The Refugio Oilers were a minor league baseball team based in Refugio, Texas and Refugio County, Texas . Refugio is the birthplace of Baseball Hall of Fame member Nolan Ryan .
100-508: In 1938, the Oilers played as members of the Class D level Texas Valley League , qualifying for the playoffs. The Refugio Oilers team hosted home games at Ryals Field in their only season of minor league play. Today, the ballpark site is called "Lions City Park"/"Shelley Park." The Refugio "Oilers" began minor league play as members of the 1938 Texas Valley League . After a nine–season hiatus,
200-503: A 7-4 Astros victory. Pawol hopes her efforts throughout spring training will lead to the opportunity for her to become the first female umpire to work a regular season game. She credits the women that umpired before her for paving an exciting career path for women such as herself in the future. Minor league players participate in spring training following a telescoped schedule that generally lasts from March 1 to 31. At its conclusion, most players are assigned to farm team rosters to begin
300-688: A championship pennant. The first true minor league is traditionally considered to be the Northwestern League of 1883 to 1884. Unlike the earlier minor associations, it was conceived as a permanent organization. It also, along with the NL and the American Association (AA), was a party to the National Agreement of 1883 . Included in this was the agreement to respect the reserve lists of clubs in each league. Teams in
400-468: A complete season in Triple-A is 150 games, Double-A is 138 games, and High-A and Single-A are each 132 games. In addition to the below organized leagues, the off-season Arizona Fall League has six teams that play approximately 30 games apiece in autumn, with rosters comprising the top prospects associated with each of the six MLB divisions. This classification currently includes two affiliated leagues:
500-490: A flat-fee purchase amount of $ 5,000 for the contract of any player from an NA member league team. This measure was leveled primarily at the Baltimore Orioles , then a Triple-A team that had dominated the minors by keeping players longer than many competitors, allowing the players to more fully develop, driving up their sale value to major-league teams and giving Baltimore a talent advantage. Deprived of this option by
600-591: A limited membership which excluded less competitive and financially weaker teams. Professional clubs outside the NL responded by forming regional associations of their own. There was a series of ad hoc groupings, such as the New England Association of 1877 and the Eastern Championship Association of 1881. These were loose groups of independent clubs which agreed to play a series of games over the course of one season for
700-470: A longer training period. A few days later, position players arrive and team practice begins. Exhibition games usually begin in late February. The New York Mutuals became perhaps the first baseball team to hold a spring training outside of their home when, in 1869, Boss Tweed sent the Mutuals south to New Orleans to prepare for the season. In the 1870s, several clubs began following the example set by
800-484: A perfect game in extra innings in 1995 while pitching for the former Montreal Expos , was talking to reporters at the conclusion of the game, rather than watching the final pitches. Reliever Rod Beck , who finished the game, did not realize the nature of his accomplishment until informed by catcher Joe Siddall . Many fans also left before the game's conclusion. Although spring training statistics are unofficial, teams frequently use players' spring training performances as
900-434: A playoff spot late in a season, it gives them fresh players, while for teams not in contention, it gives them an opportunity to evaluate their second-tier players against major league competition. Some Triple-A players are "career minor leaguers", former prospects whose skill growth has halted and who are not likely to advance to MLB, unless as a temporary replacement. There are currently three leagues in this classification:
1000-525: A population growth in the region. The Oilers finished the regular 1938 season in fourth place, qualifying for the Texas Valley League playoffs, in their only season of play. During the season, the Texas Valley League adopted a split–season schedule. On June 15, 1938, Refugio hosted Taft at home, losing by the score of 1–0. On June 17, after a rainout, Refugio and Taft played a day–night double header at Refugio, as Refugio defeated Taft 7–5 in
1100-409: A schedule of approximately 60 games and are named "complex leagues" because games are played at their parent clubs' spring training complexes. Rosters consist primarily of newly drafted players who are not yet ready for a higher level of play. These leagues are intended almost exclusively to allow players to hone their skills; no admission is charged and no concessions are sold. As of the 2024 season,
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#17327915887411200-734: A series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season . Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives established players practice time prior to competitive play. Spring training has always attracted fan attention, drawing crowds who travel to the warm climates of Arizona and Florida to enjoy the weather and watch their favorite teams play. In modern training, teams that train in Florida will play other Florida-training teams in their exhibition games, regardless of regular-season league affiliations. Likewise, Arizona-training teams will play other Arizona teams. These have been nicknamed
