PCL NAMES MODERN ERA ALL-CENTENNIAL TEAM

Monday, July 07, 2003 (from minorleaguebaseball.com)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo– Continuing its season-long Centennial Celebration, the Pacific Coast League has announced its All-Centennial Team (1958-Present) recognizing those who distinguished themselves in the PCL after Major League Baseball arrived on the west coast. The team consists of a player at every infield position, four outfielders, four pitchers and a manager and was selected by fan voting at every Coast League ballpark as well as on-line. To qualify for selection, each player had to either be a Coast League MVP, an All-Star Team member, or an offensive, defensive, or pitching leader in the PCL before going on to a notable Major League career.

The squad is led by Tommy Lasorda, who managed Spokane from 1969-71 and Albuquerque in 1972, winning two League titles. At catcher is another Albuquerque veteran, Mike Piazza, who hit .341 for the Dukes in 1992 before getting called up to Los Angeles. Playing first base is Willie McCovey, who won the 1959 League home run and RBI crowns for the Phoenix Giants despite spending the second half the season with San Francisco. The PCL All-Centennial team includes players at the positions they originally played, which in some cases differs from the positions for which they are famous for playing in the Major Leagues. A couple of examples are Mike Schmidt, a PCL star at second base in 1972 for the Eugene Emeralds before shifting to third base, and All-Centennial third baseman Steve Garvey, who hit .319 for the 1970 Spokane Indians before moving across the diamond to first base. Rounding out the infield is shortstop Larry Bowa, the Coast League stolen base king in 1969 for Eugene with 48.

Patrolling the outfield is former Phoenix Giant Jack Clark, the PCL leader with 16 triples in 1972, and Davey Lopes, who stole nearly 100 bases in three seasons with Spokane and Albuquerque. Former Portland Beaver Lou Piniella was also elected to the outfield along with speedster Mickey Rivers, who wreaked havoc on the base paths for Salt Lake from 1971 to 1973.

For the team’s pitching staff, Pacific Coast League fans selected four hurlers who accounted for almost 100 PCL wins and 50 saves in just 10 combined seasons. Charlie Hough led the League in saves with 18 while racking up 12 victories for Spokane in 1970, the first of three Coast League seasons in which he saved and won at least 10 games apiece. In parts of four seasons with Tacoma from 1960 through 1963, Gaylord Perry led the PCL in wins, innings-pitched, and earned run average, while fellow All-Centennial pitcher Luis Tiant holds the modern League record in winning percentage with .938, winning 15 of 16 games for Portland in 1964. The staff is completed by Wilbur Wood, who led the Coast League with 19 complete games for the 1964 Seattle Rainiers.