# Arizona Winter League > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Arizona_Winter_League > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Arizona_Winter_League.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_Winter_League > Source revision: 1356642583 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Short-season independent winter professional baseball league Not to be confused with [Arizona Fall League](/source/Arizona_Fall_League). Arizona Winter League Sport Baseball Founded 2007 Folded 2018 No. of teams 6 Country United States Last champion Team Canada The **Arizona Winter League** (AWL) was an independent professional [winter baseball](/source/Winter_league_baseball) league. Arizona Winter League games were all played at [Desert Sun Stadium](/source/Desert_Sun_Stadium) in [Yuma, Arizona](/source/Yuma%2C_Arizona). The league was founded in 2007. It disbanded in 2013 due to parent league, the [Golden Baseball League](/source/Golden_Baseball_League)/[North American League](/source/North_American_League_(baseball)), folding, but was restarted in 2016, only to fold again following the 2018 season. ## League format The inaugural season consisted of a 21-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 and utilizing the Ray Kroc Complex which used to house the [San Diego Padres](/source/San_Diego_Padres) and Yakult Swallows [spring training](/source/Spring_training) operations. The league is a professional winter league that includes a number of ex-major league stars as managers and instructors including [Mike Marshall](/source/Mike_Marshall_(outfielder)), [Garry Templeton](/source/Garry_Templeton), [Ozzie Virgil Jr.](/source/Ozzie_Virgil_Jr.), [Les Lancaster](/source/Les_Lancaster), [Darrell Evans](/source/Darrell_Evans), and [Cory Snyder](/source/Cory_Snyder), most of whom manage independent league teams in the North American, American Association, and Frontier Leagues or are coaches in the minor league system for big league clubs. In the first five years, over 225 players have left the AWL with professional contracts. Two pitchers from the 2007 Arizona Winter League, [Scott Richmond](/source/Scott_Richmond) and [Sergio Romo](/source/Sergio_Romo) have reached the major leagues pitching for the [Toronto Blue Jays](/source/Toronto_Blue_Jays) and [San Francisco Giants](/source/San_Francisco_Giants) respectively in 2008. ### 2007: Debut season Announced on November 15, 2006, and headquartered in [Yuma](/source/Yuma%2C_Arizona), [Arizona](/source/Arizona) by the [Golden Baseball League](/source/Golden_Baseball_League), it is an [independent](/source/Independent_Baseball) baseball league which consists of ten teams based out of the [San Diego Padres](/source/San_Diego_Padres) former spring training complex in Yuma.[1] The Arizona Winter League debuted January 19, 2007, with four charter teams: the [Canada Miners](/source/Canada_Miners), [Yuma Scorpions](/source/Yuma_Scorpions), [Snow Falcons](/source/Snow_Falcons), and [Sonora Surf Dawgs](/source/Sonora_Surf_Dawgs), under GBL team management. These respective teams began using the logos, caps and uniforms of past GBL teams such as the [San Diego Surf Dawgs](/source/San_Diego_Surf_Dawgs) (Sonora), [Mesa Miners](/source/Mesa_Miners) (Canada) and the [Surprise Fightin' Falcons](/source/Surprise_Fightin'_Falcons) (Snow) with the lone exception of the Scorpions, whose identity is the same as their GBL brethren.[2] The league was a surprising source of players for the GBL and major league organizations in its first season as 37 players were signed by independent pro teams and the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Red Sox also signed players out of the AWL as well. ### 2008 Season For the 2008 season, the league added two expansion teams, the [Blythe Heat](/source/Blythe_Heat) and [Palm Springs Chill](/source/Palm_Springs_Chill), the Sonora Surf Dawgs reverted to the previously known [San Diego Surf Dawgs](/source/San_Diego_Surf_Dawgs) and the Snow Falcons were renamed the [Sonora Pilots](/source/Sonora_Pilots). The