California Winter League (2010)

For the historical California Winter League, see California Winter League.
California Winter League (2010)
Sport Baseball
Founded September 2009
No. of teams 8
Country  United States
Most recent champion(s) Coachella Valley Snowbirds
Official website www.californiawinterleague.com

The California Winter League is a developmental instructional league based in Palm Springs, California that allows professional teams to evaluate players. It was founded on September 10, 2009, by Andrew Starke, owner of the Palm Springs Chill (formerly of the Arizona Winter League) and the Palm Springs Power (collegiate summer baseball team). It is a short-season instructional league that plays all games at Palm Springs Stadium from the middle of January to the middle of February. The 2012 season featured five teams on the league - the Chill, Snowbirds, Canada A's, Bluesox and the winter Power team. The 2013 season looks to add 3 more teams to the league with 175-200 players.

History

After the success by the Palm Springs Chill in the Arizona Winter League during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, owner Starke decided to create the California Winter League to offer another outlet for aspiring players. Based out of Palm Springs, California, the league fielded four teams in 2010 and 2011 and 5 in 2012, with the teams coached and managed by former MLB players and current Independent League coaches. The number of players doubled from 2010 to 2011 and looks to expand even more for the 2013 season, hoping for an 8 team league. The teams will be the Chill, Power, A's, Coyotes,Jacks, Bombers, Bluesox, and the Snowbirds. The 2014 season added the Bootleggers and Haymakers.

Purpose

The purpose of this winter league is to provide coaching and get players noticed by scouts is they can sign with an independent league team or in affiliated baseball. Over the past 3 seasons the California Winter League has had over fifty percent of its players get signed to play after the winter league ended.[1]

CWL teams

The league plays most games in Palm Springs Stadium and some in Palm Springs High School baseball field.

California Winter League
Team Founded City Stadium
Bay Area Bootleggers, Midwest Haymakers 2014 Palm Springs, California
British Columbia Bombers, Oregon Lumber Jacks, Washington Bluesox 2013 Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs Power 2012 Palm Springs, California
Canada A's 2009 Palm Springs, California
Coachella Valley Snowbirds 2009 Palm Springs, California
Palm Desert Coyotes 2009 Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs Chill 2007 (with the AWL) Palm Springs, California

Season-by-season standings

2010

Final Standings [2]

Winter League Team W L T GB
Palm Desert Coyotes 9 7 2 ---
Palm Springs Chill 8 7 2 .5
Canada A's 7 8 2 1.5
Coachella Valley Snowbirds 6 8 4 3.5

Playoffs

Coachella Valley Snowbirds 4, Palm Desert Coyotes 3

Canada A's 3, Palm Springs Chill 1

Championship

Coachella Valley Snowbirds 10, Canada A's 7

2011

Final Standings [3]

Winter League Team W L T GB
Canada A's 13 7 0 ---
Palm Desert Coyotes 12 8 0 1.0
Coachella Valley Snowbirds 7 11 1 4.5
Palm Springs Chill 6 12 1 5.5

Playoffs

Canada A's 4, Palm Springs Chill 2

Palm Desert Coyotes 6, Coachella Valley Snowbirds 4

Championship

Canada A's 9, Palm Desert Coyotes 2

2012 Teams Records

* Championship Palm Springs Power 7 the Palm Springs Chill 5

2013

Final Standings [4]

Winter League Team W L T GB
Coachella Valley Snowbirds 13 3 0 ---
Palm Springs Power 10 5 1 2.5
Washington Blue Sox 8 6 2 4.0
Oregon Lumberjacks 9 7 0 4.0
Palm Springs Chill 6 9 1 6.5
British Colombia Bombers 6 10 0 7.0
Canada A's 5 11 0 8.0
Palm Desert Coyotes 5 11 0 8.0

Quarter Finals

Semi Finals

Championship

Coachella Valley Snowbirds 3, Palm Springs Chill 2

References

External links