Nashville was one of the first professional baseball teams playing in the south, and was a charter franchise of the Southern League, playing as the Nashville Americans. In the beginning the Americans played to nearly empty crowds, but Nashville developed a reputation of fielding a competitive baseball team year in and year out, changed their nickname to the Vols, but they've never finished higher than second place.
Ten years ago 18 year old 3B
Fred Raymond signed on with the Nashville Vols and for the first five years Raymond didn't even make a start for the team, and stepped to the plate just 30 times. Nashville never had high expectation for Raymond, and when the Vols needed a third baseman in 1897 Raymond got his first chance and hit .266 in 41 games.
It wasn't a big debut, but it was enough for the Vols to give him another shot the next year, and Raymond has improved each season since. Last year Raymond led all hitters with his best season to date, hitting .339 with 62 runs scored and 52 RBI.
The Nashville pitching staff is led by 39 year old
Sean Williams, who last year went 22-10 with a 2.39 ERA. Williams is joined in the rotation by 37 year old
Charlie Parson (21-8, 3.79), and
Bill Walker (13-16, 3.77).
Pitching is definitely going to become a concern for the Nashville Vols because of age and better competition. They'll need to move quick and find some pitching or their stay in the Premier League will be short lived.