Triple-A National Championship Game
| Triple-A National Championship Game | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | Varies (see prose) |
| Inaugurated |
September 19, 2006 (AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States) |
| Most recent |
September 20, 2016 (AutoZone Park, Memphis, Tennessee, United States) |
| Previous event |
September 22, 2015 (Southwest University Park, El Paso, Texas, United States) |
| Next event |
September 19, 2017 (PNC Field, Moosic, Pennsylvania, United States) |
| Participants | The league champions of the International League and Pacific Coast League |
| Organized by | Triple-A Baseball |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The Triple-A National Championship Game, previously known as the Bricktown Showdown, is a single championship game held annually between the league champions of the International League (IL) and Pacific Coast League (PCL) affiliated Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball (MiLB) to determine an overall champion of the classification. The championship consists of a single nine-inning game to determine a champion. As the game is usually played at a neutral site, the host league has its team designated as the home team.
From 2006 to 2010, the game was held annually at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, home of the PCL's Oklahoma City RedHawks, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Since 2011, the game has been hosted in a different Triple-A city each year.
The IL's Columbus Clippers and the PCL's Omaha Storm Chasers have each made three appearances in the Triple-A Championship Game, more than any other teams. Columbus, Omaha, and the PCL's Sacramento River Cats have each won two championships, more than any others. Five other teams have won one championship each. Seven titles were won by PCL teams, while the IL has won only four titles.
History
Off and on from 1904 to 1975, the league champions of the three highest-classification Minor League Baseball leagues met in the postseason to determine a classification champion. The Little World Series (1904–1931) and Junior World Series (1932–1975) usually consisted of a best-of-seven (or eight) series modeled on the World Series of Major League Baseball. Most often it was held between the champions of the International League and the American Association (AA), leaving the Pacific Coast League out of the championship.[1] A one-time Triple-A World Series was held in 1983 as a round-robin tournament featuring the champions of all three Triple-A leagues.[1] The IL and AA champions met in the Triple-A Classic, a best-of-seven series, from 1988 to 1991.[1] From 1998 to 2000, the Las Vegas Triple-A World Series pitted the IL and PCL champs (as the American Association had folded in 1997) in a best-of-five championship series.[1]
In 2006, Triple-A Baseball announced the creation of a single championship game between the league champions of the International League and the Pacific Coast League to determine an overall champion of the classification. The game, called the Bricktown Showdown, was to be played at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In addition to serving as the pinnacle of the Triple-A and MiLB season, the leagues sought for the championship game to develop and prosper like the Triple-A All-Star Game did since its creation in 1988.[2]
The first Bricktown Showdown was played on September 19, 2006. The PCL's Tucson Sidewinders defeated the IL's Toledo Mud Hens, 5–2, in front of an announced paid attendance of 12,572 and a national television audience watching on ESPN2.[3] The initial Showdown was approved only as a one-time meeting by Major League Baseball,[4] but subsequent meetings were planned following the event's success.[4]
The game was rebranded as the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game in 2009, and later as simply the Triple-A National Championship Game. This was done to increase the event's national appeal and to emphasize its significance as a championship game.[5]
The championship continued to be held in Oklahoma City through 2010. Since 2011, the game has been held in a different Triple-A city each year.[6] The first city to host under this new format was Albuquerque, New Mexico, home of the Albuquerque Isotopes of the PCL. Games have since been held in other Triple-A cities. No host city has ever participated in the championship game.
From 2006 to 2016, the league that won the Triple-A All-Star Game earned the distinction of having its team designated as the home team.[2] This changed in 2017, when home team status began being awarded to the team from the hosting league.[7]
The event has been televised nationally every year. It aired on ESPN2 from 2006 to 2009.[8] The game has been broadcast on the NBC Sports Network since 2010.[8]
Structure
The Triple-A National Championship Game consists of a single nine-inning game to determine a champion. The only championship game to ever go beyond the prescribed nine innings was the 2009 contest which went to eleven innings.[9] The host league's team serves as the home team.[7] Designated hitters bat in place of the pitchers.
Players wear their respective team's uniforms. Players on the home team wear their club's white home uniforms, while players on the away team wear their club's gray road uniforms. Usually, a patch depicting the game's logo is sewn onto their jerseys and caps.
