Western Canada Miners

Western Canada Miners
(aka Canada Miners)
Information
League
LocationYuma, Arizona
BallparkDesert Sun Stadium
Founded2006
League championships1 (ASL, 2009)
ColorsBlack, columbia blue, white, gold
       
OwnershipDiamond Sports & Entertainment (North American League)
MediaYuma Sun
Websitewww.arizonawinterleague.com

The Western Canada Miners (also known as just the Canada Miners) are a professional independent baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona, and representing western Canada. They play in the developmental Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the North American League and they play their home games at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma, as well as the San Diego Surf Dawgs, Saskatchewan Silver Sox, Team Canada and Yuma Scorpions. The team uses the logo and uniforms of the now-defunct Mesa Miners[1][2] team and are owned by Diamond Sports & Entertainment.

On April 3, 2009, the Miners were announced as one of the three charter teams in the new Arizona Summer League, an instructional league also affiliated with the Golden Baseball League. The league was formed following the success of the AWL. In July 2009, after 14 games and no playoff, they were declared the very first ASL Champions. The ASL version was renamed the Bisbee Miners for 2010 and the Mesa Miners for 2011 and possibly beyond.

The NAL still owns the rights to the "Miners" brand (including name, logo and uniforms) and a future expansion team would have no ties to the original Mesa team. Some suggest that previously sought-after Canadian cities Kamloops and Kelowna should be the new home of the brand because of western Canada's rich mining history, similar to the Saskatchewan team (Regina or Saskatoon are being sought to host the Silver Sox if they continue to express interest).

Season-by-season records

Arizona Winter League:

Season W L Win % Place Playoff
2007 13 8 .619 T-1st Qualified. Lost to Yuma in the Championship Game.
2008 11 8 .579 2nd Qualified. Lost to Blythe in the Championship Game.
2009 6 14 .300 4th Did not qualify.

Arizona Summer League:

Season W L Win % Place Playoff
2009 9 5 .600 1st No playoff. Declared first champions.

See also

References

  1. ^ It's official: Baseball here in January (The Yuma Sun, November 15, 2006)
  2. ^ Attractions aplenty at AWL opener: Scorpions fall to Miners in first game of winter league (The Yuma Sun, February 1, 2008)