Long Beach Armada

Long Beach Armada
Founded in 2005 Long Beach, California
Team logo	Cap insignia
League affiliations
North American League (projected 2012) Arizona Summer League (2010-present) Arizona Winter League (2011-present) AWL American Division (2011-present) GBL South Division (2007-2010) GBL California Division (2005) Golden Baseball League (2005-2009)
Name
Long Beach Armada (2005-present)
Team Colors
Navy blue, tan, red, white
Ballpark
Desert Sun Stadium (Yuma, Arizona) Blair Field
Championships
League titles: 0 Division titles: 1 (2007)
Owner(s)/Operated By: Diamond Sports & Entertainment
General Manager: Tony Soares
Manager: TBA
Media: Long Beach Press-Telegram
Website: www.longbeacharmada.com

The Long Beach Armada was an independent professional baseball team based in Long Beach, California, in the United States. The Armada was a member of the North Division of the now-defunct Golden Baseball League, which was not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. From the 2005 season to the present, the Armada has played its home games at Blair Field.

The Armada fielded a team for the Arizona Summer League in 2010 months after suspending GBL operations. They would later field a team in the Arizona Winter League in 2011. The franchise has been owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment, primary investors in the current North American League (NAL), since 2005. The NAL website lists the Long Beach Armada as a franchise that has been approved to begin play for the 2012 season.

The team has had 13 different players, during its first five seasons, that played at the major league level. In addition, 21 Long Beach Armada players have had their contracts purchased by major league organizations over the last five years.

Team history

The Armada were the longest running professional sports team in the City of Long Beach history after completing their fifth season in 2009.

The team was one of the original eight GBL charter teams that began play in 2005 along with the Chico Outlaws, Fullerton Flyers and San Diego Surf Dawgs in California; Mesa Miners, Surprise Fightin' Falcons and Yuma Scorpions in Arizona and the traveling Japan Samurai Bears. They began play in May 2005, three years after their predecessors, the Long Beach Breakers folded along with the Western Baseball League. Ironically, former Armada manager Steve Yeager managed the Breakers to the WBL Championship in 2001, that team's inaugural season, beating the Chico Heat 3 games to 2.

Legal issues with the city

On December 18, 2009, the Long Beach Armada, to protect its ability to play at Blair Field, engaged lawyers to take action against the City of Long Beach and Long Beach State University alleging that the two public entities conspired to prematurely end the Armada's permit to play at Blair Field that still had three years left on it. The City of Long Beach made an arrangement to either sell or provide a long-term lease to Long Beach State University for the college to take over the maintenance and cost of running Blair Field; but first, the city had to revoke the Armada's permit which was standing in the way of completing a deal and had usage and concessions rights.

As a result, the Armada suspended operations following the 2009 season.

Arizona Summer League (2010-present)

The Armada fielded a team in the Arizona Summer League in June 2010. They played along side the Bisbee Miners and San Diego Surf Dawgs. They replaced the El Centro Imperials.

Arizona Winter League (2011-present)

On January 5, 2011, the Arizona Winter League released their schedule and it was announced the Armada would be joining the league along with the returning Sonora Pilots and two new teams, the Arizona RoadRunners and Team Mexico and would become the second team (behind the Surf Dawgs) to have played in all three leagues within the GBL/NABL system.

All-time Armada statistical leaders

Career Leaders 2005-2009:

Batting Average: Ryan Webb .344

Games Played: Chris Klemm 203

Hits: Chris Klemm 222

Doubles: Jeff Larue 56

Home Runs: Jeff Larue 24

RBIs: Jeff Larue 127

Stolen Bases: Jon Kaplan 63

Games Pitched: Justin Ramsey 69

Games Started: Ryan Claypool 56

Wins: Ryan Claypool 20

Innings: Ryan Claypool 330

Saves: Dane De la Rosa 16

Strikeouts: Ryan Claypool 207

Notable players

Notable players include former MLB star José Canseco.

Ex-major leaguers who have played for the Long Beach Armada include Bud Smith, Nick Bierbrodt, Adam Pettyjohn (the only Armada to have made it back to the big leagues from the club), Jose Lima, Hideki Irabu, Mark Quinn, Alan Newman, Chris Wakeland, Jose Canseco, Cleatus Davidson, Tony Torcato, Steve Smyth, Seth Etherton, and Jerome Williams.

In February 2008, The Armada signed Tony Torcato, who has since been traded to the Chico Outlaws.

One month later, in March 2008, the Long Beach Armada signed former Major League Baseball pitcher Jerome Williams.

Former Dodger Jose Lima was on the roster at the time of his death in May 2010.

Ex-Yankee Hideki Irabu and outfielder Josh Womack, who became a web sensation in June 2009 with the video of his "spinning bat trick" were also on the roster.

Season-by-season records

Golden Baseball League (2005–2009):

Season	W	L	Win %	Place	Playoff
2005	49	41	.544	3rd, California Division	Wild Card
2006	37	43	.463	3rd/5th	Did not qualify
2007	48	28	.632	2nd/1st	Lost in GBL Championship Series, 3-1
2008	47 (19/28)	40 (19/21)	.540	3rd/1st, South Division	Won South Division 2nd Half Title. Lost to Orange County in Division Series.

¹ 2008 Season in Progress

Arizona Summer League (2010-future):

Season	W	L	Win %	Place	Playoff
2010	4	8	.333	3rd	No playoffs.

External links

• Long Beach Armada official website
• Long Beach Armada team roster
• Golden Baseball League official website
• North American League official website