Golden Baseball League  Golden Baseball League logo |
| Sport | Baseball |
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| Founded | 2004 |
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| Inaugural season | 2005 |
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| Ceased | 2010 (merged with ULB and NoL) |
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| No. of teams | 6 (as of November 2010) |
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| Countries | USA
Canada
Mexico |
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Last
champion(s) | Chico Outlaws |
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| Most titles | Chico Outlaws (2) |
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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 GBL was not affiliated with Major League Baseball or the organized Minor League Baseball system, but has featured players with MLB experience (Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, Alex Arias, Bud Smith, Desi Wilson, José Lima, Hideki Irabu, Junior Spivey, Mark Prior). It was formed in 2004 and began play on May 26, 2005.
The GBL's presenting partner was Safeway Inc. Other investors in the GBL included Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak, [1] former National Football League players Mike Sherrard and Christian Okoye, and executives from Cisco Systems, Taleo and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. [2]
Over 100 players were sold to MLB organizations after it began play, with seven players already making it to a major league uniform – Dane De La Rosa, Adam Pettyjohn, Scott Richmond, Chris Jakubauskas, Sergio Romo, Bobby Cramer, and Daniel Nava.
The Golden Baseball League combined with United League Baseball and the Northern League into a new North American League for the 2011 season to form the first nationwide independent professional baseball league. [3] However, the North American League folded after two seasons.
History
The league was founded in 2004 by Stanford University graduates Dave Kaval and Amit Patel. Kaval was the president and chief executive officer (Patel departed after the 2008 season to run his family business conglomerate in Laurel, Mississippi). Brian MacInnes was the president, and Bill Weiss was the league's secretary and historian. [4]
Many former MLB coaches and players coached or managed in the GBL, including Kip Gross, Les Lancaster, Mike Marshall, Ozzie Virgil, Jr., Darrell Evans, Garry Templeton, Cory Snyder, Jeffrey Leonard, Gary Carter, Mike Busch, Steve Yeager, Phil Nevin, Charlie Hough, Mark Parent, Tim Johnson, Terry Kennedy, Paul Abbott, Brett Boone, Alex Arias, Rusty Meacham, and Warren Cromartie. [5]
The beginning
The league began with a single-entity model whereby the league owned all the clubs (except Tijuana and Japan which were partnerships). Since then, several of the clubs have been sold to private groups.
In its inaugural season, the league was composed of eight teams: the Chico Outlaws, Fullerton Flyers, Long Beach Armada and San Diego Surf Dawgs in California; Mesa Miners, Surprise Fightin' Falcons and Yuma Scorpions in Arizona and the Japan Samurai Bears. All teams played their home games in city- and university-owned stadiums, with the exception of the Samurai Bears, a traveling team of Japanese players that played all of its games on the road. The Japanese team was a late entry as the Tijuana Toros, who led all of minor league baseball in attendance at over 13,000 fans a game, had jumped from the Mexican League to the GBL in December to be a charter member of the league, only to learn that the government of the Mexican state of Baja California would not permit this.
Three of the GBL's teams, Long Beach, Chico and Yuma, operated in cities that once hosted Western Baseball League teams. The WBL operated from 1995 to 2002.
On May 9, 2005, Major League Baseball's all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, signed a contract to play the 2005 season with the Surf Dawgs.
The 2005 season ended with a four-team championship tournament on Labor Day Weekend. The tournament ended with San Diego winning two games on the final day, knocking off Mesa in the second game to win the title.
José Canseco, another retired star, signed with the Surf Dawgs in 2006 as part of his attempt to return to baseball and promote his book, Juiced , along with its upcoming movie adaptation. Canseco was traded to the Armada after only one game. He said that the move was to be closer to his daughter. [6]
Season 2: League Contracts
Before the 2006 season, Surprise was discontinued, while Mesa moved to Reno, another former Western League city, and became the Reno Silver Sox, the first GBL club in Nevada. The league moved to a six-team format and did not have the traveling Samurai Bears return.
League expands to Utah and Canada
Prior to the 2007 season, the San Diego Surf Dawgs operation was discontinued as San Diego State breached the lease agreement with the league and subsequently paid a settlement. The GBL remained at six teams by adding the St. George RoadRunners. The Utah city also hosted a Western League club from 1999 to 2001, the Zion Pioneerzz, becoming the fifth former WBL city to join the league.
In 2008, two former Northern League clubs, the Calgary Vipers and Edmonton Cracker-Cats, joined the GBL, becoming the loop's first two Canadian teams.
