Arizona League White Sox

The Arizona League (AZL) White Sox is the name of a member franchise of the Rookie-level Arizona League in American minor league baseball.[1][2] The AZL White Sox re-entered the league in 2014 after an 11-year hiatus. They previously played from 1998 through 2002.

Contemporary AZL White Sox

At the close of the 2013 season, the parent Chicago White Sox announced their intention to sever their 19-year-long relationship with the Bristol White Sox of the Appalachian League, and relocate their second rookie-level affiliation with an Arizona League team operating from the team's spring training base at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona.[2] The return of the White Sox to the AZL was subject to the league's board of directors, but AZL president Bob Richmond said in October that he "didn't foresee any difficulties."[2] The AZL White Sox share the Camelback Ranch stadium with the Arizona League Dodgers, whose parent team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, also trains at the Glendale facility. The 2014 AZL White Sox finished tied for fourth overall in the circuit, with a 30–25 (.545) record,[3] and will return to the field in 2015.

The Pittsburgh Pirates replaced the White Sox in Bristol, Virginia, and the Appalachian League as the new owners and operators of the Bristol Pirates.[4]

Predecessor franchise

The White Sox' previous entry in the Arizona League played at facilities in Tucson (1998–2000) and Phoenix (2001–2002). The team formed after the parent ChiSox moved their spring training headquarters from Sarasota, Florida, to Tucson Electric Park after the 1997 season, in the process effectively transplanting their Rookie-level Gulf Coast League White Sox across the country to the Arizona League. The AZL White Sox compiled a record of 115–161 (.417) during their first incarnation, never posting a winning mark. The White Sox departed the Arizona League in 2003, affiliating with what is now the Great Falls Voyagers of the Pioneer League; in 2014, Great Falls will mark its 12th season as a ChiSox farm club.

Notable alumni (1998–2002)

Former Major League All-Star catcher Tony Peña began his career as a manager with the 1998 AZL White Sox. He has since managed the MLB Kansas City Royals (2003–2005) and has been a coach for the New York Yankees since 2006.

References

  1. ↑ mlb.com
  2. 1 2 3 Baseball America, 2013-10-18
  3. ↑ Leventhal, Josh, ed. (2014). Baseball America 2015 Almanac. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-1-932391-54-1.
  4. ↑ Pittsburgh Pirates official site

External links

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