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Reno Aces

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Reno Aces
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassTriple-A (2009–present)
LeaguePacific Coast League (2009–present)
DivisionWest Division
Major league affiliations
TeamArizona Diamondbacks (2009–present)
Minor league titles
Class titles (1)
  • 2012
League titles (2)
  • 2012
  • 2022
Conference titles (2)
  • 2012
  • 2014
Division titles (5)
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2014
  • 2017
  • 2022
Second-half titles (1)
  • 2024
Team data
NameReno Aces (2009–present)
ColorsNavy blue, white, red
     
MascotArchie
BallparkGreater Nevada Field (2009–present)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
SK Baseball
General managerChris Phillips[1]
ManagerBlake Lalli
Websitemilb.com/reno
Greater Nevada Field

The Reno Aces are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Reno, Nevada, and play their home games at Greater Nevada Field, which opened in 2009. The Aces have been members of the PCL since 2009, including the 2021 season in which it was known as the Triple-A West. They won the PCL championship in 2012 and 2022. Reno went on to win the Triple-A National Championship Game in 2012.

History

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Team origins

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The Aces were known as the Tucson Sidewinders from 1998 to 2008. Before that, the team was first known as the Tucson Toros. They were Tucson's Triple-A baseball club, playing at Hi Corbett Field in midtown Tucson from 1969 to 1997. Part of the old ten-team configuration of the Pacific Coast League, the Toros won the PCL Championship in 1991 and 1993. The Toros were preceded by a number of other Tucson teams between 1915 and 1958, such as the Tucson Cowboys and the Tucson Lizards.

After the 1998 Major League Baseball expansion, which added the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Toros moved to Fresno, California, as the Fresno Grizzlies. The Phoenix Firebirds relocated to Tucson, briefly became the Tucson Toros (1997), and then became the Sidewinders (1998), the Triple-A affiliate of the new Diamondbacks. This was accomplished by what amounted to a swap in ownership in 1997, with Firebirds owner Martin Stone purchasing the Toros and Toros owner Rick Holtzman receiving interest in the Firebirds. The Tucson team retained management and staff primarily from the Toros, and traces its history from the Toros rather than the Firebirds.[2]

The Sidewinders had humble beginnings, as it was five years before they enjoyed their first winning regular season. They dominated the 2006 season, with the PCL's best record in the regular season and won the Pacific Coast League and National Championships in the postseason.

The Phoenix Firebirds played from 1958 through 1997 as an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. The franchise joined the Pacific Coast League as a charter member in 1903 as the San Francisco Seals, relocating to Phoenix in 1958 when the major league New York Giants moved to San Francisco. Seals alumni include Joe DiMaggio.

The Tucson Toros have been affiliated with the Chicago White Sox (1969–1972), the Oakland Athletics (1973–1976), the Texas Rangers (1977–1979), the Houston Astros (1980–1996), and the Milwaukee Brewers (1997 only, with one Diamondbacks prospect, Travis Lee, playing with them by special arrangement).[2] At the time of the change in venue and affiliation (1998), the name Sidewinders was chosen from a contest.

The Toros became a member of the independent Golden Baseball League, adopting their previous Triple-A history from 1969 to 1997. The Aces adopted the Sidewinders' history from 1998 to 2008 before the franchise was moved to Reno. The Toros folded in 2011 after the AAA Portland Beavers moved to town to become the Tucson Padres. The Padres moved again in 2014, this time to Texas to become the El Paso Chihuahuas.

A new era – Reno Aces

[edit]
The 2012 PCL champion Aces

In 2006 the team was sold to Manhattan Capital Sports Fund led by Stuart Katzoff and Jerry Katzoff, later in 2007 it was formally announced that the Sidewinders would be moving to Reno after the 2008 season. A new 9,100-capacity venue, Greater Nevada Field, was constructed for the team in downtown Reno.

The move forced the Reno Silver Sox of the independent Golden Baseball League to fold.[3] The franchise dropped the name "Sidewinders" in place of a new identity. Some fans suggested that the team should adopt or purchase the rights to the Silver Sox name from the GBL for the new PCL club, but that was ruled out as that team was, at that point (prior to folding), likely to relocate to Carson City.[4] The Reno Aces introduced their new team name and logo at a press conference on September 23, 2008.[5] The nickname has a dual meaning: "ace" is a baseball slang term for a team's top pitcher, and the ace is the highest card in several card games (a reference to Nevada's legalized gambling history). The logo features the diamonds symbol, which can be seen as another gambling reference, as well as to the diamond of a baseball field and their MLB affiliate's name.

