Golden Baseball League

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Golden Baseball League

Golden Baseball League logo
Sport	Baseball
Founded	2004
No. of teams	10 (9 active)
Country(ies)	United States  Canada  Mexico
Most recent champion(s)	Orange County Flyers
Official website	www.goldenbaseball.com

The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, is a professional independent baseball league with teams in the western United States, Canada and Mexico.

The GBL is not affiliated with Major League Baseball or the organized Minor League Baseball system, but has featured players with MLB experience (Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, Alex Arias, Bud Smith, Desi Wilson, Jose Lima, Hideki Irabu) as well as many young players that hope to one day reach the majors. It was formed in 2004 and began play on May 26, 2005. The GBL has a drug-testing policy that has the same standards as the Olympics, becoming the first baseball league to do so in North America.^[1]

As an independent baseball league, the GBL exists to give professional baseball players who are not currently under contract with a Major or Minor League organization another chance at playing at the professional level. Officials in the baseball industry have stated the GBL level of play to be at the Double A level. ^[2] Over 70 players have been sold to MLB organizations since it began play. Depending on experience and/or talent players' salaries generally range from $1,000 to $3,000 and higher per month, the standard in minor league baseball.

The GBL's presenting partner is Safeway Inc. Other investors in the GBL include Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak, former National Football League players Mike Sherrard and Christian Okoye, and executives from Cisco Systems, Taleo and Draper Fisher Jurvetson^[3].

Contents 1 History 1.1 The beginning 1.2 Three teams fold as league expands to Nevada 1.3 League expands to Utah, Arizona and Canada 1.4 Tijuana joins league in 2009 and will play in 2010 2 Drug Testing 3 Current franchises 3.1 Teams set to play in 2010 3.2 Defunct/Inactive Teams 3.3 Teams that never played 3.4 Possible Future Expansions 4 Season-by-season results 4.1 2005 Season 4.2 2006 Season 4.3 2007 Season 4.4 2008 Season 5 All-Star Games 5.1 2006 GBL All-Star Game 5.2 2008 United League vs. Golden League All-Star Game 5.3 2009 GBL All-Star Game 6 GBL Instructional/Developmental Leagues 6.1 Arizona Winter League 6.2 Arizona Summer League 7 Television 8 Notes & References 9 External links

[edit] History

The league was founded in 2004 by Stanford University graduates David Kaval and Amit Patel. Kaval is the president and chief executive officer (Patel resigned after the 2008 season). Curt Jacey is the league's vice-president. Kevin Outcalt serves as the league's commissioner and chief marketing officer. Jim Peters is the chief operating officer, Stephen Bedford is the director of business operations, and Bill Weiss is the league's secretary and historian.^[4]

Many former MLB coaches and players have coached or managed in the GBL, including Les Lancaster, Mike Marshall, Ozzie Virgil, Jr. Darrell Evans, Garry Templeton, Cory Snyder, Jeffrey Leonard, Gary Carter, Mike Busch, Steve Yeager, Terry Kennedy and Warren Cromartie.^[5]

[edit] The beginning

In its inaugural season, the league was composed of eight charter teams: the Chico Outlaws, Fullerton Flyers, Long Beach Armada and San Diego Surf Dawgs in California; Mesa Miners, Surprise Fightin' Falcons and Yuma Scorpions in Arizona and the Japan Samurai Bears. All teams played their home games in city- and university-owned stadiums, with the exception of the Samurai Bears, a traveling team of Japanese players that played all of its games on the road. Three of the GBL's teams, the Outlaws, Armada, and Scorpions, operated in cities that once hosted Western Baseball League teams. The WBL folded in 2002 and those teams ceased operations shortly afterward leading to the formation of the GBL. They, along with the Flyers, are the remaining charter teams still in operation with Yuma being the lone Arizona charter franchise.

On May 9, 2005, Major League Baseball's all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, signed a contract to play the 2005 season with the Surf Dawgs, the first GBL Champions.

The 2005 season ended with a four team championship tournament on Labor Day Weekend. The tournament ended with San Diego winning two games on the final day, knocking off Mesa in the second game to wrap up their championship season.

