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By Brian Finlayson
Dayson Croes is taking his first steps into professional baseball this season, but it appears he’s been ready for this moment for quite some time.
The 23-year-old Croes has spent the past several seasons playing at the collegiate level and was given his first opportunity to play professionally when he signed with the Goldeyes. Now, just a month into the season, Croes leads the team in batting average, hits, and on-base percentage.
For him, he’s just doing what he’s done for his whole career.
“For the first time in pro ball, I’ve gotten into a routine really quickly,” he explained. “Honestly, I’m just playing the same game I’ve been playing since I was little.”
His routines and tendencies aren’t necessarily apparent to the naked eye, but looking closely, it’s clear it’s taken years of preparation to get to this point.
Despite being 23, Croes has the plate approach of someone beyond his years. Part of what has made him so successful this season is his plate discipline and knowing when to change his strategy. If you watch him closely, he will shorten his swing later in at-bats, making it easier to make contact and reducing his chances of striking out. It’s a skill that needs to be taught, and Croes knows exactly where he picked it up.
As Croes recalls, he attended Southeastern Community College, a junior college in Burlington, Iowa, and discovered the value in shortening his swing.
“They preached that whole two-strike approach to us. Shorten up and put the ball in play.”
And if they didn’t?
“If you ended up striking out there, you didn’t play. So, that’s something we worked on daily, and I kept it in my game moving forward.”
Knowing that putting the ball in play meant a greater chance of finding his way on base, he worked to incorporate the approach into his daily routines. He acknowledged that while it isn’t guaranteed, putting your bat on the ball has a much higher chance of producing something. Striking out, on the other hand, just means a slow walk back to the dugout.
Fans got to see that approach up close during the Goldeyes’ first homestand of 2023, where Croes led the team with a .389 batting average over the nine-game stretch. This was the first time that he had the opportunity to spend time in front of Goldeyes fans, and he loved every minute of it.
Having heard high praise from teammates who had already played at Shaw Park, Croes was expecting great things from the home park.
“It surpassed the expectations I had. It was just amazing,” Croes said. “The fans, the field, just everything was great. I loved playing in Winnipeg.”
The cherry on top of an already fantastic first homestand, however, was the fact that his family and girlfriend were able to attend his first professional games.
“It’s what I’ve always worked for, and for them to be there for my first professional homestand, it just made it that much more special.”
He hopes that they can make another trip up later in the season as well, but it was hard for him to put into words how important it was to him to have his family up for such a momentous occasion.
Now, as Croes looks to continue his impact on the team, he wants fans to know exactly what they’re getting from him.
“I’m always going to give my all every game,” he said. “I love to win, and I hate losing. I’m a sore loser, so I’m going to be giving my 100% and competing to win whenever I’m on the field.”
By Brian Finlayson
Occasionally, life has a way of tossing you a curveball when you aren’t expecting it. Winnipeg Goldeyes’ outfielder Max Murphy knows this all too well, but the curve he saw wasn’t thrown when he was batting. In Game 1 of the American Association Playoffs, the Goldeyes were facing off against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and were off to a hot start. Murphy himself was a spark for the team, starting his game with two doubles to help the Fish to a lead.
That’s when the curveball was thrown.
As he came home on a soft chopper to the pitcher, Murphy collided with the catcher, sending him flipping over RedHawks’ catcher Christian Correa. As he reached the ground, something was clearly off and as it turns out, he had broken both his tibia and his fibula in his left leg.
“It was crazy how hard I actually got hit,” Murphy explained. “It happened so fast that it didn’t hurt right away. I just knew how hard I hit my leg and then I reached down and could feel that it was broken.”
This came just one day before the news broke that Murphy was named the American Association Player of the Year, and while the concern at the time was on his health, Murphy felt privileged to have been awarded the honour.
With the 2023 season being his sixth year in the American Association, Murphy felt the need to soak in the history of the trophy, now having played with and against those who had captured the award before him.
“It means a lot, especially with being around a long time,” Murphy said. “Seeing some really incredible years, to have one myself is awesome and just a lot of fun.”
His incredible season being cut short didn’t put a damper on his spirit, but instead just had him itching to get back on his feet. Literally.
After only ten days, Murphy was starting the rehabilitation process, which began with only small movements to build some of his strength in the leg. Getting back to doing the things he loves was key to staying motivated on the road to recovery. By the New Year, he was already getting into his regular workouts and normal activity.
That said, Murphy knows things won’t feel exactly as they did. With the severity of his injury, he’s still feeling the occasional stiffness and knows that he’ll just have to keep working to get his body as right as it can be as the season grinds on.
