Yuma Scorpions
Encyclopedia
The Yuma Scorpions are a professional baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....

, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The Scorpions are a member of the Western Division of the independent North American League
North American League
The North American League is an independent baseball league that began play in the 2011 season...

. From the 2005 season to the present, the Scorpions have played their home games at Desert Sun Stadium
Desert Sun Stadium
Desert Sun Stadium is a stadium in Yuma, Arizona. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the North American League's Yuma Scorpions minor league baseball team and plays host to the Arizona Winter League and Arizona Summer League. The stadium, which originally opened in 1969,...

 at the Ray Kroc
Ray Kroc
Raymond Albert "Ray" Kroc was an American fast food businessman who joined McDonald's in 1954 and built it into the most successful fast food operation in the world. Kroc was included in Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century, and amassed a fortune during his lifetime...

 Complex, former spring training home of the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...

. They are owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment and the General Manager is Jose Melendez. Field manager for the NABL team is former MLB star, Jose Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...

. They also have a short-season instructional team in the Arizona Winter League
Arizona Winter League
The Arizona Winter League is the short-season instructional independent winter professional baseball league affiliated with the independent North American League...

, also owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment, where they are two-time champions in 2007 & 2009.

Golden Baseball League (2005-2010)

The Yuma Scorpions were one of the Golden Baseball League
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....

 charter members in 2005 along with the Chico Outlaws
Chico Outlaws
The Chico Outlaws are a professional baseball team based in Chico, California, in the United States. The Outlaws are a member of the Western Division of the independent North American League, which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball...

, Fullerton Flyers
Fullerton Flyers
The Fullerton Flyers are a professional baseball team based in Fullerton, California, in the United States. They are an independent franchise which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball...

, Long Beach Armada
Long Beach Armada
The Long Beach Armada was an independent professional baseball team based in Long Beach, California, in the United States. The Armada was a member of the North Division of the now-defunct Golden Baseball League, which was not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball...

 and San Diego Surf Dawgs
San Diego Surf Dawgs
The San Diego Surf Dawgs are an independent professional baseball team representing San Diego, California, that play in the short-season instructional Arizona Winter League and Arizona Summer League, based out of Yuma, Arizona. They played for two seasons in the now-defunct Golden Baseball League,...

 in California; Mesa Miners
Mesa Miners
The Mesa Miners are an independent professional baseball team that is based in Mesa, Arizona. They began as a member of the Arizona Division of the now-defunct Golden Baseball League in 2005...

 and Surprise Fightin' Falcons
Surprise Fightin' Falcons
The Surprise Fightin' Falcons are an inactive professional baseball team based in Surprise, Arizona. They played in the Arizona Division of the independent Golden Baseball League, which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball...

 in Arizona and the Japan Samurai Bears
Japan Samurai Bears
The Japan Samurai Bears are a defunct traveling professional baseball team that played in the independent Golden Baseball League, which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. They were based in the Arizona Division...

, the league's first (and so far only) traveling team. The Scorpions, along with the Outlaws, Armada and Flyers remain the only charter teams still active in the league.

The team replaced the former Bullfrogs
Yuma Bullfrogs
The Yuma Bullfrogs were a minor league baseball team located in Yuma, Arizona. The team operated in the independent Western Baseball League and was not associated with any Major League Baseball team....

 as the city of Yuma's professional baseball team. The Bulldogs played in the defunct Western Baseball League
Western Baseball League
The Western Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in the Western United States and Western Canada. It's member teams were not associated with any Major League Baseball teams. It operated from 1995 to 2002....

 from 2000 to 2002, but folded after being financially unsuccessful and leaving a legacy of lawsuits and a trail of unpaid bills, players and employees. Other baseball teams are the Yuma Desert Dawgs of the defunct Golden State League
Golden State League
The Golden State League was an Independent Baseball league that operated in California from 1994 to 1996.The league had originally targeted eight teams and considered 10-12 potential sites, they were Chico, Fresno, Lodi, Long Beach, Merced, Oceanside, Oxnard, Palm Springs, Redding, Rohnert Park,...

 (1995–96) and American West Leagues (1997–99). The San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...

 inhabited Desert Sun Stadium as their spring training complex and used it from 1968 to 1994 before they went to a new facility in Peoria, Arizona
Peoria, Arizona
Peoria is a city in Maricopa and Yavapai counties in the U.S. state of Arizona. Located primarily in Maricopa County, it is a major suburb of Phoenix. According to 2010 Census Bureau releases, the population of the city is 154,065. Peoria is currently the sixth largest city in Arizona for land...