José Canseco, another retired star, signed with the Surf Dawgs in 2006 as part of his attempt to return to baseball and promote his book Juiced, along with its upcoming movie adaptation. Canseco was traded to the Armada after only one game. He said that the move was to be closer to his daughter.^[6]

[edit] Three teams fold as league expands to Nevada

Before the 2006 season, the Miners and Fightin' Falcons suspended operations and a new team, the Reno Silver Sox, was created, becoming the first GBL club in Nevada. Reno was another former Western League city (Reno Chukars/Blackjacks) to be granted a GBL team, which this franchise relocated from Mesa. The league chose to move to a 6-team format and did not have the travelling Samurai Bears return.

[edit] League expands to Utah, Arizona and Canada

The GBL added the St. George RoadRunners for the 2007 season. The Utah city hosted yet another Western League team with the 2000 Champion Zion Pioneerzz and became the fourth former WBL city to join the GBL. Two Northern League teams the Calgary Vipers and Edmonton Cracker-Cats left that league and joined the GBL, becoming the first two Canadian teams to join the league.

The league further expanded with the addition of the expansion Tucson Toros and Victoria Seals for 2009 and is looking to add additional teams in California, Arizona, Oregon and Canada. The Silver Sox brand was shelved in the GBL for a new future expansion team to adopt it and its history as the former Reno franchise was sold to the Tucson ownership. In 2008, the Cracker-Cats were sold to Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz and renamed the Edmonton Capitals for the 2009 season.

[edit] Tijuana joins league in 2009 and will play in 2010

On December 15, 2008, the league signed a letter of intent to place an another expansion franchise in Tijuana, Mexico. After the addition of the expansion Tijuana Potros on January 13th, the Armada were moved to the North Division. The Potros themselves would postpone the season due to the swine flu outbreak in Mexico. ^[7] This made all their scheduled games days off for the other nine teams and left their GBL future in serious doubt.

They were announced to have joined United League Baseball of Texas on June 19, 2009. ^{[8] [9]} However, GBL president and C.E.O. David Kaval quickly denied these rumors and said the story posted at the ULB site was false.

"They have to make sure they get their stadium back and all the ducks are in a row," Kaval said. "Everything is tracking the right way, but they hit a setback last year. (Joining ULB) was just a rumor. They played some exhibition games, but they didn't join the league - to my knowledge at least." ^[10]

The ULB website has since taken their story down as has the Potros website. Tijuana is still officially a member of the GBL.

[edit] Drug Testing

The league is the only independent baseball association to have drug testing. The league CEO Dave Kaval explains:

"I feel that there is no place for illegal drugs in our business. We run a family friendly operation off the field and illegal drug usage by our players would undermine the trust we have established with our fans. That is exactly what has happened at the MLB level. As a steward of the great game of baseball, I am proud to say that we have the most stringent drug policy in all of professional baseball." ^[11]

[edit] Current franchises

Golden Baseball League
Division	Team	Founded	City	Stadium	Capacity
North	Calgary Vipers	2004	Calgary, Alberta	Foothills Stadium	6,000
	Chico Outlaws	2005	Chico, California	Nettleton Stadium	4,200
	Edmonton Capitals	2004	Edmonton, Alberta	Telus Field	10,000
	Victoria Seals	2009	Victoria, British Columbia	Royal Athletic Park	4,247
Division	Team	Founded	City	Stadium	Capacity
South	Long Beach Armada	2005	Long Beach, California	Blair Field	3,238
	Orange County Flyers	2005	Fullerton, California	Goodwin Field	3,500
	St. George RoadRunners	2007	St. George, Utah	Bruce Hurst Field	2,500
	Tucson Toros	2009	Tucson, Arizona	Hi Corbett Field	9,500
	Yuma Scorpions	2005	Yuma, Arizona	Desert Sun Stadium	10,500

[edit] Teams set to play in 2010

• Tijuana Potros from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico (see above)

[edit] Defunct/Inactive Teams

• Japan Samurai Bears, a traveling team made up of 24 Japanese players (Folded in 2005)
• Mesa Miners from Mesa, Arizona (Folded in 2005, became Reno Silver Sox in 2006)
• San Diego Surf Dawgs from San Diego, California (Suspended in 2007, currently in Arizona Winter League, possible return in 2010)
• Surprise Fightin' Falcons from Surprise, Arizona (Folded in 2005)
• Reno Silver Sox from Reno, Nevada (Folded in 2009 and became Tucson Toros after the formation of the Reno Aces; team name now used by AWL's Saskatchewan team) ^[12]

