Triple-A National Championship Game

Triple-A National Championship Game
Frequency Annual
Location(s) Varies (see prose)
Inaugurated September 19, 2006
(AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States)
Most recent September 18, 2018
(Huntington Park, Columbus, Ohio, United States)
Previous event September 19, 2017
(PNC Field, Moosic, Pennsylvania, United States)
Next event September 17, 2019
(TBD)
Participants The league champions of the International League and Pacific Coast League
Organized by Triple-A Baseball
Website Official website

The Triple-A National Championship Game, previously known as the Bricktown Showdown, is a single championship game held annually between the league champions of the International League (IL) and Pacific Coast League (PCL) affiliated Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball (MiLB) to determine an overall champion of the classification. The championship consists of a single nine-inning game to determine a champion. As the game is usually played at a neutral site, the host league has its team designated as the home team.

From 2006 to 2010, the game was held annually at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Since 2011, the game has been hosted in a different Triple-A city each year.

The Durham Bulls have made four appearances in the Triple-A Championship Game, more than any other team. Durham, the IL's Columbus Clippers, and the PCL's Omaha Storm Chasers and Sacramento River Cats have each won two championships, more than any others. Five other teams have won one championship each. Eight titles have been won by PCL teams, while the IL has won only five titles.

History

AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, site of the first five Triple-A National Championship Games (2006–2010)

Off and on from 1904 to 1975, the league champions of the three highest-classification Minor League Baseball leagues met in the postseason to determine a classification champion. The Little World Series (1904–1931) and Junior World Series (1932–1975) usually consisted of a best-of-seven (or eight) series modeled on the World Series of Major League Baseball. Most often it was held between the champions of the International League and the American Association (AA), leaving the Pacific Coast League out of the championship.[1] A one-time Triple-A World Series was held in 1983 as a round-robin tournament featuring the champions of all three Triple-A leagues.[1] The IL and AA champions met in the Triple-A Classic, a best-of-seven series, from 1988 to 1991.[1] From 1998 to 2000, the Las Vegas Triple-A World Series pitted the IL and PCL champs (as the American Association had folded in 1997) in a best-of-five championship series.[1]

In 2006, Triple-A Baseball announced the creation of a single championship game between the league champions of the International League and the Pacific Coast League to determine an overall champion of the classification. The game, called the Bricktown Showdown, was to be played at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In addition to serving as the pinnacle of the Triple-A and MiLB season, the leagues sought for the championship game to develop and prosper like the Triple-A All-Star Game did since its creation in 1988.[2]

The first Bricktown Showdown was played on September 19, 2006. The PCL's Tucson Sidewinders defeated the IL's Toledo Mud Hens, 5–2, in front of an announced paid attendance of 12,572 and a national television audience watching on ESPN2.[3] The initial Showdown was approved only as a one-time meeting by Major League Baseball,[4] but subsequent meetings were planned following the event's success.[4]

The game was rebranded as the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game in 2009, and later as simply the Triple-A National Championship Game. This was done to increase the event's national appeal and to emphasize its significance as a championship game.[5]

The championship continued to be held in Oklahoma City through 2010. Since 2011, the game has been held in a different Triple-A city each year.[6] The first city to host under this new format was Albuquerque, New Mexico, home of the Albuquerque Isotopes of the PCL. Games have since been held in other Triple-A cities. No host city's team has ever participated in the championship game.

From 2006 to 2016, the league that won the Triple-A All-Star Game earned the distinction of having its team designated as the home team.[2] This changed in 2017, when home team status began being awarded to the team from the hosting league.[7]

The event has been televised nationally every year. It aired on ESPN2 from 2006 to 2009.[8] The game has been broadcast on the NBC Sports Network (formerly known the Outdoor Life Network and Versus) since 2010.[8]

Structure

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders celebrate winning the 2016 Triple-A Championship.

The Triple-A National Championship Game consists of a single nine-inning game to determine a champion. The only championship game to ever go beyond the prescribed nine innings was the 2009 contest which went to eleven innings.[9] The host league's team serves as the home team.[7] (Prior to 2017, the league that won the Triple-A All-Star Game was designated as the home team.[2]) Designated hitters bat in place of the pitchers.

Players wear their respective team's uniforms. Players on the home team wear their club's white home uniforms, while players on the away team wear their club's gray road uniforms. Usually, a patch depicting the game's logo is sewn onto their jerseys and caps.

The game is umpired by a four-man crew with one umpire behind home plate and the others covering each base. Two of the umpires work in the IL, while two work in the PCL. Assignments rotate each year such that PCL umpires are assigned to home plate and second base in even years, and IL umpires man those positions in odd years.[10]

