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The Golden Baseball League, based in Pleasanton, California , is a professional, Independent Baseball League which operates in the Western United States . The GBL is not affiliated with either Major or Minor League Baseball but features many players with MLB experience (Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, Alex Arias, Bud Smith) as well as top young prospects. It formed in 2004 and began play on May 26 , 2005 . The GBL uses the Designated Hitter rule. As an independent baseball league, the GBL exists to give professional baseball players who are not currently under contract with a Major or Minor League organization another chance at playing at the professional level. The GBL level of play is considered to be at the double A standard. Over 50 players have been sold to MLB organizations over the past two seasons. Player salaries range from $750 to $3,000 per month, the standard at the double A level. The GBL's presenting partner is Safeway Inc. . Other investors in the GBL include Wheel Of Fortune host Pat Sajak , former National Football League players Mike Sherrard and Christian Okoye , and executives from Cisco Systems , Taleo and Draper Fisher Jurvetson . HISTORY In its inaugural season, the league was comprised of eight teams that played their home games in city- and university-owned stadiums, with the exception of the Japan Samurai Bears , a traveling team of Japanese players that played all of its games on the road. Three of the GBL's teams, the Chico Outlaws , Long Beach Armada , and Yuma Scorpions , operated in former Western Baseball League cities. On , along with its upcoming movie adaptation. Canseco was traded to the Long Beach Armada after only one game. He said that the move was to be closer to his daughter. The 2005 season ended with a four team championship tournament on Labor Day Weekend. The tournament ended with San Diego winning two games on the final day, knocking off the Mesa Miners in the second game to wrap up their championship season. Before the 2006 season, the Mesa Miners and Surprise Fightin' Falcons suspended operations and a new team, the Reno Silver Sox , was created, becoming the first GBL club in Nevada. The league chose to move to a 6-team format and did not have the travelling Samurai Bears return. The GBL added the St. George Roadrunners for the 2007 season. The league is looking to add additional teams in California, Arizona and Oregon . Golden Baseball League Teams Defunct Teams
Teams that never played
2005 Season :Standings x-Division Champion y-Wild Card (Division champions and top two wild card teams go to Championship.) :Playoffs and Championship(4 team double-elimination, final 2 teams face in one game playoff)''':''' :Awards: All-League Team: None Gold Glove winners: {Link without Title} Pitcher: Adam Pettyjohn , Long Beach Catcher: Cody Clark , San Diego First base: Yuji Nerei , Samurai Bears Second base: Kenichi Miura , Samurai Bears Third base: Sean Walsh , Fullerton Shortstop: Jeremy Hernandez , Long Beach Outfielders Marcus Knight , Mesa; Billy Brown , Surprise; Travis McAndrews , Long Beach 2006 Season :Standings: z-1st half champion and best overall record, x-2nd half champion (Champions of each half face in 5 game series for championship. If one team wins both halfs, team with next best overall record receives championship bid.) :Championship(best of 5 game series)''':''' :Awards: All-League Team: Catcher: Marcus Jensen , Reno First base: Desi Wilson , Chico Second base: Adam Mandel , San Diego Third base: Henry Calderon , Yuma Shortstop: Bret LeVier , Fullerton Utility: Craig Kuzmic , Chico Outfielders: Seth Pietsch , San Diego; Jason Van Meetren , Chico; Jeff LaRue , Long Beach; Scott Goodman , San Diego Designated hitter: Peanut Williams , Fullerton Starting Pitchers: Chris Jakubaskaus , Fullerton; Andre Simpson , Long Beach; Ben Thurmond , Reno; Phil Springman , Chico; Brian Kroll , Chico; Nate Sevier , Reno Relief Pitchers: Josh Rummonds , San Diego; Scott Schneider , Reno; E.J. Shanks , San Diego; Mike Peck , Long Beach; Wes Faust , Fullerton Gold Glove Winners: {Link without Title} Pitcher: James Johnson , Reno Catcher: Marcus Jensen , Reno First base: Desi Wilson , Chico Second base: Rob Gandolfo , Chico Third base: Henry Calderon , Yuma Shortstop: Hector Tena , Yuma Outfielders Chris Klemm , Long Beach; Lino Garcia , Chico; Ryan Webb , Long Beach 2007 Season :Standings: x-1st half champion, z-2nd half champion and best overall record :Championship(best of 5 game series)''':''' ARIZONA WINTER LEAGUE See Also: Arizona Winter League On November 15 , 2006 , the Golden Baseball League announced the Arizona Winter League , which would be an instructional league for its summer league. The league began play on January 19, 2007. POSSIBLE EXPANSION EXTERNAL LINKS |
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