1300-522: A shift restriction to promote more exciting plays. Although home plate remained unchanged, all other bases within the field of play increased in size. The base sizes increased from 15 inches square to 18 inches square and slightly reduced the distance between bases. Defensive shift limit rules included four infielders staying within the boundary of the infield dirt, two infielders staying on each side of second base, and had no restrictions on outfielders . Although positive feedback had been received about
1400-516: A statement, asserting that it is "unnecessary and unacceptable to wipe out one-quarter of minor league teams" and characterized the proposal as a way "to improve the profitability of MLB". Manfred rebuked Minor League Baseball for releasing the negotiations to the public and threatened to cut ties with MiLB altogether. The following changes, which represent the first significant overhaul of minor league classifications since 1963, have since been implemented: When MLB teams announced their affiliates for
1500-526: A steady supply of players, as many NA and independent teams could not afford to keep their doors open without the patronage of Major League Baseball. The leagues of the NA became subordinate to the major leagues, creating the first minor leagues in the current sense of the term. Other than the Pacific Coast League (PCL), which under its president Pants Rowland tried to become a third major league in
1600-454: A way of assigning starting roles and roster spots on the club. Spring training is the time of MLB's calendar year to make improvements to the game of baseball. These changes to the traditional game of baseball allow for MLB to adapt to the modern day of playing and set up teams throughout the league for success. The league also experiments with on-field personnel to determine the best umpire crews, home plate umpires, and field umpires. In 2023,
1700-814: Is Sloan Park , the spring training home for the Chicago Cubs in Mesa, Arizona , which opened in February 2014. The oldest stadium in Cactus League spring training is Tempe Diablo Stadium, built in 1969. According to the Arizona Republic , the Cactus League generates more than $ 300 million a year in economic impact to the greater Phoenix metropolitan area economy. The Arizona Republic newspaper reports that more than $ 500 million has been spent on "building eight new stadiums and renovating two others for
1800-708: Is a 2015 documentary about Hot Springs Spring Training. The film was narrated by actor Billy Bob Thornton , an area native, and produced by filmmaker Larry Foley. The documentary began airing nationally on the MLB Network in February 2016. Early training sites include the St. Louis Cardinals in Hot Springs and Tulsa, Oklahoma ; the New York Yankees in New Orleans and later Phoenix, Arizona , when
1900-445: Is called "Lions City Park"/"Shelley Park" and is still a public park with a ballfield and amenities, but was severely damaged by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Class D (baseball) Minor League Baseball ( MiLB ) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), including teams affiliated with MLB clubs. Entering the 2021 season, the number of full-season MLB-affiliated minor leagues with teams in
2000-856: Is not limited to North America; the Japanese professional baseball leagues' teams adopted spring training and preseason game sites across East Asia such as South Korea , the Philippines , and Taiwan ; on the Pacific Islands (most notably in Hawaii); and in two cities in the United States: Salinas, California and Yuma, Arizona on the Mexican border. In 2015, 2016 and 2019, MLB has hosted spring training games in Mexico. In 2015,
2100-486: Is promoted to an appropriate-level farm club. When short-season leagues ( Rookie league , or previously Class A Short Season ) begin play in late June, extended spring training players are assigned to those rosters, placed on the injured list , or released. Every four years, the World Baseball Classic creates a significant impact on how traditional spring training occurs. The tournament runs throughout
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#17327915887412200-579: Is the High-A level, named "Class A-Advanced" before 2021. This classification has three leagues: the 12-team Midwest League , known as High-A Central for the 2021 season, covering the Midwest, the six-team Northwest League , known as High-A West for the 2021 season, with teams in the Pacific Northwest, and the 12-team South Atlantic League , known as High-A East for the 2021 season, with teams in
2300-970: The Arizona Diamondbacks played against the Colorado Rockies at Estadio Sonora , Hermosillo. A year later, the San Diego Padres hosted the Houston Astros at Estadio Fray Nano in Mexico City. Finally, in 2019, the Diamondbacks played once again the Rockies but, this time, at Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey in Monterrey. In 2020, MLB hosted a spring training game between the Minnesota Twins and
2400-702: The Dominican Republic in 1948. The New York Yankees also trained in the early 1950s in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Spring training camps and games were also held in Hawaii, Puerto Rico , and various cities of northern Mexico , sometimes by visiting major league teams in the 1950s and 1960s. Before and shortly after big league baseball reached the West Coast, a number of teams trained in
2500-544: The Grapefruit League and Cactus League , respectively, after plants typical of the respective states. Spring training typically starts in early February and continues until just before Opening Day of the regular season, which falls in the last week of March or the first week of April. In some years, teams not scheduled to play on Opening Day will play spring training games that day. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training first because pitchers benefit from
