Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball
Encyclopedia
The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, based in Durham, North Carolina
, is a professional, independent baseball league located in the Northeastern United States
and the Canadian province of Quebec
. It operates in cities not served by Major
or Minor League Baseball
teams and is not affiliated with either. The level of play is comparable to that in Class AA leagues.
The Association is usually referred to as the Can-Am League. This was also the name of the Canadian-American League
, which operated between 1936 and 1951.
A league salary cap
is a maximum amount that can be spent on the entire player roster. Teams may apportion it among players as they see fit. Certain players are given coaching duties, by which to earn additional pay. A maximum salary cap for a rostered player is about four thousand dollars every 1 to 2 months, varying on the roster size. However most players make about 2 to 3 thousand dollars every month. There are some rostered players that make the max every 2 months. There are no players in the league that makes 4000 in 1 month or less. Rosters are limited to 22 players once the regular season begins. An additional two players can be on the disabled list
(which is referred to on some published rosters as the disabled/inactive list, and is sometimes used to ensure that a player under contract that a team does not wish to use is unavailable to opponents).
League roster rules give each player an LS (Length of Service) rating, based on the number of full years the player has played professionally: Rookie, LS-1 through LS-5, and Veteran. Teams can carry at most four veterans and must carry at least five rookies. Some published rosters state the LS rating of each player.
Source: Can-Am League Roster Rules
From 2007–2009, the schedule has not been perfectly balanced, either in the number of times a team will play each of its opponents, nor in the division of home and away games for a given team.
Opponents play a series of from three to five games on consecutive days. There are no doubleheaders in the original schedule, but doubleheaders are played after weather cancels or suspends a game. Occasionally, for the nearby franchises in Massachusetts and New Jersey, the original schedule does not put all the games of a series at the same ballpark. For example, the teams may travel to the visitor's ballpark for the middle game of a series.
Former Can-Am League Franchises
♣ Won first half of season
♦ Won second half of season
Source: Can-Am League Standings
had folded days before the 2004 season began, forcing the Northeast League to field a traveling team called the Aces
. For the 2005 season, the Northeast League accepted the Worcester Tornadoes
as a new eighth team. However, three weeks before the start of the 2005 season, the Bangor (Maine) Lumberjacks
folded, forcing the team to create another traveling team, this time called The Grays
.
The league has operated a traveling team whenever necessary to provide an even number of teams. However, doing so forces the other franchises to host more home games to provide a season of the same length. To obviate such disruptive last-minute schedule changes in the future, the Northeast League adopted a new charter, giving the league new powers to ensure that its franchises are solvent, and renamed itself the Canadian-American Association.
replaced the Elmira Pioneers
, which moved into the amateur New York Collegiate Baseball League
; and the Nashua Pride
joined the league from the Atlantic League
. There were now eight teams without a traveling team.
For 2007, the Atlantic City Surf
joined from the Atlantic League
, and the league re-established The Grays
, after a year of dormancy, as a tenth team. At the end of that season, both the New Haven County Cutters
and the North Shore Spirit
suspended operations, reducing the league to eight teams. Many New Haven player contracts were sold to Nashua, while many Spirit players were placed on waivers.
For 2008, Ottawa, which had lost its franchise in the International League
, joined the Can-Am League as the Rapidz, an eighth franchise, displacing the Grays.
After the 2008 season, Rapids management declared bankruptcy. The league declared its intention to operate the Ottawa franchise in 2009. The league changed the team's name back to Rapids, a spelling used during the team's founding (Rapides in French). Later, however, the Commissioner stated the need for a "fresh start" and opened a contest to select a new name for the team. The winning name was "Voyageurs", as seen above.
Still later, the Atlantic City franchise was terminated, as a sale fell through. On March 30, 2009, the league announced that it would shrink to six teams rather than having two league-operated teams.