The season itself was a motivator for Murphy, who saw a great deal of importance in returning to Winnipeg.
“Obviously, I love playing for the Goldeyes,” Murphy said. “Having a place that I can come back to, a good place, and having something to work for made it a lot easier to go through it all.”
While he was eventually deemed to be cleared for a return to play, his baseball career seemed to be hanging in the balance as he suffered the injury. The push to return was rooted in the desire to return to the Goldeyes, but also to remain active in all aspects of his life.
“[Returning to play] was part of it, but I’m a really active person and a lot of it was just being able to go out and do all the normal things I do.”
Murphy, an avid angler and hunter, uses off-field activities to help balance his career and personal life. While professional baseball has been a part of his life for nearly a decade, his other passions are just as much a part of him. For him, the on-field work was more of a short-term goal, but he knows his passions off the field will stick with him for the rest of his life.
“All my fishing, my hunting, I do all of that by myself normally out in the middle of nowhere,” Murphy explained. “I want to be able to walk out there and do all of that stuff even when I’m old. The short term, for me, was getting back on the field. The long-term was just being able to stuff I want to do for the rest of my life.”
There was a lot of reflection during the rehab process, knowing that the injury could impact his life on and off the field. He identified his motivations, but also his worries about coming back after such a painful experience.
Given the nature of the slide that caused his leg to fracture, Murphy believes that first play at the plate will come with some jitters. That said, he’s confident that once he does it, he’ll finally be back into the full swing of things.
Having come off of an award-winning season, Murphy’s preparation and approach have shifted slightly due to his injury, but more so now given the changing state of the Goldeyes’ roster.
“The team is completely different for the most part,” he stated. “For me right now, it’s just trying to help the team get going into a groove.”
He continued, explaining that his routine and daily activities helped last year become such an impressive campaign for him. He also credited the Goldeyes with having a great setup for him to shed the worries of having to establish his own set of tools for success.
“Knowing that I could just come to the field and get the things done I needed to, then relax until I had to play. That seemed to help me a lot.”
Now, entering his third season with the Goldeyes, Murphy looks to have another strong year and hopes that he’s able to fall back into the routine that made him so successful. His return to the team was a welcome sight to many, as he’s become a fan favourite throughout his time in the city.
With the season now underway, he’ll undoubtedly act as a leadership figure in a fairly young clubhouse. The team may look different than it has in past seasons, but the love of the game never faded for Murphy. Instead, his road back to playing only reasserted how much fun he has playing in Winnipeg, and that should be reflected in his on-field product.
By Fatima Alvarez
After spending his career overseas and down south, Marc-André Habeck, 29, is back home in Winnipeg to play for the Goldeyes and his excitement is clear.
“I’m really excited just to be home and have the comfort and be the hometown guy for a great established club – it's awesome.”
It’s been four years since a Winnipegger has played for the Goldeyes. Growing up in Winnipeg and playing baseball, Habeck played for the Bonnivital Black Sox. Habeck remembers coming to games as a kid and raising money for his teams through 50/50.
At the time Max Poulin – another French Canadian, was a Goldeye. “I remember Max Poulin a lot. He came to a lot of our practices. He taught me lessons as a kid,” said Habeck.
It’s a full circle moment for Habeck but isn't his first time playing in Shaw Park. He faced the Goldeyes three times back in 2021, playing for three different teams in the American Association.
In those three games, Habeck brought the noise with his friends, family, and the French community attending and cheering him on loud and proud. He pitched a total of 16 innings allowing eight runs while striking out six Goldeye batters. He recorded an earned run average of 4.50 and officially finished with a 1-1 record over that span.
“I’ve had a really interesting career. One of my goals was to come back and play here this season,” said Habeck.
As a right-handed pitcher, Habeck throws aggressively and likes to challenge hitters.
Last season Habeck pitched for Parma in the Italian Serie A. He went 7-0 with a 2.14 earned run average in 17 appearances. The French-Canadian also represented France in the World Baseball Classic Qualifying in 2022 and the European Championships in 2019 and 2021.
However, there is a big difference between playing in North America and Europe. In the American Association, you play 100 games a season, sometimes playing six days a week. Whereas in the Serie A, two to three games a week is the norm.
“It’s more of a grind for sure, but I'm really excited about it.”
With the beginning of home games approaching Habeck says he’s happy to be at home for a beautiful summer. Friends, family, and the French community are ready to rally and cheer for him and the Goldeyes.
“I’m excited to get to know all the fans. Come out and support we have a good team this year and make some noise for us.”
