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Cal League is an overlooked diamond in Southern California

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With some fans complaining that it is getting more and more difficult to take their family to more than one Dodgers or Angels game a year because of the expense involved, a low-cost alternative is often overlooked.

The California League, a Class A league, has four teams in Southern California, all of which offer traditional minor league entertainment: mascots, between-inning games, video board quizzes and more, all for the cost of admission, which is frequently under $10 a ticket.

Here’s a look at the four area Cal League teams:

Inland Empire 66ers

Began in San Bernardino: 1987

Current affiliate: Angels

Previous affiliates: Seattle Mariners (1987-91), Independent (1993-94), Dodgers (1995-2000), Seattle (2001-06), Dodgers (2007-10)

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Owner: Elmore Sports Group

Stadium: San Manuel Stadium

Stadium notes: The San Bernardino Valley College baseball team also uses the stadium for its home games.

Capacity: 8,000

Website: www.ie66ers.com

Notable alumni

Ken Griffey Jr.: Played in 1988

Paul Konerko: 1995

Felix Hernandez: 2004

Adrian Beltre: 1996

Ted Lilly: 1997

Cal League championships: 1995, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2013

Current coaching staff: Manager Ryan Barba, hitting coach Brian Betancourth, pitching coach Chris Seddon

Mascot name: Bernie

Lake Elsinore Storm

Began in Lake Elsinore: 1994

Current affiliate: San Diego Padres

Previous affiliates: Angels (1994-2000)

Owner: Gary E. Jacobs, Storm LP

Stadium: Lake Elsinore Diamond

Stadium notes: In December 2017, the field was covered with 150,000 square feet of dirt so it could host an off-road truck championship.

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Capacity: 7,866

Website: www.stormbaseball.com

Notable alumni

Darin Erstad: Played in 1995

John Lackey: 2000

Francisco Rodriguez: 2000

Jake Peavy: 2001

Corey Kluber: 2008

Cal League championships: 1996, 2001, 2011

Current coaching staff: Manager Edwin Rodriguez, hitting coach Doug Banks, pitching coach Pete Zamora, coach Freddy Flores

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Mascot name: Thunder

Lancaster Jethawks

Began in Lancaster: 1996

Current affiliate: Colorado Rockies

Previous affiliates: Seattle Mariners (1996-2000), Arizona Diamondbacks (2001-06), Boston Red Sox (2007-08), Houston Astros (2009-16)

Owner: Jake Kerr and Jeff Mooney

Stadium: The Hangar

Stadium notes: Because of Lancaster’s aerospace legacy, the stadium has an F/A-18 Hornet mounted on display at the front entrance.

Capacity: 6,860

Website: www.jethawks.com

Notable alumni

Jose Cruz Jr.: Played in 1996

Brian Fuentes: 1998

Brandon Webb: 2001

Miguel Montero: 2005

Mark Reynolds: 2006

Cal League championships: 2012, 2014

Current coaching staff: Manager Fred Ocasio, pitching coach Dave Burba

Mascot name: KaBoom

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Began in Rancho Cucamonga: 1993

Current affiliate: Dodgers

Previous affiliates: San Diego Padres (1993-2000), Angels (2001-10)

Owner: George Brett and Bobby Brett, Brett Sports and Entertainment

Stadium: LoanMart Field

Stadium notes: When it first opened, LoanMart Field was called the Epicenter, a name many Quakes fans still use today.

Capacity: 6,588

Website: www.rcquakes.com

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Notable alumni

Mike Napoli: Played in 2001, 2003-04

Ervin Santana: 2003

Howie Kendrick: 2005

Matt Shoemaker: 2009-10

Garrett Richards: 2010

Mike Trout: 2010

Yasiel Puig: 2012

Joc Pederson: 2013

Corey Seager: 2013-14

Julio Urias: 2014-15

Cody Bellinger: 2015

Cal League championships: 1994, 2015

Current coaching staff: Manager Drew Saylor, hitting coach Justin Viele, pitching coach Connor McGuinness, coach Pedro Montero

Mascot name: Tremor

Houston.mitchell@latimes.com

Twitter: @latimeshouston

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