2600-531: The Grapefruit League . Except for a couple of years during World War II , when travel restrictions prevented teams from training south of the Potomac and Ohio Rivers , Florida hosted more than half of the spring training teams through 2009. Since 2010, major league teams have been equally divided between Arizona and Florida during spring training, with 15 teams in Florida and 15 teams in Arizona. All but six of
2700-610: The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players of 1871 to 1875, commonly referred to as the National Association, comprised all fully professional teams. This system proved unworkable, however, as there was no way to ensure competitive balance, and financially unsound clubs often failed in midseason. This problem was solved in 1876 with the formation of the National League (NL), with
2800-695: The Northwest League and Midwest League promoted with 75% of their teams. The Carolina League dropped to Low-A with seven of its ten teams and added five from the old South Atlantic League in trade; the SAL in turn moved to High-A with half of its previous 12-team roster, filling it out with two Carolina League High-A holdovers, one Midwest League returnee, and three formerly short-season New York-Penn League promotees. On February 12, 2021, Major League Baseball announced new league alignments for all 120 affiliated Minor League Baseball clubs effective as of
2900-567: The United States Congress signed a letter sent to Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred opposing the proposal, noting that it "is not in the best interest of the overall game of baseball" and that it would "devastate our communities, their bond purchasers and other stakeholders affected by the potential loss of these clubs." A response from MLB highlighted that the proposal aims to improve player travel and working conditions. On November 21, 2019, Minor League Baseball released
3000-423: The pitch clock was implemented. The timer was developed to create a quicker pace of play and allow for more fans to actively watch games. Timers of 30 seconds between batters, 15 seconds between pitches, and 20 seconds between pitches with runners on base have drastically reduced playing times. Pitchers were also limited to two disengagements from the mound per plate appearance . Any time a pitcher disengages with
3100-576: The 12-team Eastern League , known as Double-A Northeast for the 2021 season, with teams in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S., the eight-team Southern League (known as Double-A South for the 2021 season) with teams in the Deep South, and the 10-team Texas League (known as Double-A Central for the 2021 season) with teams in the Southwest and Great Plains. Some players jump to
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3200-758: The 15 teams in the Valley." Attendance set a new record at 2011 Cactus League games with 1.59 million attending games at the various stadiums in the Phoenix metro area. Much of the attendance surge is attributed to the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick venue that accounted for 22 percent of the Cactus League attendance. Following is the list of spring training locations by team in the Cactus League in Arizona: Statistics are recorded during spring training games, but they are not combined with
3300-485: The 1890s and by 1910 was in wide use. Hot Springs, Arkansas , has been called the original "birthplace" of spring training baseball. The location of Hot Springs and the concept of getting the players ready for the upcoming season was the brainchild of Chicago White Stockings (today's Chicago Cubs ) team President Albert Spalding and Cap Anson . In 1886, the White Stockings traveled to Hot Springs to prepare for
3400-416: The 1938 regular season with an overall record of 67–67, playing the season under manager Carlisle Littlejohn . The Oilers finished 24.0 games behind the first place Corpus Christi Spudders in the final regular season standings. In the 1938 playoffs, the Oilers lost in first round, as Corpus Christi defeated Refugio three games to two in the final games for the franchise. In the final regular season standings,
3500-501: The 1938 season, the Texas Valley League permanently folded. Refugio has not hosted another minor league team. In 1947, Baseball Hall of Fame member Nolan Ryan was born in Refugio, before his family moved to Alvin, Texas when Nolan was a six weeks old. The Refugio Oilers hosted minor league home games at Ryals Field . The ballpark had a capacity of 1,200 and field dimensions of (Left, Center, Right): 308–420–308. Today, Ryals Field
3600-658: The 1950s and early 1960s. In 1949, the peak of the postwar minor league baseball boom, 448 teams in 59 leagues were members of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, with the number of teams falling to 324 in 1952, and 243 in 1955. By the end of 1963, only 15 leagues above Rookie-level survived in the United States and Canada. After the 1962 season, the Triple-A American Association—which had lost key markets such as Milwaukee , Kansas City , Minneapolis–Saint Paul and Houston to
3700-436: The 20-team International League and the 10-team Pacific Coast League , known as Triple-A East and Triple-A West, respectively, for the 2021 season. For most of the 20th century, Triple-A also included the American Association , based in the Midwest, but that league disbanded with its clubs absorbed by the other two leagues, as part of a reorganization of the Triple-A level in 1997. The International League features teams from