.

Arizona Winter League (2007-present)

In 2007, the Arizona Winter League
Arizona Winter League
The Arizona Winter League is the short-season instructional independent winter professional baseball league affiliated with the independent North American League...

 announced the Scorpions as one of their six charter teams. The AWL is an instructional league also affiliated with the GBL. They play from January to March at the same field as the GBL version, along with the Blythe Heat
Blythe Heat
The Blythe Heat are a professional baseball team based in Blythe, California. They play in the Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the North American League. They began play in 2007 and play their home games at Alexander Field in Blythe...

, Palm Springs Chill
Palm Springs Chill
The Palm Springs Chill are an independent baseball team based in Palm Springs, California. They are co-owned by the Palm Springs Power and play their home games at Palm Springs Stadium...

, San Diego Surf Dawgs
San Diego Surf Dawgs
The San Diego Surf Dawgs are an independent professional baseball team representing San Diego, California, that play in the short-season instructional Arizona Winter League and Arizona Summer League, based out of Yuma, Arizona. They played for two seasons in the now-defunct Golden Baseball League,...

, San Luis Atleticos
San Luis Atleticos
The San Luis Atleticos are a professional independent baseball team based in San Luis, Arizona, representing that city and Mexico. They play in the developmental Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the Golden Baseball League and play in the...

, Saskatchewan Silver Sox
Saskatchewan Silver Sox
The Saskatchewan Silver Sox are an independent professional baseball team based in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. They play in the developmental Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the North American League and compete in the International...

, Team Canada and Western Canada Miners
Western Canada Miners
The Western Canada Miners are a professional independent baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona, and representing western Canada...

 and were placed in the American Division in 2009. They captured the first AWL championship defeating the Miners in 2007 and their second by defeating the Atleticos in 2009.

Affiliations With Foreign Leagues

On May 20, 2009 the Yuma Sun
Yuma Sun
The Yuma Sun is a newspaper in Yuma, Arizona, USA. It was started in 1872 under the name of the Arizona Sentinel. It is owned by Freedom Communications, and it has a circulation of 18,799....

 reported that the team had signed an affiliation agreement with the Colombian Professional Baseball League
Colombian Professional Baseball League
The Colombian Professional Baseball League, also known as the Colombian Winter League, is a professional baseball league based in Colombia...

 (CPBL), a league owned by Edgar
Edgar Rentería
Edgar Enrique Rentería Herazo , nicknamed "The Barranquilla Baby," is a Colombian professional baseball shortstop. He throws and bats right-handed. Previously, he has played for the Florida Marlins, the St...

 and Edinson Renteria. Edgar played for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

 of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 at the time of the signing. Under the terms of the affiliation, the CPBL handled all on-field personnel and player issues while the team retained control of promotions, concessions, and other front-office business. The Scorpions acted as a farm team for all four CPBL teams. It was reported by some news outlets to be the first time an independent American baseball club had formed an affiliation with a foreign team or league, however, in 1972 and 1973 the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...

's team
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are a minor league baseball team in Rancho Cucamonga, California, USA. They are a Class A – Advanced team in the California League and a farm team of the Los Angeles Dodgers, their third major league affiliate in team history....

 based in Lodi, California
Lodi, California
Lodi is a city located in , in the northern portion of California's Central Valley. The population was 62,134 at the 2010 census. The California Department of Finance's population estimate as of January 1, 2011 is 62,473....

 had an affiliation with Nippon Professional Baseball's Nishitetsu Lions. Yuma's partnership with the CPBL was at one point reportedly being made into a feature story for ESPN.

In early 2010 the Yuma Sun reported that the Scorpions had ended their affiliation with the CPBL, but had signed a new three-year affiliation agreement with the Venezuelan Baseball Federation (VBF). GBL Commissioner Kevin Outcalt characterized the termination of the agreement with the CPBL as a result of a lack of enthusiasm on the Colombian side for exercising the previous agreement's second year mutual option.

The move was also portrayed as one that would improve the Scorpions on-field performance. Under the affiliation with the CPBL, the Scorpions went 29-47, worst in the GBL, including a 3-13 start. Several factors justify this assertion. Baseball is more popular in Venezuela than Colombia, leading to the Sun to speculate that that country will provide superior prospects to the CPBL agreement. Additionally, the previous agreement with the CPBL was only concluded hours before the start of the season, so that players had to literally get on a plane in Colombia, got off in Yuma and immediately play the season opener. The agreement with the VBF was agreed to three months prior to the start of the 2010 season. The Scorpions' Manager for 2010, Darryl Brinkley
Darryl Brinkley
Darryl Maurice Brinkley is an American former professional baseball player and manager. He played one season in the Korea Baseball Organization for the Hyundai Unicorns in 2000. In 2007, he became the first player in Northern League history to bat .400...

