Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League logo | |
Sport | Baseball |
---|---|
Founded | 1992 |
No. of teams | 6 |
Country | USA |
Most recent champion(s) | Surprise Saguaros (2) |
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 autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes.[1] The Arizona Fall League attracts many of the top prospects in minor league baseball.
Structure
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 with a championship game between the winners of the East and West divisions.
The Arizona Fall League teams are each affiliated with five separate Major League teams; each affiliated 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]
Notable players
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 Derek Jeter, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Piazza, Albert Pujols, Jimmy Rollins and David Wright.
2014 teams
Championship history
Year | Champion | Runner-Up |
---|---|---|
1992 | Sun Cities Solar Sox | Phoenix Desert Dogs |
1993 | Tempe Rafters | Tucson Javelinas |
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 Solar Sox | Maryvale Saguaros |
2000 | Grand Canyon Rafters | Phoenix Desert Dogs |
2001 | Phoenix Desert Dogs | Grand Canyon Rafters |
2002 | Peoria Javelinas | 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 |
2007 | Phoenix Desert Dogs | Surprise Rafters |
2008 | Phoenix Desert Dogs | Mesa Solar Sox |
2009 | Peoria Javelinas | Phoenix Desert Dogs |
2010 | Scottsdale Scorpions | Peoria Javelinas |
2011 | Salt River Rafters | Surprise Saguaros |
2012 | Peoria Javelinas | Salt River Rafters |
2013 | Surprise Saguaros | Mesa Solar Sox |
2014 | Salt River Rafters | Peoria Javelinas |
Most Valuable Player award
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]
Stenson Award
The Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award was created in 2004, in memory of Dernell Stenson,[5] 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.[6]
Year | Player | Organization | Position | Team | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | Teahen, MarkMark Teahen | Kansas City Royals | Third baseman | Phoenix Desert Dogs | [6] |
2005 | Ethier, AndreAndre Ethier | Oakland Athletics | Outfielder | Phoenix Desert Dogs | [6] |
2006 | Frandsen, KevinKevin Frandsen | San Francisco Giants | Infielder | Scottsdale Scorpions | [6] |
2007 | Fuld, SamSam Fuld | Chicago Cubs | Outfielder | Mesa Solar Sox | [6] |
2008 | Donald, JasonJason Donald | Philadelphia Phillies | Infielder | Mesa Solar Sox | [6] |
2009 | Mitchell, RussRuss Mitchell | Los Angeles Dodgers | First baseman | Peoria Javelinas | [6] |
2010 | Lombardozzi, Jr., SteveSteve Lombardozzi, Jr. | Washington Nationals | Third baseman | Scottsdale Scorpions | [6] |
2011 | Mattison, KevinKevin Mattison | Miami Marlins | Outfielder | Surprise Saguaros | [6] |
2012 | Kimball, ColeCole Kimball | Washington Nationals | Pitcher | Salt River Rafters | [6] |
2013 | Cecchini, GarinGarin Cecchini | Boston Red Sox | Third baseman | Surprise Saguaros | [6] |
2014 | Kivlehan, PatrickPatrick Kivlehan | Seattle Mariners | Third baseman | Surprise Saguaros | [7] |
Hall of Fame
The Arizona Fall League Hall of Fame was created in 2001. The AFL has had over 1,200 players who came through the league reach Major League Baseball. Additionally, 18 former AFL||Managers/players have gone on to manage a Major League club after managing in the league. To be considered by the selection committee, a player must be recognized at Major League Baseball level as a Rookie of the Year, a Most Valuable Player, an All-Star, or a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger Award winner.