Heat and Chill play their home games at respective California ballparks. In addition, the league expanded beyond its affiliation with the Golden Baseball League and had Can-Am League, Frontier League, Northern League, and American Association teams represented in the instructor ranks and eligible to draft players at the end of the AWL. Over 40 players were drafted and signed by independent, foreign professional, and major league organizations. ### 2009 Season: Format Change For the 2009 season, the league expanded once again and added two more teams, the [San Luis Atleticos](/source/San_Luis_Atleticos) and the [Saskatchewan Silver Sox](/source/Saskatchewan_Silver_Sox). In addition, the [Sonora Pilots](/source/Sonora_Pilots) did not return in 2009 and were replaced by [Team Canada](/source/Team_Canada_(baseball)). The 2009 AWL started a new format with two divisions: The International Division had Team Canada, Western Canada, Saskatchewan, and San Luis, while the American Division comprised Palm Springs, San Diego, Blythe (defending champions), and Yuma. The 20-game season finished up on February 27 and then had a single-elimination semi-final between the top two teams from each Division. A championship game the next night, which is the winter highlight event in Yuma each year and heavily attended, pitted the semi-final winners in a winner-take-all game. A record 47 players were drafted and signed out of the 2009 AWL. ### 2010 Season: Record Player Signings and MLB Teams Take Notice For the 2010 season, eight teams return once again to the AWL. With the Golden Baseball League's Calgary Vipers replacing the Palm Springs Chill, who were dropped. The league will now feature an American Division consisting of the Yuma Scorpions, Blythe Heat, San Luis Atleticos, and San Diego Surf Dawgs. In addition, a full Canadian Division will feature the Vipers, Team Canada, the Western Canada Miners, and the Saskatchewan Silver Sox. The El Centro Imperials were also dropped.[3] The AWL in 2010 brought coaches from the Golden Baseball League, the Frontier League, the American Association, the Can-Am League, the Mexican Liga Del Norte, the Northern League, the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Major league alumni working as instructors and player placement consultants included Mike Marshall, Garry Templeton, Cory Snyder, Tim Johnson, Boots Day, Les Lancaster, Brooks Carey, Brent Bowers, Ozzie Virgil and more. Boston Red Sox scout Nick Belmonte and Detroit Tigers' hitting coordinator Dave Marcon ran the spring training section of the league the first week.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] On December 15 it was announced that Japanese female pitching sensation [Eri Yoshida](/source/Eri_Yoshida), who became the first female professional pitcher in her home country last summer, will bring her sidearm knuckleball and participate in the 2010 AWL in hopes of attracting the attention of U.S. teams. This should be a tremendous benefit for all the players as the media attention and scout attendance should increase greatly. On February 10, 2010, the New York Mets signed San Luis Atleticos shortstop Rylan Sandoval at the Arizona Winter League and the following week, the Mexico City Red Devils of the top Mexican League signed Yuma Scorpions catcher Ivan Villaescusa. On February 27, the Calgary Vipers became the first team in history to win both the Golden Baseball League Championship and the Arizona Winter League Championship by beating San Luis, 8–1, in the championship game shortened to eight innings by rain. More impressive is that the team did this within one year. A record number of 59 players were signed to contracts (not just invited to spring training) by 18 teams from independent, European, and Latin American professional leagues. In addition four players were signed by major league baseball organizations—Rylan Sandoval (Mets), Brandon Fowler (Padres), Jay Broughton (Red Sox), Matthew Wedge (Oxbridge) and Andrew Snowdon (Phillies). During the summer of 2010 an additional 32 2010 AWL players that weren't drafted and signed at the AWL took advantage of the post-league AWL Placement Program and were signed and played professional baseball. The smaller AWL sister league called the [Arizona Summer League](/source/Arizona_Summer_League) had all 52 players signed and played for professional teams this season. ### 2011: New teams arrive and league expands to 10 The AWL announced on January 5, 2011, their upcoming season schedule which shows that league expanding to ten teams as the Texas Winter League was folded into the AWL, adding three new teams and bringing one back.