Results

home teamIndicates home team
Date Winning team (MLB affiliation) League Score Losing team (MLB affiliation) League Ballpark (league) Attendance Ref.
September 19, 2006 Tucson Sidewinders (ARI)PCL5–2Toledo Mud Henshome team (DET)ILAT&T Bricktown Ballpark (PCL)12,572[3]
September 18, 2007 Sacramento River Cats (OAK)PCL7–1Richmond Braveshome team (ATL)ILAT&T Bricktown Ballpark (PCL)11,124[11]
September 16, 2008 Sacramento River Catshome team (OAK)PCL4–1Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (NYY)ILAT&T Bricktown Ballpark (PCL)8,213[12]
September 22, 2009 Durham Bullshome team (TB)IL5–4Memphis Redbirds (STL)PCLAT&T Bricktown Ballpark (PCL)6,777[9]
September 21, 2010 Columbus Clippershome team (CLE)IL12–6Tacoma Rainiers (SEA)PCLAT&T Bricktown Ballpark (PCL)7,525[13]
September 20, 2011 Columbus Clippershome team (CLE)IL8–3Omaha Storm Chasers (KC)PCLIsotopes Park (PCL)9,569[14]
September 18, 2012 Reno Aceshome team (ARI)PCL10–3Pawtucket Red Sox (BOS)ILDurham Bulls Athletic Park (IL)8,601[15]
September 17, 2013 Omaha Storm Chasers (KC)PCL2–1Durham Bullshome team (TB)ILCoca-Cola Park (IL)9,602[16]
September 16, 2014 Omaha Storm Chasers (KC)PCL4–2Pawtucket Red Soxhome team (BOS)ILBB&T Ballpark (IL)8,886[17]
September 22, 2015 Fresno Grizzlies (HOU)PCL7–0Columbus Clippershome team (CLE)ILSouthwest University Park (PCL)9,332[18]
September 20, 2016 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRidershome team (NYY)IL3–1El Paso Chihuahuas (SD)PCLAutoZone Park (PCL)9,471[19]
September 19, 2017 Durham Bullshome team (TB)IL5–3Memphis Redbirds (STL)PCLPNC Field (IL)9,383[20]
September 18, 2018 Memphis Redbirds (STL)PCL14–4Durham Bullshome team (TB)ILHuntington Park (IL)9,183[21]

Future games

Date City Ballpark Host team (league) Ref.
September 17, 2019 TBD TBD TBD [22]

Most Valuable Player Award

Center fielder A. J. Pollock of the Reno Aces was selected as the game's MVP in 2012.

One player is recognized for their outstanding play in the game and is awarded the Triple-A Championship Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.[8]

Year Player Team League Position Ref.
2006 Scott Hairston Tucson SidewindersPCLLeft fielder[3]
2007 Lou Merloni Sacramento River CatsPCLThird baseman[11]
2008 Chris Gissell Sacramento River CatsPCLRelief pitcher[12]
2009 Jeremy Hellickson Durham BullsILStarting pitcher[9]
2010 Jerad Head Columbus ClippersILLeft fielder[13]
2011 Joe Martinez Columbus ClippersILStarting pitcher[14]
2012 A. J. Pollock Reno AcesPCLCenter fielder[15]
2013 Chris Dwyer Omaha Storm ChasersPCLStarting pitcher[16]
2014 Brett Hayes Omaha Storm ChasersPCLCatcher[17]
2015 Chris Devenski Fresno GrizzliesPCLStarting pitcher[18]
2016 Chris Parmelee Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRidersILFirst baseman[19]
2017 Kean Wong Durham BullsILSecond baseman[23]
2018 Alex Mejia Memphis RedbirdsPCLFirst baseman[24]

Appearances by team

Defunct teams appear in italics.

Appearances Team League Wins Losses Win % Most recent
win
Most recent
appearance
4 Durham Bulls IL22.50020172018
3 Columbus Clippers IL21.66720112015
3 Omaha Storm Chasers PCL21.66720142014
3 Memphis Redbirds PCL12.33320182018
2 Sacramento River Cats PCL201.00020082008
2 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders/Yankees IL11.50020162016
2 Pawtucket Red Sox IL02.0002014
1 Fresno Grizzlies PCL101.00020152015
1 Reno Aces PCL101.00020122012
1 Tucson Sidewinders PCL101.00020062006
1 El Paso Chihuahuas PCL01.0002016
1 Richmond Braves IL01.0002007
1 Tacoma Rainiers PCL01.0002010
1 Toledo Mud Hens IL01.0002006

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Triple-A Baseball Interleague Post-Season Play Results". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "Bricktown Showdown To Determine Triple-A Baseball Champion" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. July 12, 2006. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "Tucson Sidewinders 5, Toledo Mud Hens 2" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Triple-A Baseball Championship Game To Remain in Oklahoma City for 2007 and 2008" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. January 11, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 9, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  5. "Triple-A Championship Game Renamed". Triple-A Baseball. August 7, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  6. Hill, Benjamin (February 8, 2011). "Isotopes to Host Triple-A Championship". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  7. 1 2 "2017 Governors' Cup Playoffs Preview" (PDF). International League. August 11, 2017. p. 4. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 "Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game Results". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 "Durham Bulls (84-61) 5, Memphis Redbirds (77-68) 4" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  10. "Triple-A National Championship Game Personnel" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Sacramento River Cats (85-60) 7, Richmond Braves (77-65) 1" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  12. 1 2 "Sacramento River Cats (84-61) 4, Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees (88-57) 1" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  13. 1 2 "Tacoma Rainiers (74-70) 6, Columbus Clippers (80-65) 12" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  14. 1 2 "Columbus Clippers (89-56) 8, Omaha Storm Chasers (79-64) 3" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  15. 1 2 "Pawtucket Red Sox (79-66) 3, Reno Aces (82-63) 10" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  16. 1 2 "Omaha Storm Chasers (71-74) 2, Durham Bulls (87-58) 1" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  17. 1 2 "Omaha Storm Chasers (77-67) 4, Pawtucket Red Sox (79-66) 2" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  18. 1 2 "Fresno Grizzlies (85-59) 7, Columbus Clippers (83-62) 0" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  19. 1 2 "El Paso vs. Scranton/WB - September 20, 2016". MiLB.com. September 20, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  20. "Memphis vs. Durham Bulls - September 19, 2017". MiLB.com. September 19, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  21. "Memphis vs. Durham - September 18, 2018". MiLB.com. September 18, 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  22. "2019 Louisville Bats Schedule" (PDF). Louisville Bats. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  23. Wiseman, Steve (September 19, 2017). "Durham Bulls Win Triple-A National Championship". The Herald-Sun. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  24. Rosenbaum, Mike (September 19, 2018). "Memphis slugs its way to first Triple-A title". MLB.com. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
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