Triple-A National Championship Game

The Triple-A National Championship Game, previously known as the Bricktown Showdown, is a single championship game held annually from 2006 to 2019 between champions of the two Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball (MiLB) to determine an overall champion of the classification. When the championship game was last held in 2019, these leagues were the International League (IL) and Pacific Coast League (PCL). The game was not played in 2020, as the minor-league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Triple-A National Championship Game
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s)Varies (see prose)
InauguratedSeptember 19, 2006
(AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States)
Most recentSeptember 17, 2019
(AutoZone Park, Memphis, Tennessee, United States)
Next eventTBD
ParticipantsLeague champions of the two Triple-A baseball leagues
Organized byMinor League Baseball
WebsiteOfficial website (archived)

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the IL and PCL disbanded, and Triple-A teams were reorganized into Triple-A East and Triple-A West. For the 2021 season, in place of the National Championship Game, Minor League Baseball extended the Triple-A regular season to October 3, and chose to crown league champions based on regular-season records.[1] While the Triple-A East and Triple-A West names were dropped after 2021 and the leagues reverted to their previous names,[2] it is uncertain when or if the National Championship Game will resume.

From 2006 to 2010, the championship game was held annually at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Thereafter, the game was hosted in a different Triple-A city each year. The Durham Bulls and Columbus Clippers each made four appearances in the championship game, the most of any team. The Sacramento River Cats won three championships, more than any other team. Durham, Columbus, and the Omaha Storm Chasers each won two. Five other teams won one championship each. Nine titles were won by PCL teams, while the IL won five titles.

History
AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, site of the first five Triple-A National Championship Games (2006–2010)

Between 1904 and 1975, the league champions of the three highest-classification Minor League Baseball leagues periodically met in the postseason to determine a classification champion. The Little World Series (1904–1931) and Junior World Series (1932–1975) usually consisted of a best-of-seven (or eight) series modeled on the World Series of Major League Baseball. Most often it was held between the champions of the International League and the American Association (AA), leaving the Pacific Coast League out of the championship.[3] A one-time Triple-A World Series was held in 1983 as a round-robin tournament featuring the champions of all three Triple-A leagues.[3] The IL and AA champions met in the Triple-A Classic, a best-of-seven series, from 1988 to 1991.[3] From 1998 to 2000, the Las Vegas Triple-A World Series pitted the IL and PCL champs (as the American Association had folded in 1997) in a best-of-five championship series.[3]

In 2006, Triple-A Baseball announced the creation of a single championship game between the league champions of the International League and the Pacific Coast League to determine an overall champion of the classification. The game, called the Bricktown Showdown, was to be played at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In addition to serving as the pinnacle of the Triple-A and MiLB season, the leagues sought for the championship game to develop and prosper like the Triple-A All-Star Game did since its creation in 1988.[4]

The first Bricktown Showdown was played on September 19, 2006. The PCL's Tucson Sidewinders defeated the IL's Toledo Mud Hens, 5–2, in front of an announced paid attendance of 12,572 and a national television audience watching on ESPN2.[5] The initial Showdown was approved only as a one-time meeting by Major League Baseball,[6] but subsequent meetings were planned following the event's success.[6]

The game was rebranded as the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game in 2009, and later to simply the Triple-A National Championship Game. This was done to increase the event's national appeal and to emphasize its significance as a championship game.[7]

The championship continued to be held in Oklahoma City through 2010. Since 2011, the game has been held in a different Triple-A city each year.[8] The first city to host under this new format was Albuquerque, New Mexico, home of the Albuquerque Isotopes of the PCL. Games have since been held in other Triple-A cities. No host city's team has ever participated in the championship game.

From 2006 to 2016, the league that won the Triple-A All-Star Game earned the distinction of having its team designated as the home team.[4] This changed in 2017, when home team status began being awarded to the team from the hosting league.[9]

The event has been televised nationally every year. It aired on ESPN2 from 2006 to 2009 and on NBC Sports Network (formerly known as the Outdoor Life Network and Versus) from 2010 to 2018.[10] Fox Sports became the broadcaster in 2019.[11]

The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30.[12][13] This resulted in the cancellation of the game, which had been slated for Las Vegas Ballpark in Las Vegas, Nevada.[14]

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the IL and PCL disbanded, and Triple-A teams were reorganized into the Triple-A East and Triple-A West.[15] Due to travel restrictions in place in the 2021 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, teams played limited opponents.[16] The 2021 schedule did not include a scheduled postseason for league championship playoffs or the Triple-A National Championship Game.[17] Instead, each Triple-A league's champion was crowned based on regular-season records.[18] The regular season was followed by the Triple-A Final Stretch, a 10-game postseason tournament in which all 30 Triple-A clubs competed for the highest winning percentage over that stretch.[18]

Structure
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders celebrate winning the 2016 Triple-A Championship.

