Cooperstown welComes first ArizonA Fall leAguer Mike Piazza 1992 Sun Cities Solar Sox 2016 information Guide THE FIRST PLACE TO FIND THE GAME’S FUTURE STARS Bowman ® Baseball is the only trading card brand that features prospects in their Major League Baseball ® uniforms! BOWMAN BASEBALL The flagship Bowman release of the season, showcasing the year’s top prospects and rookies. BOWMAN CHROME A continuation of Bowman Baseball, brought to you on reflective chrome technology. BOWMAN PLATINUM Featuring MLB ® veterans and prospects on rainbow foil cards. BOWMAN DRAFT The first place to find the year’s MLB ® Draft picks in their MLB ® uniforms, including autograph cards of the top selections. BOWMAN’S BEST Showcasing the most noteworthy performers of the year across all levels of each Major League Baseball ® organization. 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Contents INSIDE EXPERIMENTAL RULES Q & A .............................................2-5 All 2016 Minor League Baseball pitch-clock rules are in effect for the 2016 Arizona Organization Assignments ...............3 Fall League. Fall League Staff ...............................5 2:15/2:25 Break Clock Schedule .......................................6-7 The 2:15 clock starts as soon as the third out is made every half inning; the 2:25 clock begins for every pitching change and supercedes the 2:15 clock if the pitching change Lists.............................................8-15 starts a half inning. The pitcher can deliver the pitch as soon as he and the batter are Player Notebooks ......................15-22 ready, however, the pitcher must begin his motion and the batter must be in the Teams ......................................22-140 batter’s box ready to hit by 0:00 on the clock. Glendale Desert Dogs .............23 15-Second Pitch Clock Mesa Solar Sox .......................43 As soon as the pitcher receives the ball from the catcher while on the dirt circle of the mound during an at-bat, the 15-second clock begins. The pitcher must come set Peoria Javelinas ......................63 or begin his motion before the clock reaches 0:00 or he will be penalized with an Salt River Rafters ....................83 automatic “ball.” The hitter must be in the batter’s box by the time the clock reaches Scottsdale Scorpions ............101 0:05 or he will be penalized with an automatic strike. The 15-second clock is waived Surprise Saguaros ................123 off and restarted on the next pitch after plays that prompt the hitter to exit the batter’s box (inside pitch, foul ball, etc.). 2015 Review .........................141-170 35-Second Timer Between Batters Records .................................171-192 The 35-second clock will start as soon as the umpire signals the prior batter out or the History ..................................193-328 prior play concludes during an inning except for the first batter after a break which Joe Black MVP Award ...........194 will use the inning clock described above. The hitter should be in the batter’s box with Stenson Award .....................195 at least 15 seconds remaining on the clock. If the batter is not in the box and alert to the pitcher with at least five seconds remaining, the umpire should call an automatic MLB All-Stars .......................198 “strike” on the batter. If the pitcher does not begin his motion or come set to deliver the MLB Awards & Leaders .........200 pitch prior to the expiration of the timer, the umpire should call an automatic “ball.” In All-Time Field Staffs .............216 the event the umpire calls time to stop the game (e.g., for the batter to give his batting Season Summaries ...............226 gloves/protective gear to base coach), the field timing coordinator should shut off the 35-second clock and instead utilize the 15-second pitch clock as detailed above. All-Time MLB Roster .............273 Photo: Bill Mitchell 2015 Champion SCottSdale SCorpionS CREDITS The 2016 Arizona Fall League Media Guide is published by the communications department. Editor: Paul Jensen. Associate Editors: Daniel Kurish and Melanie Newman. Graphic design: Brad Woodward. Printing: Ben Franklin Press, Tempe, Arizona. Statistics: Courtesy of MLB Advanced Media. mlbfallball.com u Facebook.com/mlbfallball u Twitter.com/mlbazfallleague silver anniversary season 1 arizona fall league Q & a