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Vancouver Canadians

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This article is about baseball team competing since 2000. For the earlier team of the Pacific Coast League, see Vancouver Canadians (PCL).

Vancouver Canadians
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassHigh-A (2021–present)
Previous classesClass A Short Season (2000–2020)
LeagueNorthwest League (2000–present)
Major league affiliations
TeamToronto Blue Jays (2011–present)
Previous teamsOakland Athletics (2000–2010)
Minor league titles
League titles (5)
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2013
  • 2017
  • 2023
Division titles (7)
  • 2004
  • 2005
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2013
  • 2014
  • 2017
First-half titles (1)
  • 2023
Wild card berths (2)
  • 2022
  • 2024
Team data
ColorsRed, dark red, black, silver, white
         
MascotBob Brown Bear[1]
BallparkNat Bailey Stadium (2000–present), Ron Tonkin Field (2021)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Diamond Baseball Holdings[2]
PresidentAndy Dunn
General managerAllan Bailey
ManagerBrent Lavallee
Websitemilb.com/vancouver
A game at Nat Bailey Stadium in 2007

The Vancouver Canadians are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Northwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bailey Stadium. They are currently the only MiLB team based in Canada.

History

[edit]

Prior to the 1999 season, the Vancouver Canadians Pacific Coast League franchise was purchased by a group led by Art Savage with the intention of relocating to Sacramento, California.[3] Despite winning the Pacific Coast League title and the Triple-A World Series the Canadians moved to California's capital city. Vancouver would not be without baseball as the Southern Oregon Timberjacks of the Northwest League announced relocation to fill the void in Vancouver.[4] The Canadians name resumed as members of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League in 2000.

Like the predecessor Pacific Coast League franchise, the new Canadians signed a player development contract with the Oakland Athletics. The Canadians had players such as Nick Swisher, Jeremy Brown, Jason Windsor, Joe Blanton, Rich Harden, Travis Buck, Dallas Braden, and Dan Straily on teams during this period.

In 2007, local Vancouver businessmen Jake Kerr and Jeff Mooney purchased the Vancouver Canadians and secured a 25-year lease with the City of Vancouver Parks Board. Extensive work began that offseason in a full-scale stadium renovation which improved washrooms, concessions, concourses, and children's play area. Point-of-purchase concessions increased substantially.

In January 2008, former Washington Nationals executive Andy Dunn become the President and General Manager of the Canadians.

In the spring of 2010, the Vancouver Canadians and Scotiabank announced a long-term partnership that would see Nat Bailey Stadium renamed to Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.

The Canadians became the Short Season A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays following the 2010 season. This helped see the team's attendance rise to 162,162 for the season, a team record. In September 2011, the Vancouver Canadians won their first Northwest League championship title, defeating the Tri-City Dust Devils, 9–2, to win the final series, 2–1. The following year, the Vancouver Canadians became back-to-back champions for the first time in franchise history, defeating the Boise Hawks, 12–9, to win the final series, 2–1.

In August 2013, outfielder Kevin Pillar became the first alumnus of the team to play in the major leagues for Toronto.[5]

On September 9, 2013 the Canadians became just the third Northwest League team to win three straight championships, defeating the Boise Hawks, 5–0, at Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium to win the final series, 2–1, in front of a sellout crowd.[6] The 2013 season also saw the Vancouver Canadians draw over 195,000 fans to Scotiabank Field, a fifth consecutive team record which included 23 sold-out games.

On November 4, 2013, the Vancouver Canadians were named the 2013 recipient of the John H. Johnson President's Award. The prestigious award is given to Minor League Baseball's top organization. It was the first time that a Canadian-based franchise won MiLB's top award.[7]

In 2016, the Canadians led the Northwest League with a total attendance of 222,363, averaging 6,177 per game.[8] This earned them the 2016 Esurance "Home Field Advantage Award" given to the organization in each affiliated minor league with the greatest attendance per percentage capacity.[9] In 2017, the Canadians won another championship, defeating Eugene, 2–1, to win the series, 3–1.[10] They beat their previous record in attendance with 239,527 people in total attendance for the 2017 season, averaging to 6,303 per game. On January 26, 2018, Toronto extended their player-development contract with Vancouver through the 2022 season.[11]

While the Canadians were unable to make the playoffs in 2018, coming in a close second in both the first and second half of the season, they still lead the league in attendance with an impressive 239,086 in total attendance.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minor League Baseball season was cancelled. In the winter of 2020 as part the reorganization of minor league baseball, Vancouver received an invitation to continue as the Blue Jays' High-A affiliate.[12] In a further change, they were organized into the High-A West along with five other teams previously of the Northwest League.[13]

The team began the 2021 season playing its home games at Ron Tonkin Field (the home field of the Hillsboro Hops) in Hillsboro, Oregon due to COVID-19 border restrictions.[14] The Canadians finished 5th in 2021, missing out on playoffs.