The Nashua Pride franchise was sold and was known in 2009 as the American Defenders of New Hampshire
because of the military tie-ins of its new ownership group. During the 2009 season the Defenders were locked out of Holman Stadium
and forced to play their last home games on the road, bringing doubt to the future of baseball in Nashua
. The Quebec Capitales would go on to win their second League Championship.
On December 19, 2009 league directors preliminarily gave approval to transfer the membership of the American Defenders of New Hampshire from Nashua, NH, to Pittsfield, Massachusetts
for play in the 2010 season. Final approval was granted by the city for use of Wahconah Park
on February 1. The ownership group headed by Buddy Lewis had a lease on Wahconah Park for a team in the New England Collegiate Baseball League
, and transferred the current lease for play in the Can-Am League. Dan Duquette
, former General Manager
of the Boston Red Sox
, is also part of the ownership group, which is known as Boston Baseball All-Stars LLC. The team was re-named the Pittsfield Colonials.
Beginning in 2006, the league abandoned divisional play. The first half-season leader automatically qualified for the playoffs, as did the second half-season leader if there was a second. To round the field out at four, two or more wild-card spots were given to teams with the best overall season record.
Until 1998, the playoffs were conducted as two best of three series, with the winner of both series winning the League Championship. After that all playoff series have been best of five.
Champions of the Northern League
Champions of the Northeast League, 2003–
Champions of the Can-Am League
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, is a professional, independent baseball league located in the Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
and the Canadian province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. It operates in cities not served by Major
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
or Minor League Baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
teams and is not affiliated with either. The level of play is comparable to that in Class AA leagues.
The Association is usually referred to as the Can-Am League. This was also the name of the Canadian-American League
Canadian-American League
This article refers to the original incarnation of the Can-Am League, which operated between 1936 and 1951. For the modern league, see Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball...
, which operated between 1936 and 1951.
Policies
The Can-Am League schedule is a relatively short-season, with mid level salary caps to help keep league costs to a minimum. Several league policies serve to prevent dominance by owners who can out-spend their opposition:A league salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
is a maximum amount that can be spent on the entire player roster. Teams may apportion it among players as they see fit. Certain players are given coaching duties, by which to earn additional pay. A maximum salary cap for a rostered player is about four thousand dollars every 1 to 2 months, varying on the roster size. However most players make about 2 to 3 thousand dollars every month. There are some rostered players that make the max every 2 months. There are no players in the league that makes 4000 in 1 month or less. Rosters are limited to 22 players once the regular season begins. An additional two players can be on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
(which is referred to on some published rosters as the disabled/inactive list, and is sometimes used to ensure that a player under contract that a team does not wish to use is unavailable to opponents).
League roster rules give each player an LS (Length of Service) rating, based on the number of full years the player has played professionally: Rookie, LS-1 through LS-5, and Veteran. Teams can carry at most four veterans and must carry at least five rookies. Some published rosters state the LS rating of each player.
Source: Can-Am League Roster Rules
Scheduling
The Can-Am League has played regular seasons of between 92 and 96 games. In years when one of the teams is a league-operated traveling team, the franchises play an increased number of home games to keep the total length of the regular season constant. All games a franchise plays against the traveling team are played at the franchise's ballpark. However, half of those games are designated "home games" for the traveling team, which takes the field first and bats last as though the game were played at the traveling team's "home."From 2007–2009, the schedule has not been perfectly balanced, either in the number of times a team will play each of its opponents, nor in the division of home and away games for a given team.
Opponents play a series of from three to five games on consecutive days. There are no doubleheaders in the original schedule, but doubleheaders are played after weather cancels or suspends a game. Occasionally, for the nearby franchises in Massachusetts and New Jersey, the original schedule does not put all the games of a series at the same ballpark. For example, the teams may travel to the visitor's ballpark for the middle game of a series.