Q: What is the Arizona Fall League (AFL)? A: Major League Baseball created the Arizona Fall League in 1992 to serve as an off-season “graduate school” for top prospects. The AFL often is known as a showcase league because its players have the opportunity to display their skills for baseball scouts, general managers and farm directors. For baseball fans, it’s a six-week Valley of the Sun homestand featuring many of baseball’s elite prospects. Q: What is the genesis of the Arizona Fall League? A: Long-time baseball executive, current special assistant to the president of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Phoenix resident Roland Hemond is considered the “Architect of the Fall League.” His dream to create a six-week off-season league for baseball’s top prospects in Arizona each fall became reality when the Arizona Fall League began play in 1992 after he spent two years selling the concept to baseball’s hierarchy — first general managers, then owners. After veteran baseball front-office executive Mike Port shepherded the Fall League through its maiden voyage in 1992, former Cincinnati Reds traveling secretary and Triple-A Columbus Clippers’ executive Steve Cobb was hired as the Fall League’s director. Q: Who oversees the Arizona Fall League? A: Major League Baseball owns and operates the Arizona Fall League. Steve Cobb has been the executive director since 1993. Major League Baseball’s Arizona Fall League oversight committee currently is comprised of three club front office executives: Michael Hill (Marlins), Dayton Moore (Royals) and Mark Shapiro (Blue Jays). Q: How many players have appeared in the Arizona Fall League? A: Over 4,300 players have appeared in the Arizona Fall League. Nearly 2,650 have reached the major leagues, meaning approximately 60 percent of players assigned to the Fall League reach the big leagues. Q: How are the teams assembled? A: Each major league organization sends seven prospects to the Arizona Fall League. Five-organization groupings comprise the six AFL teams. Q: What contributions have the Fall League made to baseball off the field? A: Thirty-seven former AFL managers or players have become major-league managers, including 12 during the 2016 season — Dusty Baker (Nationals), Jeff Banister (Rangers), Craig Counsell (Brewers), Terry Francona (Indians), John Gibbons (Blue Jays), A.J. Hinch (Astros), Chip Hale (D-backs), Mike Matheny (Cardinals), Don Mattingly (Marlins), Bob Melvin (Athletics), Bryan Price (Reds) and Mike Scioscia. There have been 177 former AFL managers and coaches who have coached in the major leagues, including 57 in 2016. Ten ex-AFL trainers were head trainers in the major leagues in 2016. Fifty-four umpires were in the major leagues in 2016 as well. And, 91 current or former AFL administrators are present full-time employees in the baseball industry. Q: What impact has the Arizona Fall League had on Major League Baseball? A: As the Arizona Fall League stages its 25th season in 2016, the contribution the league has made to major-league baseball is undeniable. Fifty-one percent of 2016 MLB Opening Day rosters were comprised by former Arizona Fall League players. Another 50 ex-AFLers began the season on the disabled list. There have been 247 ex-Fall Leaguers named to major league all-star teams, including 33 (10 starters) in 2016. Former Fall Leaguers also have won numerous MLB awards, including 15 MVPs (Ryan Braun, Josh Donaldson, Jason Giambi, Josh Hamilton, Bryce Harper, Ryan Howard, Joe Mauer, Andrew McCutchen, Justin Morneau, Dustin Pedroia, Buster Posey, Albert Pujols, Jimmy Rollins, Mike Trout, Joey Votto), 6 Cy Young Awards (Jake Arrieta, Chris Carpenter, Roy Halladay, Dallas Keuchel, Max Scherzer, Brandon Webb), 4 World Series MVPs, 8 All-Star Game MVPs, 26 rookies-of-the- year, 11 batting champions, 14 hits leaders, 13 RBI leaders, 11 home-run leaders, 14 stolen-base leaders, 80 Silver Sluggers, and 70 Gold Gloves. Q: What is the league’s schedule? A: The six AFL teams each play a six-week, 32-game schedule from October 11-November 19. The 11th annual Fall Stars Game will be played at Surprise Stadium on Saturday, November 5 The league championship game is scheduled for Saturday, November 19 at Scottsdale Stadium. 2 2016 ArizonA FAll leAgue inFormAtion guide arizona fall league 2016 ArizonA FAll leAgue orgAnizAtion Assignments EAST