2015

Out of all seasons (except 2020) in American Association history, 2015 may be the standard for being the most unusual. It started with a bizarre move that in hindsight didn’t work out: after fielding 12 teams in 2014 following two years at 13, the AA elected to…go back to 13 teams, ensuring that an interleague arrangement with the Can-Am League needed to continue to ensure a balanced schedule.

Into the fray would be the AA’s second foray into Missouri, with a market that was the smallest in the league, but also would continue to fill the gap between Kansas City and Texas: the Joplin Blasters. In their first season in southwest Missouri, the Blasters would post a very good 55-45 record…and be the only team with a winning record to miss the playoffs.

Yes, that’s right, only five of 13 teams posted a winning season, with what happened at the top being the main reason why. One season after Wichita won a league-record 73 games, St. Paul celebrated the opening of CHS Field (and obliterating AA attendance records) by winning 74 contests. On the field, though, Sioux City somehow topped that, with an unbelievable 75-25 campaign, which remains a league standard that hasn’t been seriously challenged over a decade later.

With non-existent division races in the North and Central (both won by over 25 games), the South Division had a bona-fide three-team race, with Wichita eventually outlasted Laredo by two games, and the Blasters finishing two games out of the playoffs. The South did, however, feature a Grand Prairie team that became the first club in AA history to lose 70 games.

After Sioux City and St. Paul finally got to September, their rewards were…a first-round series against each other. The X’s boasted the best pitching staff in AA history, setting still-standing league records for fewest hits and runs allowed. The staff showed up, allowing just seven runs in a four-game series win. In the South, meanwhile, Laredo knocked off defending-champion Wichita in five games after nearly losing a 2-0 series lead.

The Lemurs then lost Game 1 of the Finals at home, then turned the tide with 23 runs against the vaunted Sioux City arms in the next three games. At the worst possible time, the Explorers suffered their only three-game losing streak of the entire season, as the Miles Wolff Cup went south to the Rio Grande after the biggest upset in American Association playoff history.

Final Standings (Click on team name for full schedule)

North Division

Team	W	L	Win Pct.	GB	Runs Scored	Runs Allowed	Attend.
St. Paul Saints-y	74	26	.740	—	612	358	404,528
Winnipeg Goldeyes	47	52	.475	26.5	489	485	258,922
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks	44	56	.440	30.0	491	538	187,099
Sioux Falls Canaries	39	60	.394	34.5	457	513	132,280

Central Division

Team	W	L	Win Pct.	GB	Runs Scored	Runs Allowed	Attend.
Sioux City Explorers-y	75	25	.750	—	564	344	77,429
Kansas City T-Bones	49	50	.495	25.5	469	478	232,068
Gary SouthShore RailCats	45	55	.450	30.0	423	505	165,306
Lincoln Saltdogs	34	66	.340	41.0	419	570	171,605

South Division

Team	W	L	Win Pct.	GB	Runs Scored	Runs Allowed	Attend.
Wichita Wingnuts-y	59	41	.590	—	511	425	141,837
Laredo Lemurs-x	57	43	.570	2.0	492	428	62,517
Joplin Blasters	55	45	.550	4.0	467	456	67,975
Amarillo Thunderheads	45	55	.450	14.0	531	585	52,472
Texas AirHogs	29	71	.290	30.0	318	531	52,072

The American Association took part in interleague play with the Can-Am League, posting a 53-46 record as a league

Playoffs

First Round — SIOUX CITY WINS 3-1

Date	Score	W	L	SV	Attend.
9/9/15	St. Paul 2 at Sioux City 3	R. Zimmerman	K. Sneed	J. Flores	1,563
9/10/15	St. Paul 1 at Sioux City 12	P. Johnson	J. Shields	–	1,444
9/12/15	Sioux City 1 at St. Paul 3	D. Crenshaw	J. Straka	R. Rodebaugh	7,498
9/13/15	Sioux City 2 at St. Paul 1	E. Wordekemper	R. Coe	J. Flores	3,286

