Pecos League
200px | |
Sport | Baseball |
---|---|
Founded | 2010 |
Inaugural season | 2011 |
CEO | Andrew Dunn |
No. of teams | 14 |
Country | United States |
Continent | North America |
Most recent champion(s) | Tucson Saguaros |
Official website | pecosleague |
The Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs is an independent professional baseball league headquartered in Houston, which operates in cities in desert mountain regions throughout California, New Mexico, Arizona, southern Colorado, Kansas and West Texas. The league plays in cities that do not have Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either.
Contents
History
The Pecos League operated six teams in the 2011[1] and 2012 seasons and expanded to eight teams for 2013. Continued growth saw the league reach a high of 10 teams for 2014.
The season is a highly condensed one, in which teams may play 64 games in 78 days, all for a weekly salary of $50 per player.
The Pecos League also operates a spring developmental league, which is a one-month showcase beginning in March for recent college graduates and free agents looking to catch on to a full season league.
In May 2014, Fox Sports 1 aired a six-part documentary about life in the Pecos League, mostly based on the Trinidad Triggers.
In August 2014, Jon Edwards made his major league debut with the Texas Rangers becoming the first player in Pecos League history to play in Major League Baseball.
In September 2016, Chris Smith was called up to the Toronto Blue Jays becoming the second player from the Pecos League to make a major league roster, though he did not appear in a game. Smith would eventually make his debut for the Blue Jays on June 27, 2017, against the Baltimore Orioles.
For 2016, the Las Vegas Train Robbers moved to Topeka, Kansas. Expansion teams were added in Great Bend, Kansas[2] and Tucson, Arizona.[3][4][5]
On February 25, 2016 it was announced that the Las Cruces Vaqueros would sit out the 2016 season due to severe damage to their home stadium.[6] Expansion team Salina Stockade[7] was added to the league and played a limited 11-game home schedule in 2016.
Following the 2016 season, a drastic shift in the Pecos League landscape occurred as two Kansas teams, the Salina Stockade and Great Bend Boom, both folded, while a third, the Topeka Train Robbers, moved to Bakersfield, California, taking the place of the former Bakersfield Blaze, who folded following the 2016 California League season.
The Train Robbers were joined in California for 2017 by three expansion teams: the High Desert Yardbirds (replacing the California League's High Desert Mavericks), the Monterey Amberjacks, and California City Whiptails. The league also announced a travel team, the Hollywood Stars, who played a handful of home games in Los Angeles.
For 2019, the Ruidoso Osos were replaced by the Wasco Reserves, and the league reduced the number of divisions from three to two.
For 2020, the Martinez Sturgeon and Santa Cruz Seaweed were announced as expansion teams, and the San Rafael Pacifics were added from the Pacific Association. They joined the all-California Pacific Division, and replaced the California City Whiptails and High Desert Yardbirds in the circuit. The Tucson Saguaros moved to the Mountain Division, taking the place of the White Sands Pupfish. Interdivisional games would not be played to cut down on travel and other expenses.[8] Later, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced that the Mountain Division teams would not play at their home stadiums, and that 4 of the 6 teams would play a condensed 36-game season beginning on July 1, 2020.[9] All games were played at Coastal Baseball Park in Houston, Texas. The Pacific Division originally planned on enacting a similar format, but due to the ongoing pandemic, were unable to compete in 2020.
For the 2021 season, the Salina Stockade returned and the league announced the addition of the Colorado Springs Snow Sox as an expansion team. On April 4, the league announced its final division alignment for the season, which did not include California City and High Desert after previously indicating each would return. [10] On August 3, the league announced the Bay Series between the San Rafael Pacifics, Monterey Amberjacks, Martinez Sturgeon, and Santa Cruz Seaweed after the Bakersfield Train Robbers tested positive for COVID-19 and had to cancel their final home series [11]
Current teams
Former teams
Team | Season(s) | Location | Homefield |
---|---|---|---|
Bisbee Blue | 2014 | Bisbee, Arizona | Warren Ballpark |
Carlsbad Bats | 2011 | Carlsbad, New Mexico | Travel team |
Douglas Diablos | 2014 | Douglas, Arizona | Copper King Park |
Great Bend Boom | 2016 | Great Bend, Kansas | Al Burns Memorial Field |
Las Cruces Vaqueros | 2010–2012, 2015 | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Apodoca Park |
Las Vegas Train Robbers | 2013–2015 | Las Vegas, New Mexico | Rodriguez Park |
Raton Osos | 2013–2014 | Raton, New Mexico | Gabrielle Park |
Ruidoso Osos | 2011, 2018 | Ruidoso, New Mexico | White Mountain Park |
Taos Blizzard | 2013–2014 | Taos, New Mexico | The Tundra |
Topeka Train Robbers | 2016 | Topeka, Kansas | Lake Shawnee Park |
California City Whiptails | 2017–2019 | California City, California | Balsitis Park |
High Desert Yardbirds | 2017–2019 | Adelanto, California | Adelanto Stadium |
White Sands Pupfish | 2009–2019 | Alamogordo, New Mexico | Jim Griggs Park |
Proposed Future teams
Team | Season(s) | Location | Homefield |
---|---|---|---|
Santa Rosa Scuba Divers [15] | 2022 | Santa Rosa, California | Doyle Park |
Proposed teams that never played
Team | Season Proposed | Location | Homefield |
---|---|---|---|
Pittsburg Anchors [16] | 2020 | Pittsburg, California | Central Park Field |
Pecos Bills [18] [19] [20] | 2013 | Reeves County, Texas | Martinez Field |
Lancaster Soundbreakers [21] | 2020 | Lancaster, California | Balsitis Park (Proposed) |
Atascadero 101s [22] [23] | 2020 | Atascadero, California | Alvord Field (Proposed) |
Cheyenne Blizzard [24] | 2019 | Cheyenne, Wyoming | Pioneer Park |
Clovis Pioneers [25] [26] | 2012 | Clovis, New Mexico | Mike Harris Park |
Del Rio Aviators/Gunslingers [27] [28] | 2011 | Del Rio, Texas | Bank and Trust Rams Field at Roosevelt Park |
Lubbock Hubbers [29] | 2011 | Lubbock, Texas | Lubbock City Park |
El Paso Dragons [30] | 2011 | El Paso, Texas | |
Artesia Numexors [31] | 2011 | Artesia, New Mexico | |
Carlsbad/Desert Valley Lions [32] | 2011 | Travel Team | |
Amarillo Lone Stars [33] | 2016 | Amarillo, Texas | Potter County Memorial Stadium |