[4] The [Sonora Pilots](/source/Sonora_Pilots) returned after a two-year absence while the [Long Beach Armada](/source/Long_Beach_Armada) moved from the Golden Baseball League and two new teams, the [Arizona RoadRunners](/source/Arizona_RoadRunners) and [Team Mexico](/source/Team_Mexico_(Arizona_Winter_League_baseball_team)), were added to replace the Calgary Vipers and San Luis Atleticos respectively.[5] The Yuma Scorpions captured their third AWL title since the league's inception, continuing their run as the only team to win more than one championship. ### 2013 folding and 2016 resurrection The league initially folded in 2013 due to the collapse and subsequent folding of the parent [North American League](/source/North_American_League_(baseball)) (remnants of the GBL, [United League Baseball](/source/United_League_Baseball) and [Northern League](/source/Northern_League_(baseball%2C_1993%E2%80%932010))). However, the league was restarted in 2016 with several new teams. ### 2018 folding The league folded again in 2018 and essentially merged with the [California Winter League](/source/California_Winter_League).[6] ## Teams Arizona Winter League Team Founded Edmonton Capitals 2016 El Paso Tejanos 2016 Laredo Apaches 2016 Pericos de Puebla 2016 Team Canada 2009 Yuma Wranglers 2016 ## Defunct/Inactive Teams - [Arizona RoadRunners](/source/Arizona_RoadRunners) - [Blythe Heat](/source/Blythe_Heat) - [Calexico Outlaws](/source/Calexico_Outlaws) - [Calgary Vipers](/source/Calgary_Vipers) (2010) - [Colorado River](/source/Colorado_River) [Snow Falcons](/source/Snow_Falcons) - [Edmonton Cracker-Cats](/source/Edmonton_Cracker-Cats) (2010) - [Long Beach Armada](/source/Long_Beach_Armada) - [Palm Springs Chill](/source/Palm_Springs_Chill) (2008–2009, now with the [California Winter League](/source/California_Winter_League_(2010))) - [San Diego Surf Dawgs](/source/San_Diego_Surf_Dawgs) - [San Luis Atleticos](/source/San_Luis_Atleticos) - [Saskatchewan Silver Sox](/source/Saskatchewan_Silver_Sox) - [Somerton Stingers](/source/Somerton_Stingers) - [Sonora Pilots](/source/Sonora_Pilots) (2007–2009, 2011) - [Team Mexico](/source/Team_Mexico_(Arizona_Winter_League_baseball_team)) (2011) - Tecate Cervecarios ("Brewers" in Spanish) - halted season (2012) - [Yuma Scorpions](/source/Yuma_Scorpions_(Arizona_Winter_League_baseball_team)) ## League Alumni In five seasons over 220 AWL players have been signed to professional contracts. They have been signed by every independent pro league in the U.S.; foreign leagues in Mexico, Italy, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Holland, and Denmark; and by major league organizations including the Orioles, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Phillies, Giants, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Mets and Royals. Two AWL players have made it all the way to the major leagues, they were both from the 2007 AWL: - [Sergio Romo](/source/Sergio_Romo) - [Scott Richmond](/source/Scott_Richmond) ## Season-by-season standings ### 2007 **Final Standings** Winter League Team W L Win % GB *Yuma Scorpions 13 8 .619 --- *Canada Miners 13 8 .619 --- Sonora Surf Dawgs 10 11 .476 3 Snow Falcons 6 15 .286 7 ** Clinched championship game spot* **Championship** [Yuma Scorpions](/source/Yuma_Scorpions) 7, Canada Miners 6 ### 2008 **Final Standings** Winter League Team W L Win % GB *Palm Springs Chill 15 4 .789 --- *Canada Miners 11 8 .579 4 *San Diego Surf Dawgs 