By Brian Finlayson
The Goldeyes’ first homestand of the 2023 season is now in the rear-view mirror, and it was a successful first stint at Shaw Park. Over a nine-game stretch, the Fish compiled a 6-3 record and outscored their opponents 49-37. They faced the Lake Country DockHounds, Kane County Cougars, and Sioux Falls Canaries.
It was the first time the home crowd had a chance to meet the Fish of 2023, and several players made a wonderful first impression. The home opener on May 19 allowed for introductions from a crowd near 6000, and many first-year Goldeyes were impressed by the support they received.
Rookie infielder Dayson Croes led the charge, hitting for a .389 average over the nine-game stand. His emergence as an offensive force in his first professional season has been a welcome addition to the top half of the Goldeyes lineup.
The other three members of the infield made their impacts felt as well, with shortstop Andy Armstrong, second baseman Brynn Martinez, and first baseman Jacob Bockelie all having productive at-bats. Bockelie led the team in run production, recording 11 Runs Batted In while adding a home run.
Returning Goldeyes also made their impact felt, with many finding their form over the homestand. One of those players was Max Murphy, the reigning American Association Player of the Year. Murphy had got off to a bit of a rough start, but it wasn’t exactly unexpected after an unconventional offseason. He was unable to begin his regular routines until the new year because of a broken leg he suffered in the first game of the American Association Playoffs.
As Murphy returned home, however, he began to settle back into the tendencies that made him so successful a season ago. He hit .294 with two home runs and 7 RBI, but the most encouraging thing was the competitive at-bats Murphy had as the homestand went on.
Additionally, second-year Goldeyes’ catcher, Hidekel Gonzalez continued his impressive power stroke to start the year, hammering three home runs.
On the mound, the Goldeyes’ ace from a year ago Luis Ramirez had a solid two appearances, recording a 2.08 ERA and striking out 15 batters. He started one game and relieved Travis Seabrooke who was functioning as an opener in the May 28 game against the Canaries.
Performances aside, one of the most notable developments from the homestand was the function of the pitch clock. In the nine games played, the average game time was 2:35, which is down a full 20 minutes from last year’s opening homestand. The 2022 homestand, however, featured two shortened games and still averaged a longer game time than what we’ve seen so far in 2023.
Much discussion surrounded the arrival of the pitch clock, which holds both hitters and pitchers accountable for the pace of play. This now eliminates the several stoppages and delays that often extended game times.
The Goldeyes are back home for a six-game stint from June 6-11, facing off against the Chicago Dogs and Kansas City Monarchs. Tickets can be purchased at goldeyes.com/tickets or at the Shaw Park ticket offices. Visit goldeyes.com for a list of promotional games and game times.
A great add-on for Group Events of 50 people or more, the Peak of the Market Picnic Park can accommodate up to 1,000 guests.
Arrive early and soak in the ballpark atmosphere: Picnics begin one hour before the game and conclude just prior to the opening pitch.
To book your pre-game picnic, contact our Group Event Planners at picnics@goldeyes.com or call 204-956-3212.
PRE-GAME PICNIC MENU
Minimum order of 50 for each menu selection. Taxes included.
Hot Dog Meal
per person
Hot Dog or Burger Meal
per person
Burger Meal
per person
All-You-Can-Eat (Hot Dog or Burger) Meal
per person
Above meals include 355ml canned drink, potato salad, coleslaw, condiments and all the fixings: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and cheese.
By Ron Arnst
One of the first tasks Sam Katz had shortly after purchasing a franchise in the Northern League and bringing professional baseball back to Winnipeg was finding a place to play.
In 1994, Winnipeg did not have a dedicated baseball stadium suitable to house the new pro team. So the Goldeyes’ owner had no option but to enter a partnership of convenience with the non-profit Winnipeg Enterprises Corporation, owner of Winnipeg Stadium and Winnipeg Arena.
It was not a happy union.
The makeshift baseball field was jammed into a corner of Winnipeg Stadium, the home field for the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. It featured artificial turf throughout and the shortest of short porches in left field.
Years later, Katz admitted the distance down the left field line was not the advertised 300 feet but closer to 280.
While the Goldeyes were finding their way on the field, Sam Katz was busy navigating the nooks and crannies of his partnership arrangement with Winnipeg Enterprises. He had varying degrees of success engaging his partner in giving the team and their fans what they needed.
But he also piled up mountains of frustration.
After one year of trying to make a success of the awkward arrangement and the quirky field, Katz knew he had to find a way to build his own ballpark.
It would be four more years before opportunity knocked.
