Батыс АҚШ-тың кәсіби бейсбол лигасының тарихы

AAA baseball league in the Western US
the high school sports league

The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball (MLB). The PCL was one of the premier regional baseball leagues in the first half of the 20th century. Although it was never recognized as a true major league, to which it aspired, its quality of play was considered very high. A number of top stars of the era, including Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams, were products of the league. In 1958, with the arrival of major league teams on the west coast and the availability of televised major league games, the PCL's modern era began with each team signing Player Development Contracts to become farm teams of major league clubs. Following MLB's reorganization of the minor leagues in 2021, it operated as the Triple A West for one season before switching back to its previous moniker in 2022. A league champion is determined at the end of each season. The San Francisco Seals won 14 Pacific Coast League titles, the most in the league's history, followed by the Los Angeles Angels (12) and the Albuquerque Dukes and Portland Beavers (8).

The Pacific Coast League was formed on December 29, 1902, when officials from the California State League (1899–1902) met in San Francisco for the purpose of expanding the league beyond California. Six franchises were granted. These were the Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Oaks, Portland Beavers, Sacramento Senators, San Francisco Seals, and Seattle Indians. A dispute over territories owned by the Pacific Northwest League, in which the PCL had placed franchises, and the PCL's allowing blacklisted players to compete led to the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL) labeling the PCL as an outlaw league. The mild climate of the West Coast, especially California, allowed the league to play longer seasons, sometimes starting in late February and ending as late as the beginning of December. During the 1905 season the San Francisco Seals set the all time PCL record by playing 230 games. Teams regularly played between 170 and 200 games in a season until the late 1950s. This allowed players, who were often career minor leaguers, to hone their skills, earn an extra month or two of pay, and reduce the need to find off season work. These longer seasons gave owners the opportunity to generate more revenue. Another outcome was that a number of the all time minor league records for season statistical totals are held by players from the PCL. The inaugural 1903 season, which consisted of over 200 scheduled games for each team, began on March 26. The Los Angeles Angels finished the season in first place with a 133–78 (.630) record, making them the first league champions. In 1904, NAPBL president Patrick T. Powers brokered terms with the PCL, clearing it of its outlaw status and designating it as a Class A league. In 1909, the league classification was raised to Double A. In 1919, with the earlier addition of the Salt Lake City Bees and Vernon Tigers, league membership reached eight teams for the first time. While the league had experienced little commercial success up to this point, the 1920s were a turning point which saw increased attendance and teams fielding star players. However, the American League and National League were uninterested in allowing it to join their ranks. but who compiled a record PCL total of 295 wins against 178 losses. (It should be mentioned, however, that Shellenback's long career in the PCL was largely due to his use of the spitball, banned in the major leagues in 1920, not the competitive salaries offered by PCL clubs.) Many former major league players came to the PCL to finish their careers after their time in the majors had ended. In 1952, the PCL became the only minor league in history to be given the "Open" classification, a grade above the Triple A level. This limited the rights of major league clubs to draft players from the PCL, and was considered an act toward the circuit becoming a third major league. In 2019, the team previously known as the Colorado Springs Sky Sox relocated to San Antonio, Texas and continued play in the PCL as the San Antonio Missions, assuming the identity of a team which had previously competed in the Double A Texas League. This move was accompanied by realignment in the American Conference. Nashville and Memphis moved to the Northern Division, and Oklahoma City and San Antonio moved to the Southern Division. In a further move, the New Orleans Baby Cakes relocated to Wichita, Kansas where they became known as the Double A Wichita Wind Surge.

The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID 19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30. As part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues, the Pacific Coast League was reduced to 10 teams and temporarily renamed the "Triple A West" for the 2021 season. Following MLB's acquisition of the rights to the names of the historical minor leagues, the Triple A West was renamed the Pacific Coast League effective with the 2022 season.

The league is divided into two divisions, East and West, of five teams each. As of the 2022 season, all teams play a 150 game schedule, beginning in late March and concluding in late September.

Beginning with 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 league champion. The PCL champion then meets the International 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 PCL 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. Other interleague play occurred during the Triple A All Star Game. Traditionally, the game took place on the day after the mid summer Major League Baseball All Star Game. The game was meant to mark a symbolic halfway point in the season (though not the mathematical halfway point which, for most seasons, is usually one month prior). During the All Star break, no regular season games were scheduled for two days before the All Star Game itself.

League champions have been determined by different means since the Pacific Coast League's formation in 1903. With few exceptions, most PCL champions through 1927 were simply the regular season pennant winners. However, a few seasons during this time did feature a postseason championship series to crown a champion. It was not until the mid 1930s that the league instituted regular postseason play that was only sporadically cancelled due to financial problems or other factors. Beginning with 2023, the regular season is split into two halves, and the winners of each half meet in a best of three series for the league championship. The San Francisco Seals won 14 PCL championships, the most among all teams in the league, followed by the Los Angeles Angels (12) and the Albuquerque Dukes and Portland Beavers (8).

The PCL recognizes outstanding players and team personnel annually near the end of each season.

The Most Valuable Player Award, first awarded in 1927, is given to honor the best player in the league. The award is voted on by team managers, general managers, broadcasters, and media representatives from around the league, as are all PCL year end awards.