3800-523: The 2021 season on December 9, 2020, each of the 30 MLB teams had one affiliate at four levels—Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, and Low-A—for a total of 120 affiliated teams. Approximately 40 teams lost their MLB affiliations; the Fresno Grizzlies were demoted from Triple-A to Low-A; and the majority of surviving clubs at High-A and Low-A swapped levels, with the former Florida State League and California League dropped down nearly as intact units and
3900-490: The 2021 season. Contrary to previously published reports indicating that realignment would retain the names of the existing minor leagues, Major League Baseball elected to abandon the names of existing minor leagues in favor of a new, class- and region-based naming system. Triple-A was divided into two leagues: Spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB),
4000-509: The 2021 season. All three leagues were demoted from High-A to Single-A effective with the 2021 season. These leagues are a mix of players moving up from Rookie leagues, as well as the occasional experienced first-year player. Most of the teams in the Florida State League are owned by major league parent clubs and use their spring training complexes. In 2022, the official name of the class became Single-A. Minor leagues with
4100-606: The 2022 season, the minor league system is divided into four classes: Triple-A (AAA), Double-A (AA), High-A (A+), and Single-A (A). Major League Baseball franchises may also maintain one or two complex-based rookie teams in the Arizona Complex League or Florida Complex League , and international summer baseball teams in the Dominican Summer League . While major league teams play a 162-game schedule, minor league seasons are shorter. As of 2022 ,
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4200-528: The 2025 season to allow for both effective performance and appeal. In a predominately male job, the 2024 spring training season saw the first woman umpire since Ria Cortesio in 2007. On February 24, Jen Pawol was a field umpire for the Astros and Nationals game. She began the game with three innings umpiring third base followed by an additional three innings at both second and first as well. Cacti park hosted 3,655 people to witness history as Pawol umpired
4300-636: The Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League seasons commence in early May and conclude in late July in order to provide players with previous experience in the Dominican Summer League with a full season in stateside professional baseball without having to compete for playing time with newly drafted players selected in the July Major League Baseball draft . This adjusted schedule also allows
4400-596: The Atlantic coast and midwestern U.S., while the Pacific Coast League features teams from the Pacific coast and the southwest. Both young players and veterans play for Triple-A teams. Parent clubs often hold players who are on the 40-man roster , but not on the active MLB roster, at the Triple-A level. Such players are eligible to be added to a team's active major league roster. For teams in contention for
4500-521: The Corpus Christi Spudders (92–44) finished 8.5 games ahead of the second place Harlingen Hubs (84–53), with Taft (68–67) and Refugio (67–67) finishing in third place and fourth place to qualify for the four–team playoffs. Corpus Christi had won the 1st half of the split–season schedule and tied with Harlingen for the second–half championship. The McAllen Packers (65–72) and Brownsville Charros (30–103) finished in fifth and sixth place. In
4600-738: The Detroit Tigers at Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo. In 2024, the Rays and Red Sox played the inaugural Dominican Republic series in Santo Domingo. The series resulted in a split, 1-1, and showcased Dominican talent while honoring players that have been developed through Dominican Republic Academies. Generally, teams train in either Florida or Arizona based on their geographic location in North America, with eastern teams playing in Florida and western teams training in Arizona;
4700-522: The Dominican Summer League who have not yet been assigned to a domestic affiliate, as well as players placed on the minor league 60-day and full-season injured lists—during the minor league season, with a limit of 175 domestic players during the offseason. During the minor league season, the following roster limits for each classification are used: Triple-A Double-A High-A Single-A Rookie Off-season leagues Showcase league Partner leagues The earliest professional baseball league,
4800-615: The Grapefruit League, teams in the Cactus League often share stadiums; of the 15 teams who train in Arizona, only the Cubs, Angels, Brewers, Giants, and Athletics have their own home stadiums. The Cactus League teams are all within the Phoenix metropolitan area (as of 2014 when the Diamondbacks and Rockies left Tucson for their new shared facility, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick ). The newest stadium built for MLB spring training
4900-490: The High-A level is Single-A, named "Class A" before 2021, when it was also known as Single-A or Full-Season A, and "Low-A" for the 2021 season. This classification has three leagues: the 8-team California League , known as Low-A West for the 2021 season, located entirely in California , the 12-team Carolina League , known as Low-A East for the 2021 season, and the 10-team Florida State League , known as Low-A Southeast for
5000-792: The Indians in Tucson and convinced the New York Giants to give Phoenix a try. Thus the Cactus League was born. In 1947, Veeck signed Larry Doby to the Indians. Doby was the second African-American to play MLB in the 20th century, and the first in the American League. Arizona had eight teams in the Cactus League in 1989 , with the other eighteen in Florida. By 2018 , the split was even, with 15 teams training in each location. While Florida and Arizona now host all Major League Baseball teams for spring training, this has not always been