Current teams
| Team | Founded | City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brockton Rox Brockton Rox The Brockton Rox were a professional baseball team based in Brockton, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Rox were a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From the 2002 season to 2011, the Rox played their home... |
2002 | Brockton Brockton, Massachusetts Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 93,810 in the 2010 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County... , Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... |
Campanelli Stadium Campanelli Stadium Campanelli Stadium is a stadium in Brockton, Massachusetts. It is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the Brockton Rox Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball independent minor league baseball team... |
4,750 |
| New Jersey Jackals New Jersey Jackals The New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Little Falls, New Jersey, in the United States. The Jackals are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
1998 | Little Falls Little Falls, New Jersey Little Falls is a township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 10,855. It is located about from New York City.... , New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... |
Yogi Berra Stadium Yogi Berra Stadium Yogi Berra Stadium is a baseball stadium in Little Falls, New Jersey, US, on the campus of Montclair State University, which is located in Montclair... |
3,784 |
| Newark Bears Newark Bears The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &... |
1999 | Newark Newark, New Jersey Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S... , New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... |
Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium is a 6,200-seat baseball park in Newark, New Jersey, USA, that hosted its first regular season baseball game on July 16,1999, with former 1940's bear Yogi Berra throwing the ceremonial first pitch, as the tenants of the facility, the Newark Bears, took on the... |
6,200 |
| Pittsfield Colonials | 2010 | Pittsfield Pittsfield, Massachusetts Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201... , Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... |
Wahconah Park Wahconah Park Wahconah Park is a city-owned baseball park located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and nestled in a working class neighborhood. One of the last remaining ballparks in the United States with a wooden grandstand, it was constructed in 1919 and seats 4,500. The stadium is now currently home to the, yet... |
4,000 |
| Québec Capitales Quebec Capitales The Québec Capitales are a professional baseball team based in Quebec City, in Canada. The Capitales are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
1999 | Quebec City, Quebec Quebec Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level.... |
Stade Municipal Stade Municipal (Quebec City) Stade Municipal is a stadium in Quebec City, Quebec. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Quebec Capitales Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball minor league baseball team. It originally opened in 1938. It holds 4,800 people and is located in the... |
4,800 |
| Rockland Boulders Rockland Boulders The Rockland Boulders is an American professional baseball team based in Pomona, New York in the County of Rockland. It is a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, also known as the Can-Am League... |
2011 | Ramapo Ramapo, New York Ramapo , formerly known as New Hempstead and then Hampstead, is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New Jersey; southeast of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Haverstraw and west of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Orangetown... , New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... |
Provident Bank Park Provident Bank Park Provident Bank Park is a stadium in Ramapo, New York. It is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the Rockland Boulders Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball independent minor league baseball team. It was opened on June 16, 2011, a 3-1 win against the Brockton... |
4,750 |
| New York Federals | 2011 | N/A | Road Team | |
| Worcester Tornadoes Worcester Tornadoes The Worcester Tornadoes are a professional baseball team based in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Tornadoes are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
2005 | Worcester Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston.... , Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... |
Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field Fitton Field Fitton Field is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Worcester, Massachusetts. Primarily used for College of the Holy Cross sporting events, the baseball stadium also serves as the home field for the Can-Am League Worcester Tornadoes.-History and layout:... |
3,000 |
Former Can-Am League Franchises
Former Can-Am League franchises
This is an article listing baseball teams that formerly played in the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, also known as the Can-Am League, or any of its two predecessors, the Northeast League or Northern League East Division....
