Pecos League
 | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2010 |
| First season | 2011 |
| CEO | Andrew Dunn |
| No. of teams | 15 |
| Country | United States |
| Continent | North America |
| Most recent champion(s) | Tucson Saguaros (2020) |
| Most titles | Roswell Invaders (3) |
| Official website | pecosleague |
The Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs is an independent professional baseball league headquartered in Houston, which operates in cities in desert mountain regions throughout California, New Mexico, Arizona, southern Colorado, Kansas and West Texas. The league plays in cities that do not have Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either.
History
The Pecos League operated six teams in the 2011[1] and 2012 seasons and expanded to eight teams for 2013. Continued growth saw the league reach a high of 10 teams for 2014.
The season is a highly condensed one, in which teams may play 64 games in 78 days, all for a weekly salary of $50 per player.
The Pecos League also operates a spring developmental league, which is a one-month showcase beginning in March for recent college graduates and free agents looking to catch on to a full season league.
In May 2014, Fox Sports 1 aired a six-part documentary about life in the Pecos League, mostly based on the Trinidad Triggers.
In August 2014, Jon Edwards made his major league debut with the Texas Rangers becoming the first player in Pecos League history to play in Major League Baseball.
In September 2016, Chris Smith was called up to the Toronto Blue Jays becoming the second player from the Pecos League to make a major league roster, though he did not appear in a game. Smith would eventually make his debut for the Blue Jays on June 27, 2017, against the Baltimore Orioles.
For 2016, the Las Vegas Train Robbers moved to Topeka, Kansas. Expansion teams were added in Great Bend, Kansas[2] and Tucson, Arizona.[3][4][5]
On February 25, 2016 it was announced that the Las Cruces Vaqueros would sit out the 2016 season due to severe damage to their home stadium.[6] Expansion team Salina Stockade[7] was added to the league and played a limited 11-game home schedule in 2016.
Following the 2016 season, a drastic shift in the Pecos League landscape occurred as two Kansas teams, the Salina Stockade and Great Bend Boom, both folded, while a third, the Topeka Train Robbers, moved to Bakersfield, California, taking the place of the former Bakersfield Blaze, who folded following the 2016 California League season.
Joining the Train Robbers in California for 2017 are three expansion teams: the High Desert Yardbirds (replacing the California League's High Desert Mavericks), the Monterey Amberjacks, and California City Whiptails. The league also announced a travel team, the Hollywood Stars, who played a handful of home games in Los Angeles.
For 2019, the Ruidoso Osos were replaced by the Wasco Reserves, and the league reduced the number of divisions from three to two.
For 2020, the Martinez Sturgeon and Santa Cruz Seaweed were announced as expansion teams, and the San Rafael Pacifics were added from the Pacific Association. They joined the all-California Pacific Division, and replaced the California City Whiptails and High Desert Yardbirds in the circuit. The Tucson Saguaros moved to the Mountain Division, taking the place of the now-folded White Sands Pupfish. Interdivisional games would not be played to cut down on travel and other expenses.[8] Later, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced that the Mountain Division teams would not play at their home stadiums, and that 4 of the 6 teams would play a condensed 36-game season beginning on July 1, 2020.[9] All games were played at Coastal Baseball Park in Houston, Texas. The Pacific Division originally planned on enacting a similar format, but due to the ongoing pandemic, were unable to compete in 2020.
For the 2021 season, the Salina Stockade and the White Sands Pupfish will return, and the league announced the addition of the Colorado Springs Snowsox as an expansion team.