5100-553: The Major Leagues since 1953—disbanded. The surviving International and Pacific Coast leagues absorbed the four remaining American Association franchises. Meanwhile, at the Double-A level and below there were even more significant changes: Designations below Class A disappeared because the lower levels could not sustain operation during a large downturn in the financial fortunes of minor league baseball, due to factors including
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#17327915887415200-773: The Mutuals by training in warmer climates. New Orleans was a popular location for spring training in the 19th century but teams also trained in Washington, D.C. , Savannah, Georgia and Cape May, New Jersey among other locations. In 1888, the Washington Nationals became the first club to hold spring training in Florida. The practice was not universally adopted, however. Critics including Cap Anson argued that players would be more prone to sore muscles and colds after returning to their colder home climates. Spring training by major league teams in sites other than their regular season game sites first became popular in
5300-625: The NL and the AA could only reserve players who had been paid at least $ 1,000. Northwestern League teams could reserve players paid $ 750, implicitly establishing the division into major and minor leagues. Over the next two decades, more minor leagues signed various versions of the National Agreement. Eventually, the minor leagues allied to negotiate jointly. In the late 1890s, the Western League run by Ban Johnson decided to challenge
5400-453: The NL's position. In 1900, he changed the name of the league to the American League (AL) and vowed to make deals to sign contracts with players who were dissatisfied with the pay and terms of their deals with the NL. This led to a turf war that heated up in 1901 enough to concern Patrick T. Powers , president of the Eastern League, and many other minor league owners about the conflict potentially affecting their organizations. Representatives of
5500-445: The Rookie classification play a shortened season that traditionally began in mid-June and ended in late August or early September. This lowest level of minor league baseball consists of two US-based leagues, the Arizona Complex League and Florida Complex League , known as the Arizona League and Gulf Coast League, respectively, before 2021, and one Caribbean-based league, the Dominican Summer League . The U.S.-based Rookie leagues play
5600-411: The Salt River in 1929. The Philadelphia Phillies were the first of the current major-league teams to train in Florida, when they spent two weeks in Jacksonville, Florida in 1889. Spring training in Florida began in earnest in 1913, when the Chicago Cubs trained in Tampa and the Cleveland Indians in Pensacola . One year later, two other teams moved to Florida for spring training, the real start of
5700-416: The Texas League, which had last operated in 1942, and the Southern Association) became Class AA. Class A remained the third-highest classification, with lower levels still ranked Class B through Class D in descending order, with Class D being the equivalent of later Rookie leagues. The impact of the Korean War in 1950 caused a player shortage in many cities below Class B. In 1952, the "Open" classification
5800-433: The Texas Valley League reformed as a six–team Class D level league, with the Brownsville Charros , Corpus Christi Spudders , Harlingen Hubs , McAllen Packers and Taft Cardinals joining Refugio as league members, beginning play on April 14, 1938. The Refugio "Oilers" nickname is reflective of the oil and gas production in Refugio and the surrounding region. Oil was first discovered in Refugio County in 1928, creating
5900-460: The Triple-A Inter–American League (1979). None lasted more than a full season. In October 2019, Baseball America reported that Major League Baseball had proposed dramatic changes to MiLB that would take effect after expiration of the Professional Baseball Agreement, which governed the MLB–MiLB relationship, at the end of the 2020 season. This included the elimination of many minor league teams. In mid-November 2019, more than 100 members of
6000-451: The United States and Canada was reduced to 11, with a total of 120 teams (four per each of the 30 MLB franchises). There are also two affiliated rookie leagues based in the United States, with teams based at the parent clubs' spring training complexes in Arizona and Florida , an off-season autumn league, and one affiliated rookie league in the Dominican Republic . Additionally, four independent leagues are in association with MiLB. As of
6100-508: The Western states, the other leagues maintained autonomy in name only, being totally economically dependent upon the AL and NL. In 1922, the United States Supreme Court decision Federal Baseball Club v. National League (259 U.S. 200), which grants baseball a special immunity from antitrust laws , had a major effect on the minor leagues. The special immunity meant that the AL and NL could dictate terms under which every independent league did business. By 1925, major league baseball established
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#17327915887416200-416: The White Stockings to Hot Springs. Whittington Field/ Ban Johnson Park (1894), Majestic Park (1909), and Fogel Field (1912) were all built in Hot Springs to host Major League teams. Famously, on St. Patrick's Day , 1918, a successful young pitcher for the Red Sox named Babe Ruth was forced to play an emergency game at first base in a spring training game against Pittsburgh. This game possibly changed