2010 Final Standings (full-season)
| Team | W | L | Win % | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ♣Quebec Capitales Quebec Capitales The Québec Capitales are a professional baseball team based in Quebec City, in Canada. The Capitales are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
57 | 37 | .606 | 0 |
| Brockton Rox Brockton Rox The Brockton Rox were a professional baseball team based in Brockton, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Rox were a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From the 2002 season to 2011, the Rox played their home... |
54 | 39 | .581 | 2.5 |
| ♦Pittsfield Colonials | 48 | 45 | .516 | 8.5 |
| New Jersey Jackals New Jersey Jackals The New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Little Falls, New Jersey, in the United States. The Jackals are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
42 | 50 | .457 | 14 |
| Worcester Tornadoes Worcester Tornadoes The Worcester Tornadoes are a professional baseball team based in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Tornadoes are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
41 | 50 | .452 | 14.5 |
| Sussex Skyhawks Sussex Skyhawks The Sussex Skyhawks were a professional baseball team that played at Skylands Park in Augusta, New Jersey. The team was part of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent minor baseball league also referred to as the Can-Am League, from their inaugural season in 2006... |
35 | 56 | .385 | 20.5 |
♣ Won first half of season
♦ Won second half of season
Source: Can-Am League Standings
History
The Canadian-American Association was created when the Northeast League was renamed in 2005. The Northeast League was formed in 1995 and played four seasons as an independent league. At the end of the 1998 season, the Northeast League was merged with the Northern League and became that league's East Division. Although the East Division did not play the teams that were already in the Northern League during the regular season, the respective divisions played each other in an all-star game every summer and in a league championship series every fall from 1999 until 2002. The Northeast League became its own entity again for the 2003 season and continued play for one additional year before the renaming of the league.New charter in 2005
The Allentown AmbassadorsAllentown Ambassadors
The Allentown Ambassadors were an independent baseball team that competed in the Northeast League and the Northern League from 1997 until 2003. They played their home games at Allentown, Pennsylvania's Bicentennial Park.- History :...
had folded days before the 2004 season began, forcing the Northeast League to field a traveling team called the Aces
Northeast League Aces
The Northeast League Aces were a traveling team in the Northeast League in the 2004 season to replace the Allentown Ambassadors....
. For the 2005 season, the Northeast League accepted the Worcester Tornadoes
Worcester Tornadoes
The Worcester Tornadoes are a professional baseball team based in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Tornadoes are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
as a new eighth team. However, three weeks before the start of the 2005 season, the Bangor (Maine) Lumberjacks
Bangor Lumberjacks
The Bangor Lumberjacks were an independent minor league baseball team in the Northeast League that was based in Bangor, Maine. Prior to 2003, the Lumberjacks played in Glens Falls, New York and were known as the Adirondack Lumberjacks. The team moved to Maine following the 2002 season...
folded, forcing the team to create another traveling team, this time called The Grays
The Grays
The Grays were a professional independent baseball team. They were a traveling team which played in the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent league not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
.
The league has operated a traveling team whenever necessary to provide an even number of teams. However, doing so forces the other franchises to host more home games to provide a season of the same length. To obviate such disruptive last-minute schedule changes in the future, the Northeast League adopted a new charter, giving the league new powers to ensure that its franchises are solvent, and renamed itself the Canadian-American Association.
Subsequent changes
For 2006, the Can-Am League added two teams. The new Sussex SkyhawksSussex Skyhawks
The Sussex Skyhawks were a professional baseball team that played at Skylands Park in Augusta, New Jersey. The team was part of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent minor baseball league also referred to as the Can-Am League, from their inaugural season in 2006...
replaced the Elmira Pioneers
Elmira Pioneers
The Elmira Pioneers are an amateur baseball team based in Elmira, New York. They currently compete in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league. Prior to the 2006 baseball season, the team was a professional ballclub with a rich history of league...
, which moved into the amateur New York Collegiate Baseball League
New York Collegiate Baseball League
The New York Collegiate Baseball League is a 12-team collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1978 and sanctioned by the NACSB and Major League Baseball. Each NYCBL team plays an eight-week, 44-game schedule from June to July with a playoff in early August...
; and the Nashua Pride
Nashua Pride
The Nashua Pride were a professional baseball team based in Nashua, New Hampshire, in the United States, not affiliated with Major League Baseball. They played home games at Holman Stadium from 1998 through 2008, when they were sold and renamed the American Defenders of New Hampshire. In 2010 that...
joined the league from the Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
. There were now eight teams without a traveling team.
