Frequently Asked Questions
about the Hawaii Winter League
What is Hawaii Winter Baseball?
Hawaii Winter Baseball is an organized professional baseball league sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB). It provides a setting for top young professional ball players to play against top-notch U.S. and international competition to accelerate U.S. player progress through their respective major league farm systems and to give top young Asian players opportunities for international competition.
HWB East: Honolulu Sharks, Waikiki Beach Boys
Home Field: Les Murakami Stadium
HWB West: North Shore Honu, West Oahu Cane Fires
Home Field: Hans L'Orange Field
Each team will play 40 games during the 2007 season which runs from late September through late November. Our inaugural season was in 1993 with continuous seasons running through 1997. The league returned in 2007 for its seventh season and the North Shore Honu claimed the league title with a 5-1 victory over the Waikiki BeachBoys.
The level of professional baseball play is primarily at the A & AA level. Top prospects from MLB in the U.S., and the professional leagues in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China are chosen by their respective organizations to develop their skills.
Which JAPANESE PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL teams participated in Hawaii Winter Baseball in the past?
Tokyo Yomiuri Giants
Seibu Lions
Hanshin Tigers
Chunichi Dragons
Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
Orix Blue Wave
Nippon Ham Fighters
Yakult Swallows
Kintetsu Buffaloes
* Orix Buffaloes / 2004 merger between Orix Blue Wave and Kintetsu Buffaloes.
Which KOREAN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL teams participated in Hawaii Winter Baseball in the past?
LG Twins
Haitai Tigers
Samsung Lions
Lotte Giants
OB Bears
*Haitai Tigers are now the KIA Tigers
*OB Bears are now the Doosan Bears
Who are some of the players from HWB who went on to careers in MLB?
Some 136 HWB players went on to play in the Major Leagues, including...
A.J. Pierzynski
Adam Kennedy
Derrek Lee
Ichiro Suzuki
Jason Giambi
Mark Kotsay
Michael Barrett
Preston Wilson
Randy Winn
So Taguchi
Tadahito Iguchi
Todd Helton
The success of Hawaii Winter Baseball in developing Japanese ball players is legendary. What are some of the names of successful Japanese alumni?
Ichiro Suzuki
Hiroki Kokubo
Hidekazu Watanabe
So Taguchi
Hirofumi Ogawa
Naoki Sugiyama
Daisuke Motoki
Hitoshi Taneda
Shinjiro Hiyama
Masaru Imazeki
Tsutomu Iwamoto
Tetsuya Kakiuchi
Tadahito Iguchi
Yusaku Iriki
Takashi Kashiwada
Kenji Johjima
Kazuo Matsui
Who are players that have interesting backgrounds?
Bobby Bonds Jr. / brother of Barry Bonds
Craig Griffey / brother of Ken Griffey Jr.
Julie Croteau / one of two women to play in HWB from the Silver Bullets
Lee Anne Ketchum / one of two women to play in HWB from the Silver Bullets
Todd Blyleven / son of Bert Blyleven
Preston Wilson / son of Mookie Wilson
Craig Counsell / son of John Counsell (Minnesota Twins 1965-1968)
Joey Vierra / played with Michael Jordan in Birmingham AA
Ryan Luzinski / son of Greg Luzinski
Dan Sullivan / son of Professional Wrestler "Lucious" Johnny Valiant
Why was Hawaii Winter Baseball started?
Because of our love for the game. Hawaii Winter Baseball was associated early on with the phrase "Field of Dreams" and most people view it purely in baseball terms. But one thing which differentiates us from any other baseball league or professional sporting event is that we live and breathe the philosophy that the game is larger than life. We believe that "Field of Dreams" is a metaphor for "World of Dreams"...a world where dreams can come true.
Hawaii has very talented people whose only limitation is a vehicle to build something that is of world-class quality. Hawaii Winter Baseball provides that opportunity. It has built an institution that is not only the first of its kind but also the best of its kind in professional baseball on the field and in its front office.
Children need heroes now more than ever before. The heroes of Hawaii Winter Baseball are much more than exceptional professional baseball players. They are caring young men who visit Hawaii's schools to speak about topics which could make a difference in the lives of children: "be your best, stay away from drugs, set high goals, be an inspiration to others." At HWB, we have reams of letters from teachers and school children who have expressed their appreciation for this school visitation program. We conduct a number of free clinics at each stadium location for children and coaches. We have games and free prizes at each game. Our players and coaches are accessible for autographs and picture-taking and many times for just idle chit chat. Those who have met Chad Fonville, Jorge Fabregas, Alex Ochoa, Brad Clontz, Chris Widger, Hiroki Kokubo and Ichiro Suzuki know the value of these friendships; that they did not just visit here but were actually residents here for over two months. Some of these players now consider Hawaii their second home.
