Arizona Fall League
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Arizona Fall League is a minor league baseball league which operates during the fall in Arizona, U.S. at five spring training complexes. Each August, Major League Baseball clubs hold a position draft to determine the players who will go to Arizona. Most are AA and AAA Minor League players. Each club can opt to send one player considered a Class A player. Only one foreign player is allowed, but only if that player does not come from a region that participates in winter ball. The league is designed for these prospects to refine their skills and perform in game settings in front of major and minor league baseball scouts and team executives, who are in attendance at almost every game. Play begins shortly after the end of MLB's regular season in early October, and ends in mid-November.
The Arizona Fall League teams are not exclusive affiliates of any one team; instead, each MLB team provides six players who team up to fill the 30-man roster of each team. MLB teams also send coaches. The affiliations generally change every year.
A number of famous ballplayers have had stints in the Arizona. In 1994, the league got worldwide attention as Michael Jordan's first professional baseball league, when he played for the Scottsdale Scorpions. Other notable ballplayers who have played at one time in the Arizona Fall League include Derek Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra and Albert Pujols. Over sixty percent of the players who are sent to the league make the majors. The Phoenix Desert Dogs are three time defending league champions.
In 2006, games will be played at Scottsdale Stadium, Surprise Stadium, Peoria Sports Complex, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, and HoHoKam Park. The six teams will play a schedule of 32 games each, with an all-star game on October 27 at Surprise Stadium and a final championship game at Scottsdale Stadium on November 18.
Current member teams:
- Grand Canyon Rafters play at Surprise
- Mesa Solar Sox play at Mesa HoHoKam
- Peoria Javelinas play at Peoria
- Peoria Saguaros play at Peoria
- Phoenix Desert Dogs play at Phoenix Muni
- Scottsdale Scorpions play at Scottsdale
[edit] Championship history
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Sun Cities Solar Sox | Phoenix Desert Dogs |
| 1993 | Tempe Rafters | Tuscon |
| 1994 | Peoria Javelinas | Mesa Saguaros |
| 1995 | Mesa Saguaros | Sun Cities Solar Sox |
| 1996 | Scottsdale Scorpions | Mesa Saguaros |
| 1997 | Peoria Javelinas | Grand Canyon Rafters |
| 1998 | Sun Cities Solar Sox | Grand Canyon Rafters |
| 1999 | Mesa | Maryvale Saguaros |
| 2000 | Grand Canyon Rafters | Phoenix Desert Dogs |
| 2001 | Phoenix Desert Dogs | Grand Canyon Rafters |
| 2002 | Peoria | Scottsdale Scorpions |
| 2003 | Mesa Solar Sox | Mesa Desert Dogs |
| 2004 | Phoenix Desert Dogs | Scottsdale Scorpions |
| 2005 | Phoenix Desert Dogs | Surprise Scorpions |
| 2006 | Phoenix Desert Dogs | Grand Canyon Rafters |
[edit] Hall of Fame
2001
- Nomar Garciaparra, 1994 Scottsdale Scorpions
- Derek Jeter, 1994 Chandler Diamondbacks
- Mike Piazza, 1992 Sun City Solar Sox
- Dusty Baker, 1992 Scottsdale Scorpions
2002
- Jason Giambi, 1994 Peoria Javelinas
- Jerry Manuel, 1994 Maryvale Saguaros
2003
- Shawn Green, 1993 Scottsdale Scorpions
- Todd Helton, 1996 Peoria Javelinas
- Mike Scioscia, 1997 Peoria Javelinas
2004
- Garret Anderson, 1993 Tempe Rafters
- Albert Pujols, 2000 Scottsdale Scorpions
- Tony Peña, 2000 Maryvale Saguaros
2005
2006
- Roy Halladay, 1998 Grand Canyon Rafters
- Grady Little, 1992 Grand Canyon Rafters
- Alfonso Soriano, 1998 Grand Canyon Rafters
[edit] External link
| Arizona Fall League | ||
| American Division | National Division | |
|---|---|---|
| Mesa Solar Sox | Phoenix Desert Dogs | Scottsdale Scorpions | Grand Canyon Rafters | Peoria Javelinas | Peoria Saguaros | |
