The 1998 International League season took place from April to September 1998.
The Buffalo Bisons defeated the Durham Bulls to win the league championship.
Four new teams joined the International League in 1998. Three of these teams, the Buffalo Bisons, Indianapolis Indians, and the Louisville Redbirds joined as a result of the dissolution of the American Association. All three cities had previously competed in the IL at some point in time. One team, the Durham Bulls became a Triple-A expansion team. The Bulls were previously a Class A baseball team. [1] As a result of these moves, the IL expanded from 10 teams to 14 teams. A new division, the IL South, was also formed. The playoffs would be determined by the three division winners and one wild card winner. This would be the playoff format for the league until after the 2019 season.
International League - North Division | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
Buffalo Bisons | 81 | 62 | .566 | – |
Syracuse SkyChiefs | 80 | 62 | .563 | ½ |
Pawtucket Red Sox | 77 | 64 | .546 | 3 |
Rochester Red Wings | 70 | 74 | .486 | 11.5 |
Ottawa Lynx | 69 | 74 | .483 | 12 |
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons | 67 | 75 | .472 | 13.5 |
International League - South Division | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
Durham Bulls | 80 | 64 | .556 | – |
Norfolk Tides | 70 | 72 | .493 | 9 |
Charlotte Knights | 70 | 73 | .490 | 9.5 |
Richmond Braves | 64 | 80 | .444 | 16 |
International League - West Division | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
Louisville Redbirds | 77 | 67 | .535 | – |
Indianapolis Indians | 76 | 67 | .531 | ½ |
Columbus Clippers | 67 | 77 | .465 | 10 |
Toledo Mud Hens | 52 | 89 | .369 | 23.5 |
North Division Champion (Buffalo 81-62) defeated Wild Card Champion (Syracuse 80-62) 3 games to 2
South Division Champion (Durham 80-64) defeated West Division Champion (Louisville 77-67) 3 games to 1
Buffalo defeated Durham 3 games to 2
Buffalo advanced on to the first Triple-A World Series in Las Vegas, Nevada. The World Series pitted the International League Champions (Buffalo) against the Pacific Coast League Champions (New Orleans). The New Orleans Zephyrs won the Series three games to one.
The Columbus Clippers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They are located in Columbus, Ohio, and are named for speedy merchant sailing vessels known as clippers. The team has played their home games at Huntington Park since 2009. They previously played at Cooper Stadium from 1977 to 2008.
The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the winged mammal and baseball bats, such as those manufactured locally under the Louisville Slugger brand. The team plays their home games at Louisville Slugger Field, which opened in 2000. The Bats previously played at Cardinal Stadium from 1982 to 1999.
The American Association (AA) was a Minor League Baseball league that operated primarily in the Midwestern and South Central United States from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997. It was classified as a Triple-A league, which is one grade below Major League Baseball, for most of its existence.
The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory Field, which opened in 1996. The Indians previously played at Owen J. Bush Stadium from 1931 to 1996 and at two versions of Washington Park from 1902 to 1931.
The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened in 1995.
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, often abbreviated to SWB RailRiders, are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. They are located in Moosic, Pennsylvania, in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, and are named in reference to Northeastern Pennsylvania being home to the first trolley system in the United States. The RailRiders have played their home games at PNC Field since its opening in 1989.
The Triple-A World Series was an interleague postseason championship series between the league champions of the affiliated Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball to determine an overall champion of the classification held in 1983 and from 1998 to 2000.
The following are the baseball events of the year 1878 throughout the world.
The following are the baseball events of the year 1877 throughout the world.
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball (MLB).
Triple-A has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL). There are 30 teams, one per each Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise, with 20 in the IL and 10 in the PCL. Triple-A teams are generally located in smaller cities who do not have major sports league teams such as Syracuse, Toledo, Reno and Omaha as well as larger metropolitan areas without MLB teams that may also have teams in other major sports leagues, such as Austin, Jacksonville, Columbus, Buffalo, and Indianapolis. Four Triple-A teams play in the same metro areas as their parent clubs.
The 2009 International League season began on Thursday, April 9, with all fourteen teams competing on opening day. The regular season ended on Monday, September 7.
The 2003 International League season took place from April to September 2003.
The 2000 International League season took place from April to September 2000.
The 1999 International League season took place from April to September 1999.
The Thruway Cup is an annual competition between Minor League Baseball's Buffalo Bisons, Rochester Red Wings, and Syracuse Mets of the International League. The Cup standings are compiled from the games the teams play against each other through the course of the regular season. The team at the top of the standings at the end of the season is crowned the Thruway Cup champion and wins the Thruway Cup trophy. Unique to this competition, it was agreed that any team winning the trophy three times would get to "retire" the cup and keep it as their own. As of the end of the 2021 season, Rochester has won ten times, Buffalo nine times, and Syracuse four times.
The Triple-A Classic was an interleague postseason championship series held annually between the league champions of the American Association (AA) and International League (IL) Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball from 1988 to 1991.
The Triple-A Alliance was an interleague partnership between the American Association (AA) and International League (IL) Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball from 1988 to 1991. The two leagues played an interlocking schedule consisting of 40 to 44 interleague games per team. At the end of each season, an Alliance champion was determined in the Triple-A Classic, a best-of-seven postseason series.