Prior to the 2022 season, the High-A West became known as the Northwest League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.[15] Vancouver finished 2nd in the 2022 season, qualifying for the first time to the new Northwest League playoffs system. Under the new playoffs system, a single best-of-5 series is played to determine the championship winner. Vancouver lost 3–0 to Eugene to finish runner-up.

In the 2023 season, the Canadians had the best overall record in the Northwest League at 77–54 and qualified for the playoffs by winning the first-half title with a 38–27 record. Vancouver defeated Everett 3–1 to win their first High-A Northwest League Championship.[16]

The 2024 season saw the Canadians again qualify for the playoffs, but they lost the championship series 3–1 to Spokane.

Early professional baseball in Vancouver

[edit]

Vancouver was an influential entity in the early history of the Northwest League. They were charter members of every version of the league that would eventually form the NWL, most notably as the sole team that survived the collapse of the Western International League (WIL) in 1922 when it reformed in 1937, winning four pennants in the WIL (1942, 1947, 1949, and 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, due to the NWL's shedding of all of its Canadian teams in order to focus on the American Pacific Northwest. 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 transferred there as the Vancouver Mounties. The Mounties played in the PCL from 1956 through 1962, and from 1965 through 1969.

Ballpark

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The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bailey Stadium which had hosted previous minor league teams.

Season-by-season records

[edit]
Season PDC Division Finish Wins Losses Win% Post-season Manager Attendance
Vancouver Canadians
2000 OAK West 2nd 39 37 .513 Dave Joppie 109,576
2001 OAK West 2nd 37 39 .487 Webster Garrison 118,357
2002 OAK West 4th 37 39 .487 Orv Franchuk 127,099
2003 OAK West 3rd 35 41 .461 Dennis Rogers 137,026
2004 OAK West 1st 42 34 .553 Lost to Boise in championship series 0–3 Dennis Rogers 140,037
Vancouver Canadians
2005 OAK West 1st 46 30 .605 Lost to Spokane in championship series 2–3 Juan Navarrette 124,708
2006 OAK West 3rd 39 37 .513 Dennis Rogers 123,878
2007 OAK West 2nd 37 38 .493 Rick Magnante 126,491
Vancouver Canadians
2008 OAK West 3rd 34 42 .447 Rick Magnante 129,073
2009 OAK West 2nd 36 40 .474 Rick Magnante 149,297
2010 OAK West 2nd 42 34 .553 Lost to Everett in division series 0–2 Rick Magnante 154,529
2011 TOR West 2nd 39 37 .513 Defeated Eugene in division series 2–1
Defeated Tri-City in championship series 2–1 		John Schneider 162,162
2012 TOR West 2nd 46 30 .605 Defeated Everett in division series 2–0
Defeated Boise in championship series 2–1 		John Schneider 164,461
2013 TOR North 2nd 39 37 .513 Defeated Everett in division series 2–0
Defeated Boise in championship series 2–1 		Clayton McCullough 184,042
Vancouver Canadians
2014 TOR North 1st 46 30 .605 Defeated Spokane in division series 2–0
Lost to Hillsboro in championship series 0–2 		Clayton McCullough 180,187
2015 TOR North 4th 34 42 .447 John Schneider 215,535
2016 TOR North 4th 29 45 .392 John Tamargo 222,363
2017 TOR North 1st 43 33 .566 Defeated Spokane in division series 2–0
Defeated Eugene in championship series 3–1 		Rich Miller 239,527
2018 TOR North 1st 40 36 .526 Dallas McPherson 239,068
2019 TOR North 4th 30 46 .396 Casey Candaele 235,980
2020 Season Cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2021 TOR - 5th 55 64 .462 Donnie Murphy 15,882[Note 1]
2022 TOR - 2nd 67 62 .519 Lost to Eugene in championship series 0–3 Brent Lavallee 313,256
2023 TOR - 1st 77 54 .588 Defeated Everett in championship series 3–1 Brent Lavallee 297,437
2024 TOR - 2nd 68 61 .527 Lost to Spokane in championship series 1–3 Brent Lavallee 274,892
Division winner League champions

Canadians attendance

[edit]
Year Total
Attendance		 Average Percent Change Ref
2000 109,576 2,884 N/A [17]
2001 118,357 3,115 +8.0% [18]
2002 127,099 3,345 +7.4% [19]
2003 137,026 3,606 +7.8% [20]
2004 140,037 3,685 +2.2% [21]
2005 124,708 3,370 –8.5% [22]
2006 123,878 3,260 –3.3% [23]
2007 126,491 3,419 +4.9% [24]
2008 129,073 3,585 +4.9% [25]
2009 149,297 3,929 +9.6% [26]
2010 154,592 4,068 +3.5% [27]
2011 162,162 4,267 +4.9% [28]
2012 164,461 4,445 +4.2% [29]
2013 184,042 4,843 +9.0% [30]
2014 180,187 4,870 +0.6% [31]
2015 215,535 5,825 +19.6% [32]
2016 222,363 6,177 +6.0% [33]
2017 239,527 6,303 +2.0% [34]
2018 239,086 6,292 –0.2% [35]
2019 235,980 6,210 –1.3% [36]
2020[Note 2] - - - [37]
2021[Note 1] 15,822 286 - [38]
2022[Note 3] 313,256 4,746 +1879.88% [38]
2023 297,437 2,306 –5.05% [38]
2024 274,892 4,262 –7.58% [39]

