International League: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
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{{Short description|US professional baseball league}}
{{About|the professional baseball minor league|the short-lived league that played a single, racially-integrated season in 1906|International League of Independent Professional Base Ball Clubs|other uses}}
{{distinguish|Inter-National League}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2013}}
{{Infobox sports league
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| teams = 20
| country = United States
| champion = [[NorfolkOmaha TidesStorm Chasers]] (20232024)
| TV = [[MiLB.TV]], [[MLB Network]], and local sports networks
| most_champs = [[Rochester Red Wings]] (19)
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==Structure and season==
The International League is divided into the East Division and the West Division, each consisting of 10 teams. As of the 2022 season, all teams play a 150-game schedule, beginning in earlylate AprilMarch and concluding in late September.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Franco |first1=Anthony |title=Triple-A Baseball Season Expanded to 150 Games |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/02/triple-a-baseball-season-expanded-to-150-games.html |publisher=MLB Trade Rumors |date=February 3, 2022 |access-date=March 21, 2022}}</ref>
The International League uses a [[salary cap]]. As of the 2023 season, clubs had a salary cap of [[US dollar|US]]$530,000 on player compensation, with a minimum salary of $17,500 per player. For players aged 21 and younger on standard contracts, only 50% of their salary counts towards the cap (up to $80,000 total). There is also a separate salary cap for coaches and technical staff.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minor League Baseball players ratify historic first CBA; deal includes salary increases, more |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/minor-league-baseball-players-ratify-historic-first-cba-deal-includes-salary-increases-more/amp/ |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=www.cbssports.com}}</ref>
===Championship and interleague play===
[[File:IL All-Stars, 2015 Triple-A All-Star Game.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|IL All-Stars at the 2015 [[Triple-A All-Star Game]]]]
As ofSince the 2023 season, the regular season is split into two halves. After the completion of the season, the winners of each half meet in a best-of-three series to determine a [[List of International League champions|league champion]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/news/triple-a-national-championship-game-2023 |title=2023 Triple-A National Championship Game Set for Sept. 30 in Las Vegas |website=Minor League Baseball |date=March 28, 2023 |accessdate=March 28, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/news/2024-milb-triple-a-national-championship-date |title=2024 MiLB Triple-A National Championship Game Set for Sept. 28 at Las Vegas Ballpark |website=Minor League Baseball |date=March 12, 2024 |accessdate=March 12, 2024}}</ref> From 1933 to 2019, the three division champions and a [[wild card (sports)|wild card]] team squared off in [[Shaughnessy playoff system|series playoffs]] to determine a champion, with the winner awarded the [[Governors' Cup]], the league's championship trophy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/content/page.jsp?ymd=20110314&content_id=16942530&sid=l117&vkey=league3|title=International League Personnel and Staff|website=International League|access-date=July 22, 2017}}</ref> Following the cancelled 2020 season, rather than hold playoffs for its championship, the 2021 title was awarded to the team with the best regular-season record.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/triple-a-classification-to-add-10-games-to-2021-schedule |title=MiLB Announces 'Triple-A Final Stretch' for 2021 |website=Minor League Baseball |date=July 14, 2021 |accessdate=July 16, 2021}}</ref> In 2022, the two division champions met in a single game to determine a league champion.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/news/las-vegas-to-host-inaugural-triple-a-triple-championship-weekend |title=Las Vegas to Host Inaugural Triple-A Triple Championship Weekend |website=Minor League Baseball |date=May 3, 2022 |accessdate=May 3, 2022}}</ref>
In further postseason play, the IL champion meets the [[Pacific Coast League]]'s champion in the [[Triple-A National Championship Game]], a single game to determine an overall champion of Triple-A baseball, which has been held annually since 2006, excluding 2020 and 2021. Previously, the IL champion also competed in the [[Triple-A World Series]] (1983, 1998–2000), [[Junior World Series]] (1919), and other sporadic postseason competitions throughout the league's history.