The game is umpired by a four-man crew with one umpire behind home plate and the others covering each base. Two of the umpires work in the IL, while two work in the PCL. Assignments rotate each year such that PCL umpires are assigned to home plate and second base in even years, and IL umpires man those positions in odd years.[10]
Results
 | Indicates home team |
Future games
| Year | City | Ballpark | Host team (league) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Moosic, Pennsylvania | PNC Field | Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (IL) | [20] |
| 2018 | Columbus, Ohio | Huntington Park | Columbus Clippers (IL) | [21] |
Most Valuable Player Award
One player is recognized for their outstanding play in the game and is awarded the Triple-A Championship Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.[8]
| Year | Player | Team | League | Position | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Hairston, ScottScott Hairston | Tucson Sidewinders | PCL | Left fielder | [3] |
| 2007 | Merloni, LouLou Merloni | Sacramento River Cats | PCL | Third baseman | [11] |
| 2008 | Gissell, ChrisChris Gissell | Sacramento River Cats | PCL | Relief pitcher | [12] |
| 2009 | Hellickson, JeremyJeremy Hellickson | Durham Bulls | IL | Starting pitcher | [9] |
| 2010 | Head, JeradJerad Head | Columbus Clippers | IL | Left fielder | [13] |
| 2011 | Martinez, JoeJoe Martinez | Columbus Clippers | IL | Starting pitcher | [14] |
| 2012 | Pollock, A. J.A. J. Pollock | Reno Aces | PCL | Center fielder | [15] |
| 2013 | Dwyer, ChrisChris Dwyer | Omaha Storm Chasers | PCL | Starting pitcher | [16] |
| 2014 | Hayes, BrettBrett Hayes | Omaha Storm Chasers | PCL | Catcher | [17] |
| 2015 | Devenski, ChrisChris Devenski | Fresno Grizzlies | PCL | Starting pitcher | [18] |
| 2016 | Parmelee, ChrisChris Parmelee | Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders | IL | First Baseman | [19] |
Appearances by team
Defunct teams appear in italics.
| Appearances | Team | League | Wins | Losses | Win % | Most recent win |
Most recent appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Columbus Clippers | IL | 2 | 1 | .667 | 2011 | 2015 |
| 3 | Omaha Storm Chasers | PCL | 2 | 1 | .667 | 2014 | 2014 |
| 2 | Sacramento River Cats | PCL | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 2008 | 2008 |
| 2 | Durham Bulls | IL | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2009 | 2013 |
| 2 | Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders | IL | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2016 | 2016 |
| 2 | Pawtucket Red Sox | IL | 0 | 2 | .000 | — | 2014 |
| 1 | Fresno Grizzlies | PCL | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2015 | 2015 |
| 1 | Reno Aces | PCL | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2012 | 2012 |
| 1 | Tucson Sidewinders | PCL | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2006 | 2006 |
| 1 | El Paso Chihuahuas | PCL | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | 2016 |
| 1 | Memphis Redbirds | PCL | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | 2009 |
| 1 | Richmond Braves | IL | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | 2007 |
| 1 | Tacoma Rainiers | PCL | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | 2010 |
| 1 | Toledo Mud Hens | IL | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | 2006 |
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Triple-A Baseball Interleague Post-Season Play Results". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- 1 2 "Bricktown Showdown To Determine Triple-A Baseball Champion" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. July 12, 2006. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tucson Sidewinders 5, Toledo Mud Hens 2" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- 1 2 "Triple-A Baseball Championship Game To Remain in Oklahoma City for 2007 and 2008" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. January 11, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 9, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ↑ "Triple-A Championship Game Renamed". Triple-A Baseball. August 7, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ↑ Hill, Benjamin (February 8, 2011). "Isotopes to Host Triple-A Championship". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- 1 2 "2017 Governors' Cup Playoffs Preview" (PDF). International League. August 11, 2017. p. 4. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game Results". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Durham Bulls (84-61) 5, Memphis Redbirds (77-68) 4" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ↑ "Triple-A National Championship Game Personnel" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- 1 2 "Sacramento River Cats (85-60) 7, Richmond Braves (77-65) 1" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- 1 2 "Sacramento River Cats (84-61) 4, Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees (88-57) 1" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- 1 2 "Tacoma Rainiers (74-70) 6, Columbus Clippers (80-65) 12" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- 1 2 "Columbus Clippers (89-56) 8, Omaha Storm Chasers (79-64) 3" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- 1 2 "Pawtucket Red Sox (79-66) 3, Reno Aces (82-63) 10" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- 1 2 "Omaha Storm Chasers (71-74) 2, Durham Bulls (87-58) 1" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- 1 2 "Omaha Storm Chasers (77-67) 4, Pawtucket Red Sox (79-66) 2" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- 1 2 "Fresno Grizzlies (85-59) 7, Columbus Clippers (83-62) 0" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- 1 2 "El Paso vs. Scranton/WB - September 20, 2016". MiLB.com. September 20, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
- ↑ "PNC Field to Host 2017 Triple-A Championship". Ballpark Digest. August 11, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ↑ "Clippers to Make 10th Season at Huntington Park Extra Special in 2018". OurSports Central. April 6, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.