Pacific Coast League facts for kids
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| Classification | Triple-A (1958–present) Open (1952–1957) Triple-A (1946–1951) Double-A (1912–1945) Class-A (1904–1911) Independent (1903) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Baseball |
| Founded | 1903 |
| No. of teams | 10 |
| Country | United States |
| Most recent champion(s) |
Oklahoma City Dodgers (2023) |
| Most titles | San Francisco Seals (14) |
| Official website | www.milb.com |
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a professional Minor League Baseball league. It operates mostly in the Western United States. The PCL is one of two leagues that play at the Triple-A level. This means it is just one step below Major League Baseball (MLB).
For much of the early 1900s, the PCL was a very important baseball league. Many people thought its games were almost as good as major league games. Famous players like Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams played in the PCL before joining MLB. In 1958, major league teams started playing on the West Coast. This changed the PCL. Its teams then became "farm teams" for MLB clubs. This means they helped develop players for the big leagues. In 2021, MLB changed how minor leagues were organized. The PCL was called the Triple-A West for one year. But in 2022, it went back to its original name.
At the end of each season, a league champion is crowned. The San Francisco Seals have won the most PCL titles, with 14 wins. The Los Angeles Angels are next with 12 wins. The Albuquerque Dukes and Portland Beavers each won 8 titles.
Contents
History of the Pacific Coast League
How the League Started
The Pacific Coast League began on December 29, 1902. Baseball officials met in San Francisco to create a league bigger than just California. Six teams were chosen to start: the Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Oaks, Portland Beavers, Sacramento Senators, San Francisco Seals, and Seattle Indians.
At first, the PCL was not part of the main minor league system. This was because of arguments over team areas and allowing certain players to play. But in 1904, the PCL joined the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. It was then called a Class A league. By 1909, it was upgraded to Double-A.
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The West Coast has mild weather, especially in California. This allowed PCL teams to play very long seasons. Sometimes, seasons started in February and ended in December. In 1905, the San Francisco Seals played 230 games! Teams often played between 170 and 200 games each year until the late 1950s. This helped players get better skills and earn more money. Many minor league records for a single season are held by PCL players because of these long seasons.
The first PCL season in 1903 had over 200 games planned for each team. It started on March 26. The Los Angeles Angels finished first with a great record of 133 wins and 78 losses. They became the very first league champions.
A League Almost Like the Majors
In the first half of the 1900s, the PCL became one of the best regional baseball leagues. There were no major league teams west of St. Louis. This made the PCL the top baseball league on the American West Coast. Even though it was never officially a "major league," its level of play was very high.
The PCL had many talented players. Some future Hall of Famers who played in the PCL include Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, and Tony Lazzeri. After World War II, the league president wanted the PCL to become a third major league. In 1945, the league voted to do this. However, the American League and National League did not agree to let them join.
Many PCL players went on to play in the major leagues. But PCL teams could often pay good salaries. This helped them keep their best players. Some players even spent their whole careers in the minor leagues. One famous example is Frank Shellenback. He won 295 games in the PCL, which is a league record.
In 1952, the PCL was given a special "Open" classification. This was a step above Triple-A. It meant major league teams had limited rights to draft players from the PCL. This was seen as a move towards becoming a major league.
Changes and Decline
The PCL's dream of becoming a major league ended in 1958. This was when the first MLB teams came to the West Coast. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants moved there. This forced three of the PCL's main teams to move to smaller cities. The Oakland Oaks had already moved to Canada two years earlier. Other PCL teams also had to move when new MLB teams arrived in their cities.
The PCL also lost fans because people could now watch major league games on TV. The league never fully recovered from these big changes. The Pacific Coast League went back to being a Triple-A league in 1958. It became just another minor league in the public's eyes.
Expanding Beyond the Coast
In the 1950s, the PCL started to spread out. Before this, Salt Lake City was the farthest east a team played. In 1956, the Oakland Oaks moved to Canada. They became the Vancouver Mounties, the league's first international team. Later, other teams moved to places like Phoenix and Spokane.
The league kept growing across the country in the 1960s. New cities with PCL teams included Dallas, Denver, Hawaii, and Oklahoma City. By the mid-1960s, the PCL had 12 teams. More teams joined in the 1970s and 1980s, like the Albuquerque Dukes and Las Vegas Stars.
More Growth and New Teams
In 1998, the Pacific Coast League added five teams from another league that was closing down. A sixth new team was also added. This made the PCL have a record 16 teams. Even though it's called the "Pacific Coast League," it now stretched far beyond the coast. Teams were located from Washington to Tennessee. Half of its teams were east of the Rocky Mountains.
Over time, the PCL's presence in Canada ended. The last Canadian team moved to the U.S. in 2005. In 2005, the PCL became the first minor league to have over 7 million fans attend games in one season. In 2007, attendance reached its highest ever, with over 7.4 million fans.
