1997 California League season
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| 1997 California League season | |
|---|---|
| League | California League |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | April 3 – August 31 |
| Games | 140 |
| Teams | 10 |
| Regular season | |
| League champions | High Desert Mavericks |
| Season MVP | Mike Stoner, High Desert Mavericks |
| Playoffs | |
| League champions | High Desert Mavericks |
| Runners-up | San Bernardino Stampede |
The 1997 California League was a Class A-Advanced baseball season played between April 3 and August 31. Ten teams played a 140-game schedule, as three teams from each division qualified for the post-season, the winner of each half of the season plus playoff qualifiers.
The High Desert Mavericks won the California League championship, as they defeated the San Bernardino Stampede in the final round of the playoffs.
- The league realigned their divisions from the North Division and South Division to the Freeway Division and the Valley Division.
Team changes
- The Bakersfield Blaze began a new affiliation with the San Francisco Giants.
- The High Desert Mavericks ended their affiliation with the Baltimore Orioles and began a new affiliation with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
- The Visalia Oaks ended their affiliation with the Detroit Tigers and began a new affiliation with the Oakland Athletics.
Teams
Map of teams
Regular season
Summary
- The High Desert Mavericks finished with the best record in the regular season for the first time since 1993.
- The Lancaster JetHawks defeated the Modesto A's in a tie-breaking game to clinch the playoff qualifier position in the Valley Division.
Standings
| Freeway Division | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | 77 | 63 | .550 | – |
| Visalia Oaks | 71 | 69 | .507 | 6 |
| San Bernardino Stampede | 68 | 72 | .486 | 9 |
| Bakersfield Blaze | 62 | 78 | .443 | 15 |
| Lake Elsinore Storm | 61 | 79 | .436 | 16 |
| Valley Division | ||||
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| High Desert Mavericks | 83 | 57 | .593 | – |
| Lancaster JetHawks | 75 | 66 | .532 | 8.5 |
| Modesto A's | 74 | 67 | .525 | 9.5 |
| Stockton Ports | 70 | 70 | .500 | 13 |
| San Jose Giants | 60 | 80 | .429 | 23 |
League Leaders
Batting leaders
Pitching leaders
Playoffs
- The High Desert Mavericks won their third California League championship, as they defeated the San Bernardino Stampede in three games.
Playoff bracket
| Division semi-finals | Division finals | Finals | ||||||||||||
| F1 | Rancho Cucamonga | bye | ||||||||||||
| F1 | Rancho Cucamonga | 2 | ||||||||||||
| F2 | San Bernardino | 3 | ||||||||||||
| F2 | San Bernardino | 2 | ||||||||||||
| F3 | Visalia | 0 | ||||||||||||
| F2 | San Bernardino | 0 | ||||||||||||
| V1 | High Desert | 3 | ||||||||||||
| V1 | High Desert | bye | ||||||||||||
| V1 | High Desert | 3 | ||||||||||||
| V3 | Lancaster | 0 | ||||||||||||
| V2 | Stockton | 1 | ||||||||||||
| V3 | Lancaster | 2 | ||||||||||||
Awards
| California League awards | |
|---|---|
| Award name | Recipient |
| Most Valuable Player | Mike Stoner, High Desert Mavericks |