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{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!scope="col"|Division
!scope="col"|Team
!scope="col"|Founded
!scope="col"|MLB affiliation
!MLB Affiliation
!scope="col"|Affiliated Since
!scope="col"|City
!scope="col"|Stadium
!scope="col"|Capacity
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="10" | East
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Buffalo Bisons]]'''
|align=center|1979
|[[Toronto Blue Jays]]
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|align=center|16,600
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Charlotte Knights]]'''
|align=center|1976
|[[Chicago White Sox]]
Line 100 ⟶ 97:
|align=center|10,200
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Durham Bulls]]'''
|align=center|1902
|[[Tampa Bay Rays]]
Line 108 ⟶ 105:
|align=center|10,000
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp]]'''
|align=center|1962
|[[Miami Marlins]]
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|align=center|11,000
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Lehigh Valley IronPigs]]'''
|align=center|2008
|[[Philadelphia Phillies]]
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|align=center|10,100
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Norfolk Tides]]'''
|align=center|1961
|[[Baltimore Orioles]]
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|align=center|11,856
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Rochester Red Wings]]'''
|align=center|1899
|[[Washington Nationals]]
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|align=center|10,840
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders]]'''
|align=center|1989
|[[New York Yankees]]
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|align=center|10,000
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Syracuse Mets]]'''
|align=center|1934
|[[New York Mets]]
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|align=center|10,815
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Worcester Red Sox]]'''
|align=center|2021
|[[Boston Red Sox]]
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|align=center|9,508
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="10" | West
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Columbus Clippers]]'''
|align=center|1977
|[[Cleveland Guardians]]
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|align=center|10,100
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Gwinnett Stripers]]'''
|align=center|2009
|[[Atlanta Braves]]
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|align=center|10,427
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Indianapolis Indians]]'''
|align=center|1902
|[[Pittsburgh Pirates]]
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|align=center|13,750
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Iowa Cubs]]'''
|align=center|1969
|[[Chicago Cubs]]
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|align=center|11,500
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Louisville Bats]]'''
|align=center|1982
|[[Cincinnati Reds]]
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|align=center|13,131
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Memphis Redbirds]]'''
|align=center|1998
|[[St. Louis Cardinals]]
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|align=center|10,000
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Nashville Sounds]]'''
|align=center|1978
|[[Milwaukee Brewers]]
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|align=center|10,000
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Omaha Storm Chasers]]'''
|align=center|1969
|[[Kansas City Royals]]
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|align=center|9,023
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[St. Paul Saints]]'''
| align="center" |1993
|[[Minnesota Twins]]
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| align="center" |7,210
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|'''[[Toledo Mud Hens]]'''
|align=center|1965
|[[Detroit Tigers]]
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|}
</onlyinclude>
{{OSM Location map
{{location map+ |USA |float=left |width=650 |alt=International League team locations|caption='''Current team locations:'''{{Legend|#D12A2A|East Division}}{{Legend|#3265CB|WestDivision}} |places=
| nolabels = 1
{{location map~ |USA |lat=42.883333 |long=-78.866667 |mark = Red pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Buffalo Bisons|Bisons]]|position=left}}
| coord = {{coord|37.7399|-84.5853}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=35.227988 |long=-80.849011 |mark = Red pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Charlotte Knights|Knights]]|position=right}}
| zoom = 5
{{location map~ |USA |lat=35.991689 |long=-78.904186 |mark = Red pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Durham Bulls|Bulls]]|position=right}}
| width = 600
{{location map~ |USA |lat=30.324968 |long=-81.643069 |mark = Red pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp|Jumbo Shrimp]]|position=right}}
| height = 500
{{location map~ |USA |lat=40.626111 |long=-75.4525 |mark = Red pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Lehigh Valley IronPigs|IronPigs]]|position=right}}
| caption = {{hlist
{{location map~ |USA |lat=36.842789 |long=-76.278869 |mark = Red pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Norfolk Tides|Tides]]|position=right}}
| [[File:Red pog.svg|11px]] East Division
{{location map~ |USA |lat=43.158267 |long=-77.619794 |mark = Red pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Rochester Red Wings|Red<br/>Wings]]|position=top}}
