2012

Significant change was on the horizon for the American Association, as early lynchpin Fort Worth, winners of the first two AA titles, left the league for the short-lived North American League (and later folded in 2014). Similarly, just one year after winning the AA title, the Shreveport-Bossier Captains pack up shop.

On the other hand, the Laredo Lemurs arrived on the scene, stretching the league to within 3.5 miles of the Mexican border in South Texas. At 1,545 miles from Laredo to Winnipeg, this is the largest footprint the AA has ever fielded. However, no one else else joined for the 2012 season, which left a problem: the American Association was left with 13 teams. Fortunately, the Canadian-American Association (better known as the Can-Am League) in the Northeast lost two franchises (and ran a travel team in 2011), leaving them with just five teams. So, the two leagues got together and introduced something never seen before in independent baseball: interleague play.

Rivals Fargo-Moorhead and Winnipeg both had strong years in the North Division, with Fargo-Moorhead setting a franchise record for wins and Winnipeg outlasting Grand Prairie by two games for the wild card. Wichita cruised to the Central Division crown, while the tightly-packed South saw all four teams separated by only eight games. Laredo ran off one of the best finishes in league history, winning 11 straight in late August and finishing on a 14-3 run, overtaking Grand Prairie in the final week and winning the South by one game. To this day, Laredo is the only AA franchise to make the playoffs in their inaugural season.

Laredo’s miracle run ran out right away, as Wichita soundly defeated the Lemurs, outscoring them 23-7 in a three-game sweep. Winnipeg, meanwhile, dealt Fargo-Moorhead a big upset, sweeping the favored RedHawks. The Goldeyes repeated the feat against Wichita in the Finals, allowing only 16 runs in six games as Winnipeg pulled off the first perfect (6-0) postseason in AA history to hoist their first Miles Wolff Cup and their first league title of any kind since their inaugural 1994 season in the Northern League.

Final Standings (Click on team name for full schedule)

North Division

TeamWLWin
Pct.		GBRuns
Scored		Runs
Allowed		Attend.
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks-y6535.650—614447187,438
Winnipeg Goldeyes-x5545.55010.0519469285,263
St. Paul Saints5248.52013.0501485240,616
Sioux Falls Pheasants4555.45020.0518586130,541

Central Division

TeamWLWin
Pct.		GBRuns
Scored		Runs
Allowed		Attend.
Wichita Wingnuts-y5941.590—584503152,727
Kansas City T-Bones5149.5108.0575494260,620
Gary SouthShore RailCats 5050.5009.0495501159,837
Sioux City Explorers4555.45014.048254355,627
Lincoln Saltdogs4159.41018.0490622158,258

South Division

TeamWLWin
Pct.		GBRuns
Scored		Runs
Allowed		Attend.
Laredo Lemurs-x5446.540—543451187,845
Grand Prairie AirHogs5347.5251.0558498108,236
El Paso Diablos4753.4707.0595424181,122
Amarillo Sox4654.4608.0564645133,380

The American Association took part in interleague play with the Can-Am League, posting a 63-37 record as a league

Playoffs

First Round — WINNIPEG WINS 3-0

DateScoreWLSVAttend.
9/5/12Winnipeg 4 at Fargo-Moorhead 2A. WalkerT. HerronB. Beuning2,178
9/6/12Winnipeg 5 at Fargo-Moorhead 3Z. BaldwinT. BoleskaB. Beuning1,944
9/7/12Fargo-Moorhead 1 at Winnipeg 4M. RuschP. BurnsideB. Beuning5,025

First Round — WICHITA WINS 3-0

DateScoreWLSVAttend.
9/5/12Wichita 6 at Laredo 0J. LoweyM. Way–1,226
9/6/12Wichita 9 at Laredo 5R. HinsonC. Chavez–2,100
9/7/12Laredo 2 at Wichita 8D. BlacksherR. Sasaki–1,100

American Association Finals — WINNIPEG WINS 3-0

DateScoreWLSVAttend.
9/10/13Wichita 4 at Winnipeg 5
(10 innings)		B. BeuningJ. Dew–5,117
9/11/13Wichita 3 at Winnipeg 7C. SalamidaR. HinsonB. Beuning5,886
9/13/13Winnipeg 8 at Wichita 3M. RuschD. Blacksher–1,550

Award Winners

Player of the YearNic Jackson (Fargo-Moorhead)
99 G, .309/.377/.522, 125 H, 77 R, 31 2B, 17 HR, 89 RBI
Pitcher of the YearJosh Lowey (Wichita)
15-4, 3.57 ERA, 23 G, 133.2 IP, 96 K, 1.264 WHIP
Rookie of the YearRobert Coe (St. Paul)
97 G, .327/.371/.477, 128 H, 69 R, 32 2B, 7 HR, 81 RBI
Defensive
Player of the Year		Ryan Khoury (Wichita)
100 G, .972 Fld%, 12 errors, 58 DP in 444 chances at SS
Manager of the YearTim Johnson (El Paso)
43-38 record, took over after team started 4-15

Postseason All-Stars

CatcherChris McMurray (Grand Prairie/Lincoln)
79 G, .304/.380/.604, 86 H, 49 R, 23 2B, 18 HR, 53 RBI
First BaseBrian Myrow (Grand Prairie)
92 G, .364/.490/.608, 115 H, 65 R, 31 2B, 12 HR, 63 RBI
Second BaseJake Kahaulelio (Wichita)
59 G, .372/.448/.536, 89 H, 60 R, 19 2B, 6 HR, 39 RBI, 11 SB
Third BaseCesar Nicolas (Sioux Falls)
99 G, .335/.426/.528, 125 H, 62 R, 34 2B, 12 HR, 82 RBI
ShortstopZach Penprase (Fargo-Moorhead)
97 G, .311/.424/.416, 118 H, 95 R, 16 2B, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 47 SB
OutfieldNic Jackson (Fargo-Moorhead)
99 G, .309/.377/.522, 125 H, 77 R, 31 2B, 17 HR, 89 RBI
OutfieldChris Roberson (Winnipeg)
94 G, .317/.360/.490, 125 H, 75 R, 21 2B, 7 3B, 11 HR, 59 RBI, 36 SB
OutfieldAdam Buschini (Amarillo)
96 G, .354/.410/.562, 140 H, 87 R, 24 2B, 8 3B, 14 HR, 70 RBI, 34 SB
Designated
Hitter		Ryan Delgado (Fargo-Moorhead)
93 G, .312/.363/.551, 114 H, 66 R, 27 2B, 20 HR, 86 RBI
Starting
Pitcher		Josh Lowey (Wichita)
15-4, 3.57 ERA, 23 G, 133.2 IP, 96 K, 1.264 WHIP
Relief PitcherTom Boleska (Fargo-Moorhead)
2-1, 1.76 ERA, 46 G, 29 SV, 46.0 IP, 58 K, 1.043 WHIP