| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2009 |
| Ceased | 2013 |
| No. of teams | 4 (as of 2011) |
| Country | USA |
| Last champion(s) | San Diego Surf Dawgs (2) |
| Official website | www.arizonasummerleague.com |
The Arizona Summer League (ASL) was a professional short-season instructional baseball league affiliated with the independent North American League (NAL). The league was announced on April 3, 2009, and founded in Yuma, Arizona [1] by the now-defunct Golden Baseball League (now a part of the NAL). Now headquartered in San Ramon, California, it is an independent baseball league that includes of four teams based out of different cities. All games are played at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma, Arizona. The 2011 season ran from July 13 to August 8.
Since its inception, some players from the ASL have signed contracts with affiliated professional teams. In 2009, 18 ASL players were plucked out of the league by independent and foreign pro leagues.[ citation needed ] In 2010 57 ASL players (over 90%) were signed to pro contracts by independent and foreign pro leagues.[ citation needed ]
The league, along with the companion Arizona Winter League, ceased operations for good in 2013.
Patterned after the Arizona Winter League, the GBL-owned Arizona Summer League debuted with three charter teams: the Canada Miners, San Diego Surf Dawgs, and El Centro Imperials, under GBL team management. The Yuma Scorpions, who play in both the GBL and AWL, and San Luis Atleticos of the AWL were originally named as a charter team in the ASL, but were replaced at the last minute by the Surf Dawgs as the inaugural season began on July 2, 2009. In 2010, the Surf Dawgs were joined by the Bisbee Miners and Long Beach Armada. In 2011, the teams were joined by Team Canada while Bisbee was reidentified as former GBL franchise the Mesa Miners.
The inaugural season consists of a 20-game regular season, with the first and second place teams facing off in a one-game playoff for the championship. All teams are based in the Yuma, Arizona, area playing all games at Desert Sun Stadium (home of the Scorpions) and utilizing the Ray Kroc Complex which used to house the San Diego Padres and Yakult Swallows spring training operations. The league is for players out of college or university who were overlooked by professional teams and other players who were released by pro teams and are looking for professional contracts either from the Golden Baseball League or Major League Baseball. It is an instructional summer league that includes a number of ex-major league stars as managers and instructors such as Mike Marshall, Rusty Meacham, Nick Belmonte, Warren Cromartie, Benny Castillo, Alex Arias and Shannon Hunt. [2] The ASL will also help players who were injured during the season to rehab and work on returning to their GBL team.
| Arizona Summer League | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Founded | City | Stadium | ||
| Long Beach Armada | 2005 (with the Golden Baseball League) | Long Beach, California | Desert Sun Stadium (Yuma) | ||
| Mesa Miners | 2005 (with the Golden Baseball League) | Mesa, Arizona | Desert Sun Stadium (Yuma) | ||
| San Diego Surf Dawgs | 2005 (with the Golden Baseball League) | San Diego, California | Desert Sun Stadium (Yuma) | ||
| Team Canada | 2009 (with the Arizona Winter League) | Canada | Desert Sun Stadium (Yuma) | ||
Final Standings [3]
| Team | W | L | Win % | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Canada Miners | 9 | 5 | .633 | --- |
| El Centro Imperials | 7 | 7 | .500 | 2 |
| San Diego Surf Dawgs | 5 | 9 | .357 | 4 |
* Awarded championship
Final Standings [4]
| Team | W | L | Win % | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *San Diego Surf Dawgs | 6 | 3 | .650 | --- |
| Bisbee Miners | 5 | 4 | .550 | 1 |
| Long Beach Armada | 4 | 8 | .333 | 3.5 |
* Awarded championship
| Team | W | L | Win % | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesa Miners | 8 | 6 | .571 | --- |
| Team Canada | 8 | 7 | .533 | .5 |
| * San Diego Surf Dawgs | 7 | 8 | .467 | 1.5 |
| Long Beach Armada | 6 | 8 | .429 | 2 |
* Awarded championship after single elimination playoff
 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(March 2012) |
The Palm Springs Chill based in Palm Springs, California were interested to join the ASL. [ citation needed ]
Another Arizona-based team is the Tucson Toros whom postponed their inaugural season in 2010. [ citation needed ]
During the 2011 Summer season: 10 Players signed Professional contracts, Shortstop Kirby Young who played in 14 Games Hit. 400 and signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim becoming the first player to sign with a major league team in 2011.
The Golden Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in San Ramon, California, with teams located in the western United States, western Canada and northwest Mexico.
The San Diego Surf Dawgs are an independent professional baseball team representing San Diego, California, that played for two seasons in the Golden Baseball League, based out of San Ramon, California, and then later in the short-season instructional Arizona Winter League and Arizona Summer League, based out of Yuma, Arizona, which was not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. They were owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment, previous owners of the GBL and primary investors in the North American League. In November 2022, it was announced the Surf Dawgs franchise will be revived as part of a west coast expansion of the Federal Baseball League.
The Long Beach Armada were 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 (GBL), which was not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. The Armada played its home games at Blair Field.
The Yuma Desert Rats were a professional baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona, in the United States. From the 2005 season to the 2011 season, they were known as the Yuma Scorpions and played their home games at Desert Sun Stadium at the Ray Kroc Complex, former spring training home of the San Diego Padres.