The Reno Aces were due to begin their inaugural season in 2009 on the road against the Salt Lake Bees on Thursday, April 9. However, the game was postponed due to the death of Los Angeles Angels' Nick Adenhart (a Salt Lake alumnus), who was killed by a hit-and-run driver earlier in the day. Adenhart had played for the Bees during the 2008 season, and was remembered the next day in what was originally the second game in a four-game series between the Aces and the Bees. The Bees beat the Aces 6–2 on Friday, April 10.[6] The Aces won their home opener at Greater Nevada Field on Friday, April 17, 11–1 against the Salt Lake Bees, to an over-capacity sell-out crowd of 9,167.[7]

The Aces made the playoffs for the first time in 2011, but lost the fifth and deciding game in the first round to the Sacramento River Cats. The Aces made it back to the post-season the following year in 2012, defeated Sacramento in five games, and the Omaha Storm Chasers in four to win the PCL title. Reno then won the Triple-A National Championship Game, defeating the Pawtucket Red Sox 10–3 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in North Carolina.

The Reno Aces hosted the Triple-A All-Star Game on July 17, 2013.

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Aces were organized into the Triple-A West.[8] Reno ended the season in second place in the Western Division with a 69–49 record.[9] No playoffs were held to determine a league champion; instead, the team with the best regular-season record was declared the winner.[10] However, 10 games that had been postponed from the start of the season were reinserted into the schedule as a postseason tournament called the Triple-A Final Stretch in which all 30 Triple-A clubs competed for the highest winning percentage.[10] Reno finished the tournament in 28th place with a 1–5 record.[11] In 2022, the Triple-A West became known as the Pacific Coast League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.[12]

Manager Gil Velazquez led the 2022 Aces to win the Western Division title with a league-best 85–63 record.[13] They then defeated the El Paso Chihuahuas, winners of the Eastern Division, in a single playoff game, 6–2, to win their second PCL championship.[14] Reno faced the Durham Bulls for the Triple-A championship, but they were defeated, 10–6.[15]

On April 27, 2023, the Aces defeated the Sugar Land Space Cowboys by a score of 24–2. The 22-run margin of victory marked the Aces' largest in a game in team history, and the 24 runs fell 1 run short of the club record. All nine offensive starters recorded a hit, with Dominic Fletcher, Buddy Kennedy, Phillip Evans, P. J. Higgins, Dominic Canzone, and Jake Hager enjoying multi-hit nights.[16] The 2024 Aces won the second-half title, earning them a playoff berth,[17] but they lost the PCL championship to Sugar Land, 2–0, in the best-of-three series.[18]

Season-by-season records

[edit]
Table key
League The team's final position in the league standings
Division The team's final position in the divisional standings
GB Games behind the team that finished in first place in the division that season
‡ Class champions (2009–present)
† League champions (2009–present)
§ Conference champions (2009–2020)
* Division champions (2009–2020)
^ Postseason berth (1962–present)
Season-by-season records
Season League Regular-season Postseason MLB affiliate Ref.
Record Win % League Division GB Record Win % Result
2009 PCL 79–64 .552 3rd 2nd 7 — — — Arizona Diamondbacks [19]
2010 PCL 69–74 .483 11th 3rd 9+1⁄2 — — — Arizona Diamondbacks [20]
2011
* 		PCL 77–67 .535 5th 1st — 2–3 .400 Won Pacific Conference Northern Division title
Lost Pacific Conference title vs. Sacramento River Cats, 3–2 		Arizona Diamondbacks [21]
2012
* § † ‡ 		PCL 81–63 .563 3rd 1st — 7–3 .700 Won Pacific Conference Northern Division title
Won Pacific Conference title vs. Sacramento River Cats, 3–2
Won PCL championship vs. Omaha Storm Chasers, 3–1
Won Triple-A championship vs. Pawtucket Red Sox[22] 		Arizona Diamondbacks [23]
2013 PCL 60–84 .417 15th 4th 18 — — — Arizona Diamondbacks [24]
2014
* § 		PCL 81–63 .563 1st (tie) 1st — 5–4 .556 Won Pacific Conference Northern Division title
Won Pacific Conference title vs. Las Vegas 51s, 3–1
Lost PCL championship vs. Omaha Storm Chasers, 3–2 		Arizona Diamondbacks [25]
2015 PCL 70–74 .486 10th 3rd 14+1⁄2 — — — Arizona Diamondbacks [26]
2016 PCL 76–68 .528 4th 2nd 5+1⁄2 — — — Arizona Diamondbacks [27]
2017
* 		PCL 80–62 .563 3rd 1st — 0–3 .000 Won Pacific Conference Northern Division title
Lost Pacific Conference title vs. El Paso Chihuahuas, 3–0 		Arizona Diamondbacks [28]
2018 PCL 72–68 .514 6th (tie) 2nd 10+1⁄2 — — — Arizona Diamondbacks [29]
2019 PCL 66–74 .471 10th 2nd 7 — — — Arizona Diamondbacks [30]
2020 PCL Season cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)[31] Arizona Diamondbacks [32]
2021 AAAW 69–49 .585 3rd 2nd 3 1–5 .167 Lost series vs. Albuquerque Isotopes, 4–1
Lost series vs. Las Vegas Aviators, 1–0
Placed 28th in the Triple-A Final Stretch[11] 		Arizona Diamondbacks [9]
2022
* † 		PCL 85–63 .574 1st 1st — 1–1 .500 Won Western Division title
Won PCL championship vs. El Paso Chihuahuas, 1–0[14]
Lost Triple-A championship vs. Durham Bulls, 1–0[15] 		Arizona Diamondbacks [13]
2023 PCL 88–62 .587 3rd 1st — — — — Arizona Diamondbacks [33]
2024
^ 		PCL 79–70 .530 4th 3rd 2+1⁄2 0–2 .000 Won second-half title[17]
Lost PCL championship vs. Sugar Land Space Cowboys, 2–0[18] 		Arizona Diamondbacks [34]
Totals — 1,132–1,023 .525 — — — 16–21 .432 — — —