6300-401: The autobiography of former Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck , the avoidance of racism was one reason the Cactus League was established. In 1947, Veeck was the owner of the minor league Milwaukee Brewers and the team trained in Ocala, Florida . Veeck inadvertently sat in the Black section of the segregated stands and engaged in conversation with a couple of fans. According to Veeck's book,
6400-407: The case. Especially in the early 20th century, baseball clubs did not build facilities dedicated to spring training and would use local facilities in various cities, sometimes changing spring training sites on an annual basis. The Cleveland Indians, for example, held spring trainings in seven different cities – including New Orleans, Dallas , and Macon, Georgia – between 1902 and 1922. This
6500-671: The course of baseball history, as it was the first time Ruth had ever played any position other than pitcher. Ruth responded by hitting two home runs that day in Hot Springs, with the second being a 573-foot shot that landed across the street from Whittington Park in a pond of the Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo . The Red Sox took notice and soon Ruth was playing the field more often. Over 130 Major League Baseball Hall of Famers, including Ruth, Anson, Cy Young , Honus Wagner , Ty Cobb , Tris Speaker , Walter Johnson , Rogers Hornsby , Mel Ott , Dizzy Dean , Jimmie Foxx , and Stan Musial , trained in Hot Springs. The First Boys of Spring
6600-400: The different minor leagues met at the Leland Hotel in Chicago on September 5, 1901. In response to the NL–AL battle, they agreed to form the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL), sometimes shortened to National Association (NA), which would later adopt the trade name "Minor League Baseball". The purpose of the NAPBL at the time was to maintain the independence of
6700-438: The eastern states. All three leagues were reclassified prior to the 2021 season, with the Midwest League and the South Atlantic League promoted from Single-A and the Northwest League promoted from Class A Short Season. This level of play is often a second or third promotion for a minor league player, although some high first-round draftees, particularly those with experience playing college baseball , begin at this level. Below
6800-429: The exceptions being the Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, and the two Chicago-based teams all training in Arizona; and the Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals training in Florida. The last West Coast team to train in Florida was the Los Angeles Dodgers, who moved to Arizona in 2009. Spring training teams can play colleges, minor league baseball clubs, intra-squad games (members of
6900-432: The first game, before Taft took the night cap 17–9. On June 18, 1938, Refugio hosted Harlingen and lost 5–4, before defeating Harlingen twice: 6–3 on June 19 and 5–3 on June 20. On June 21, 1938, Refugio lost at Corpus Christi 5–1. Refugio was in fourth place with a 38–34 record on June 24, 1938, in the final first–half standings, following first place Corpus Christi, second place Harlingen and third place Taft. Refugio ended
7000-435: The flat-fee policy, minor league teams had little choice but to sell players as soon as they drew major-league interest. The earliest classifications used in the minor leagues began circa 1890, for teams that were party to the National Agreement of 1883. The different levels represented different levels of protection for player contracts and reserve clauses : After the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues
7100-446: The following assignments entering the 1902 season: Additional classifications added prior to World War II included: In 1946, with the minor leagues poised for unprecedented growth, the higher-level classifications were changed. Class AAA ("Triple-A") was created and the three Double-A circuits (the Pacific Coast League , International League , and the American Association ) were reclassified into Triple-A. Class A1 (comprising
7200-499: The later stages of the negotiations to develop rules for the acquisition of players from their leagues by the NL and the AL. The 1903 agreement ensured that teams would be compensated for the players that they had taken the time and effort to scout and develop, and no NA team was required to sell their players, although most did because the cash was an important source of revenue for most teams. The NA leagues were still fiercely independent, and
7300-412: The league finals, Harlingen defeated Corpus Christi to win the title. Both Harlingen ( Detroit Tigers ) and Corpus Christi ( St. Louis Browns ) were major league affiliate teams, the only two affiliated teams in the league. Player/manager Carlisle Littlejohn hit. 345 to lead the Oilers in batting, while Clem Hausmann had a 16–13 record on the mound. Len Gilmore had a 5–4 record in 12 games. Following
7400-591: The leagues involved. Several did not sign the agreement and continued to work independently. Powers was made the first president of the NAPBL, whose offices were established in Auburn, New York . In 1903, the conflict between the AL and NL ended in the National Agreement of 1903 , which created the National Baseball Commission to oversee the major and minor leagues. The NAPBL became involved in
7500-625: The listed statistics for regular season games, and unusual performances which would have broken records if accomplished during the regular season are considered to be unofficial. For example, on March 14, 2000, the Red Sox used six pitchers to achieve a 5–0 perfect game victory over the Toronto Blue Jays . A perfect game is considered a crowning accomplishment during the regular season or postseason, but in spring training it attracts little notice. Starting pitcher Pedro Martínez , who lost
