2022 Frontier League season explained

2022 Frontier League season
League:Frontier League
Sport:Baseball
Duration:May 12  - September 4
(Playoffs: September 6  - September 18)
No Of Games:96 (768 games in total)
No Of Teams:16
Season2:East Division
League Champs2:Québec Capitales
Season3:West Division
League Champs3:Schaumburg Boomers
Finals:Frontier League Championship
Finals Champ:Québec Capitales
Finals Runner-Up:Schaumburg Boomers
Prevseason Link:2021 Frontier League season
Prevseason Year:2021
Nextseason Link:2023 Frontier League season
Nextseason Year:2023

The 2022 Frontier League season was the 29th season of operation (28th season of play) of the Frontier League (FL). The league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of the Empire State Greys. The league had an May-to-September regular season scheduling and a full 96-game regular season. The season began on May 12.

The playoffs concluded on September 18, with the Québec Capitales defeating the Schaumburg Boomers in the finals in four games, winning their eight championship in franchise history.

Team and rule changes

The 16 teams in the league are split evenly between two divisions, East and West.

Due to the folding of the Southern Illinois Miners following the 2021 season, the league introduced a new team, the Empire State Greys, to compete as a traveling team with a roster of players from the Empire Professional Baseball League.[1]

The season was played with a 96-game schedule; teams play either three or four series against their division rivals while facing the eight teams from the other division at least once each. The top three teams in each division will qualify for the 2022 playoffs, with the first-place team already qualifying for the division championship, and the second and third place teams playing each other in a wild card game.[2]

The maximum team compensation for this season remained at $318,000 split between players and coaching staff. The maximum spend on player compensation was $135,000 with a minimum weekly salary of $290 per player. In 2022, the U23 player salary rule was introduced which counts financial compensation to players aged 23 or under at 50% towards the cap.

Regular season standings

Pos!scope="col" width="25%"
TeamGWLGB
1y – Québec Capitales966234.646--
- style="border-top:3px solid blue;"2x – New York Boulders955738.6004.5
3x – Ottawa Titans955639.5895.5
- style="border-top:3px solid red;"4e – Sussex County Miners955441.5687.5
5e – Tri-City ValleyCats955441.5687.5
6e – New Jersey Jackals944549.47916.0
7e – Trois-Rivières Aigles954550.47416.5
8e – Empire State Greys96690.06356.0
Pos!scope="col" width="25%"
TeamGWLGB
1y – Washington Wild Things966234.646--
- style="border-top:3px solid blue;"2x – Schaumburg Boomers965343.5529.0
3x – Evansville Otters955243.5479.5
- style="border-top:3px solid red;"4e – Joliet Slammers964947.51013.0
5e – Lake Erie Crushers964947.51013.0
6e – Gateway Grizzlies964749.49015.0
7e – Florence Y'alls953956.41122.5
8e – Windy City ThunderBolts953362.34728.5

[3]

Statistical leaders

Hitting

StatPlayerTeamTotal
HR33
AVGBrantley Bell .368
RBIs96
SBBrynn Martinez 43

Pitching

StatPlayerTeamTotal
WRob Whalen, John Baker 12
ERAMiguel Cienfuegos 1.79
SOJorge Tavarez 142
SVLogan Sawyer 22

[4]

Awards

End of year awards

AwardPlayerTeam
Most Valuable Player Brantley Bell Tri-City ValleyCats
Pitcher of the Year Miguel Cienfuegos Québec Capitales
Rookie of the Year Kobe Foster Washington Wild Things
Manager of the Year Tom Vaeth Washington Wild Things

Playoffs

Format

The second-place team will host the third-place team from their division in a wild card game. The winner of these games will face their division winners in a best-of-three divisional series, with the division winners hosting games 2 and 3 (if necessary). The championship playoffs shall be scheduled to begin on the second day following the scheduled completion of the division playoffs. The championship series will be a best-of-five format. The team advancing with the best regular-season record will host games 3, 4, and 5 (if necessary). In the event of a tie, tie-breaking procedures as outlined in league rules will be utilized.[5]

Playoff bracket

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: New for 2022: Empire State Greys . Ballpark Digest . Kevin . Reichard . February 12, 2022 . March 3, 2022.
  2. Web site: Frontier League Announces 2022 Schedule. frontierleague.com.
  3. Web site: Frontier League - standings . frontierleague.com.
  4. Web site: Frontier League - stats . frontierleague.com.
  5. Web site: 2022 Playoff Format - Frontier League . frontierleague.com.