10 9 .526 5 *Blythe Heat 8 11 .421 11 Yuma Scorpions 8 11 .421 11 Sonora Pilots 5 14 .263 14 ** Clinched playoff game spot* **Playoffs** Semi-Finals Finals 1 Palm Springs Chill 3 4 Blythe Heat 13 Canada Miners 5 Blythe Heat 10 3 Canada Miners 10 2 San Diego Surf Dawgs 6 ### 2009 **Final Standings** American Division Team W L Win % GB *Yuma Scorpions 15 5 .750 --- *Palm Springs Chill 12 8 .600 1.5 Blythe Heat 8 12 .400 3.5 San Diego Surf Dawgs 7 13 .350 4 International Division Team W L Win % GB *San Luis Atleticos 14 6 .700 --- *Saskatchewan Silver Sox 10 10 .500 2 Team Canada 8 12 .400 3 Western Canada Miners 6 14 .300 4 ** Clinched playoff game spot* ### 2010 **Final Standings** [7] American Division Team W L Win % GB *Yuma Scorpions 12 8 .595 --- *San Luis Atleticos 13 9 .591 --- San Diego Surf Dawgs 10 9 .525 1.5 Blythe Heat 10 10 .500 2 Canadian Division Team W L Win % GB *Calgary Vipers 13 9 .591 --- *Saskatchewan Silver Sox 9 12 .429 3.5 Western Canada Miners 8 12 .400 4 Team Canada 7 13 .350 5 ** Clinched playoff game spot* ### 2011 **Final Standings** [8] American Division Team W L Win % GB *Yuma Scorpions 11 6 .647 --- *Blythe Heat 7 9 .438 3.5 Long Beach Armada 6 9 .400 4 Arizona Roadrunners 4 11 .267 6 San Diego Surf Dawgs 4 11 .267 6 International Division Team W L Win % GB *Saskatchewan Silver Sox 11 5 .688 --- *Team Canada 12 6 .667 --- Western Canada Miners 10 6 .625 1 Sonora Pilots 9 8 .529 1.5 Team Mexico 6 9 .450 4.5 ** Clinched playoff game spot* ## AWL Champions Season Winner Finalist Result 2007 Yuma Scorpions Canada Miners 7-6 2008 Blythe Heat Canada Miners 10-8 2009 Yuma Scorpions 2010 Calgary Vipers [9] San Luis Atleticos 8-1 2011 Yuma Scorpions 2012 San Luis Atleticos [10] Blythe Heat 19-7 2016 Team Canada[11] Pericos de Puebla 4-2 ## See also - [Baseball awards#Winter](/source/Baseball_awards#Winter) ## References - [It's official: Baseball here in January](https://archive.today/20130105113708/http://www.yumasun.com/sports/league_24718___article.html/winter_scorpions.html) (The Yuma Sun, November 15, 2006) - [Yuma Zone's AWL info page](http://www.yumazone.com/Arizona%20Winter%20League.htm) - [Arizona Winter League Notebook: Winter league full of hot hitters](https://archive.today/20130210110058/http://www.yumasun.com/sports/league_39605___article.html/game_night.html) (The Yuma Sun, February 9, 2008) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Professional Baseball Comes To Yuma In The Winter"](http://www.yumazone.com/Arizona%20Winter%20League.htm). *Yuma Zone*. November 15, 2006. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Saxon, Mark - [It's official: Baseball here in January](https://archive.today/20130105113708/http://www.yumasun.com/sports/league_24718___article.html/winter_scorpions.html) *The Yuma Sun*, November 15, 2006 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [AWL Managers Announced](http://www.goldenbaseball.com/winter/ArDisplay.aspx?ID=5246&SecID=880)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*], AWL website, October 23, 2009 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["AWL starts season five"](http://www.yumasun.com/sports/local_sports/awl-starts-season-five/article_d775d657-6a1e-5397-bf0d-a28efbbe84fe.html). *Yuma Sun*. February 3, 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [2011 AWL Schedule](https://web.archive.org/web/20220314021625/http://www.goldenbaseball.com/Files/F750/2011_AWL_Schedule.pdf) (PDF file) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Arizona Winter League Ceases Operations](http://californiawinterleague.com/2018/09/20/arizona-winter-league-ceases-operations), California Winter League website 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [2010 AWL Standings at Pointstreak.com](http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/standings.html?leagueid=232&seasonid=181) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [2010 AWL Standings at Pointstreak.com](http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/standings.html?leagueid=232&seasonid=181) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Calgary wins AWL Championship"](http://www.yumasun.com/calgary-wins-awl-championship/article_7f4864fe-fc4b-5fa8-8c62-e448094b3d25.html). *Yuma Sun*. February 27, 2010. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Atleticos bats come up big in title game"](http://www.yumasun.com/atleticos-bats-come-up-big-in-title-game/article_f35422bc-3d37-5de7-bab9-5852e00d7340.html). *Yuma Sun*. February 27, 2012. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Team Canada wins Arizona Winter League"](http://www.yumasun.com/sports/team-canada-wins-arizona-winter-league/article_9676fc82-e23b-11e5-8179-2b8777ab16b4.html). *Yuma Sun*. February 29, 2016. v t e Arizona Winter League American Division International Division Arizona RoadRunners Blythe Heat Long Beach Armada San Diego Surf Dawgs Yuma Scorpions Saskatchewan Silver Sox Sonora Pilots Team Canada Team Mexico Western Canada Miners v t e Professional baseball leagues Americas Major Major League Baseball American League National League Minor Triple-A International League Pacific Coast League Double-A Eastern League Southern League Texas League High-A Midwest League Northwest League South Atlantic League Single-A California League Carolina League Florida State League Rookie Arizona Complex League Dominican Summer League Florida Complex League Independent MLB Partner Leagues American Association Atlantic League Frontier League Pioneer League MLB Draft League Non-partnered leagues Campeonato Brasileiro de Beisebol Canadian Baseball League Cuban National Series Curaçao AA League Empire League Mexican Baseball League Liga Norte de México Pecos League United Shore League Venezuelan Major League Women's Pro Baseball League Off-season MLB-affiliated Arizona Fall League Dominican Professional Baseball League Mexican Pacific League Puerto Rico Baseball League Venezuelan Professional Baseball League Liga Paralela Independent Argentine Baseball League Colombian Professional Baseball League Cuban Elite League Curaçao Professional Baseball League Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League Panamanian Professional Baseball League Veracruz Winter League Defunct MLB-recognized American Association Federal League Negro league baseball American Negro League East–West League Eastern Colored League Negro American League Negro National League (I) Negro National League (II) Negro Southern League Players' League Union Association Other major Cuban League National Association United States Baseball League Proposed Continental League United Baseball League Women's All-American Girls Professional Baseball League National Girls Baseball League International Girls Baseball League Minor List of defunct minor leagues Asia China Major China Baseball League Chinese Professional Baseball Defunct major China National Baseball League Israel Defunct major Israel Baseball League Japan Major Nippon Professional Baseball Central League Pacific League Minor Eastern League Western League Off-season Miyazaki Phoenix League Independent Baseball Challenge League Shikoku Island League Plus Defunct Women's Japan Women's Baseball League South Korea Major KBO League Minor KBO Futures League Taiwan Major Chinese Professional Baseball League Minor Chinese Professional Baseball League Defunct major Taiwan Major League United Arab Emirates Baseball United Europe Italy and San Marino Italian Baseball League Netherlands Major Honkbal Hoofdklasse Minor Honkbal Overgangsklasse Rookie Honkbal Rookie League Oceania Australia MLB-affiliated: Australian Baseball League Inter-league Asia Professional Baseball Championship Asia Winter Baseball League Baseball Champions League Americas Caribbean Series Serie de las Américas Latin American Series Triple-A National Championship Game --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Arizona Winter League](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_Winter_League) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_Winter_League?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.