 13, 1960 | 6'2" | 190 | Baltimore, MD US |
| George Paul | R | R | 5'10" | 175 | ||
| William Purdy | L | R | 6'0" | 175 | ||
| Cal Ripken | R | R | August 24, 1960 | 6'4" | 200 | Havre de Grace, MD US |
| Eddie Rodriguez | R | R | March 11, 1959 | 5'8" | 150 | La Habana, La Habana CU |
| Vic Rodríguez | R | R | July 14, 1961 | 5'11" | 173 | New York, NY US |
| Charles Salagan | L | L | 6'2" | 175 | ||
| Larry Sheets | L | R | December 6, 1959 | 6'3" | 217 | Staunton, VA US |
| John Shelby | S | R | February 23, 1958 | 6'1" | 175 | Lexington, KY US |
| Terrence Swinton | R | R | 5'11" | 160 | ||
| Marion Thackston | L | 6'3" | 200 | |||
| Don Welchel | R | R | February 3, 1957 | 6'4" | 205 | Atlanta, TX US |
| Cecil Whitehead | R | R | 6'0" | 185 |
Average attendance is based upon the number of actual home dates where known (most leagues from 1992 and later). Where the number of home dates is not known, the average is calculated using half the team's total games.