, had experience playing in Venezuela.

North American League (2011-present)

The Scorpions were one of six former GBL teams to join the newly-formed North American League
North American League
The North American League is an independent baseball league that began play in the 2011 season...

 in 2010 and began play in 2011.

On April 11, 2011, Jose Canseco and his twin brother, Ozzie
Ozzie Canseco
Osvaldo "Ozzie" Canseco Capas is a former Major League Baseball player and the identical twin brother of former Major League Baseball player José Canseco....

, were added to the teams' roster, with Jose being a manager.
In August of that year, 52-year-old former Major League player and current Scorpions infielder Tony Phillips
Tony Phillips
Keith Anthony Phillips is a former Major League Baseball utility player who had an 18-year career from to . He played regularly at three infield positions, primarily as a second baseman, but also had significant time as a shortstop and third baseman...

 was involved in an altercation with former Scorpions manager Mike Marshall, then with the Chico Outlaws
Chico Outlaws
The Chico Outlaws are a professional baseball team based in Chico, California, in the United States. The Outlaws are a member of the Western Division of the independent North American League, which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball...

. Phillips punched Marshall in the face during the incident, causing the latter to press battery charges against the infielder.

Scorpions Acquired by MLB Teams

Joey Gathright
Joey Gathright
Joey Renard Gathright is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.-Early life:...

,OF, Boston Red Sox (2011)
Lee Cruz, OF, Houston Astros (2010)
Gilbert De La Vara, LHP, Detroit Tigers (2010)
Brandon Fowler, C, San Diego Padres (2010)
Rylan Sandoval, SS, New York Mets (2010)
Reynaldo Rodriguez, 1B, Boston Red Sox (2009)
Ryan Barba, SS, Atlanta Braves (2008)
Donald Brandt, P Milwaukee Brewers (2008)
Derrick Hale, SS, Cincinnati Reds (2008)
Kennard Jones, OF, Baltimore Orioles (2007)
Charles Merricks, P, Philadelphia Phillies (2007)
Scott Richmond
Scott Richmond
Scott Daniel Richmond is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball...

, P, Toronto Blue Jays (2007)
Sergio Romo
Sergio Romo
Sergio Francisco Romo is a American right-handed professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League baseball.-Early life:Romo was born in Brawley, California to Mexican immigrant parents...

, P, San Francisco Giants (2007)
Cardoza Tucker, P, Houston Astros (2006)
Dane De La Rosa, P, Tampa Bay Rays (2005)
Jason Dewey, C, Colorado Rockies, (2005)

Major Leaguers Who Have Played for the Scorpions

2005: Alex Arias
Alex Arias
Alejandro Arias is a former infielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1992–2002....

 SS, Joe Davenport
Joe Davenport
Joseph Jonathan Davenport is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for two seasons. He played for the Chicago White Sox in 1999 and the Colorado Rockies in 2001.-External links:...

 P, Carl Sadler
Carl Sadler
William Carl Sadler is an American former Major League Baseball player. A pitcher, Sadler played for the Cleveland Indians in and ....

 P, Jason Dewey
2006: Rusty Meacham
Rusty Meacham
Russell Loren Meacham , is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of eight seasons in Major League Baseball between 1991 and 2001.- Early career :...

 P
2007: Pasqual Matos C
2008: Mike Esposito
Mike Esposito (baseball)
Michael Anthony Esposito is a Major League baseball starting pitcher in the Colorado Rockies organization...

 P, Felipe Lira
Felipe Lira
Antonio Felipe Lira is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Detroit Tigers , Seattle Mariners and Montreal Expos . He batted and threw right-handed.- Career :...

 P
2009: Emiliano Fruto
Emiliano Fruto
Emiliano Ricardo Fruto is a Colombian professional baseball pitcher. He made his debut in Major League Baseball with the Seattle Mariners on May 14,...

, P
2010: Bill Pulsipher
Bill Pulsipher
William Thomas Pulsipher is a professional baseball pitcher. Pulsipher, a left-handed pitcher, has played in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and St. Louis Cardinals over six seasons from to . He currently plays for the Somerset...