For 2007, the Atlantic City Surf
Atlantic City Surf
The Atlantic City Surf were a professional baseball team based in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Surf was most recently a member of the Can-Am League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
joined from the Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
, and the league re-established The Grays
The Grays
The Grays were a professional independent baseball team. They were a traveling team which played in the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent league not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, after a year of dormancy, as a tenth team. At the end of that season, both the New Haven County Cutters
New Haven County Cutters
The New Haven County Cutters were an independent baseball team based in New Haven, Connecticut. From 2004 through 2007, it played in the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball , an independent league that is not affiliated with Major League Baseball or with the Minor League Baseball...
and the North Shore Spirit
North Shore Spirit
The North Shore Spirit was a minor-league baseball team based in Lynn, Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. The Spirit played in the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball , an independent league that is not affiliated with Major League Baseball or with the Minor League Baseball...
suspended operations, reducing the league to eight teams. Many New Haven player contracts were sold to Nashua, while many Spirit players were placed on waivers.
For 2008, Ottawa, which had lost its franchise in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, joined the Can-Am League as the Rapidz, an eighth franchise, displacing the Grays.
After the 2008 season, Rapids management declared bankruptcy. The league declared its intention to operate the Ottawa franchise in 2009. The league changed the team's name back to Rapids, a spelling used during the team's founding (Rapides in French). Later, however, the Commissioner stated the need for a "fresh start" and opened a contest to select a new name for the team. The winning name was "Voyageurs", as seen above.
Still later, the Atlantic City franchise was terminated, as a sale fell through. On March 30, 2009, the league announced that it would shrink to six teams rather than having two league-operated teams.
The Nashua Pride franchise was sold and was known in 2009 as the American Defenders of New Hampshire
American Defenders of New Hampshire
The Pittsfield Colonials were a baseball team in the independent Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts...
because of the military tie-ins of its new ownership group. During the 2009 season the Defenders were locked out of Holman Stadium
Holman Stadium (Nashua)
Holman Stadium is a baseball stadium in Nashua, New Hampshire. It was constructed in 1937, as a multi-purpose stadium, by the City of Nashua. The official seating capacity is 4,375 people. Holman is currently the home of the Nashua Silver Knights of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League...
and forced to play their last home games on the road, bringing doubt to the future of baseball in Nashua
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
. The Quebec Capitales would go on to win their second League Championship.
On December 19, 2009 league directors preliminarily gave approval to transfer the membership of the American Defenders of New Hampshire from Nashua, NH, to Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
for play in the 2010 season. Final approval was granted by the city for use of Wahconah Park
Wahconah Park
Wahconah Park is a city-owned baseball park located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and nestled in a working class neighborhood. One of the last remaining ballparks in the United States with a wooden grandstand, it was constructed in 1919 and seats 4,500. The stadium is now currently home to the, yet...
on February 1. The ownership group headed by Buddy Lewis had a lease on Wahconah Park for a team in the New England Collegiate Baseball League
New England Collegiate Baseball League
The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a 12-team collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 42-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August...
, and transferred the current lease for play in the Can-Am League. Dan Duquette
Dan Duquette
Daniel F. Duquette is the Executive Vice-President of Baseball Operations for the Baltimore Orioles. He was the General Manager of the Montreal Expos from September through January and for the Boston Red Sox from through March...
, former General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, is also part of the ownership group, which is known as Boston Baseball All-Stars LLC. The team was re-named the Pittsfield Colonials.
Playoffs
Before 2006, the Northeast/Can-Am League employed a two-division setup for its half-season format. The two teams that were leading their respective divisions, designated North and South, at the end of the first half of the season automatically qualified for the playoffs. Two additional playoff spots would be made available. Once again, these went to division winners if the first half champions failed to repeat. Otherwise, one or more wild card spots would be given based on the team's overall record in both halves. If absolutely necessary, a one-game playoff would be played in case of a tie.Beginning in 2006, the league abandoned divisional play. The first half-season leader automatically qualified for the playoffs, as did the second half-season leader if there was a second. To round the field out at four, two or more wild-card spots were given to teams with the best overall season record.
Until 1998, the playoffs were conducted as two best of three series, with the winner of both series winning the League Championship. After that all playoff series have been best of five.