[edit] Teams that never played

• Tijuana Toros from Tijuana, Mexico -- Could not reach a stadium deal in Tijuana and would have played in Chula Vista, California, near San Diego. (Folded before inaugural season in 2005)

[edit] Possible Future Expansions

• Adelanto, California ^[13]
• Bakersfield, California ^[14]
• Carson City, Nevada ^{[15] [16] [17] [18]}
• Kamloops, British Columbia ^[19]
• Kelowna, British Columbia ^[20]
• Marysville, California ^[21]
• Newark, California ^[22]
• Saskatoon, Saskatchewan ^[23]

[edit] Season-by-season results

[edit] 2005 Season

Standings

PL	California Division	W	L	GB		PL	Arizona Division	W	L	GB
1	San Diego-x	52	38	--		1	Mesa-x	51	39	--
2	Chico-y	49	41	3		2	Yuma	47	43	4
3	Long Beach-y	49	41	3		3	Surprise	45	45	6
4	Fullerton	34	56	18		4	Samurai Bears	33	57	18

x-Division Champion y-Wild Card (Division champions and top two wild card teams go to Championship.)

Playoffs and Championship (4 team double-elimination, final 2 teams face in one game playoff):

Game 1	SAN DIEGO 9 Chico 0
Game 2	MESA 8 Long Beach 0
Game 3	CHICO 7 Long Beach 5 (Long Beach eliminated)
Game 4	MESA 2 San Diego 0
Game 5	SAN DIEGO 2 Chico 1 (Chico eliminated)
Championship Game	SAN DIEGO 9 Mesa 6 (San Diego wins championship)
MVP	Cody Clark, San Diego

Awards:

Year	Most Valuable Player	Pitcher of the Year	Rookie of the Year	Rookie Pitcher of the Year	Manager of the Year	Executive of the Year
2005	Desi Wilson, 1B/OF, Surprise	Grant Gregg, LHP, Chico	Nick Guerra, C/3B, San Diego	Manny Ayala, RHP, Mesa	Terry Kennedy, San Diego	Bob Linscheid, Chico[2]

Gold Glove winners:[3] Pitcher: Adam Pettyjohn, Long Beach Catcher: Cody Clark, San Diego First base: Yuji Nerei, Samurai Bears Second base: Kenichi Miura, Samurai Bears Third base: Sean Walsh, Fullerton Shortstop: Jeremy Hernandez, Long Beach Outfielders Marcus Knight, Mesa; Billy Brown, Surprise; Travis McAndrews, Long Beach

[edit] 2006 Season

Standings:

PL	1st Half Standings	W	L	GB		PL	2nd Half Standings	W	L	GB
1	Reno-z	25	15	--		1	Fullerton-x	26	14	--
2	Chico	22	18	3		2	Chico	24	16	2
3	Long Beach	22	18	3		3	Reno	22	18	4
4	Yuma	18	22	7		4	San Diego	19	21	7
5	Fullerton	17	23	8		5	Long Beach	15	25	11
6	San Diego	16	24	9		6	Yuma	14	26	12

z-First-half champion and best overall record, x-second-half champion (Champions of each half face in 5-game series for championship. If one team wins both halves, the team with next best overall record receives championship bid.)

Championship (best of 5 game series):

Game 1	RENO 11 Fullerton 4
Game 2	RENO 5 Fullerton 4
Game 3	FULLERTON 9 Reno 5
Game 4	RENO 5 Fullerton 3 (Reno wins championship)
MVP	Doug Gredvig, Reno

Awards:

Year	Most Valuable Player	Pitcher of the Year	Rookie of the Year	Rookie Pitcher of the Year	Manager of the Year	Executive of the Year
2006	Peanut Williams, 1B/DH, Fullerton	Chris Jakubauskas, RHP, Fullerton	Matt Maloney, OF, San Diego	Phil Springman, RHP, Chico	Les Lancaster, Reno	Becca Hoffer, Chico

