Arizona Fall League logo |
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| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1992 |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country(ies) | USA |
| Most recent champion(s) | Salt River Rafters (3) |
| Most titles | Phoenix Desert Dogs (6) |
| Official website | Official website |
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball[1] which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States, at five spring training complexes.[1] The Arizona Fall League attracts many of the top prospects in minor league baseball.
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Each August, Major League Baseball clubs hold a position draft[1] to determine the players who will go to Arizona. Most are Double-A and Triple-A Minor League players.[1] Each club can opt to send two players below Double-A. Foreign players are allowed, as long as the player is not on his native country's primary protected player list. 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 Major League team provides seven players who team up to fill the 35-man roster of each team.[1] Additionally, teams may elect to send Taxi Squad players who are only eligible on Wednesdays and Saturdays. MLB teams also provide managers, coaches, and trainers.[1]
A number of famous ballplayers have had stints in the Arizona Fall League. In 1994, the league got worldwide attention as Michael Jordan's second professional baseball league, when he played for the Scottsdale Scorpions. Other notable ballplayers who have played in the Arizona Fall League include David Wright, Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols, and Ryan Braun.
| Division | Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | Mesa Solar Sox | Mesa, Arizona | HoHoKam Stadium | 12,632 |
| Salt River Rafters | Scottsdale, Arizona | Salt River Fields at Talking Stick | 11,000 | |
| Scottsdale Scorpions | Scottsdale, Arizona | Scottsdale Stadium | 11,200 | |
| West | Peoria Javelinas | Peoria, Arizona | Peoria Sports Complex | 12,882 |
| Surprise Saguaros | Surprise, Arizona | Surprise Stadium | 12,882 | |
| Phoenix Desert Dogs | Phoenix, Arizona | Phoenix Municipal Stadium | 10,500 |
| 2011 Arizona Fall League East Division | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Salt River Rafters | 22 | 16 | .579 | — |
| Mesa Solar Sox | 17 | 20 | .459 | 4.5 |
| Scottsdale Scorpions | 14 | 22 | .389 | 7.0 |
| 2011 Arizona Fall League West Division | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Surprise Saguaros | 26 | 10 | .722 | — |
| Peoria Javelinas | 16 | 19 | .457 | 9.5 |
| Phoenix Desert Dogs | 14 | 22 | .389 | 12.0 |
Saturday, November 19, 2011 – 1:10 pm (MST) at Scottsdale Stadium, Arizona
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt River Rafters | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 0 | |||||||||||
| Surprise Saguaros | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 1 | |||||||||||
| WP: Charles Brewer (1–0) LP: Alex Sanabia (0–1) Home runs: SRR: Nolan Arenado (1) SUR: Christian Bethancourt (1) |
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First presented in 2002 and named for Joe Black of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the award honors the 1952 National League Rookie of the Year.[2]
Winners have been the following:[3]
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The Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award was created in 2004, in memory of Dernell Stenson,[4] an outfielder for the Scottsdale Scorpions (Cincinnati Reds), who was killed in a carjacking on November 5, 2003. The award is voted on by the managers and coaches of the six Arizona Fall League teams.[5]
Stenson Award winners have been:[5]
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Twenty-three former Arizona Fall League players have been recognized for their achievements in Major League Baseball since the creation of the Hall of Fame in 2001.[6] To be considered by the selection committee, a player must be recognized by Major League Baseball as an MVP, Rookie of the Year, All-Star, Gold Glove, or Silver Slugger.
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