The Mesa Miners are an independent professional baseball team that is based in Mesa, Arizona. They began as a member of the Arizona Division of the now-defunct Golden Baseball League in 2005. The original team became known as the Reno Silver Sox in 2006, and then the Tucson Toros in 2009, but the league could bring the Miners back as an expansion team should they decide to do so.
The Japan Samurai Bears are a defunct traveling professional baseball team that played in the independent Golden Baseball League, which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. They were based in the Arizona Division. The team, which existed for one season, played all of its games on the road in order to keep an even number of teams in the league.
The Surprise Fightin' Falcons are an inactive professional baseball team based in Surprise, Arizona. They played in the Arizona Division of the independent Golden Baseball League, which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. They played their homes games at the Surprise Recreation Campus athletic facility, which includes a spring training ballpark called Surprise Stadium.
The Reno Silver Sox were a professional baseball team based in Reno, Nevada, in the United States. They were a member of the North Division of the independent Golden Baseball League, which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. From 2006 to 2008, they played their home games at William Peccole Park, on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno.
The Arizona Winter League was an independent winter instructional baseball league. All Winter League games were played at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma, Arizona. The league was founded in 2007. It disbanded in 2013 due to parent league, the Golden Baseball League/North American League, folding, but was restarted in 2016, only to fold again following the 2018 season.
The Blythe Heat were a professional baseball team based in Blythe, California. They played in the Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the North American League. They began play in 2007 and played their home games at Alexander Field in Blythe. They are the only team in the instructional league that play their home games somewhere other than the league's home base of Yuma, Arizona's Desert Sun Stadium. They were owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment. The team's uniform logo was that of the former Western Baseball League team, the Chico Heat, predecessors to the GBL's Chico Outlaws.
The Sonora Pilots are a professional independent baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona and represent Sonora, Mexico. They play in the International Division of the developmental Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league sanctioned by the North American League and they play their home games at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma, along with the Canada Miners, San Diego Surf Dawgs and Yuma Scorpions. They are not affiliated with Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball.
The Saskatchewan Silver Sox are an independent professional baseball team based in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. They play in the developmental Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the North American League and compete in the International Division, as well as the Calexico Outlaws, San Diego Surf Dawgs, San Luis Atleticos and Team Canada. They began playing their home games in 2009 at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma. They are owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment.
The Western Canada Miners are a professional independent baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona, and representing western Canada. They play in the developmental Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the North American League and they play their home games at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma, as well as the San Diego Surf Dawgs, Saskatchewan Silver Sox, Team Canada and Yuma Scorpions. The team uses the logo and uniforms of the now-defunct Mesa Miners team and are owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment.
The San Luis Atleticos are a professional independent baseball team based in San Luis, Arizona, representing that city and Mexico. They play in the developmental Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the Golden Baseball League and play in the International Division, as well as the Saskatchewan Silver Sox, Team Canada and Western Canada Miners. The team will play their home games in 2009 at Joe Orduno Field in San Luis. Their team colors are green and gold, similar to the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball. They are managed by former Toronto Blue Jays farmhand Eddie Dennis, who now manages the United League's Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings team.
The Bisbee Miners were a season-season independent professional baseball team that played in the Arizona Summer League representing Bisbee, Arizona. They play their home games at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma, Arizona, home of the North American League's Yuma Scorpions. They were one of two teams that replaced the 2009 league champion Canada Miners for the 2010 season. The team folded in 2011 as they were returned to their former Golden Baseball League identity of the Mesa Miners.
The Arizona RoadRunners are a professional baseball team based out of Yuma, Arizona and are currently a member of the American Division of the Arizona Winter League, a short-season developmental program run by the North American League. They are owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment and will play their games, home and away, at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma, Arizona, starting in 2011.
The Henderson RoadRunners were an independent professional baseball team based out of Henderson, Nevada. They were members of the Western Division in the North American League and were scheduled to begin play in 2011 at Lied Field at Morse Stadium on the campus of the College of Southern Nevada in Henderson. But they would forgo their inaugural season as Lied Field will not be ready in time for the start of the season. The franchise folded in 2012 after failing to attract attention and secure new ownership. They would've been the second professional franchise to play in the Las Vegas area. The first is the Las Vegas 51s of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.
Team Canada is a professional independent baseball team representing Canada. They play in the developmental Arizona Winter League and Arizona Summer League, short-season instructional leagues affiliated with the North American League. The team is owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment and have played their home and away games since 2009 at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma. They replaced the Sonora Pilots, who did not play in 2009 or 2010, yet the Pilots returned in 2011.
The Calexico Outlaws were a professional independent baseball team based in Calexico, California, representing that city and Mexico. They played in the developmental Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the North American League and played in the International Division, as well as the San Diego Surf Dawgs, San Luis Atleticos, Saskatchewan Silver Sox and Team Canada. The team plays their home games in 2012 at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma, Arizona. Their team colors are black, red and white and they don the uniforms of the now-defunct Chico Outlaws. The team disbanded in 2013.
The Yuma Scorpions were a professional developmental baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona. They were members of the Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional league run by the North American League. They are owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment LLC and are 3-time AWL Champions.