Minor League Playoffs

The Astros saw five of their six minor league affiliates reach their league playoffs, the most of any organization, and one more than the Twins, who were the only club with four.

No Astros affiliate made the playoffs in 2005.

The last Houston farm club to win their league title was the Greeneville Astros, who won the 2004 Appalachian League championship in their debut year.

With the Tri-City ValleyCats' 4 -3 victory over Auburn Sunday, the Astros will have three of their affiliates playing in their respective league finals. No organization will have more.

Organizations With More Than One Affiliate
Reaching Their League Finals

Organization	Finals Reached	Leagues
Houston	3	AAA Pacific Coast, AA Texas, Short-A NY-Penn
Arizona	2	AAA Pacific Coast, Rookie Pioneer
Boston	2	AA Eastern, Rookie Gulf Coast
Cleveland	2	AA Eastern, High A Carolina
Detroit	2	AAA International, A Midwest
Kansas City	2	AA Texas, Rookie Pioneer
Minnesota	2	AAA International, Rookie Appalachian
San Francisco	2	A South Atlantic, Short-A Northwest

A total of 22 major league teams saw at least one of their affiliates play for a league title.

In the end, unfortunately, only the AA Corpus Christi Hooks were able to go on and win their league finals. But the point made--that the farm system is in better shape than its been in quite some time--is hard to miss.

Here's guessing that many of the participants this year experience playoff baseball in some form again.

 Pacific Coast League Championship Series 

September 12: Sidewinders 3 Express 1
September 13: Sidewinders 6 Express 3
September 15: Sidewinders 6 Express 3

 Pacific Coast League American Conference Finals 

September 6:  Sounds 4 Express 0
September 7:  Express 4 Sounds 3
September 8:  Express 6 Sounds 5 (10)
September 9:  Sounds 2 Express 0
September 10:  Express 8 Sounds 0

 Texas League Championship Series 

September 11: Hooks 11 Wranglers 5
September 12: Wranglers 2 Hooks 1
September 14: Hooks 9 Wranglers 3
September 15: Hooks 8 Wranglers 7 (14)

 Texas League South Division Series 

September 5:  Hooks 3 Rockhounds 0
September 6:  Hooks 6 Rockhounds 3
September 7:  Hooks 7 Rockhounds 3

 Carolina League Southern Division Series  

September 6:  Indians 9 Avalanche 6
September 7:  Indians 5 Avalanche 0

 South Atlantic League Northern Division Series 

September 6:  Blueclaws 2 Legends 1
September 8:  Blueclaws 8 Legends 2

 New York-Penn League Championship Series 

September 12: Yankees 4 ValleyCats 2
September 13: ValleyCats 9 Yankees 2
September 15: Yankees 2 ValleyCats 0

 New York-Penn League Division Series 

September 9: ValleyCats 1 Doubledays 0
September 10: ValleyCats 4 Doubledays 3