7600-721: The local law enforcement told Veeck he could not sit in that section, and then called the Ocala mayor when Veeck argued back. The mayor finally backed down when Veeck threatened to take his team elsewhere for spring training and promised to let the country know why. Veeck sold the Brewers in 1945 and temporarily retired to a ranch in Tucson, Arizona , but purchased the Cleveland Indians in 1946. Intending to introduce African-American players, Veeck decided to buck tradition and train
7700-407: The major league teams have gone to spring training in Florida at one time or another (Anaheim Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks). Many of the most famous players in baseball history (Ruth, Gehrig , Musial, Cobb, Mays , DiMaggio , Berra , Mantle , and many more) have called Florida home for 4–6 weeks every spring. According to
7800-500: The majors from this level, as many of the top prospects are put here to play against each other rather than against minor and major league veterans in Triple-A. A small handful of players might be placed here to start, usually veterans from foreign leagues with more experience in professional baseball. The expectation is usually that these veteran players will be in the majors by the end of the season, as their salaries tend to be higher than those of most prospects. One level below Double-A
7900-414: The minor league season. However, those players deemed unready for a full-season campaign—through inexperience or injury—are assigned to "extended spring training", a structured program of workouts, rehabilitation sessions, simulated games, and exhibition games based in the major league parent team's minor league training complex. If a player is later deemed ready to participate in full-season league action, he
8000-584: The minor leagues, such as Buzz Arlett , Jigger Statz , Ike Boone , Buddy Ryan , Earl Rapp , and Frank Shellenback , as comparable to major league players. Leagues in the NA would not be truly called minor until Branch Rickey developed the first modern farm system in the 1930s. The Commissioner of Baseball , Kenesaw Mountain Landis fought Rickey's scheme, but, ultimately, the Great Depression drove teams to establish systems like Rickey's to ensure
8100-441: The month of March with the opportunity for players to represent their countries and play for the national teams. This impacts spring training as many star players opt to represent their country rather than prepare for the upcoming MLB season with their respective teams. This leaves teams in tough situations as they are forced to build their lineups, sell tickets, and play games without their star players. However, players opt to play in
8200-448: The mound after the first two disengagements have been used, the pitcher is charged with a balk . These factors have contributed to the increased pace of play and allows for games to move quicker. After the pitch clock's success throughout spring training, it was ultimately placed into effect for the 2023 MLB season . Along with the experimentation of the pitch clock, spring training also tested out larger bases to protect player's safety and
8300-403: The name "Grapefruit League" has several explanations. One popular myth was that Casey Stengel threw a grapefruit at Brooklyn Dodgers manager Wilbert Robinson . The accepted version is that aviator Ruth Law threw the grapefruit. In 1915, Law had been throwing golf balls from her airplane to advertise a golf course. Someone suggested throwing a baseball from her airplane. Robinson, whose team
8400-627: The others located on the same coast, rarely traveling to the other side of Florida for spring training games. The Astros, Cardinals, Marlins, Mets, and Nationals—all of whom play on the Atlantic Coast—play the majority of their games against each other, only playing three or four games against opponents located on the Gulf Coast. Following is the list of spring training locations by team in the Grapefruit League in Florida: Unlike
8500-608: The rise of television broadcasts of major league sports across broad regions of the country. As part of the 1963 reorganization, Major League clubs increased their commitments to affiliate with minor league teams through Player Development Contracts, outright ownerships, or shared affiliations and co-op arrangements. The minor league system that evolved following the 1963 reorganization remained in place through 2020, categorizing leagues into one of six classes: Triple-A (AAA), Double-A (AA), Class A-Advanced (High A or A+), Class A (Low A), Class A Short Season, and Rookie. Furthermore, Rookie
8600-400: The rules changes during the 2023 season, the 2024 spring training season sparked controversy. Nike , MLB's uniform provider, conducted a redesign of player jerseys and pants to allow for better athletic performance. Player's last names and numbers decreased in size making the uniforms look unappealing to both players and fans. As a result of the backlash, MLB and Nike redesigned the jerseys for
8700-441: The same team play against each other), split-squad games (games when one team is scheduled for two games in one day, so the team splits into two squads and each squad plays in one of the games), and B Games (unofficial spring training games where statistics and standings are not counted). The players union will sometimes operate its own training facility if many free agents are unsigned by the start of spring training. The origin of
8800-800: The state of California or along the state line. The Chicago Cubs trained on Catalina Island in the 1920s, '30s, and '40s. For example, early in their history, the then- California Angels held spring training in Palm Springs, California from 1961 to 1993, the San Diego Padres in Yuma, Arizona from 1969 to 1993, the Oakland Athletics in Las Vegas , Nevada in the 1970s, and various major league teams had trained in El Centro , Riverside , and San Bernardino . The concept of spring training