All-League Team: Catcher: Marcus Jensen, Reno First base: Desi Wilson, Chico Second base: Adam Mandel, San Diego Third base: Henry Calderon, Yuma Shortstop: Bret LeVier, Fullerton Utility: Craig Kuzmic, Chico Outfielders: Seth Pietsch, San Diego; Jason Van Meetren, Chico; Jeff LaRue, Long Beach; Scott Goodman, San Diego Designated hitter: Peanut Williams, Fullerton Starting Pitchers: Chris Jakubaskaus, Fullerton; Andre Simpson, Long Beach; Ben Thurmond, Reno; Phil Springman, Chico; Brian Kroll, Chico; Nate Sevier, Reno Relief Pitchers: Josh Rummonds, San Diego; Scott Schneider, Reno; E.J. Shanks, San Diego; Mike Peck, Long Beach; Wes Faust, Fullerton

Gold Glove Winners:[4] Pitcher: James Johnson, Reno Catcher: Marcus Jensen, Reno First base: Desi Wilson, Chico Second base: Rob Gandolfo, Chico Third base: Henry Calderon, Yuma Shortstop: Hector Tena, Yuma Outfielders Chris Klemm, Long Beach; Lino Garcia, Chico; Ryan Webb, Long Beach

[edit] 2007 Season

Standings:

PL	1st Half Standings	W	L	GB		PL	2nd Half Standings	W	L	GB
1	Chico-x	25	13	--		1	Long Beach-z	25	13	--
2	Long Beach	23	15	2		2	Yuma	21	17	4
3	Yuma	21	17	4		3	Chico	19	19	6
4	Orange County	19	19	6		4	Orange County	18	20	7
5	Reno	18	20	7		5	St. George	16	22	9
6	St. George	7	31	18		6	Reno	15	23	10

x-1st half champion, z-2nd half champion and best overall record

Championship (best of 5 game series):

Game 1	CHICO 10 Long Beach 4
Game 2	CHICO 12 Long Beach 8
Game 3	LONG BEACH 7 Chico 5
Game 4	CHICO 6 Long Beach 1 (Chico wins championship)
MVP	Scott Dragicevich, Chico

Awards:

Year	Most Valuable Player	Pitcher of the Year	Rookie of the Year	Rookie Pitcher of the Year	Executive of the Year
2007	Daniel Nava, OF, Chico	Todd Gelatka, RHP, Chico	Kane Simmons, OF, Reno	Dustin Gober, RHP, Long Beach	Curt Jacey, Reno

All-League Team: Catcher: Buddy Morales, Orange County First base: Jaime Martinez, Long Beach Second base: David Bacani, Orange County Third base: Henry Calderon, Yuma Shortstop: Jesse Kovacs, Chico Utility: Ryan Stevenson, St. George Outfielders:Daniel Nava, Chico; Kane Simmons, Reno; Johnny Kaplan, Long Beach Yosvanny Almario, Yuma Designated hitter: Peanut Williams, Orange County Starting Pitchers: Ben Fox, Orange County; Derek Loop, Chico; Ryan Claypool, Long Beach; Roger Luque, Yuma; Dusty Bergman, Reno Relief Pitchers: Todd Gelatka, Chico; Dane De La Rosa, Long Beach; Anthony Pluta, St. George; Neil Hayes, Yuma

[edit] 2008 Season

Overall Standings: ^[24]

PL	North Division Standings	W	L	Winning %	GB		PL	South Division Standings	W	L	Winning %	GB
1	Edmonton-y	51	37	.580	--		1	Orange County-x	51	35	.593	--
2	Calgary-x	45	42	.517	5 1/2		2	Yuma	48	40	.545	4
3	Chico	34	52	.395	16		3	Long Beach-y	47	40	.540	4 1/2
4	Reno	30	58	.341	21		4	St. George	43	45	.489	9

x-1st half division champion, y-2nd half division champion

2008 All-Star Game:

• 2008 - United League Baseball All-Stars 8, Golden Baseball League All-Stars 5 (July 15, 2008, San Angelo, Texas)

Northern Division Playoff (best of 5 game series):