The Triple-A National Championship Game consists of a single nine-inning game to determine a champion. The only championship game to ever go beyond the prescribed nine innings was the 2009 contest which went to eleven innings.[19] The host league's team serves as the home team.[9] (Prior to 2017, the league that won the Triple-A All-Star Game was designated as the home team.[4]) Designated hitters bat in place of the pitchers.

Most recently, the game was umpired by a four-man crew with one umpire behind home plate and the others covering each base. Two of the umpires worked in the IL, while two worked in the PCL. Assignments rotated each year such that PCL umpires were assigned to home plate and second base in even years, and IL umpires manned those positions in odd years.[20]

Results
Indicates home team
Date Winning team (MLB affiliation) League Score Losing team (MLB affiliation) League Ballpark (league) Attendance Ref.
September 19, 2006 Tucson Sidewinders (ARI)PCL5–2Toledo Mud Hens (DET)ILAT&T Bricktown Ballpark (PCL)12,572[5]
September 18, 2007 Sacramento River Cats (OAK)PCL7–1Richmond Braves (ATL)ILAT&T Bricktown Ballpark (PCL)11,124[21]
September 16, 2008 Sacramento River Cats (OAK)PCL4–1Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (NYY)ILAT&T Bricktown Ballpark (PCL)8,213[22]
September 22, 2009 Durham Bulls (TB)IL5–4Memphis Redbirds (STL)PCLAT&T Bricktown Ballpark (PCL)6,777[19]
September 21, 2010 Columbus Clippers (CLE)IL12–6Tacoma Rainiers (SEA)PCLAT&T Bricktown Ballpark (PCL)7,525[23]
September 20, 2011 Columbus Clippers (CLE)IL8–3Omaha Storm Chasers (KC)PCLIsotopes Park (PCL)9,569[24]
September 18, 2012 Reno Aces (ARI)PCL10–3Pawtucket Red Sox (BOS)ILDurham Bulls Athletic Park (IL)8,601[25]
September 17, 2013 Omaha Storm Chasers (KC)PCL2–1Durham Bulls (TB)ILCoca-Cola Park (IL)9,602[26]
September 16, 2014 Omaha Storm Chasers (KC)PCL4–2Pawtucket Red Sox (BOS)ILBB&T Ballpark (IL)8,886[27]
September 22, 2015 Fresno Grizzlies (HOU)PCL7–0Columbus Clippers (CLE)ILSouthwest University Park (PCL)9,332[28]
September 20, 2016 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY)IL3–1El Paso Chihuahuas (SD)PCLAutoZone Park (PCL)9,471[29]
September 19, 2017 Durham Bulls (TB)IL5–3Memphis Redbirds (STL)PCLPNC Field (IL)9,383[30]
September 18, 2018 Memphis Redbirds (STL)PCL14–4Durham Bulls (TB)ILHuntington Park (IL)9,183[31]
September 17, 2019 Sacramento River Cats (SFG)PCL4–0Columbus Clippers (CLE)ILAutoZone Park (PCL)9,123[32]
September 22, 2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[13]Las Vegas Ballpark (PCL)—[33]

Most Valuable Player Award
Center fielder A. J. Pollock of the Reno Aces was selected as the game's MVP in 2012.

One player is recognized for their outstanding play in the game and is awarded the Triple-A Championship Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.[10]

Year Player Team League Position Ref.
2006 Scott Hairston Tucson SidewindersPCLLeft fielder[5]
2007 Lou Merloni Sacramento River CatsPCLThird baseman[21]
2008 Chris Gissell Sacramento River CatsPCLRelief pitcher[22]
2009 Jeremy Hellickson Durham BullsILStarting pitcher[19]
2010 Jerad Head Columbus ClippersILLeft fielder[23]
2011 Joe Martinez Columbus ClippersILStarting pitcher[24]
2012 A. J. Pollock Reno AcesPCLCenter fielder[25]
2013 Chris Dwyer Omaha Storm ChasersPCLStarting pitcher[26]
2014 Brett Hayes Omaha Storm ChasersPCLCatcher[27]
2015 Chris Devenski Fresno GrizzliesPCLStarting pitcher[28]
2016 Chris Parmelee Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRidersILFirst baseman[29]
2017 Kean Wong Durham BullsILSecond baseman[34]
2018 Alex Mejia Memphis RedbirdsPCLFirst baseman[35]
2019 Caleb Baragar Sacramento River CatsPCLStarting pitcher[36]
2020 None selected (Game cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) [13]

Appearances by team

Defunct Triple-A teams appear in italics.

