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, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas. The league plays in cities that do not have Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either.
Current season, competition or edition: 2024 Pecos League season | |
 | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | Bob Ward, Andrew Dunn |
| First season | 2011 |
| Owner(s) | Andrew Dunn |
| CEO | Andrew Dunn |
| Commissioner | Andrew Dunn |
| Divisions | 2 |
| No. of teams | 16 |
| Country | United States |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas |
| Continent | North America |
| Most recent champion(s) | Alpine Cowboys (2024) |
| Most titles | Roswell Invaders (4) |
| Streaming partner(s) | Meridix |
| Official website | pecosleague |
The Pecos League season is a highly condensed one. Schedules vary, but teams have played as many as 70 games in 72 days, or 80 games in three months.[1][2]
History
editThe Pecos League operated six teams in the 2011[3] and 2012 seasons and expanded to eight teams for 2013. Continued growth saw the league reach a high of 10 teams for 2014.
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 that season. 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[4] and Tucson, Arizona.[5][6][7]
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.[8] Expansion team Salina Stockade[9] 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.[10] 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.[11] 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.[12] 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.[13] The Pecos League operated the Houston Apollos in the American Association as a travel team.
In April 2021, Yermín Mercedes was called up to the Chicago White Sox where he set a major league record as the first baseball player in modern MLB history to begin a season with eight consecutive hits.
For the 2022 season, the league announced three expansion franchises: the Santa Rosa Scuba Divers, Austin Weirdos, and Weimar Hormigas.[14] After competing in 2021, Salina was not included as a member club in 2022.
Before 2023, the league introduced 4 new teams; the Lancaster Sound Breakers, Marysville Drakes, Blackwell Fly Catchers, and Dublin Leprechauns. The Weimar Hormigas, Colorado Springs Snow Sox, Wasco Reserve, and Santa Rosa Scuba Divers folded. Tucson moved back to the Mountain Division, while the Santa Cruz Seaweed moved to Vallejo, California.
For the 2024 season, the Lancaster Sound Breakers and Monterey Amberjacks did not return. The Sound Breakers folded due to the city of Lancaster entering into a lease with a soccer organization to use The Hangar, leaving the Sound Breakers without a stadium. The City of Monterey reportedly did not renew its contract with the league, but the Amberjacks plan to return in 2025.
To replace the Sound Breakers and Amberjacks, the league brought in two new teams for the season, the North Platte 80s and the Pecos Bills. Both of which are the first time that each city has had a team in the league.
Before the 2025 season, the Amberjacks made a return while Marysville folded. A new expansion team, the Kansas City Hormigas was announced.
Current teams
edit
Former teams
editProposed teams that never played
editA high number of Pecos League teams postponed their premiere seasons before they were slated to play, like the Pueblo Diablos (Bighorns) in Colorado, and Douglas Diablos, Maricopa Monsoon in Arizona and Nogales Sonorans or Skeletons.[19]
| Team | Season Proposed | Location | Homefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburg Anchors[20][21] | 2020 | Pittsburg, California | Central Park Field |
| Pecos Bills[22][23][24] | 2013 | Reeves County, Texas | Martinez Field |
| Atascadero 101s[25][26] | 2020 | Atascadero, California | Alvord Field (Proposed) |
| Clovis Pioneers[27][28] | 2012 | Clovis, New Mexico | Mike Harris Park |
| Del Rio Aviators/Gunslingers[29][30] | 2011 | Del Rio, Texas | Bank and Trust Rams Field at Roosevelt Park |
| Lubbock Hubbers[31] | 2011 | Lubbock, Texas | Lubbock City Park |
| Amarillo Lone Stars[32] | 2016 | Amarillo, Texas | Potter County Memorial Stadium |
League timeline
edit
League members Former Team
Champions
edit| 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[33] | 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[34] | 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) |
| 2022 | Roswell Invaders | Tucson Saguaros | 2–1 (best-of-3) |
| 2023 | San Rafael Pacifics | Tucson Saguaros | 2-1 (best-of-3) |
| 2024 | Alpine Cowboys | San Rafael Pacifics | 2-0 (best-of-3) |
References
edit- ^ Darby, Seyward (April 3, 2013). "The Legends of Last Place". The Atavist Magazine. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
- ^ IndyBallIsland (October 15, 2014). ""The Shit Show" – The Pecos League and Reality TV". Indy Ball Island. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
- ^ "Independent Pecos League also will play in Las Cruces, Roswell and Artesia". Albuquerque Journal. August 25, 2010.
- ^ "Great Bend independent baseball team gets schedule, new name". The Hutchinson News. February 3, 2016.
- ^ "Martinez signs pro baseball contract with Tucson". Mesabi Daily News. January 4, 2016.
- ^ "NJIT's Mike Rampone Signs Professional Contract with Tucson Saguaros". NJIT Athletics. February 3, 2016.
- ^ "Ex-JCC player Ramos signs pro contract". Watertown Daily Times. February 10, 2016.
- ^ "Vaqueros will not return in 2016". Las Cruces Sun-News. February 25, 2016.
- ^ "Introducing the Salina Stockade". Salina Journal. February 14, 2016.
- ^ "Pecos League to play with fourteen teams in two divisions for 2020 season" (Press release). Pecos League. February 25, 2020.
- ^ "Pecos League 2020 Season Update" (Press release). Pecos League. May 7, 2020.
- ^ "2021 team map". Pecos League official site. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
- ^ "The Bay Series is born".
- ^ "It is the Weimar Hormigas Baseball in the Pecos League for 2022".
- ^ a b c d Knight, Graham. "2017 Professional Baseball Ballparks". BaseballPilgrimages.com. Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
- ^ "Clint Lightner". www.clintlightner.com. Pecos League. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
- ^ O’Reilly, Charles. "Fort Marcy Park". www.charliesballparks.com. Charlie's Ballparks. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
- ^ Knight, Graham. "2017 Professional Baseball Ballparks". www.baseballpilgrimages.com. Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
- ^ "新人报导，请多多关照！我叫罗伯特-莱万多夫斯基".
- ^ "Pittsburg Anchors Announcement" (PDF).
- ^ "Pittsburg Team announcement". February 4, 2020.
- ^ "Pecos Bills Why Never Played".
- ^ "Reeves County Proposal (Pages 18-24)" (PDF).
- ^ "Lights, Baseball and Grass all coming to Pecos".
- ^ "Get Involved With Atascadero".
- ^ "Atascadero Team Announcement".
- ^ "Clovis Pioneers Baseball a No-Go".
- ^ "Clovis Pioneers Dropped".
- ^ "Del Rio Aviators/ Gunslingers".
- ^ "Del Rio Aviators/ Gunslingers Announcement".
- ^ "Lubbock Hubbers".
- ^ "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".
- ^ "Invaders handily end Fuego's wild season, claim 3rd league title". Santa Fe New Mexican. August 4, 2015.
- ^ "Bakersfield Train Robbers win Pecos League Championship". 23 ABC News. August 4, 2018.