Game 1	CALGARY 8, Edmonton 4
Game 2	CALGARY 8, Edmonton 2
Game 3	Edmonton 1, CALGARY 8 (Calgary wins series 3-0)

Southern Division Playoff (best of 5 game series):

Game 1	ORANGE COUNTY 4, Long Beach 2
Game 2	Orange County 4, LONG BEACH 5
Game 3	LONG BEACH 13, Orange County 4
Game 4	Long Beach 3, ORANGE COUNTY 4
Game 5	Long Beach 2, ORANGE COUNTY 12 (Orange County wins series 3-2)

Championship (best of 5 game series):

Game 1	Orange County 5, CALGARY 6
Game 2	ORANGE COUNTY 13, Calgary 1
Game 3	Calgary 9, ORANGE COUNTY 14
Game 4	CALGARY 9, Orange County 1
Game 5	Calgary 9, ORANGE COUNTY 10 (Flyers win Championship)
Series MVP	Josh Arhart, Orange County

Awards:

Year	Safeway Most Valuable Player	Pitcher of the Year	Rookie of the Year	Rookie Pitcher of the Year	Manager of the Year	Executive of the Year
2008	Patrick Breen (Orange County)	Trevor Caughey (Chico)	Colin Moro (Calgary)	Ben Shockey (Chico)	Gary Carter (Orange County)	TBA

All-League Team: Catcher: TBA First base: TBA Second base: TBA Third base: TBA Shortstop: TBA Utility: TBA Outfielders: TBA Designated hitter: TBA Starting Pitchers: TBA Relief Pitchers: TBA

[edit] All-Star Games

[edit] 2006 GBL All-Star Game

The GBL played their very first All-Star Game on July 18, 2006 at Chico's Nettleton Stadium pitting the North All-Stars against the South All-Stars.

[edit] 2008 United League vs. Golden League All-Star Game

The GBL reached a two-year agreement with the United League to face off in All-Star Games. The 2008 game was hosted by the ULB's San Angelo Colts, while the 2009 game will see the Orange County Flyers play host.[5]

[edit] 2009 GBL All-Star Game

For the first time in three years, the GBL will be holding its own All-Star Game, North vs. South. This year's game will be held at Bruce Hurst Field in St. George, Utah, home of the RoadRunners on Tuesday, July 14 and will be carried at the Roadrunners' website via Network1Sports.com with the team's radio voice John Potter on the call.

[edit] GBL Instructional/Developmental Leagues

[edit] Arizona Winter League

On November 15, 2006, the Golden Baseball League announced the Arizona Winter League, which would be a short-season instructional league for its summer league. The league began play on January 19, 2007. The Arizona Winter League has just completed its third season. In the first two years, over 80 Arizona Winter League players have been signed to professional contracts. Two of those players, Scott Richmond and Sergio Romo, are now pitching in the major leagues. The 2009 Arizona Winter League began play on January 31, 2009 and has expanded to 8 teams and almost 200 players.

[edit] Arizona Summer League

On April 3, 2009, the Golden Baseball League announced its second instructional league known as the Arizona Summer League, which is patterned after the AWL. This league consists of three teams, the Canada Miners, El Centro Imperials and San Luis Atleticos and began play in late June 2009.

[edit] Television

The Yuma Scorpions became the first franchise in the league to broadcast select games on Adelphia Cable, which were produced by Arizona Western College Television Services.[6] The Edmonton Cracker-Cats televised selected games by reaching an agreement with Shaw TV.[7] The Golden Baseball League announced they had reached a deal with iBN Sports to broadcast 40 games on the internet showing various teams. [8]

The Chico Outlaws agreed to a deal with Comcast SportsNet to carry selected game in 2009.

[edit] Notes & References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Golden Baseball League

• Golden Baseball League
• Edmonton and Calgary Leave Northern League
• San Diego CityBeat profile by Charles Dahan

v • d • e Golden Baseball League
North Division	South Division
Calgary Vipers	Orange County Flyers
Chico Outlaws	St. George RoadRunners
Edmonton Capitals	Tijuana Potros
Long Beach Armada	Tucson Toros
Victoria Seals	Yuma Scorpions
Annual events: All-Star Games

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