Yuma Panthers (NAL)
| Yuma Panthers | |
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| Founded in 2005 Yuma, Arizona |
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| Owner(s)/Operated By: Godfather Media, Inc | |
| General Manager: Will Joyce | |
| Manager: Garry Templeton | |
| Media: Yuma Sun (newspaper) KBLU-AM (radio) |
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| Website: yumapanthers.com | |
The Yuma Panthers, formerly known as the Yuma Scorpions, are a professional baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona, in the United States. The Panthers are a member of the Western Division of the independent North American League. From the 2005 season to the present, the Panthers have played their home games at Desert Sun Stadium at the Ray Kroc Complex, former spring training home of the San Diego Padres. They are owned by Godfather Media, Inc through Yuma Panthers, LLC and the President/General Manager is Will Joyce. Field manager is former MLB star, Garry Templeton.
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[edit] Team history
[edit] Golden Baseball League (2005-2010)
The then Yuma Scorpions were one of the Golden Baseball League charter members in 2005 along with the Chico Outlaws, Fullerton Flyers, Long Beach Armada and San Diego Surf Dawgs in California; Mesa Miners and Surprise Fightin' Falcons in Arizona and the Japan Samurai Bears, the league's first (and so far only) traveling team. The Panthers, along with the Outlaws, Armada and Flyers remain the only charter teams still active in the league.
The team replaced the former Bullfrogs as the city of Yuma's professional baseball team. The Bulldogs played in the defunct Western Baseball League from 2000 to 2002, but folded after being financially unsuccessful and leaving a legacy of lawsuits and a trail of unpaid bills, players and employees. Other baseball teams are the Yuma Desert Dawgs of the defunct Golden State League (1995–96) and American West Leagues (1997–99). The San Diego Padres inhabited Desert Sun Stadium as their spring training complex and used it from 1968 to 1994 before they went to a new facility in Peoria, Arizona.
[edit] Affiliations With Foreign Leagues
On May 20, 2009 the Yuma Sun reported that the team had signed an affiliation agreement with the Colombian Professional Baseball League (CPBL),[1] a league owned by Edgar and Edinson Renteria. Edgar played for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball at the time of the signing. Under the terms of the affiliation, the CPBL handled all on-field personnel and player issues while the team retained control of promotions, concessions, and other front-office business. The Scorpions acted as a farm team for all four CPBL teams.[2] It was reported by some news outlets to be the first time an independent American baseball club had formed an affiliation with a foreign team or league, however, in 1972 and 1973 the California League's team based in Lodi, California had an affiliation with Nippon Professional Baseball's Nishitetsu Lions.[3][4] Yuma's partnership with the CPBL was at one point reportedly being made into a feature story for ESPN.[5]
In early 2010 the Yuma Sun reported that the Scorpions had ended their affiliation with the CPBL, but had signed a new three-year affiliation agreement with the Venezuelan Baseball Federation (VBF).[6] GBL Commissioner Kevin Outcalt characterized the termination of the agreement with the CPBL as a result of a lack of enthusiasm on the Colombian side for exercising the previous agreement's second year mutual option.
The move was also portrayed as one that would improve the Scorpions on-field performance. Under the affiliation with the CPBL, the Scorpions went 29-47, worst in the GBL, including a 3-13 start.[7] Several factors justify this assertion. Baseball is more popular in Venezuela than Colombia, leading to the Sun to speculate that that country will provide superior prospects to the CPBL agreement. Additionally, the previous agreement with the CPBL was only concluded hours before the start of the season, so that players had to literally get on a plane in Colombia, got off in Yuma and immediately play the season opener. The agreement with the VBF was agreed to three months prior to the start of the 2010 season. The Scorpions' Manager for 2010, Darryl Brinkley, had experience playing in Venezuela.[7]
[edit] North American League (2011-present)
The Scorpions were one of six former GBL teams to join the newly-formed North American League in 2010 and began play in 2011.
On April 11, 2011, Jose Canseco and his twin brother, Ozzie, were added to the teams' roster, with Jose being a manager.[8] In August of that year, 52-year-old former Major League player and then-Scorpions infielder Tony Phillips was involved in an altercation with former Scorpions manager Mike Marshall, then with the Chico Outlaws. Phillips punched Marshall in the face during the incident, causing the latter to press battery charges against the infielder.[9]
[edit] Change of ownership and name
The team was sold to Godfather Media, Inc on January 31, 2012. The new owners announced they would be changing the team name to Yuma Panthers shortly thereafter on February 8, in time for the 2012 season.[10] Additionally they announced that former Major League shortstop Garry Templeton would be replacing Canseco as field manager.[11] The Arizona Winter League team is still known as the Scorpions.