Future plans
At the end of the 2010 season the Newark Bears, who had previously been a member of the Atlantic League announced that they would become a member of the CanAm League. Further, on January 10, 2011, the CanAm League announced that the Rockland Boulders will join the league however, the Sussex Skyhawks will not return. The New York Federals will be a road team for the 2011 season to even the league out at eight teams.Champions
Champions of the Northeast League, 1995–98- 1995 Adirondack LumberjacksAdirondack LumberjacksThe Adirondack Lumberjacks were an independent professional baseball team based in Glens Falls, New York. The team moved to Bangor, Maine and became the Bangor Lumberjacks following the 2002 season...
- 1996 Albany-Colonie Diamond DogsAlbany-Colonie Diamond DogsThe Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs were a minor league baseball team based in Albany, New York from 1995 to 2002. The team played at Heritage Park in Colonie. The Diamond Dogs competed in the Northeast League from 1995-98 and then in the Northern League when the two leagues merged prior to the 1999...
- 1997 Elmira PioneersElmira PioneersThe Elmira Pioneers are an amateur baseball team based in Elmira, New York. They currently compete in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league. Prior to the 2006 baseball season, the team was a professional ballclub with a rich history of league...
- 1998 New Jersey JackalsNew Jersey JackalsThe New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Little Falls, New Jersey, in the United States. The Jackals are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
Champions of the Northern League
- 1999 Albany-Colonie Diamond DogsAlbany-Colonie Diamond DogsThe Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs were a minor league baseball team based in Albany, New York from 1995 to 2002. The team played at Heritage Park in Colonie. The Diamond Dogs competed in the Northeast League from 1995-98 and then in the Northern League when the two leagues merged prior to the 1999...
- 2000 Adirondack LumberjacksAdirondack LumberjacksThe Adirondack Lumberjacks were an independent professional baseball team based in Glens Falls, New York. The team moved to Bangor, Maine and became the Bangor Lumberjacks following the 2002 season...
- 2001 New Jersey JackalsNew Jersey JackalsThe New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Little Falls, New Jersey, in the United States. The Jackals are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
- 2002 New Jersey JackalsNew Jersey JackalsThe New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Little Falls, New Jersey, in the United States. The Jackals are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
Champions of the Northeast League, 2003–
- 2003 Brockton RoxBrockton RoxThe Brockton Rox were a professional baseball team based in Brockton, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Rox were a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From the 2002 season to 2011, the Rox played their home...
- 2004 New Jersey JackalsNew Jersey JackalsThe New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Little Falls, New Jersey, in the United States. The Jackals are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
Champions of the Can-Am League
- 2005 Worcester TornadoesWorcester TornadoesThe Worcester Tornadoes are a professional baseball team based in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Tornadoes are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
- 2006 Québec CapitalesQuebec CapitalesThe Québec Capitales are a professional baseball team based in Quebec City, in Canada. The Capitales are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
- 2007 Nashua PrideNashua PrideThe Nashua Pride were a professional baseball team based in Nashua, New Hampshire, in the United States, not affiliated with Major League Baseball. They played home games at Holman Stadium from 1998 through 2008, when they were sold and renamed the American Defenders of New Hampshire. In 2010 that...
- 2008 Sussex SkyhawksSussex SkyhawksThe Sussex Skyhawks were a professional baseball team that played at Skylands Park in Augusta, New Jersey. The team was part of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent minor baseball league also referred to as the Can-Am League, from their inaugural season in 2006...
- 2009 Québec CapitalesQuebec CapitalesThe Québec Capitales are a professional baseball team based in Quebec City, in Canada. The Capitales are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
- 2010 Québec CapitalesQuebec CapitalesThe Québec Capitales are a professional baseball team based in Quebec City, in Canada. The Capitales are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
- 2011 Québec CapitalesQuebec CapitalesThe Québec Capitales are a professional baseball team based in Quebec City, in Canada. The Capitales are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...