Roster

[edit]
Reno Aces roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders


Manager

Coaches


7-day injured list
* On Arizona Diamondbacks 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated September 23, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Pacific Coast League
 → Arizona Diamondbacks minor league players

Notable alumni

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Minor league affiliations

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Main article: List of Arizona Diamondbacks minor league affiliates
Level Team League Location Manager
Triple-A Reno Aces Pacific Coast League Reno, Nevada Blake Lalli
Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles Texas League Amarillo, Texas Shawn Roof
High-A Hillsboro Hops Northwest League Hillsboro, Oregon Vince Harrison
Low-A Visalia Rawhide California League Visalia, California Javier Colina
Rookie AZL D-backs Arizona League Scottsdale, Arizona Rolando Arnedo
DSL D-backs 1 Dominican Summer League Boca Chica, Santo Domingo Jaime Del Valle
DSL D-backs 2 Ronald Ramirez

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Personnel News: Bowling Green, Reno, Omaha". Ballpark Digest. January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Team History." Tucson Sidewinders. 2006. Retrieved on 9 April 2007. Archived August 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Brodesky, Josh. "Toros could return in new incarnation." The Arizona Daily Star. 11 November 2007. 26 December 2007. Archived December 25, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Silver Sox could be headed down the highway." (Reno Gazette-Journal, September 16, 2008)
  5. ^ "Triple-A team gets a name." (Reno Gazette-Journal, September 16, 2008)
  6. ^ "Aces trumped in opener" (Reno Gazette-Journal, April 11, 2009)
  7. ^ "Aces win the home opener big, 11–1"[dead link‍] (Reno Gazette-Journal, April 17, 2009)
  8. ^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "2021 Triple-A West Standings". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  10. ^ a b "MiLB Announces 'Triple-A Final Stretch' for 2021". Minor League Baseball. July 14, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "2021 Triple-A Final Stretch Standings". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  12. ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  13. ^ a b "2022 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Heneghan, Kelsie (October 1, 2022). "Hager's Hometown Heroics Vault Aces to Crown". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  15. ^ a b Heneghan, Kelsie (October 3, 2022). "Durham Bulls Claim Triple-A Crown Once Again". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  16. ^ "Aces Blast Space Cowboys Into Orbit, Tally 19 Hits in Historic 24-2 Win". oursportscentral.com. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  17. ^ a b "Standings". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Perry, Amanda (September 26, 2024). "Sugar Land Uses Long Ball To Clinch First Pacific Coast League Title". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  19. ^ "2009 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  20. ^ "2010 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  21. ^ "2011 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  22. ^ "Pawtucket Red Sox (79-66) 3, Reno Aces (82-63) 10" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  23. ^ "2012 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  24. ^ "2013 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  25. ^ "2014 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  26. ^ "2015 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  27. ^ "2016 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  28. ^ "2017 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  29. ^ "2018 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  30. ^ "2019 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  31. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  32. ^ "2020 Schedule" (PDF). Nashville Sounds. Minor League Baseball. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  33. ^ "2023 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  34. ^ "2024 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on September 25, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
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