[edit] Alumni
[edit] Panthers Who Made It To the Big Leagues
- Dane De La Rosa, RHP, Yuma Scorpions 2005, Tampa Bay Rays (2011)
- Joey Gathright, OF, Yuma Scorpions 2011, Boston Red Sox (2011)
- Sergio Romo, RHP, Yuma Scorpions Winter League 2007, San Francisco Giants (2010)
[edit] Panthers Acquired by MLB Teams
- Joey Gathright,OF, Boston Red Sox (2011)
- Robby Scott, LHP, Boston Red Sox (2011)
- JJ Leaper, RHP Oakland Athletics (2011)
- Lee Cruz, OF, Houston Astros (2010)
- Gilbert De La Vara, LHP, Detroit Tigers (2010)
- Brandon Fowler, C, San Diego Padres (2010)
- Rylan Sandoval, SS, New York Mets (2010)
- Reynaldo Rodriguez, 1B, Boston Red Sox (2009)
- Ryan Barba, SS, Atlanta Braves (2008)
- Donald Brandt, P Milwaukee Brewers (2008)
- Derrick Hale, SS, Cincinnati Reds (2008)
- Kennard Jones, OF, Baltimore Orioles (2007)
- Charles Merricks, P, Philadelphia Phillies (2007)
- Scott Richmond, P, Toronto Blue Jays (2007)
- Sergio Romo, P, San Francisco Giants (2007)
- Cardoza Tucker, P, Houston Astros (2006)
- Dane De La Rosa, P, Tampa Bay Rays (2005)
- Jason Dewey, C, Colorado Rockies, (2005)
[edit] Major Leaguers Who Have Played for the Panthers
- 2005: Alex Arias SS, Joe Davenport P, Carl Sadler P, Jason Dewey
- 2006: Rusty Meacham P
- 2007: Pasqual Matos C
- 2008: Mike Esposito P, Felipe Lira P
- 2009: Emiliano Fruto, P
- 2010: Bill Pulsipher P, Alex Prieto P, Cha-Seung Baek P, Mike Johnson P
- 2011: Joey Gathright OF, Jose Canseco DH, Tony Phillips IF/OF, Ozzie Canseco OF/DH
[edit] Managers
- Benny Castillo (2005-2006) Record: 79-91, Winning % : .465
- Mike Marshall (2007-2008) Record: 89-74 Winning %: .546
- Boris Villa (2009) Record: 29-47 Winning %: .382
- Darryl Brinkley (2010) Record: 41-49, Winning % : .456
- Jose Canseco (2011)
- Garry Templeton (2012- )[11]
[edit] Quick facts
- Founded: 2005
- Stadium: Desert Sun Stadium
- Uniform Colors: Purple and White
- Logo Design: TBA
- Mascot: TBA
- Current ownership: North American League
- Local Radio: KBLU-AM (As of June 2009)
- First Play-by-Play Broadcaster: Radio: Jim Howell
- Current Broadcasters: Radio: Jeff Edwards
[edit] Remembering the Imperials
During the 2008 season, the Scorpions played four of their home games at Stark Field in El Centro, California, just 60 miles west of Yuma, and would don classic uniforms of the El Centro Imperials of the Sunset League from the late 1940s to early 1950s.[12]
As a result, the Imperials were revived in 2009 and are now a member of the Arizona Summer League.
[edit] Season-by-season records
Golden Baseball League:
| Season | W | L | Win % | Place | Playoff |
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| 2005 | 47 | 43 | .522 | 2nd, Arizona Division | Did not qualify |
| 2006 | 32 | 48 | .400 | 4th/6th | Did not qualify |
| 2007 | 42 | 34 | .553 | 3rd/2nd | Did not qualify |
| 2008 | 47 | 39 | .547 | 2nd/4th, South Division | Did not qualify |
| 2009 | 19 | 20 | .487 | 5th, South Division | Did not qualify |
| 2010 | 14 | 31 | .311 | 4th, South Division | Did not qualify |
North American League:
| Season | W | L | Win % | Place | Playoff |
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| 2011 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Did not qualify |
[edit] See also
- Yuma Panthers (original)
- Yuma Scorpions (Arizona Winter League team)
[edit] References
- ^ Edward Carifio (May 20, 2009). "Scorpions to be affiliated with Colombian pro league". Yuma Sun. http://www.yumasun.com/news/affilated-50191-colombian-league.html. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
- ^ Edward Carifio (May 25, 2009). "Time will tell on effectiveness of Scorpions deal". Yuma Sun. http://www.yumasun.com/sports/really-50324-taxes-president.html. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
- ^ Baseball Fever. November 12, 2010. http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Lodi_Lions
- ^ Baseball Reference. November 12, 2010. http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Lodi_Orions
- ^ ESPN Filming Feature Story on Yuma Scorpions, GBL website, June 30, 2009
- ^ "Scorpions sign affiliation deal with Venezuelan league". Yuma Sun. 2010-02-26. http://www.yumasun.com/sports/year-56595-league-outcalt.html. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
- ^ a b "Scorps should be improved in 2010 | deal, league, year - Sports". Yuma Sun. 2010-03-01. http://www.yumasun.com/sports/deal-56665-league-year.html. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
- ^ "Jose Canseco to manage independent league team - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 2011-04-11. http://sports.espn.go.com/minorlbb/news/story?id=6330573. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ Gleeman, Aaron (Aug 12, 2011). "Former big leaguers Tony Phillips and Mike Marshall fight as Jose Canseco manages". Hardball Talk. NBC Sports. http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/08/12/former-big-leaguers-tony-phillips-and-mike-marshall-fight-as-jose-canseco-manages/. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ "New for 2012: Yuma Panthers". Ballparkdigest.com. 2012-02-08. http://ballparkdigest.com/201202084489/independent-baseball/news/new-for-2012-yuma-panthers. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ a b "Yuma baseball team getting ‘fresh start’ as Panthers, new, team, panthers - News". http://www.yumasun.com/news/new-76533-team-panthers.html. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ "Golden Baseball League". Our Sports Central. 2008-05-13. http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3640162. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
[edit] External links
- Yuma Panthers website (coming soon)
- North American Baseball League website
- Yuma Sun's Yuma Scorpions archive section
- A real second chance (The Arizona Daily Star, September 12, 2008)
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