Vancouver Canadians
Encyclopedia
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...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team located in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The Canadians are the Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. The C's have previously affiliated with the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
between 2000-2010. They are the only Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
team in the "affiliated" minor leagues—i.e., part of the farm system of a Major League Baseball
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...
team. This came about after the Ottawa Lynx
Ottawa Lynx
The Ottawa Lynx were a minor league baseball team that formerly competed in the Triple-A International League from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over the team's 15 seasons, it was the Triple-A Minor League affiliate of the Montreal Expos , Baltimore...
moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
. The NWL Canadians supplanted a Triple-A franchise of the same name that played for 22 seasons (1978-99) in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. The current incarnation of the Canadians was established in after the AAA Canadians moved to Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
and became the Sacramento River Cats
Sacramento River Cats
The Sacramento River Cats is a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and is the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics....
(which is now an affiliate of the Athletics).
History
As a Northwest LeagueNorthwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
franchise (dating back to 1979 in Medford, Oregon
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
), the Canadians have had players such as José Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
, Pat Britt, Rod Beck
Rod Beck
Rodney Roy "Rod" Beck nicknamed "Shooter", was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres...
, Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
, Scott Brosius
Scott Brosius
Scott David Brosius is a former Major League Baseball third baseman for the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees . Brosius is currently the head baseball coach at Linfield College, his alma mater....
, Jason Giambi
Jason Giambi
Jason Gilbert Giambi is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.He was the American League MVP in 2000 while with the Oakland Athletics, and is a five-time All-Star who has led the American League in walks four times, in on base percentage...
, Tim Hudson
Tim Hudson
Timothy Adam Hudson is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Atlanta Braves. Hudson began his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and played his last two years of college eligibility at Auburn University...
, Nick Swisher
Nick Swisher
Nicholas Thompson "Nick" Swisher is an outfielder for the New York Yankees. Swisher is a switch hitter who throws left-handed....
, Jeremy Brown
Jeremy Brown
Jeremy Van Brown is an American former professional baseball catcher with the Oakland Athletics. He is primarily known for his place in Michael Lewis' 2003 #1 bestseller Moneyball.-Career:...
, Troy Glaus
Troy Glaus
Troy Edward Glaus is a Major League Baseball first baseman and third baseman who is currently a free agent. Previously, Glaus played with the Anaheim Angels , Arizona Diamondbacks , Toronto Blue Jays , St. Louis Cardinals , and the Atlanta Braves . Glaus lettered in baseball while attending UCLA...
, Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
, Jason Windsor
Jason Windsor
Jason David Windsor is a right-handed former major-league pitcher. He was called up July 16, 2006 to make his major-league debut against the Baltimore Orioles.-High school career:...
, Joe Blanton
Joe Blanton
Joseph Matthew Blanton is a starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.-College career:...
, Rich Harden
Rich Harden
James Richard Harden is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher.-Early years:Harden attended Claremont Secondary School in Victoria, British Columbia. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 38th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft...
, Travis Buck
Travis Buck
Travis George Buck is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball.-College career:...
, Sean Triplett, Danny Putnam, Dallas Braden
Dallas Braden
Dallas Lee Braden is a left-handed pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. He was drafted out of Texas Tech University in the twenty fourth round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft by the Athletics...
and Miguel Tejada
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada was a Major League Baseball infielder who has played for the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres, the Houston Astros, the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics...
. The team formed after Medford, Oregon
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
's Southern Oregon Timberjacks
Southern Oregon Timberjacks
The Southern Oregon Timberjacks were a minor league baseball team based in Medford, Oregon. The team played in the short-season single-A Northwest League from 1979 to 1999 and were an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics...
relocated to Vancouver.