In the world of professional golf and triathlons, relationships are developed with individuals. In high school and college baseball, relationships are developed between schools. In professional sports, whether it be baseball, football, basketball or soccer, a direct working relationship is developed throughout the whole organization. Hawaii Winter Baseball brings to Hawaii relationships with influential individuals, with schools, students, teachers, administrators and baseball coaches; with no just one professional baseball organization but with all 30 professional baseball teams in the U.S., all 12 in Japanese Professional Baseball and all 8 in Korean Professional Baseball. In addition, all of the Japanese, Korean and MLB ball clubs are owned and operated by some of the largest and most influential companies and individuals in the world. These relationships are unmatched by any existing professional sporting event in the world. Therefore, these relationships go beyond baseball. Some of these relationships are already starting to pay off for Hawaii in areas of business relationships, partnerships and investment.
We worked with Japanese news writers in the creation of the concept of the Hawaiian Dream. There is a certain mystique about Hawaii Winter Baseball in Japan. Young players from Japan come to participate in Hawaii Winter Baseball and go back to Japan to become Major League superstars. The success of our alumni-- Ichiro Suzuki, Hiroki Kokubo, Hidekazu Watanabe, So Taguchi and Hirofumi Ogawa--does not go unnoticed.
Our success is attributed to mixed teams where there are no barriers, combined with top-level American coaching against a backdrop of sun, surf, and world class hotels. For the international players, it's all part of "the Hawaii experience."
Top Japanese pro ball players who have gone back to Japan and become superstars have been quoted many been times as saying that some of the reason for their success is that they discovered themselves in Hawaii. There is a whole area which exists but is not seen...the spiritual uplifting from being a group soul in Japan to experiencing the individual soul in Hawaii.
Finally, Hawaii Winter Baseball is a world-class event. It provides an American/Asian business network that goes beyond anything in existence in sports today, and it provides a tool for companies to build awareness of their products and services to a large audience.
What kind of media coverage does Hawaii Winter Baseball have?
Some complete HWB games will be broadcast in Hawaii on K5--The Home Team. Other HWB games will be telecast in the U.S. via a network of both terrestrial and cable television networks on the East Coast, in the Midwest, and the West Coast, reaching an estimated 35 million television homes. HWB game telecasts are also scheduled to appear in selected television networks in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China--reaching an additional estimated 40 million television homes throughout North Asia.
Where does Hawaii Winter Baseball get its players?
All players must be under contract with an organization which is part of Major League Baseball (i.e., New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves), Japan Professional Baseball (i.e., Seibu Lions, Daiei Hawks), and Korea Baseball Organization (i.e., OB Bears, Samsung Lions).
Why do clubs send players to participate in Hawaii Winter Baseball?
The cost of maintaining a minor league system is high but essential for each MLB organization. It has been estimated that an MLB club will spend an average of about $2,000,000 in player development costs for each major league player who reaches the major league level. Therefore, it behooves organizations to send their top prospects to winter ball to sharpen their skills during the off-season to enable them to move quickly through its minor league system.
How does HWB fit into the overall baseball structure?
The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL) has established four classifications for minor league baseball: AAA, AA, A and rookie level. The Arizona Fall League, which is owned and operated by Major League Baseball since 1992, fills the niche for winter baseball play primarily at the AAA level. Hawaii Winter Baseball provides winter baseball play for primarily A and AA levels.
How do the four classifications differ?
Every major league team has one AAA affiliate, one AA affiliate, two or three A affiliates and one or two rookie league affiliates. Typically, players, assigned to a rookie-level team are in their first or second year of professional baseball. Rookie-level teams begin play after the June draft each year and continue until the end of August. A-level players are more experienced and have played one to three years of pro ball and generally are 19-24 years old. AA-level players range in age from 21-28 years old and AAA players vary in age from 22-40 years of age.
How many HWB players will play in the major leagues?
Most of the Japanese and Korean players are already on their major league rosters. Regarding MLB players, Baseball America estimates that only 10.6% of all professional ball players reach the major league level for at least one day. Thus only about two ball players on each minor league team are considered prospects. MLB organizations send to Hawaii Winter Baseball only those A and AA players who they feel are in that 10.6% special group.
How does an MLB organization decide who to send to Hawaii Winter Baseball?
Each MLB organization puts together a list of those players they want to place on some winter league roster. Each organization first waits for position assignments to the Arizona Fall League where they are required by the Commissioner's Office to send six players. Concurrently, each organization submits to the Commissioner's Office the names of players they would like to send to Hawaii Winter Baseball.
How do players get assigned to Hawaii Winter Baseball teams?
With the player pool created by the participating MLB, the Commissioner's Office allocates players to each Hawaii Winter Baseball team, taking into consideration Hawaii Winter Baseball's recommendations and the preference of keeping players from the same participating organization intact and on the same Hawaii Winter Baseball team from prior years. The Japanese teams and players are designated to their respective Hawaii Winter Baseball teams based upon past relationships. As an example, the Tokyo Giants were sent, in the past, to the Honolulu Sharks as a precedent from prior years.
Other players are then added (MLB and international) and roster spots are moved to balance the positions and players on each team. These moves and changes are always coordinated between the MLB Commissioner's Office and the Hawaii Winter Baseball front office.
Will there continue to be four teams?
Hawaii Winter Baseball would like to grow into an eight-team league in two divisions. The location of future teams is dependent upon the availability of playing fields which meet professional baseball standards.
How many players are assigned to one HWB team?
Currently, 28 players per team, four teams.
