AAA-level
baseball minor league. The PCL was originally the only source of
baseball in the U.S.
West, so it had a higher level of play than other
AAA leagues in the first half of the 20th century (some baseball historians argue that it was closer to "major" status than the
Federal League or the 1880s
American Association). The PCL settled as a
West Coast-based minor league, as baseball
expanded to cover many of its original cities like
Los Angeles,
San Francisco,
San Diego,
Seattle and
Phoenix. It took on a large
Midwestern contingent in
1998 when the
American Association dissolved and donated 5 of its teams (Iowa, Omaha, New Orleans, Nashville and Oklahoma) to the PCL (the other three went to the
International League).
The 16 teams are divided into 2 conferences and 4 divisions: West and South in the Pacific Conference and East and Central in the American Conference. The playoffs feature divisional champions only; the semifinals serve as a conference championship round, then the conference champions meet for the league championship and the right to advance to the Triple-A World Series against the International League champion.
Divisions and teams:
Southern Division
Central Division
Eastern Division