Triple-A (or Class AAA) refers to the highest level of play in minor league baseball. Teams at this level are divided into three leagues: the International League, the Pacific Coast League, and the MLB-independent Mexican League. Each of the 30 Major League Baseball teams has an affiliation with one Triple-A team in the United States. However, Mexican Triple-A teams are not included in the organized farm team system. Players at this level who are on the 40-man roster of a major league team can be invited to come up to the major league club once the major league roster expands on September 1 (though teams will usually wait until their affiliates' playoff runs are over, should they qualify). For teams in contention for the post-season, these players create the flexibility needed to rest regular starters in late regular season games. For those not in contention, recalling such players gives them an opportunity to evaluate their future players under game conditions. [edit] Triple-A cities Teams are generally located in or near major cities that often (but not always) hold a team in some other professional sport, such as an NFL football, NHL hockey, or an NBA basketball franchise. The 30 cities in the United States and 16 cities in Mexico that are home to Triple-A teams are:[1] [edit] Current teams [edit] International League | Division | Team | MLB Affiliation | City | Stadium | Capacity | | North | Buffalo Bisons | New York Mets | Buffalo, New York | Coca-Cola Field | 19,500 | | Lehigh Valley IronPigs | Philadelphia Phillies | Allentown, Pennsylvania | Coca-Cola Park1 | 10,000 | | Pawtucket Red Sox | Boston Red Sox | Pawtucket, Rhode Island | McCoy Stadium | 10,031 | | Rochester Red Wings | Minnesota Twins | Rochester, New York | Frontier Field | 10,868 | | Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees | New York Yankees | Moosic, Pennsylvania | PNC Field | 10,310 | | Syracuse Chiefs | Washington Nationals | Syracuse, New York | Alliance Bank Stadium | 11,117 | | South | Charlotte Knights | Chicago White Sox | Fort Mill, South Carolina | Knights Stadium | 10,002 | | Durham Bulls | Tampa Bay Rays | Durham, North Carolina | Durham Bulls Athletic Park | 10,000 | | Gwinnett Braves | Atlanta Braves | Lawrenceville, Georgia | Gwinnett Stadium | 10,099 | | Norfolk Tides | Baltimore Orioles | Norfolk, Virginia | Harbor Park | 12,067 | | West | Columbus Clippers | Cleveland Indians | Columbus, Ohio | Huntington Park | 10,000 | | Indianapolis Indians | Pittsburgh Pirates | Indianapolis, Indiana | Victory Field | 15,500 | | Louisville Bats | Cincinnati Reds | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville Slugger Field | 13,131 | | Toledo Mud Hens | Detroit Tigers | Toledo, Ohio | Fifth Third Field | 10,300 | - 1 Hosting the 2010 Triple-A All-Star Game
[edit] Mexican League | Zone | Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity | | North | Dorados de Chihuahua (Chihuahua Goldens) | Chihuahua, Chihuahua | Estadio Chihuahua | 14,500 | | Vaqueros Laguna (Laguna Cowboys) | Torreón, Coahuila | Estadio Revolución | 12,000 | | Diablos Rojos del México (Mexico City Red Devils) | Mexico D.F. | Foro Sol | 26,000 | | Acereros de Monclova (Monclova Steelers) | Monclova, Coahuila | Estadio De Beisbol Monclova | 9,000 | | Sultanes de Monterrey (Monterrey Sultans) | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey | 27,000 | | Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo (Nuevo Laredo Owls) | Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas | Estadio Nuevo Laredo | 12,000 | | Broncos de Reynosa (Reynosa Broncos) | Reynosa, Tamaulipas | Estadio Adolfo López Mateos | 7,000 | | Saraperos de Saltillo (Saltillo Sarape Makers) | Saltillo, Coahuila | Estadio De Beisbol Francisco I. Madero | 16,000 | | South | Piratas de Campeche (Campeche Pirates) | Campeche, Campeche | Estadio Nelson Barrera | 6,000 | | Petroleros de Minatitlán (Minatitlán Oilers) | Minatitlán, Veracruz | Parque 18 de marzo de 1938 | 7,500 | | Guerreros de Oaxaca (Oaxaca Warriors) | Oaxaca, Oaxaca | Eduardo Vasconcelos Stadium | 7,200 | | Pericos de Puebla (Puebla Parrots) | Puebla, Puebla | Estadio de Béisbol Hermanos Serdán | 12,112 | | Tigres de Quintana Roo (Quintana Roo Tigers) | Cancún, Quintana Roo | Estadio De Beisbol Beto Avila | 9,000 | | Olmecas de Tabasco (Tabasco Olmecs) | Villahermosa, Tabasco | Estadio Centenario 27 de Febrero | 10,500 | | Rojos del Águila de Veracruz (Veracruz Red Eagle) | Veracruz, Veracruz | Estadio Universitario Beto Avila | 7,782 | | Leones de Yucatán (Yucatan Lions) | Mérida, Yucatán | Estadio De Beisbol Kukulkan | 13,600 |
[edit] Pacific Coast League | American Conference | | Division | Team | MLB Affiliation | City | Stadium | Capacity | | North | Iowa Cubs | Chicago Cubs | Des Moines, Iowa | Principal Park | 11,000 | | Memphis Redbirds | St. Louis Cardinals | Memphis, Tennessee | AutoZone Park | 14,320 | | Nashville Sounds | Milwaukee Brewers | Nashville, Tennessee | Herschel Greer Stadium | 10,052 | | Omaha Royals | Kansas City Royals | Omaha, Nebraska | Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium | 23,100 | | South | Albuquerque Isotopes | Los Angeles Dodgers | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Isotopes Park | 12,215 | | New Orleans Zephyrs | Florida Marlins | Metairie, Louisiana | Zephyr Field | 10,000 | | Oklahoma City RedHawks | Texas Rangers | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark1 | 13,166 | | Round Rock Express | Houston Astros | Round Rock, Texas | Dell Diamond | 11,688 | | Pacific Conference | | Division | Team | MLB Affiliation | City | Stadium | Capacity | | North | Colorado Springs Sky Sox | Colorado Rockies | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Security Service Field | 9,000 | | Portland Beavers | San Diego Padres | Portland, Oregon | PGE Park | 19,810 | | Salt Lake Bees | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Salt Lake City, Utah | Spring Mobile Ballpark2 | 15,500 | | Tacoma Rainiers | Seattle Mariners | Tacoma, Washington | Cheney Stadium | 9,600 | | South | Fresno Grizzlies | San Francisco Giants | Fresno, California | Chukchansi Park | 12,500 | | Las Vegas 51s3 | Toronto Blue Jays | Las Vegas, Nevada | Cashman Field | 10,000 | | Reno Aces | Arizona Diamondbacks | Reno, Nevada | Aces Ballpark | 9,100 | | Sacramento River Cats | Oakland Athletics | West Sacramento, California | Raley Field | 14,680 | - 1 Hosting the 2009 Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game
- 2 Hosting the 2011 Triple-A All-Star Game
- 3 The 51s will be renamed in 2010.
[edit] Triple-A All-Star Game The Triple-A All-Star Game is a single game held between the two affiliated Triple-A leagues. Each league fields a team composed of the top stars in their respective leagues as voted on by fans, the media, and club field managers and general managers. The event has taken place every year since 1988 when the first Triple-A All-Star Game was played in Buffalo, New York. Prior to 1998, a team of American League Triple-A All-Stars faced off against a team of National League Triple-A All-Stars. Traditionally, the game has taken place on the day after the mid-summer Major League Baseball All-Star Game. [edit] Triple-A Championship Since 2006, the annual Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game has been held to serve as a single championship game between the champions of the International League and Pacific Coast League to determine an overall champion of Triple-A baseball. It is held annually at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.[2][3] [edit] See also [edit] References [edit] External links | Pacific Coast League | | | American Conference | | North Division | | | | South Division | | | | | Pacific Conference | | North Division | | | | South Division | | | | |