Vancouver was a heavy player in the early history of the Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
, a charter member in every version of the league that would eventually form the NWL, notably as the sole team that survived the collapse of the Western International League
Western International League
The Western International League was a mid- to higher-level circuit in American and Canadian minor league baseball. It operated in 1923, 1937-42, and 1946-54. In 1955, it changed its name to the Northwest League, and still operates today as a Short Season A loop under that name.The WIL consisted of...
in 1922 when it reformed in 1937, winning four pennants in the WIL (1942, 1947, 1949, 1954) as the Vancouver Capilanos (1939-1954). However, even though they were the final champions of the WIL, Vancouver was not part of its reformation into the Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
, due to the NWL's shedding of all of its Canadian teams in order to focus on the American Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. Vancouver was without professional baseball in 1955, but in 1956 the highest calibre of minor league play, in the form of the Open-Classification Pacific Coast League, came to British Columbia when Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks (PCL)
The Oakland Oaks were a minor league baseball team in Oakland, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1955, after which the club transferred to Vancouver, British Columbia...
transferred there as the Vancouver Mounties
Vancouver Mounties
The Vancouver Mounties were a high-level minor league baseball club based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Mounties played in the Pacific Coast League from 1956 through 1962 as the relocated Oakland Oaks franchise, and from 1965 through 1969 when the Dallas Rangers moved back to Canada.The...
. The Mounties played in the PCL from 1956 through 1962, and from 1965 through 1969.
A Triple-A franchise named the Vancouver Canadians played for 22 seasons (1978-99) in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
at Nat Bailey Stadium
Nat Bailey Stadium
Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium is home to the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League and also plays host to the University of British Columbia baseball team.-Stadium history:...
. Following the 1999 season, in which they won the Triple-A World Series
Triple-A World Series
The Triple-A World Series is an infrequently held contest featuring the champions of each Triple-A level minor league of Major League Baseball, with the intent of crowning an overall champion of Triple-A Baseball....
, the team was purchased by a group led by Art Savage and moved to Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
for the 2000 season and became the Sacramento River Cats
Sacramento River Cats
The Sacramento River Cats is a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and is the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics....
.
Current team and management
The Canadians announced January 10, 2007 that Rick Magnante would return as ManagerManager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
for 2007, as well as pitching coach Craig Lefferts
Craig Lefferts
Craig Lindsay Lefferts was a relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs , San Diego Padres , San Francisco Giants , Baltimore Orioles , Texas Rangers and California Angels...
, who entered his 4th season as the pitching coach. Former Vancouver Canadian slugger Chris Pritchett
Chris Pritchett
Christopher Davis Pritchett is an international scout for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball, assigned to Canada...
was named the team's latest hitting coach in May 2007.
Since February 7, 2007 the Canadians have been owned by a local ownership group, Vancouver Professional Baseball Partnership, who intend to keep the team in Vancouver and initiate extensive upgrades to Nat Bailey Stadium. The stadium will be restored to a state similar to when it opened in 1951 with murals and trees adorning the outside, in addition to modernization improvements to the rest of the stadium.
The Canadians announced that former Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
marketing guru Andy Dunn would become the President and General Manager of the Canadians, on January 7, 2008.
For the 2008 season, the team had many 'headline names' on the roster, including Jeremy Barfield, son of Jesse Barfield
Jesse Barfield
Jesse Lee Barfield is a former Major League Baseball right fielder who played for the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees . He batted and threw right-handed. He lived in Tenafly, a suburb of New York City.Barfield was well known for his powerful, accurate throwing arm...
and brother of Josh Barfield
Josh Barfield
Joshua LaRoy Barfield is a second baseman who is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He is the son of former major league outfielder Jesse Barfield. Barfield was born in Venezuela during his mother's two-week winterball visit with his father...
.
In 2011 the Canadians became the Short Season A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. This helped see the team's attendance rise to 162,162 for the season. This was a team record. In September of 2011, the Vancouver Canadians won their first Northwest League Championship title, defeating the Tri-City Dust Devils
Tri-City Dust Devils
The Tri-City Dust Devils are a minor league baseball team in Pasco, Washington, United States. The Dust Devils are a Short-Season A classification team in the Northwest League and have been a farm team of the Colorado Rockies since their inception in 2001. The Devils play home games at Gesa...
9-2 to win the final series 2-1.