Year | Inductee | AFL Year | AFL Team | Role |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | Baker, DustyDusty Baker | 1992 | Scottsdale Scorpions | Manager |
2001 | Garciaparra, NomarNomar Garciaparra | 1994 | Scottsdale Scorpions | Shortstop |
2001 | Jeter, DerekDerek Jeter | 1994 | Chandler Diamondbacks | Shortstop |
2001 | Piazza, MikeMike Piazza | 1992 | Sun City Solar Sox | Catcher |
2002 | Giambi, JasonJason Giambi | 1994 | Peoria Javelinas | First baseman |
2002 | Manuel, JerryJerry Manuel | 1994 | Maryvale Saguaros | Manager |
2003 | Green, ShawnShawn Green | 1992 | Scottsdale Scorpions | Outfielder |
2003 | Helton, ToddTodd Helton | 1996 | Peoria Javelinas | First baseman |
2003 | Scioscia, MikeMike Scioscia | 1997 | Peoria Javelinas | Manager |
2004 | Anderson, GarretGarret Anderson | 1993 | Tempe Rafters | Outfielder |
2004 | Peña, TonyTony Peña | 2000 | Maryvale Saguaros | Manager |
2004 | Pujols, AlbertAlbert Pujols | 2000 | Scottsdale Scorpions | Third baseman |
2005 | Percival, TroyTroy Percival | 1992 | Scottsdale Scorpions | Pitcher |
2005 | Francona, TerryTerry Francona | 1992 1994 | Grand Canyon Rafters Scottsdale Scorpions | Coach Manager |
2006 | Halladay, RoyRoy Halladay | 1998 | Grand Canyon Rafters | Pitcher |
2006 | Little, GradyGrady Little | 1992 | Grand Canyon Rafters | Manager |
2006 | Soriano, AlfonsoAlfonso Soriano | 1998 | Grand Canyon Rafters | Second baseman |
2007 | Dye, JermaineJermaine Dye | 1995 | Sun Cities Solar Sox | Outfielder |
2007 | Lee, DerrekDerrek Lee | 1995-1996 | Sun Cities Solar Sox | First baseman |
2007 | Macha, KenKen Macha | 1994 | Tempe Rafters | Manager |
2007 | Hunter, ToriiTorii Hunter | 1998 | Phoenix Desert Dogs | Outfielder |
2008 | Rollins, JimmyJimmy Rollins | 2000 | Maryvale Saguaros | Shortstop |
2008 | Wedge, EricEric Wedge | 1993 | Tucson Javelinas | Catcher |
2009 | Giles, BrianBrian Giles | 1994 | Sun Cities Solar Sox | Outfielder |
2010 | Carpenter, ChrisChris Carpenter | 1996 | Phoenix Desert Dogs | Pitcher |
2010 | Young, MichaelMichael Young | 2000 | Grand Canyon Rafters | Shortstop |
2011 | Howard, RyanRyan Howard | 2004 | Phoenix Desert Dogs | First baseman |
2011 | Konerko, PaulPaul Konerko | 1996 | Sun Cities Solar Sox | First baseman |
2012 | Lowe, DerekDerek Lowe | 1993 1995 | Sun Cities Solar Sox Peoria Javelinas | Pitcher |
2012 | Teixeira, MarkMark Teixeira | 2002 | Peoria Javelinas | Third baseman |
2012 | Washington, RonRon Washington | 1992 1993 | Sun Cities Solar Sox Tucson Javelinas | Coach |
2013 | Erstad, DarinDarin Erstad | 1995 | Tempe Rafters | Outfielder |
2013 | Melvin, BobBob Melvin | 1999 | Maryvale Saguaros | Manager |
2013 | Pedroia, DustinDustin Pedroia | 2004 | Scottsdale Scorpions | Shortstop |
2014 | Crawford, CarlCarl Crawford | 2001 | Maryvale Saguaros | Outfielder |
2014 | Holliday, MattMatt Holliday | 2002–2003 | Mesa Solar Sox | Outfielder |
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "About: History". Arizona Fall League official website. MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
- ↑ "Desme Wins AFL MVP Award". CBS Sports. November 23, 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2010. See Grant Desme, the 2009 recipient.
- ↑ Baker, Geoff (November 23, 2010). "Can Dustin Ackley buck the Arizona Fall League MVP curse? The bar has been set pretty low". The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
- ↑ "Yankees' Bird named Arizona Fall League MVP". MLB.com. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
- ↑ Dernell Stenson Stats. Baseball Almanac website. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 6.10 "Stenson Award". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
- ↑ MLB.com – Mariners' Kivlehan wins AFL's Stenson Award
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arizona Fall League. |
- Arizona Fall League official website
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