First Round — LAREDO WINS 3-2

Date	Score	W	L	SV	Attend.
9/9/15	Wichita 3 at Laredo 12	H. Garcia	S. Richmond	–	521
9/10/15	Wichita 1 at Laredo 4	M. Sergey	J. Link	J. Brebbia	565
9/12/15	Laredo 3 at Wichita 4	T. Brown	M. Loosen	P. Smyth	1,856
9/13/15	Laredo 3 at Wichita 5	A. Boshers	L. De La Cruz	P. Smyth	669
9/14/15	Laredo 8, Wichita 6	R. Beckman	D. Bennett	J. Brebbia	850

American Association Finals — LAREDO WINS 3-1

Date	Score	W	L	SV	Attend.
9/16/15	Sioux City 10 at Laredo 2	P. Johnson	L. Pollorena	–	1,011
9/17/15	Sioux City 2 at Laredo 5	H. Garcia	R. Zimmerman	J. Brebbia	961
9/19/15	Laredo 6 at Sioux City 4	R. Beckman	J. Straka	J. Brebbia	1,870
9/20/15	Laredo 12 at Sioux City 5	L. De La Cruz	E. Wordekemper	J. Brebbia	1,429

Award Winners

Player of the Year	Vinny DiFazio (St. Paul) 86 G, .361/.467/.592, 116 H, 19 2B, 17 HR, 82 RBI
Pitcher of the Year	Patrick Johnson (Sioux City) 15-1, 2.08 ERA, 20 G, 3 CG, 134.0 IP, 132 K, 1.00 WHIP
Rookie of the Year	Mike Zouzalik (St. Paul) 4-1, 2.06 ERA, 39 G, 3 SV, 48.0 IP, 49 K, 0.75 WHIP
Defensive Player of the Year	Matty Johnson (Sioux City) 100 G, .239 errorless chances, 6 assists in CF
Manager of the Year	Steve Montgomery (Sioux City) 75-25 record, reached Finals, league record for wins

Postseason All-Stars

Catcher	Vinny DiFazio (St. Paul) 86 G, .361/.467/.592, 116 H, 19 2B, 17 HR, 82 RBI
First Base	Angelo Songco (St. Paul) 96 G, .339/.415/.580, 125 H, 64 R, 26 2B, 6 3B, 17 HR, 82 RBI
Second Base	Ryan Court (Sioux City) 95 G, .331/.400/.474, 122 H, 65 R, 22 2B, 9 HR, 52 RBI, 15 SB
Third Base	Josh Mazzola (Winnipeg) 99 G, .279/.361/.520, 104 H, 71 R, 24 2B, 20 HR, 63 RBI
Shortstop	Noah Perio Jr. (Sioux City) 100 G, .316/.345/.458, 29 2B, 7 HR, 74 RBI, 18 SB
Outfield	Adam Heisler (Winnipeg) 92 G, .328/.380/.429, 123 H, 64 R, 18 2B, 4 HR, 44 RBI, 44 SB
Outfield	Michael Lang (Sioux City) 81 G, .343/.394/.507, 115 H, 75 R, 17 2B, 10 3B, 6 HR, 59 RBI, 45 SB
Outfield	Denis Phipps (Laredo) 99 G, .336/.405/.540, 127 H, 62 R, 24 2B, 17 HR, 76 RBI, 12 SB
Designated Hitter	Casey Haerther (Winnipeg) 99 G, .312/.365/.435, 127 H, 49 R, 17 2B, 11 HR, 79 RBI
Starting Pitcher	Patrick Johnson (Sioux City) 15-1, 2.08 ERA, 20 G, 3 CG, 134.0 IP, 132 K, 1.00 WHIP
Relief Pitcher	Winston Abreu (Joplin) 5-1, 0.77 ERA, 47 G, 23 SV, 47.0 IP, 80 K, 0.979 WHIP