The league expanded to nine teams in 2009 with the addition of the Victoria Seals, while the Reno Silver Sox moved to Tucson to become the Toros. The Cracker-Cats were sold to Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz and renamed the Edmonton Capitals for the 2009 season.
Tijuana joins league in 2009 and will play in 2010
On December 15, 2008, the league signed a letter of intent to place another expansion franchise in Tijuana, Mexico. After the addition of the expansion Tijuana Potros on January 13, the Armada were moved to the North Division. The Potros themselves would postpone the season due to the swine flu outbreak in Mexico. [7] This made all their scheduled games days off for the other nine teams and left their GBL future in serious doubt.
As planned, the Tijuana team did return for the 2010 season but came back with a new name and additional owners. The Tijuana Cimarrones were announced as a member of the GBL when the schedule was released on January 15, 2010. [8]
Yuma becomes a Colombian affiliation in 2009
On May 20, 2009, the Yuma Sun reported that the team had signed an affiliation agreement with the Colombian Professional Baseball League (CPBL). [9] Under the terms of the affiliation, the CPBL will handle all on-field personnel and player issues while the team will retain control of promotions, concessions, and other front-office business. The Scorpions will act as a showcase team for players from all four CPBL teams. [10]
Yuma Scorpion Reynaldo Rodriguez, of Cartagena, Colombia, was named GBL 2009 Rookie of the Year, the top prospect in all the independent leagues by Baseball America, and had his contract purchased by the Boston Red Sox. [11]
Maui announced for 2010, Long Beach suspended
On September 30, 2009, the GBL announced that the Hawaiian sports and entertainment company XnE Inc. had purchased the territory rights to place teams in Hawaii and that their inaugural team would play at the War Memorial Complex in Maui in 2010. The team announced their name as Na Koa Ikaika Maui, which means the Strong Warriors of Maui. [12] [13]
The Long Beach Armada announced that they were suspending operations due to an ongoing stadium lease dispute with the city of Long Beach.
Season-by-season results
2005 Season
- Standings
x-Division Champion y-Wild Card (Division champions and top two wild card teams go to Championship.)
- Playoffs and Championship (4 team double-elimination, final 2 teams face in one game playoff):
| Game 1 | SAN DIEGO 9 Chico 0 |
| Game 2 | MESA 8 Long Beach 0 |
| Game 3 | CHICO 7 Long Beach 5 (Long Beach eliminated) |
| Game 4 | MESA 2 San Diego 0 |
| Game 5 | SAN DIEGO 2 Chico 1 (Chico eliminated) |
| Championship Game | SAN DIEGO 9 Mesa 6 (San Diego wins championship) |
| MVP | Cody Clark, San Diego |
- Awards:
| Year | Most Valuable Player | Pitcher of the Year | Rookie of the Year | Rookie Pitcher of the Year | Manager of the Year | Executive of the Year |
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| 2005 | Desi Wilson, 1B/OF, Surprise | Grant Gregg, LHP, Chico | Nick Guerra, C/3B, San Diego | Manny Ayala, RHP, Mesa | Terry Kennedy, San Diego | Bob Linscheid, Chico [25] |
Gold Glove winners: [26] Pitcher: Adam Pettyjohn, Long Beach Catcher: Cody Clark, San Diego First base: Yuji Nerei, Samurai Bears Second base: Kenichi Miura, Samurai Bears Third base: Sean Walsh, Fullerton Shortstop: Jeremy Hernandez, Long Beach Outfielders Marcus Knight, Mesa; Billy Brown, Surprise; Travis McAndrews, Long Beach
2006 season
- Standings:
z-First-half champion and best overall record, x-second-half champion (Champions of each half face in 5-game series for championship. If one team wins both halves, the team with next best overall record receives championship bid.)