 P, Alex Prieto
Alex Prieto
Alejandro Antonio "Alex" Prieto [pre-AY-to] is a Major League Baseball second baseman and right-handed batter who is currently a member of the Edmonton Capitals of the North American League. He played parts of two seasons in the majors, and , for the Minnesota Twins...

 P, Cha-Seung Baek P, Mike Johnson P
2011: Joey Gathright
Joey Gathright
Joey Renard Gathright is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.-Early life:...

 OF, Jose Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...

 DH, Tony Phillips
Tony Phillips
Keith Anthony Phillips is a former Major League Baseball utility player who had an 18-year career from to . He played regularly at three infield positions, primarily as a second baseman, but also had significant time as a shortstop and third baseman...

 IF/OF, Ozzie Canseco
Ozzie Canseco
Osvaldo "Ozzie" Canseco Capas is a former Major League Baseball player and the identical twin brother of former Major League Baseball player José Canseco....

 OF/DH

Managers

Benny Castillo
Benny Castillo
Benigno Enrique "Benny" Castillo is a former professional baseball player and manager.- Early life :...

 (2005-2006) Record: 79-91, Winning % : .465
Mike Marshall
Mike Marshall
Mike Marshall may refer to:*Mike Marshall , American Major League Baseball outfielder from 1981-1991*Mike Marshall , American Major League Baseball pitcher from 1967-81...

 (2007-2008) Record: 89-74 Winning %: .546
Boris Villa (2009) Record: 29-47 Winning %: .382
Darryl Brinkley (2010) Record: 41-49, Winning % : .456
Jose Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...

 (2011)

Quick facts

Founded: 2005
Stadium: Desert Sun Stadium
Desert Sun Stadium
Desert Sun Stadium is a stadium in Yuma, Arizona. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the North American League's Yuma Scorpions minor league baseball team and plays host to the Arizona Winter League and Arizona Summer League. The stadium, which originally opened in 1969,...

Uniform Colors: Cardinal red hats and white jerseys are worn for home games, while grey jerseys are worn for road games.
Logo Design: The "Yuma Scorpions" wordmark is centered above the scorpion logo in scripted letters in cardinal red with black outline. The scorpion includes a cap and a baseball bat.
Mascot: Stinger.
Current ownership: Golden Baseball League
Local Radio: KBLU-AM (As of June 2009)
First Play-by-Play Broadcaster: Radio: Jim Howell
Current Broadcasters: Radio: Jeff Edwards

Remembering the Imperials

During the 2008 season, the Scorpions played four of their home games at Stark Field
Stark Field
Stark Field is a professional-size baseball field located in El Centro, California. It played host to the El Centro Imperials minor league baseball team of the Sunset League and Southwest International League from the 1947 to 1951...

 in El Centro, California
El Centro, California
El Centro is a city in and county seat of Imperial County, the largest city in the Imperial Valley and the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core urban area and principal city of the El Centro metropolitan area which encompasses all of Imperial County. El Centro is also...

, just 60 miles west of Yuma, and would don classic uniforms of the El Centro Imperials
El Centro Imperials
The El Centro Imperials are an inactive independent professional baseball team based out of El Centro, California. Founded in 1947 and revived on April 3, 2009, the Imperials were introduced as one of the four charter members of the new Arizona Summer League, an instructional summer professional...

 of the Sunset League
Sunset League
The Sunset League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1947 through 1950. For the 1951 season, the league merged with the Arizona-Texas League to form the Southwest International League.- Former :...

 from the late 1940s to early 1950s.

As a result, the Imperials were revived in 2009 and are now a member of the Arizona Summer League
Arizona Summer League
The Arizona Summer League is a short-season instructional summer professional baseball league affiliated with the independent North American League...

.

Season-by-season records

Golden Baseball League:
Season W L Win % Place Playoff
2005 47 43 .522 2nd, Arizona Division Did not qualify
2006 32 48 .400 4th/6th Did not qualify
2007 42 34 .553 3rd/2nd Did not qualify
2008 47 39 .547 2nd/4th, South Division Did not qualify
2009 19 20 .487 5th, South Division Did not qualify
2010 14 31 .311 4th, South Division Did not qualify


Arizona Winter League:
Season W L Win % Place Playoff
2007 13 8 .619 T-1st Qualified. Defeated Canada in the Championship Game.
2008 8 11 .421 T-4th Did not qualify.
2009 15 5 .750 1st, American Division Qualified. Defeated San Luis in the Championship Game.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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