Roster

[edit]
Vancouver Canadians roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 30 Alex Amalfi
  • 25 Bo Bonds
  • 28 Irv Carter
  • 11 Pat Gallagher
  •  5 Aaron Munson
  • 17 Connor O'Halloran
  •  3 Kai Peterson
  • 40 Grant Rogers
  • 16 Kendry Rojas
  • 19 JJ Sanchez
  • 34 Grayson Thurman
  • 36 Geison Urbaez
  • 14 Ryan Watson
  • 10 Juaron Watts-Brown
  • 20 Chay Yeager

Catchers

  • 26 Nicolas Deschamps
  • 31 Jackson Hornung
  • 23 Jacob Sharp
  • 27 Alex Stone

Infielders

  •  6 Bryce Arnold
  • 18 Jamari Baylor
  • 21 Cutter Coffey
  •  1 Nick Goodwin
  •  4 Jay Harry
  • 15 Brennan Orf
  •  7 Adrian Pinto
  • 44 Peyton Williams

Outfielders

  • 22 Victor Arias
  •  8 Jace Bohrofen
  •  9 Marcos De La Rosa
  • 24 Je'Von Ward

Manager

  • 33 Brent Lavallee

Coaches

60-day injured list

  • -- Chris McElvain (full season)
  • 18 Carson Pierce
  • -- Roque Salinas

7-day injured list
* On Toronto Blue Jays 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated September 2, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Northwest League
 → Toronto Blue Jays minor league players

Media

[edit]

In the 2019 season, radio rights moved from CKST to CISL Sportsnet 650. As part of the deal, Sportsnet Pacific also gained rights to air a package of Canadians games on television.[40]

Notable former players in the major leagues

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Due to pandemic restrictions during the 2021 MiLB Season, the Canadians played in front of reduced crowds at Ron Tonkin Field in Hillsboro, OR.
  2. ^ The 2020 Minor League Baseball season was cancelled due to the advent of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  3. ^ Due to being promoted from Class A Short Season to High-A, Northwest League teams began playing an increased number of games beginning in 2021.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Meet Bob Brown Bear".
  2. ^ Ewen, Steve. "Vancouver Canadians sold to American company, promise business as usual". theprovince.com. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  3. ^ Johnson, Kelly. "Who's on first? Baseball war heats up after team purchased". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  4. ^ "Timberjacks will make move to Vancouver, B.C." Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. October 27, 1999. p. 6F.
  5. ^ "Echoes From 527: Kevin Pillar | Back in Blue Network – Toronto Blue Jays Website and Weekly Video Podcast". Backinblue.kc-media.net. June 11, 2013. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  6. ^ "Canadians win third consecutive championship". milb.com\date=September 10, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  7. ^ "Canadians earn 2013 President's Award". milb.com. November 4, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  8. ^ "Northwest League Attendance | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  9. ^ @vancanadians (April 11, 2017). "We have the best fans in @MiLB! Come celebrate winning the 2016 @esurance Home Field Advantage Award with your hometown team today!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ^ "Canadians win fourth title in seven years". MiLB.com. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  11. ^ "Vancouver Canadians on Twitter". Twitter. January 26, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  12. ^ "Blue Jays retain Vancouver Canadians as minor league affiliate". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  13. ^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  14. ^ "Vancouver Canadians to call Oregon home at start of baseball season due to COVID-19". CBC.ca. The Canadian Press. March 29, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  15. ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  16. ^ Weinrib, Ben (September 17, 2023). "Canadians stake claim to fifth NWL crown High-A Blue Jays prospects log timely hits, strong pitching in Finals". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  17. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2000)". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  18. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2001)". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  19. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2002)". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  20. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2003)". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  21. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2004)". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  22. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2005)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  23. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2006)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  24. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2007)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  25. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2008)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  26. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2009)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  27. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2010)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  28. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2011)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  29. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2012)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  30. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2013)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  31. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2014)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  32. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2015)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  33. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2016)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  34. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2017)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  35. ^ "Canadians Attendance (2018)". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  36. ^ "Northwest League Attendance | Northwest League Stats". Northwest League. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  37. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season shelved". MiLB.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  38. ^ a b c "Vancouver Canadians". TheBaseballCube.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  39. ^ "2024 Vancouver Canadians". BaseballReference.com. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  40. ^ "Vancouver Canadians jump to Sportsnet 650, get TV games in the deal". The Province. October 23, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
[edit]
Preceded by Northwest League franchise
2000–present 		Succeeded by
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