Ontario Ivy [34] | 2020/21 | Ontario, California | Jay Littleton Ballpark |
River Island Islanders [35] | 2020/21 | Lathrop, California | Islanders Ballpark |
Santa Rosa Team | 2015 | Santa Rosa, New Mexico | Santa Rosa High School |
Orange County Team [36] [37] | 2019/20 | Orange County, California | Orange County Great Park |
League timeline

League members Former Team
Champions
Season | Winner | Runner-up | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Roswell Invaders | Ruidoso Osos | 2–1 (best-of-3) |
2012 | Alpine Cowboys | Las Cruces Vaqueros | 2–1 (best-of-3) |
2013 | Roswell Invaders | Las Vegas Train Robbers | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
2014 | Santa Fe Fuego | Alpine Cowboys | 2–1 (best-of-3) |
2015 | Roswell Invaders[38] | Santa Fe Fuego | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
2016 | Tucson Saguaros | Trinidad Triggers | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
2017 | High Desert Yardbirds | Roswell Invaders | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
2018 | Bakersfield Train Robbers[39] | Alpine Cowboys | 2–1 (best-of-3) |
2019 | Alpine Cowboys | Bakersfield Train Robbers | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
2020 | Tucson Saguaros | Salina Stockade | 2–0 (best-of-3) |
2021 | Tucson Saguaros | Roswell Invaders | 2–1 (best-of-3) |
References
- ↑ "Independent Pecos League also will play in Las Cruces, Roswell and Artesia". Albuquerque Journal. August 25, 2010.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Great Bend independent baseball team gets schedule, new name". The Hutchinson News. February 3, 2016.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Martinez signs pro baseball contract with Tucson". Mesabi Daily News. January 4, 2016.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "NJIT's Mike Rampone Signs Professional Contract with Tucson Saguaros". NJIT Athletics. February 3, 2016.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Ex-JCC player Ramos signs pro contract". Watertown Daily Times. February 10, 2016.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Vaqueros will not return in 2016". Las Cruces Sun-News. February 25, 2016.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Introducing the Salina Stockade". Salina Journal. February 14, 2016.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Pecos League to play with fourteen teams in two divisions for 2020 season" (Press release). Pecos League. February 25, 2020.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Pecos League 2020 Season Update" (Press release). Pecos League. May 7, 2020.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "2021 team map". Pecos League official site. Retrieved February 16, 2021.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ {{cite web|url=http://www.pecosleague.com/pecosleague.asp?page=28&article_id=11434
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Knight, Graham. "2017 Professional Baseball Ballparks". BaseballPilgrimages.com. Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved January 20, 2018.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Clint Lightner". www.clintlightner.com. Pecos League. Retrieved January 20, 2018.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ O’Reilly, Charles. "Fort Marcy Park". www.charliesballparks.com. Charlie's Ballparks. Retrieved January 20, 2018.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Santa Rosa Announcement".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Pittsburg Anchors Announcement" (PDF).<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Pittsburg Team announcement".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Pecos Bills Why Never Played".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Reeves County Proposal (Pages 18-24)" (PDF).<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ http://www.pecosleague.com/pecosleague.asp?page=28&article_id=370. Missing or empty
|title=
(help)<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles> - ↑ "Lancaster Soundbreakers Proposal".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Get Involved With Atascadero".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Atascadero Team Announcement".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Cheyenne Blizzard Announcement".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Clovis Pioneers Baseball a No-Go".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Clovis Pioneers Dropped".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Del Rio Aviators/ Gunslingers".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Del Rio Aviators/ Gunslingers Announcement".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Lubbock Hubbers".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "El Paso Suns".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Artesia Numexors".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Carlsbad Cave Lions".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "In late 2016, after both the Pecos League and San Jacinto Christian Academy vied for a sublease at Potter County Memorial — the lease that was held by Southern Independent Baseball League Board Chairman Gary Elliston — Potter County commissioners decided to accept San Jacinto and "omit the Pecos League," Potter County Judge Nancy Tanner said during an October Commissioners' Court meeting, according to Globe-News archives".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Ivy Announcement".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Islanders Announcement".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Orange County Team".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Orange County Hats".<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Invaders handily end Fuego's wild season, claim 3rd league title". Santa Fe New Mexican. August 4, 2015.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Bakersfield Train Robbers win Pecos League Championship". 23 ABC News. August 4, 2018.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
External links
- Pages with citations lacking titles
- Pages with citations having bare URLs
- Use mdy dates from November 2017
- Pages with broken file links
- Official website not in Wikidata
- Pecos League
- Sports leagues established in 2010
- Independent baseball leagues in the United States
- 2010 establishments in the United States
- Professional sports leagues in the United States
- Baseball leagues in New Mexico
- Baseball leagues in California
- Baseball leagues in Kansas
- Baseball leagues in Arizona
- Baseball leagues in Colorado
- Baseball leagues in Texas