All-Star Futures Game

The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game hosted by Major League Baseball. Started in 1999, a team of minor league baseball prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other countries in the World compete against each other. It is played as part of the festivities of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Origins

The 2010 XM All-Star Futures Game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

The Futures Game was conceived by Jimmie Lee Solomon, an Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations for Major League Baseball, looking for an event to showcase the minor leagues and round out the All-Star week festivities. Early versions of the game created marginal interest in the baseball community, but the event has drawn more interest each successive year.

Format

Rosters for the Futures Game are selected by Baseball America magazine, in conjunction with MLB and all 30 major league teams. Every organization is represented, with no more than two players from any organization, and 25 players per team, divided into U.S. and World teams based on place of birth.

Players born in Puerto Rico are part of the World team despite being U.S. citizens by birth, because that territory has its own national baseball federation and national team.

Games last nine innings (seven innings prior to 2008), with up to two extra innings available to settle a tie after playing all regulation innings; if after 11 innings total, a tie still remains, the game ends. Pitchers are limited to pitching up to one inning.

Rosters are selected by a joint committee consisting of Major League Baseball, MLB.com, and Baseball America magazine.[1]

Any player selected to the All-Star Futures Game but promoted to the majors prior to the game is replaced.

Changes in 2008

Two major changes took place in the 2008 game:

Larry Doby Award

Note: For the award winners, see the "MVP" column in the "Results" section (below).

Each year, an award is presented to the game's most valuable player. In 2003, the name was changed from Futures Game Most Valuable Player Award to the Larry Doby Award.[3]*

Five of the 15 award winners have gone on to become MLB All-Stars: Alfonso Soriano, José Reyes, Grady Sizemore, Aaron Hill, and Billy Butler, while 115 total players have appeared in both games. Of those 115, 12 played in the All-Star Game the year after competing in the Futures Game, according to MLB.com.[4]
 * This award should not be confused with the Larry Doby Legacy Award, which is presented by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Results

Key
MVP Most Valuable Player
dagger MLB All-Star on a future occasion
Results
Year Winner Score Ballpark MVP MVP organization Ref
1999 World 7–0 Fenway Park Soriano, AlfonsoAlfonso Sorianodagger New York Yankees [5]
2000 U.S. 3–2 Turner Field Burroughs, SeanSean Burroughs San Diego Padres [6]
2001 U.S. 5–1 Safeco Field Hall, TobyToby Hall Tampa Bay Devil Rays [7]
2002 World 5–1 Miller Park Reyes, JoséJosé Reyesdagger New York Mets [8]
2003 U.S. 3–2 U.S. Cellular Field Sizemore, GradyGrady Sizemoredagger Cleveland Indians [9]
2004 U.S. 4–3 Minute Maid Park Hill, AaronAaron Hilldagger Toronto Blue Jays [10]
2005 World 4–0 Comerica Park Huber, JustinJustin Huber Kansas City Royals [11]
2006 U.S. 8–5 PNC Park Butler, BillyBilly Butlerdagger Kansas City Royals [12]
2007 World 7–2 AT&T Park Hu, Chin-LungChin-Lung Hu Los Angeles Dodgers [13]
2008 World 3–0 Yankee Stadium Lin, Che-HsuanChe-Hsuan Lin Boston Red Sox [14]
2009 World 7–5[15] Busch Stadium Tosoni, ReneRene Tosoni Minnesota Twins [16]
2010 U.S. 9–1 Angel Stadium of Anaheim Conger, HankHank Conger Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim [17]
2011 U.S. 6–4 Chase Field Green, GrantGrant Green Oakland Athletics [18]
2012 U.S. 17–5 Kauffman Stadium Castellanos, NickNick Castellanos Detroit Tigers [19]
2013 U.S. 4–2 Citi Field Davidson, MattMatt Davidson Arizona Diamondbacks [20]
2014 U.S. 3–2 Target Field Gallo, JoeyJoey Gallo Texas Rangers [21]
2015 Great American Ball Park

See also

References

  1. ↑ Nick Cammarota (2008-06-26). "Futures Game rosters filled with top prospects". mlb.com. Archived from the original on 27 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
  2. ↑ Jonathan Mayo (2008-06-19). "Futures managers have New York ties". MLB.com. Archived from the original on 22 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  3. ↑ "Larry Doby Award". Baseball-Almanac. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  4. ↑ Big league power highlights Futures Game rosters
  5. ↑
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ "Futures game box score". USA Today. 2001-07-09. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  8. ↑ "2002 Futures Game Box Score". Baseball America. 2002-07-08. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  9. ↑ "Futures game box score". USA Today. 2005-05-20. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  10. ↑ Callis, Jim (2004-07-11). "2004 Futures Game". Baseball America. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  11. ↑ Callis, Jim (2005-07-10). "2005 Futures Game: World 4, U.S. 0". Baseball America. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  12. ↑ "Gameday 2006". MLB.com. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  13. ↑ "Prospects: Futures Game: Futures Game 2007 Box Score". Baseball America. 2007-07-08. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  14. ↑ "World Futures vs. U.S. Futures – July 13, 2008 | MLB.com: Gameday". MLB.com. 2008-07-13. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  15. ↑ Game shortened to seven innings after a four-hour rain delay in the first inning.
  16. ↑ "World Futures vs. U.S. Futures – July 12, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday". MLB.com. 2009-07-12. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  17. ↑ "World Futures vs. U.S. Futures – July 11, 2010 | MLB.com: Gameday". MLB.com. 2010-07-11. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  18. ↑ "World Futures vs. U.S. Futures – July 10, 2011 | MLB.com: Gameday". MLB.com. 2011-07-10. Retrieved 2010-07-08.
  19. ↑ "World Futures vs. U.S. Futures – July 8, 2012 | MLB.com: Gameday". MLB.com. 2012-07-08. Retrieved 2010-07-08.
  20. ↑ U.S. trumps World in Futures Game
  21. ↑ MLB.com – Gallo's homer backs stellar pitching in U.S. win

External links