- Championship (best of 5 game series):
| Game 1 | RENO 11 Fullerton 4 |
| Game 2 | RENO 5 Fullerton 4 |
| Game 3 | FULLERTON 9 Reno 5 |
| Game 4 | RENO 5 Fullerton 3 (Reno wins championship) |
| MVP | Doug Gredvig, Reno |
- Awards:
| Year | Most Valuable Player | Pitcher of the Year | Rookie of the Year | Rookie Pitcher of the Year | Manager of the Year | Executive of the Year |
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| 2006 | Peanut Williams, 1B/DH, Fullerton | Chris Jakubauskas, RHP, Fullerton | Matt Maloney, OF, San Diego | Phil Springman, RHP, Chico | Les Lancaster, Reno | Becca Hoffer, Chico |
All-League Team:Catcher: Marcus Jensen, Reno First base: Desi Wilson, Chico Second base: Adam Mandel, San Diego Third base: Henry Calderon, Yuma Shortstop: Bret LeVier, Fullerton Utility: Craig Kuzmic, Chico Outfielders: Seth Pietsch, San Diego; Jason Van Meetren, Chico; Jeff LaRue, Long Beach; Scott Goodman, San Diego Designated hitter: Peanut Williams, Fullerton Starting Pitchers: Chris Jakubauskas, Fullerton; Andre Simpson, Long Beach; Ben Thurmond, Reno; Phil Springman, Chico; Brian Kroll, Chico; Nate Sevier, Reno Relief Pitchers: Josh Rummonds, San Diego; Scott Schneider, Reno; E.J. Shanks, San Diego; Mike Peck, Long Beach; Wes Faust, Fullerton
Gold Glove Winners: [27] Pitcher: James Johnson, Reno Catcher: Marcus Jensen, Reno First base: Desi Wilson, Chico Second base: Rob Gandolfo, Chico Third base: Henry Calderon, Yuma Shortstop: Hector Tena, Yuma Outfielders Chris Klemm, Long Beach; Lino Garcia, Chico; Ryan Webb, Long Beach
2007 season
- Standings:
x-1st half champion, z-2nd half champion and best overall record
- Championship (best of 5 game series):
| Game 1 | CHICO 10 Long Beach 4 |
| Game 2 | CHICO 12 Long Beach 8 |
| Game 3 | LONG BEACH 7 Chico 5 |
| Game 4 | CHICO 6 Long Beach 1 (Chico wins championship) |
| MVP | Scott Dragicevich, Chico |
- Awards:
All-League Team:Catcher: Buddy Morales, Orange County First base: Jaime Martinez, Long Beach Second base: David Bacani, Orange County Third base: Henry Calderon, Yuma Shortstop: Jesse Kovacs, Chico Utility: Ryan Stevenson, St. George Outfielders: Daniel Nava, Chico; Kane Simmons, Reno; Johnny Kaplan, Long Beach Yosvanny Almario, Yuma Designated hitter: Peanut Williams, Orange County Starting Pitchers: Ben Fox, Orange County; Derek Loop, Chico; Ryan Claypool, Long Beach; Roger Luque, Yuma; Dusty Bergman, Reno Relief Pitchers: Todd Gelatka, Chico; Dane De La Rosa, Long Beach; Anthony Pluta, St. George; Neil Hayes, Yuma
2008 season
- Overall Standings: [28]
x-1st half division champion, y-2nd half division champion
- 2008 All-Star Game:
- Northern Division Playoff (best of 5 game series):
| Game 1 | CALGARY 8, Edmonton 4 |
| Game 2 | CALGARY 8, Edmonton 2 |
| Game 3 | Edmonton 1, CALGARY 8 (Calgary wins series 3-0) |
- Southern Division Playoff (best of 5 game series):
| Game 1 | ORANGE COUNTY 4, Long Beach 2 |
| Game 2 | Orange County 4, LONG BEACH 5 |
| Game 3 | LONG BEACH 13, Orange County 4 |
| Game 4 | Long Beach 3, ORANGE COUNTY 4 |
| Game 5 | Long Beach 2, ORANGE COUNTY 12 (Orange County wins series 3-2) |
- Championship (best of 5 game series):
| Game 1 | Orange County 5, CALGARY 6 |
| Game 2 | ORANGE COUNTY 13, Calgary 1 |
| Game 3 | Calgary 9, ORANGE COUNTY 14 |
| Game 4 | CALGARY 9, Orange County 1 |
| Game 5 | Calgary 9, ORANGE COUNTY 10 (Flyers win Championship) |
| Series MVP | Josh Arhart, Orange County |
- Awards:
| Year | Safeway Most Valuable Player | Pitcher of the Year | Rookie of the Year | Rookie Pitcher of the Year | Manager of the Year | Executive of the Year |
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| 2008 | Patrick Breen (Orange County) | Trevor Caughey (Chico) | Colin Moro (Calgary) | Ben Shockey (Chico) | Gary Carter (Orange County) | TBA |
All-League Team:Catcher: TBA First base: TBA Second base: TBA Third base: TBA Shortstop: TBA Utility: TBA Outfielders: TBA Designated hitter: TBA Starting Pitchers: TBA Relief Pitchers: TBA
2009 season
- Overall Standings: [29]
x-1st half division champion, y-2nd half division champion, z-wild card
- Northern Division Playoff (best of 5 game series):
| Game 1 | CALGARY 15, Edmonton 4 |
| Game 2 | CALGARY 7, Edmonton 3 |
| Game 3 | EDMONTON 13, Calgary 6 |
| Game 4 | Edmonton 7, CALGARY 8 (Calgary wins series 3-1) |
- Southern Division Playoff (best of 5 game series):
| Game 1 | TUCSON 9, St. George 4 |
| Game 2 | ST. GEORGE 6, Tucson 3 |
| Game 3 | ST. GEORGE 1, Tucson 0 |
| Game 4 | St. George 1, TUCSON 5 |
| Game 5 | St. George 4, TUCSON 5 (Tucson wins series 3-2) |
- Championship (best of 5 game series):
| Game 1 | CALGARY 9, Tucson 8 |
| Game 2 | CALGARY 11, Tucson 4 |
| Game 3 | TUCSON 12, Calgary 1 |
| Game 4 | Tucson 10, CALGARY 18 (Calgary wins championship) |
| Series MVP | Sergio Pedroza (Calgary) |
- Awards:
| Year | Player of the Year | Pitcher of the Year | Rookie of the Year | Rookie Pitcher of the Year | Manager of the Year | Executive of the Year |
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| 2009 | Nelson Castro (Calgary) | Matt Durbin (Orange County) | Reynaldo Rodriquez (Yuma) | Mikael Ryder (Chico) | Morgan Burkhart (Calgary) | Darren Parker (Victoria) |
- Attendance (paid): [30]
| Team | Total | Average |
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| Tucson | 139,149 | 3,661 |
| Victoria | 93,691 | 2,342 |
| Chico | 89,276 | 2,177 |
| Edmonton | 84,813 | 2,174 |
| Calgary | 54,910 | 1,525 |
| Long Beach | 54,931 | 1,408 |
| Yuma | 41,578 | 1,259 |
| St. George | 44,417 | 1,168 |
| Orange County | 28,344 | 944 |
GBL Instructional/Developmental Leagues
The GBL, then later the North American League, featured two small instructional leagues that helped produce future independent, minor league and even Major League Baseball standouts, including two-time World Series Champion Sergio Romo of the San Francisco Giants. These leagues folded with the NAL in 2013.
Arizona Winter League
On November 15, 2006, the Golden Baseball League announced the Arizona Winter League, which would be a short-season instructional league for its summer league. The league began play on January 19, 2007. The Arizona Winter League has just completed its third season. In the first three years, over 130 Arizona Winter League players have been signed to professional contracts. Two of those players, Scott Richmond and Sergio Romo, are now pitching in the major leagues. The 2009 Arizona Winter League began play on January 31, 2009 and has expanded to 8 teams and almost 200 players.
The Western Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in the Western United States and Western Canada. Its member teams were not associated with any Major League Baseball teams. It operated from 1995 to 2002. The league was founded in 1994 by Portland, Oregon, businessman Bruce L. Engel. It began play in 1995, with the following teams:
The San Diego Surf Dawgs were 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.
The Chico Outlaws were a professional baseball team based in Chico, California, in the United States. The Outlaws were a member of the Northern Division of the independent North American League, which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. From the 2005 season to the 2011 season, the Outlaws played their home games at Nettleton Stadium, on the campus of Chico State University. The team officially folded on February 29, 2012, and some of its remnants have gone to the NAL's newest team, the San Rafael Pacifics.
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.
Garry Lewis Templeton is an American former professional baseball player and minor league manager. He played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets from 1976 to 1991.
The Tucson Toros were a professional baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States.
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.
Russell Loren Meacham is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or parts of eight seasons in Major League Baseball between 1991 and 2001.
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 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 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 by the now-defunct Golden Baseball League. 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.
Na Koa Ikaika Maui were an independent professional baseball team based out of Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii and champions of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs. They made their debut in the 2010 season with the Golden Baseball League in an away game, visiting the Victoria Seals on May 21, 2010, and played their home games at Maehara Stadium in Wailuku on the island of Maui.
The Tijuana Embajadores were a proposed independent professional team to be based out of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. They were to play in the North American League and were expected to play at Estadio de Béisbol Calimax in 2011. They were to have replaced the Tijuana Cimarrones of the now-defunct Golden Baseball League, which is now a part of the NAL's Western Division along with the Calgary Vipers, Chico Outlaws, Edmonton Capitals, Na Koa Ikaika Maui and Yuma Scorpions.
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.
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.
The Fullerton Flyers were a professional baseball team based in Fullerton, California, in the United States. They were an independent franchise, not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. The team played from 2005 to 2010 and their home stadium was at "The Station" at Goodwin Field, which is also the home field for the Cal State Fullerton Titans.
