 |
Las Vegas Ballpark was the site of the 2022 AAA Championship Weekend |
How could baseball’s off-season go by so slow and so fast at the same time? I remember the agonizing wait for schedule releases, the day-to-day drip of promotion announcements, the slow countdown to spring training and to opening day. I was hoping to make the time go by faster by catching up on the blog, which I neglected horribly last season.
Well, here we are. Yesterday I finally started catching up on the long-neglected blog while waiting to board my flight to North Carolina for tonight’s season opener at the Durham Bulls, the defending AAA champions. I decided to start the 2023 minor league season with the Bulls when I saw a special deal for tickets to the championship weekend celebration and because I was at the game in Las Vegas last year when they won the title.
It was the first time the minor leagues used the championship weekend format for AAA. In previous years, before Major League Baseball took control of the minor leagues, the AAA title was determined in a one-game match between the champions from the International and Pacific Coast Leagues. The title game was played at a ballpark selected earlier in the season, alternating between PCL and IL sites from year to year.
Last, year, the best team from the East and West divisions of the PCL and IL met for three games at Las Vegas Ballpark. The stadium opened in 2019, the same year the team once known as the Stars changed names from the 51s to the Aviators. It was also the same year a new affiliation agreement was signed with the Oakland A’s to replace the New York Mets. You might think the stadium’s name is a generic reference to its location on the western edge of the city of Las Vegas, but it’s actually a result of a naming rights agreement with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
For those keeping score, Las Vegas Ballpark is No. 84 in my quest to visit all 119 affiliated minor league stadiums. It’s a big modern stadium with a broad, ground-level 360-degree concourse, lined with palm trees and surrounding a sunken10,000 seat bowl. Towering over the concourse in left center field is a giant scoreboard, bigger than any of the minor league ballparks. Food concessions, bars and party areas are located around the concourse all with good sight lines to the action on the field. There’s even a swimming pool in center field that has 14 seats and a patio that can handle groups of up to 50 fans.
 |
The stadium has palm trees, a swimming pool and the biggest scoreboard in the minor leagues. |
For those keeping score, Las Vegas Ballpark is No. 84 in my quest to visit all 119 affiliated minor league stadiums. It’s a big modern stadium with a broad, ground-level 360-degree concourse, lined with palm trees and surrounding a sunken10,000 seat bowl. Towering over the concourse in left center field is a giant scoreboard, bigger than any of the minor league ballparks. Food concessions, bars and party areas are located around the concourse all with good sight lines to the action on the field. There’s even a swimming pool in center field that has 14 seats and a patio that can handle groups of up to 50 fans.
The PCL championship game was on the first night with the Reno Aces (Diamondbacks) vs, the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres]. The Aces took an early 4-0 lead and the Chihuahuas never caught up, stranding 11 runners in the 6-2 loss.
When a pop-out to third base ended the game, the Aces rushed onto the field to celebrate. After piling on one another like every other championship team does, they raced out to center field, scaled the wall and jumped into the swimming pool, cleats and all. I hope the cool water was as refreshing for them as it was for the fans to see their exuberance as we made our way to the outfield exits.
I’m sure the Bulls were as excited to advance to the AAA championship game as the Reno Aces were the night before. They piled on top of one another on the field, jumped up and down as usual, but there was no dash to the pool this time. As soon as the game ended, a small squadron of guards took their places along the outfield wall. There would be no pool party tonight.
 |
The Reno Aces splashed around after their PCL championship victory |
When a pop-out to third base ended the game, the Aces rushed onto the field to celebrate. After piling on one another like every other championship team does, they raced out to center field, scaled the wall and jumped into the swimming pool, cleats and all. I hope the cool water was as refreshing for them as it was for the fans to see their exuberance as we made our way to the outfield exits.
The next night put the Nashville Sounds (Brewers) against the Durham Bulls (Rays) for the International League Championship. It was a blowout. The Bulls were relentless throughout the game, outhitting the Sounds 15-8 and scoring 13 runs while holding Nashville to zero.
 |
Guards stood ready after game 2 to prevent a second celebration in the outfield pool. |
I’m sure the Bulls were as excited to advance to the AAA championship game as the Reno Aces were the night before. They piled on top of one another on the field, jumped up and down as usual, but there was no dash to the pool this time. As soon as the game ended, a small squadron of guards took their places along the outfield wall. There would be no pool party tonight.
In the championship game, the Bulls again jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but the Aces answered back with 5 runs and took the lead in the third inning. The Bulls tied it up in the seventh, but the Aces scored in the eighth to take a one-run lead into the ninth. The Bulls exploded in the top of the ninth, sending 7 batters to the plate and scoring 5 runs with a double and a home run. It was three up and three down for the Aces in the bottom of the inning, giving the Bulls a 10-6 victory and the AAA crown.
The championship weekend was a lot of fun and I’m glad I went. I was able to check off another minor league ballpark and I got to see four teams in three games on consecutive nights. Things will be different this season. Minor League Baseball announced this week that the AAA one-game championship will return to Las Vegas on Sept. 30, but the opponents will be determined in home field league championships from Sept. 26-28. The first half leaders, which will be determined on June 25, will host the second half leaders in the best-of-three series in each league.
 |
The Aces and the Bulls lined up before the big game on day 3. |
The championship weekend was a lot of fun and I’m glad I went. I was able to check off another minor league ballpark and I got to see four teams in three games on consecutive nights. Things will be different this season. Minor League Baseball announced this week that the AAA one-game championship will return to Las Vegas on Sept. 30, but the opponents will be determined in home field league championships from Sept. 26-28. The first half leaders, which will be determined on June 25, will host the second half leaders in the best-of-three series in each league.
I’ll be watching to see if the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders or the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, my three “home” teams, clinch a spot. I will also have my eyes on the eight AAA teams i haven’t yet visited with a chance to see a playoff series in a new stadium.
But tonight I’ll be at Durham Bulls Athletic Park to help the reigning AAA champs celebrate. There will be more celebrations as the other nine minor league champions begin their seasons in the next couple of weeks. Congratulations to all of them, and to the Tampa Bay Rays organization for three out of four championships. There were the Bulls (International League and AAA), High A Bowling Green Hot Rods (South Atlantic League) and Single A Charleston River Dogs (Carolina League). All three were repeat champions from 2021. Tampa Bay’s AA Montgomery Biscuits lost in their division series to eventual 2022 Southern League champs, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Marlins). In 2021, the Biscuits made it to the Southern League championships, but lost by a run in the final game.
 |
The big sign said it all as the Bulls celebrated on the field. |
But tonight I’ll be at Durham Bulls Athletic Park to help the reigning AAA champs celebrate. There will be more celebrations as the other nine minor league champions begin their seasons in the next couple of weeks. Congratulations to all of them, and to the Tampa Bay Rays organization for three out of four championships. There were the Bulls (International League and AAA), High A Bowling Green Hot Rods (South Atlantic League) and Single A Charleston River Dogs (Carolina League). All three were repeat champions from 2021. Tampa Bay’s AA Montgomery Biscuits lost in their division series to eventual 2022 Southern League champs, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Marlins). In 2021, the Biscuits made it to the Southern League championships, but lost by a run in the final game.
Other 2022 AA champions were the Somerset Patriots (Yankees) in the Eastern League and the Frisco Roughriders (Rangers) in the Texas League. In High A, the South Bend Cubs won the Midwest League title and the Eugene Emeralds (Giants) won in the Northwest League. Other winners in Single A were the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) in the California League and the St. Lucie Mets in the Florida State League.
Let’s celebrate. Play ball!