8900-899: The team was owned by Del Webb ; the Chicago Cubs in Los Angeles when owned by William Wrigley Jr. ; the St. Louis Browns and later the Kansas City Athletics in San Diego and then in West Palm Beach, Florida ; the Pittsburgh Pirates in Dawson Springs, Kentucky around 1915 and Honolulu , while other teams joined in by the early 1940s. The Detroit Tigers are credited with being the first team to conduct spring training camp in Arizona. They trained in Phoenix at Riverside Park at Central Avenue and
9000-404: The term minor was seldom used in reference to them, save by the major-market sportswriters. Sports news, like most news generally, often did not travel far in the days before radio and television, so, while the leagues often bristled at the major market writers' descriptions, they viewed themselves as independent sports businesses. Many baseball writers of that time regarded the greatest players of
9100-513: The time it seemed like the PCL would eventually become a third major league. The PCL would revert to Triple-A in 1958, due to increasing television coverage of major league games and in light of the Dodgers and Giants moving to Los Angeles and San Francisco , respectively. A significant reorganization of the minor leagues took place in 1963, caused by the contraction of clubs and leagues during
9200-447: The top Rookie-level prospects in each organization to be promoted to class Single-A for the final two months of the professional baseball season upon the conclusion of the complex league seasons. As of the 2024 season, each major league club may have no more than 165 players assigned to the rosters of their domestic affiliates (i.e., Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, Single-A, and complex-league Rookie)—excluding international players assigned to
9300-770: The tournament's games due to the intense competitive atmosphere. Since these games take place so early into the baseball year, this leads to an increased risk of injury among players as well as conflicting development within MLB organizations. As recent as 2023, Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz suffered a torn patellar tendon after a game, leaving him out for the entire upcoming season. Diaz's injury has left teams concerned with letting their star players play under another team's supervision. Pitchers have to follow tight restrictions to comply with proper throwing progressions to ensure health and safety. This can impact how an MLB team planned on building up
9400-533: The upcoming season. After holding spring training at the Hot Springs Baseball Grounds, the White Stockings went on to have a successful season and other teams took notice. In subsequent years other teams joined Chicago and began holding spring training in Hot Springs, leading to the first spring training games. The Cleveland Spiders , Detroit Tigers , Pittsburgh Pirates , Cincinnati Reds , Brooklyn Dodgers , and Boston Red Sox followed
9500-861: The war, 1943's Spring Training was limited to an area east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River . The Chicago White Sox held camp in French Lick, Indiana ; the Washington Senators in College Park, Maryland ; and the New York Yankees in Asbury Park, New Jersey . After World War II, some teams trained outside of the United States. The Brooklyn Dodgers trained in Havana, Cuba in 1947 and 1949, and in
9600-410: Was created. The Pacific Coast League (PCL), which had been rated Triple-A since 1946, was the only minor league to obtain this classification, which it held through 1957. At this time, the major leagues only extended as far west as St. Louis, Missouri , and as far south as Washington, D.C. This classification severely restricted the rights of the major leagues to draft players out of the PCL, and at
9700-422: Was founded in 1901, classifications were redefined: † Draft fee set an amount for a team in a higher class to select a player; n/a for Class A as it would be up to each team to negotiate with an interested major league club. ‡ Protection fee reserved a player to a team, even after a contract expired, preventing the player for seeking employment with any other team. All minor leagues were classified, and had
9800-519: Was further informally subdivided into Rookie Advanced, complex-based Rookie, and international summer baseball. There have also been some failed start-up leagues. During the 1970s, three official minor leagues (members of NAPBL) attempted unsuccessfully to revive unaffiliated baseball (teams not associated with specific MLB franchises) within the organized baseball structure. These were the Class A Gulf States League (1976) and Lone Star League (1977), and
9900-464: Was in the Daytona Beach area for spring training, agreed to try to catch the baseball. Flying 525 feet (160 m) above Robinson, Law realized she had forgotten her baseball and threw a grapefruit that she had. When Robinson tried to catch it, the grapefruit exploded in his face, at first leading him to believe he had been seriously injured. Grapefruit League teams primarily play against
10000-564: Was not uncommon at the time. The New York Giants likely built the first "permanent" spring training facility in Marlin, Texas . The Giants trained in Marlin from 1908 to 1918 and built Emerson Park and adjacent parks for spring training activities. The city of Marlin deeded the land to the ballclub. During World War II, most teams held an abbreviated spring training within easy reach of their cities. In order to conserve rail transport during
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