In 2019, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox team moved to San Antonio, Texas. They became the San Antonio Missions. Another team, the New Orleans Baby Cakes, moved to Wichita, Kansas.
Major League Baseball Takes Over
The 2020 baseball season was delayed and then canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Major League Baseball changed how minor leagues were organized. The Pacific Coast League was reduced to 10 teams. For the 2021 season, it was temporarily called the "Triple-A West." After MLB bought the rights to the names of old minor leagues, the Triple-A West went back to being called the Pacific Coast League in 2022.
How the Season Works
The PCL is split into two groups, called divisions: East and West. Each division has five teams. Since the 2022 season, all teams play 150 games. The season starts in late March and finishes in late September.
Championship and All-Star Games
Since 2023, the regular season is split into two halves. The winners of each half play in a short series to decide the league champion.
The PCL champion then plays against the champion of the International League. This game is called the Triple-A National Championship Game. It's a single game to find the overall best Triple-A team. This game has been played every year since 2006, except for 2020 and 2021.
The PCL also used to have an Triple-A All-Star Game. This game usually happened the day after the mid-summer Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It was a way to mark the middle of the season.
Current Teams
| Division | Team | Founded | MLB Affiliation | Affiliated Since | City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | Albuquerque Isotopes | 2003 | Colorado Rockies | 2015 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park | 13,500 |
| El Paso Chihuahuas | 2014 | San Diego Padres | 2014 | El Paso, Texas | Southwest University Park | 9,500 | |
| Oklahoma City Baseball Club | 1962 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 2015 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | 9,000 | |
| Round Rock Express | 2000 | Texas Rangers | 2021 | Round Rock, Texas | Dell Diamond | 11,631 | |
| Sugar Land Space Cowboys | 2012 | Houston Astros | 2021 | Sugar Land, Texas | Constellation Field | 7,500 | |
| West | Las Vegas Aviators | 1983 | Oakland Athletics | 2019 | Summerlin South, Nevada | Las Vegas Ballpark | 10,000 |
| Reno Aces | 2009 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 2009 | Reno, Nevada | Greater Nevada Field | 9,013 | |
| Sacramento River Cats | 2000 | San Francisco Giants | 2015 | West Sacramento, California | Sutter Health Park | 14,014 | |
| Salt Lake Bees | 1994 | Los Angeles Angels | 2001 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Smith's Ballpark | 14,511 | |
| Tacoma Rainiers | 1960 | Seattle Mariners | 1995 | Tacoma, Washington | Cheney Stadium | 6,500 |
Baseball Rules in the PCL
The Pacific Coast League follows the same rules as Major League Baseball. These rules are found in the Official Baseball Rules.
One important rule is the designated hitter (DH). This rule allows a player to bat in place of the pitcher. Since 2022, MLB uses the DH rule for all teams. So, PCL teams now also use the DH rule in all their games.
Other rules help speed up the game. For example, a pitch clock is used. Pitchers have 15 seconds to throw a pitch when no one is on base. They get 20 seconds if there are runners. Teams are also limited to five visits to the pitcher's mound during a nine-inning game. Pitchers must also face at least three batters before they can be taken out of the game.
Past Champions
The way the PCL champion is decided has changed over the years. For many years, the team with the best record at the end of the regular season was the champion. Later, the league started having playoff series to crown a champion.
Since 2023, the season is split into two halves. The winners of each half play in a best-of-three series to decide the league champion.
The San Francisco Seals have won the most PCL championships, with 14 titles. The Los Angeles Angels are second with 12 wins. The Albuquerque Dukes and Portland Beavers each won 8 championships.
Awards for PCL Players
The PCL gives out awards to its best players and team staff each year.
Most Valuable Player Award
The Most Valuable Player Award started in 1927. It goes to the best player in the league. Team managers, general managers, broadcasters, and media members vote for this award.
Pitcher of the Year Award
The Pitcher of the Year Award recognizes the league's best pitcher. It has been given out since 2001. Before that, pitchers could win the MVP Award.
Top MLB Prospect Award
The Top MLB Prospect Award started in 1952 as the Rookie of the Year Award. It is given to the best player who has not played in the PCL before.
Manager of the Year Award
The Manager of the Year Award began in 1967. It honors the league's top manager.
PCL Hall of Fame
The Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame was created in 1942. It honors players, managers, and team leaders who have made big contributions to the league. The first 12 members were added in 1943.
The Hall of Fame stopped adding members after 1957. But it was brought back in 2003, which was the PCL's 100th anniversary. New members are now chosen before each season begins.
Images for kids
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The official logo of the Pacific Coast League.
See also
In Spanish: Pacific Coast League para niños
- List of Pacific Coast League no-hitters
- List of Pacific Coast League records
- List of Pacific Coast League stadiums
- Sports league attendances
