Top 15 Reasons to Join the CWL!
For information on joining the CWL, click here.
If you are looking for an instructional league to play in this winter, the California Winter League (CWL) is the place for you! Here are just our favorite 15 reasons why:
15. Historic Palm Springs Stadium
Palm Springs Stadium During the Angels Spring Training Stay
Playing in the CWL provides the opportunity to play in a historical stadium every day. In the 60’s, Former Los Angeles Angels owner Gene Autry was awarded the expansion from Major League Baseball and made Palm Springs their spring training home. Later the stadium’s name was changed to Angels Stadium even though the complex was shared by the Angels, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Rainiers during spring training.
14. Professional Environment
Our main focus is to make all the players in the CWL better and to get them signed to professional baseball teams. That doesn’t mean, however, that we do not have fun while doing it. We will run promotional events and in-game contests, play walk-up music and sound effects, and sell programs and merchandise.
13. Transportation Included
The CWL will run a shuttle at various times throughout the day between the hotels, the stadium, and the gym. Shuttles will run eight times a day, offering players ample opportunity to get where they need to go in a timely fashion.
Daily bus routes to Palm Springs Stadium, the Gym, and the Hotels
12. Media Coverage
The CWL staff treats and promotes the league as Palm Springs’, and Southern California’s, own independent baseball league. Players will be interviewed on the radio, featured in stories on our website and in the local newspapers, and those who succeed will be featured on our homepage leaderboards.
11. The Safe and Beautiful City of Palm Springs
The city of Palm Springs is located in the beautiful Coachella Valley, a destination spot for thousands of people every year and a former celebrity hotspot. Palm Springs is consistently in the mid-70s most days and it rarely rains. Palm Springs is a cozy, casual, and safe community as well.
10. Comfortable and Convenient Housing
During your month in Palm Springs, we will house you in the Marquis Villas in downtown Palm Springs. The villas are located just minutes from Palm Springs Stadium and provide a great living arrangement for your month in paradise.
9. Gym Membership
The CWL provides a Gold’s Gym membership to each player during the stay in the league. Gold’s Gym is located less than two miles from Palm Springs Stadium.
Gold's Gym in Palm Springs
8. Highlight Reel
The cameras will be rolling! From your first day to your last with the CWL, our staff will be filming the game action everyday. When you leave you will get a reel of film for you to promote yourself to coaches and scouts. We will be using these videos during the season to send to coaches and scouts around the country as well, as we will be constantly striving to get you the professional baseball job you desire.
7. Listen to Every Game!
In addition, every game will be broadcast live at CaliforniaWinterLeague.com with select games on local AM radio. Friends and families will be able to hear every pitch and every swing live from Palm Springs Stadium!
6. High Quality of Play
The CWL searches and signs the best players still looking for jobs in baseball and some that already have jobs and just want to get better. Although we are providing a service, our staff ensures that players come from competitive backgrounds; the competition will be demanding to ensure that you are challenged to get better everyday.
5. Early Start Date
The CWL is the only league of its kind that starts as early as it does. CWL players report to camp January 17th, with the season beginning January 21st. Our early start date makes it possible for MLB scouts to come out to the league before getting busy with Spring Training duties.
4. Experienced and Connected Coaching Staff
CWL Instructors are not only highly qualified with years of experience to help make each player better, but many come to the CWL with the ability and eagerness to sign players from the league to their respective organizations. From MLB great slugger Darrell Evans and former MLB coaches Tom Gamboa and Tim Johnson, to rising coaching stars like Ricky VanAsselburg (back-to-back American Association Championship coach) who succeeded this past season with numerous CWL players, Lance Burkhart, a representative from the preeminent independent league, the Atlantic League, just to name a couple!
3. Numerous Independent League Affiliations
Over the past two seasons, the CWL has helped players get signed to numerous different independent baseball leagues. In 2012, we will have representatives ready to sign players from the Atlantic League, the American Association, the Frontier League, and the Pecos League.
2. MLB Presence
During the CWL season, all the players will get two days off from the league schedule for MLB Workout days. Scouts from different MLB organizations will come to Palm Springs looking to sign players to affiliated baseball. In the past two seasons we have signed or sent players to camps with the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Red Sox, Rockies, Marlins, Padres, Rangers, Rays, Athletics, and Cardinals.
1. Any Day Could Be The Day!
Our instructors have the ability to sign players from the CWL at any time. Impress the first day and you might not have to wait until the end of the season to get signed. You will still be eligible to play the month of course, but our coaches and the scouts from various organizations that come to the CWL can sign players during the season whenever they would like.