| [[File:Blue pog.svg|11px]] West Division
{{location map~ |USA |lat=41.360406 |long=-75.683967 |mark = Red pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders|RailRiders]]|position=left}}
}}
{{location map~ |USA |lat=43.079078 |long=-76.165358 |mark = Red pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Syracuse Mets|Mets]]|position=right}}
| mark1 = red pog.svg| label1 = Bisons| mark-coord1 = {{coord|42.886|-78.878}}| label-pos1 = left
{{location map~ |USA |lat=42.256944 |long=-71.8 |mark = Red pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Worcester Red Sox|Red Sox]]|position=right}}
| mark2= red pog.svg| label2 = Knights| mark-coord2 = {{coord|35.227|-80.843}}| label-pos2 = left
| mark3 = red pog.svg| label3 = Bulls| mark-coord3 = {{coord|35.994|-78.899}}| label-pos3 = bottom
{{location map~ |USA |lat=39.968619 |long=-83.010743 |mark = Blue pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Columbus Clippers|Clippers]]|position=right}}
| mark4 = red pog.svg| label4 = Jumbo <br> Shrimp| mark-coord4 = {{coord|30.332|-81.656}}| label-pos4 = top
{{location map~ |USA |lat=34.041494 |long=-83.992367 |mark = Blue pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Gwinnett Stripers|Stripers]]|position=left}}
| mark5 = red pog.svg| label5 = IronPigs| mark-coord5 = {{coord|40.602|-75.471}}| label-pos5 = bottom
{{location map~ |USA |lat=39.765 |long=-86.168333 |mark = Blue pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Indianapolis Indians|Indians]]|position=left}}
| mark6 = red pog.svg| label6 = Tides| mark-coord6 = {{coord|36.851|-76.286}}| label-pos6 = left
{{location map~ |USA |lat=41.580278 |long=-93.615833 |mark = Blue pog.svg |marksize=6 |label=[[Iowa Cubs|Cubs]]|position=top}}
| mark7 = red pog.svg| label7 = Red Wings| mark-coord7 = {{coord|43.157|-77.601}}| label-pos7 = top
{{location map~ |USA |lat=38.256186 |long=-85.744653 |mark = Blue pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Louisville Bats|Bats]]|position=right}}
| mark8 = red pog.svg| label8 = RailRiders| mark-coord8 = {{coord|41.353|-75.738}}| label-pos8 = left
{{location map~ |USA |lat=35.143056 |long=-90.049167 |mark = Blue pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Memphis Redbirds|Redbirds]]|position=left}}
| mark9 = red pog.svg| label9 = Mets| mark-coord9 = {{coord|43.048|-76.147}}| label-pos9 = right
{{location map~ |USA |lat=36.173031 |long=-86.785033 |mark = Blue pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Nashville Sounds|Sounds]]|position=right}}
| mark10 = red pog.svg| label10 = Red Sox| mark-coord10 = {{coord|42.263|-71.802}}| label-pos10 = left
{{location map~ |USA |lat=41.151 |long=-96.107 |mark = Blue pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Omaha Storm Chasers|Storm<br/>Chasers]]|position=left}}
| mark11 = blue pog.svg| label11 = Clippers| mark-coord11 = {{coord|39.961|-82.999}}| label-pos11 = right
{{location map~ |USA |lat=44.950172 |long=-93.085099 |mark = Blue pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[St. Paul Saints|Saints]]|position=right}}
| mark12 = blue pog.svg| label12 = Stripers| mark-coord12 = {{coord|33.956|-83.988}}| label-pos12 = left
{{location map~ |USA |lat=41.648333 |long=-83.538889 |mark = Blue pog.svg |marksize=6|label=[[Toledo Mud Hens|Mud Hens]]|position=left}}
| mark13 = blue pog.svg| label13 = Indians| mark-coord13 = {{coord|39.769|-86.158}}| label-pos13 = left
| mark14 = blue pog.svg| label14 = Cubs| mark-coord14 = {{coord|41.587|-93.625}}| label-pos14 = right
| mark15 = blue pog.svg| label15 = Bats| mark-coord15 = {{coord|38.253|-85.759}}| label-pos15 = bottom
| mark16 = blue pog.svg| label16 = Redbirds| mark-coord16 = {{coord|35.150|-90.049}}| label-pos16 = left
| mark17 = blue pog.svg| label17 = Sounds| mark-coord17 = {{coord|36.163|-86.782}}| label-pos17 = right
| mark18 = blue pog.svg| label18 = Storm <br> Chasers| mark-coord18 = {{coord|41.257|-95.935}}| label-pos18 = bottom
| mark19 = blue pog.svg| label19 = Saints| mark-coord19 = {{coord|44.954|-93.090}}| label-pos19 = bottom
| mark20 = blue pog.svg| label20 = Mud Hens| mark-coord20 = {{coord|41.653|-83.538}}| label-pos20 = left
}}
{{Clear}}
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{{main article|List of International League champions}}
The International League has crowned a league champion each season since 1884. Through 1932, champions were the regular-season [[pennant (sports)|pennant]] winners—the team with the best [[win–loss record]] at the conclusion of the regular season. From 1933 to 2020, postseason [[Shaughnessy playoff system|playoffs]] were held to determine champions. Participants from 1933 to 1987 were usually the four teams with the highest [[winning percentage]]. From 1988 to 2020, the four qualifiers were the division winners and one or two [[wild card (sports)|wild card]] teams. The winner of each season's championship playoffs was awarded the [[Governors' Cup]]. These playoffs and the Governors' Cup trophy were discontinued in 2021. The 2021 winner was the team with the best regular-season record. The 2022 championship was decided via a single game between the winners of the East and West Divisions. InSince 2023, a best-of-three series washas been held between the winners of each half of the season.
''Active International League teams appear in '''bold'''.''
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|-
!scope="row"|[[Atlanta Crackers]]
|rowspan="1415"|1
|1
|style="text-align:left"|1962
Line 460 ⟶ 465:
|0
|style="text-align:left"|1913
|-
!scope="row"|'''[[Omaha Storm Chasers]]'''
|0
|style="text-align:left"|2024
|-
!scope="row"|[[Ottawa Lynx]]