Pacific Coast League To Realign For 2005
Published on October 7, 2004 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1) News Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. â The Pacific Coast League has announced a realignment of its divisions for the 2005 season as the Round Rock Express joins the ranks of Triple-A Baseball. All but one of the League's four divisions will feature changes next year, representing the most significant reorganization since the circuit expanded to 16 teams in 1998. In the American Conference, the division names themselves will also change from Eastern and Central to American Conference Northern and American Conference Southern, respectively.
The newest member of the PCL, the Express, will play in the American Conference's Southern Division, where they will be joined by Albuquerque, Oklahoma, and New Orleans. The Isotopes are the only team to remain in the division from last year, while the RedHawks and Zephyrs enter the group after playing in the Eastern Division since the two teams joined the League seven years ago.
Former Central Division stalwarts Iowa and Omaha will align with Memphis and Nashville to form the American Conference North, a division rife with geographic rivalries. Meanwhile, Colorado Springs will change conferences entirely, joining Portland, Salt Lake, and Tacoma in the Pacific Conference's Northern Division.
The Pacific Conference Southern Division will remain the only group untouched by the changes, continuing to be the home of Fresno, Las Vegas, Tucson, and 2004 PCL Champion Sacramento.
As in years past, the PCL will feature a 144-game unbalanced schedule, with conference teams playing each other 16 times and squaring off against teams from the other conference in one four-game series.
Pacific Coast League New Divisional Alignment
Pacific Conference:
Northern Division
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Portland Beavers
Salt Lake Stingers
Tacoma Rainiers
Southern Division
Fresno Grizzlies
Las Vegas 51s
Sacramento River Cats
Tucson Sidewinders
American Conference:
Northern Division
Iowa Cubs
Memphis Redbirds
Nashville Sounds
Omaha Royals
Southern Division
Albuquerque Isotopes
New Orleans Zephyrs
Oklahoma RedHawks
Round Rock Express
Pacific Coast League Stories from October 7, 2004
- Beavers part of new PCL divisional alignment - Portland Beavers
- Zephyrs to join Southern Division in new PCL alignment - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Pacific Coast League To Realign For 2005 - PCL1
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