Current teams
| Pecos League | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Team | Founded | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Mountain | Alpine Cowboys | 2009 | Alpine, Texas | Kokernot Field | 1,400[10] |
| Garden City Wind | 2015 | Garden City, Kansas | Clint Lightner Field | 1,000[11] | |
| Roswell Invaders | 2011 | Roswell, New Mexico | Joe Bauman Stadium | 500 | |
| Santa Fe Fuego | 2012 | Santa Fe, New Mexico | Fort Marcy Ballfield | 1,100[12] | |
| Trinidad Triggers | 2012 | Trinidad, Colorado | Central Park | 887[10] | |
| Tucson Saguaros | 2016 | Tucson, Arizona | Amphitheater High School | ||
| Pacific | Bakersfield Train Robbers | 2013 | Bakersfield, California | Sam Lynn Ballpark | 2,700[10] |
| Martinez Sturgeon | 2020 | Martinez, California | Waterfront Park | ||
| Monterey Amberjacks | 2017 | Monterey, California | Frank E. Sollecito, Jr. Ballpark | ||
| San Rafael Pacifics | 2020 | San Rafael, California | Albert Park | 1,200[10] | |
| Santa Cruz Seaweed | 2020 | Santa Cruz, California | Harvey West Park | ||
| Wasco Reserve | 2019 | Wasco, California | Wasco Ballpark | ||
Former teams
| Team | Season(s) | Location | Homefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bisbee Blue | 2014 | Bisbee, Arizona | Warren Ballpark |
| California City Whiptails | 2017–present (currently dormant) | California City, California | Balsitis Park |
| Carlsbad Bats | 2011 | Carlsbad, New Mexico | Travel team |
| Douglas Diablos | 2014 | Douglas, Arizona | Copper King Park |
| Great Bend Boom | 2016 | Great Bend, Kansas | Al Burns Memorial Field |
| High Desert Yardbirds | 2017–2019 | Adelanto, California | Adelanto Stadium |
| Las Cruces Vaqueros | 2010–2012, 2015 | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Apodoca Park |
| Las Vegas Train Robbers | 2013–2015 | Las Vegas, New Mexico | Rodriguez Park |
| Raton Osos | 2013–2014 | Raton, New Mexico | Gabrielle Park |
| Ruidoso Osos | 2011, 2018 | Ruidoso, New Mexico | White Mountain Park |
| Salina Stockade | 2016, 2020 | Salina, Kansas | Dean Evans Stadium |
| Taos Blizzard | 2013–2014 | Taos, New Mexico | The Tundra |
| Topeka Train Robbers | 2016 | Topeka, Kansas | Lake Shawnee Park |
| White Sands Pupfish | 2009–present (currently dormant) | Alamogordo, New Mexico | Jim Griggs Park |
League timeline
League members Former Team
Champions
| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Roswell Invaders | Ruidoso Osos | 2–1 (best-of-3) |
| 2012 | Alpine Cowboys | Las Cruces Vaqueros | 2–1 (best-of-3) |
| 2013 | Roswell Invaders | Las Vegas Train Robbers | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
| 2014 | Santa Fe Fuego | Alpine Cowboys | 2–1 (best-of-3) |
| 2015 | Roswell Invaders[13] | Santa Fe Fuego | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
| 2016 | Tucson Saguaros | Trinidad Triggers | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
| 2017 | High Desert Yardbirds | Roswell Invaders | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
| 2018 | Bakersfield Train Robbers[14] | Alpine Cowboys | 2–1 (best-of-3) |
| 2019 | Alpine Cowboys | Bakersfield Train Robbers | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
| 2020 | Tucson Saguaros | Salina Stockade | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
References
- ^ "Independent Pecos League also will play in Las Cruces, Roswell and Artesia". Albuquerque Journal. August 25, 2010.
- ^ "Great Bend independent baseball team gets schedule, new name". The Hutchinson News. February 3, 2016.
- ^ "Martinez signs pro baseball contract with Tucson". Mesabi Daily News. January 4, 2016.
- ^ "NJIT's Mike Rampone Signs Professional Contract with Tucson Saguaros". NJIT Athletics. February 3, 2016.
- ^ "Ex-JCC player Ramos signs pro contract". Watertown Daily Times. February 10, 2016.
- ^ "Vaqueros will not return in 2016". Las Cruces Sun-News. February 25, 2016.
- ^ "Introducing the Salina Stockade". Salina Journal. February 14, 2016.
- ^ "Pecos League to play with fourteen teams in two divisions for 2020 season" (Press release). Pecos League. February 25, 2020.
- ^ "Pecos League 2020 Season Update" (Press release). Pecos League. May 7, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Knight, Graham. "2017 Professional Baseball Ballparks". BaseballPilgrimages.com. Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
- ^ "Clint Lightner". www.clintlightner.com. Pecos League. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
- ^ O’Reilly, Charles. "Fort Marcy Park". www.charliesballparks.com. Charlie's Ballparks. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
- ^ "Invaders handily end Fuego's wild season, claim 3rd league title". Santa Fe New Mexican. August 4, 2015.
- ^ "Bakersfield Train Robbers win Pecos League Championship". 23 ABC News. August 4, 2018.
External links
- Pecos League
- Sports leagues established in 2010
- Independent baseball leagues in the United States
- 2010 establishments in the United States
- Professional sports leagues in the United States
- Baseball leagues in New Mexico
- Baseball leagues in California
- Baseball leagues in Kansas
- Baseball leagues in Arizona
- Baseball leagues in Colorado
- Baseball leagues in Texas