Appearances Team League Wins Losses Win % Most recent
win		 Most recent
appearance
4 Durham Bulls IL22.50020172018
4 Columbus Clippers IL22.50020112019
3 Omaha Storm Chasers PCL21.66720142014
3 Memphis Redbirds PCL12.33320182018
3 Sacramento River Cats PCL301.00020192019
2 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders/Yankees IL11.50020162016
2 Pawtucket Red Sox IL02.000—2014
1 Fresno Grizzlies PCL101.00020152015
1 Reno Aces PCL101.00020122012
1 Tucson Sidewinders PCL101.00020062006
1 El Paso Chihuahuas PCL01.000—2016
1 Richmond Braves IL01.000—2007
1 Tacoma Rainiers PCL01.000—2010
1 Toledo Mud Hens IL01.000—2006

See also

References
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  2. "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". MiLB.com. March 16, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  3. "Triple-A Baseball Interleague Post-Season Play Results". Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original on July 10, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  4. "Bricktown Showdown To Determine Triple-A Baseball Champion" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. July 12, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 20, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  5. "Tucson Sidewinders 5, Toledo Mud Hens 2" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  6. "Triple-A Baseball Championship Game To Remain in Oklahoma City for 2007 and 2008" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. January 11, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 9, 2007. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  7. "Triple-A Championship Game Renamed". Pacific Coast League. Minor League Baseball. August 7, 2009. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  8. Hill, Benjamin (February 8, 2011). "Isotopes to Host Triple-A Championship". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  9. "2017 Governors' Cup Playoffs Preview" (PDF). International League. August 11, 2017. p. 4. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  10. "Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game Results". Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  11. "FOX Sports Becomes TV Home of Triple-A National Championship Game". Ballpark Digest. May 3, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  12. "A Message From Pat O'Conner". Minor League Baseball. March 13, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  13. "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  14. "Las Vegas Ballpark to Host 2020 Triple-A National Championship Game". Ballpark Digest. August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  15. Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  16. "Iowa Announces 2021 Schedule". Iowa Cubs. Minor League Baseball. February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  17. Reichard, Kevin (February 18, 2021). "2021 MiLB Schedules Released". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  18. "MiLB Announces 'Triple-A Final Stretch' for 2021". Minor League Baseball. July 14, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  19. "Durham Bulls (84-61) 5, Memphis Redbirds (77-68) 4" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 19, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  20. "Triple-A National Championship Game Personnel" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 20, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  21. "Sacramento River Cats (85-60) 7, Richmond Braves (77-65) 1" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 30, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  22. "Sacramento River Cats (84-61) 4, Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees (88-57) 1" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 30, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  23. "Tacoma Rainiers (74-70) 6, Columbus Clippers (80-65) 12" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  24. "Columbus Clippers (89-56) 8, Omaha Storm Chasers (79-64) 3" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 2, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  25. "Pawtucket Red Sox (79-66) 3, Reno Aces (82-63) 10" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  26. "Omaha Storm Chasers (71-74) 2, Durham Bulls (87-58) 1" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  27. "Omaha Storm Chasers (77-67) 4, Pawtucket Red Sox (79-66) 2" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  28. "Fresno Grizzlies (85-59) 7, Columbus Clippers (83-62) 0" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 1, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  29. "El Paso vs. Scranton/WB - September 20, 2016". MiLB.com. September 20, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  30. "Memphis vs. Durham Bulls - September 19, 2017". MiLB.com. September 19, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  31. "Memphis vs. Durham - September 18, 2018". MiLB.com. September 18, 2018. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  32. "Clippers vs. River Cats Box Score - September 17, 2019". MiLB.com. September 17, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  33. "Las Vegas Ballpark to Host 2020 Triple-A National Championship Game". Ballpark Digest. August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  34. Wiseman, Steve (September 19, 2017). "Durham Bulls Win Triple-A National Championship". The Herald-Sun. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  35. Rosenbaum, Mike (September 19, 2018). "Memphis slugs its way to first Triple-A title". MLB.com. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  36. Heneghan, Kelsie (September 18, 2019). "Stingy Baragar, Cats take Triple-A crown". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
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