The announcement that Winnipeg would host the 1999 Pan Am Games was the opportunity Katz had been waiting for.
Baseball was a high profile part of the Games, and Winnipeg needed a big time ballpark to host the competition.
Fueled by federal and provincial funding, the Goldeyes’ owner put together a proposal for a new ballpark. The plan featured the majority investment coming from private sources (in the end Katz alone footed the bill) with the new park to be located at The Forks.
Armed with a 100-page, professionally drafted business plan and a funding plan relying heavily on private money, Katz was shocked when the City of Winnipeg was not immediately interested, let alone enthusiastic. Negotiations dragged on, becoming increasingly acrimonious. Finally, faced with looming deadlines, Katz agreed to what the City wanted even though he felt strongly that it was a bad deal.
The time had come to build a ballpark.
General Manager John Hindle recalled several exploratory visits to ballparks in search of the best layout.
It was a visit to Fargo and the new Newman Outdoor Field that Hindle credits for a feature that would quickly become a calling card for Winnipeg’s facility: Concessions with clear site lines to the field so fans wouldn’t miss a minute of the action.
The renowned publication Ballpark Digest didn’t miss that feature in their review of the Goldeyes’ new home park:
“There’s a certain type of ballpark currently in vogue in the minor leagues: a raised mezzanine packed with concession stands, with a grandstand sloping down to the playing field. There are many advantages to this layout: the mezzanine area can accommodate socializing and fans can hit the concession stands without missing any of the action. There are a host of new ballparks adopting this model. Shaw Park fits in that mold, with an expansive mezzanine level, skyboxes, and large gift shop.”
First pitch at CanWest Global Park (Photo credit: Winnipeg Free Press)
The ballpark opened on May 24, 1999.
Goldeyes’ starting pitcher Shawn Onley threw the first pitch and Lundar, Manitoba’s Troy Fortin caught it. Fortin had joined the Goldeyes after requesting his release from the Minnesota Twins. He turned out to be a key contributor to the Goldeyes’ that year, batting .323.
History of Shaw Park (Video via YouTube/ShawTVWinnipeg1)
The first year was a great success with 248,488 fans attending; an average of more than 6,000 per game.
The Goldeyes scheduled an extended road trip for midway through their 1999 season to make the ballpark available to the Pan Am Games.
The 1999 Pan Am baseball competition was historic as it was the first one that allowed professional players to take part. Play began July 25 and concluded August 2. A total of nine teams competed: Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and the United States.
Manitoba's own Troy Fortin on Team Canada, 1999 Pan Am Games
With Goldeyes’ catcher Troy Fortin representing Manitoba (Fortin hit a remarkable .407), Team Canada scored a historic first, by claiming a Pan American Games baseball medal.
The Canadians had a strong start to the tournament winning all four of their round robin games including impressive wins over the United States and Cuba.
Troy Fortin in action for Team Canada, 1999 Pan Am Games
The win over the Americans was one of the most memorable. The US had a 6-3 lead with two out in the bottom of the 11th. Canada’s Andy Stewart electrified the wildly pro-Canada crowd with a booming 3-run homer to tie the game. Three batters later, the bases were loaded and 2B Stubby Clapp became Canada’s favorite son with a single to that scored the winning run. 7-6 Canada!
Canada faced perennial Pan Am baseball champions Cuba in the semi-finals. The Canadians had run roughshod over a listless Cuban squad in the round robin, beating them soundly 8-1. But the playoffs are a different beast. Canada took an early 2-0 lead. However, Cuban legend Omar Linares hit a 3-run homer in the third inning to give the defending Pan Am champions a lead they would not relinquish.
Falling short of the gold medal game, Team Canada faced Mexico for the bronze medal. Andy Stewart hit his tournament-best fourth homer and led Team Canada to the bronze medal with a 9-2 win.
Christened by a crowd of 6,708 on Opening Day and boosted into the international spotlight by the Pan Am Games, Winnipeg’s new ballpark hosted nearly 300,000 fans in 1999 as the Goldeyes reached their fourth Northern League Championship Series. The average attendance of 6,048 per game represented a 98.5 percent capacity for the season. It was a tremendous start for a run of success now entering a 25th year.
CanWest Global Park in 1999, original configuration
Each season, numerous Manitoba charities, inner-city programs and community groups experience the fun of a Goldeyes game through the Community Zone program.
Since ticket demand exceeds supply, the Goldeyes partner with civic-minded sponsors to help make these experiences happen. Community Zone tickets are intended for groups or families that otherwise would not be able to attend a game. The tickets work best for organized group outings (rather than individual handouts or social prizes) as we can accommodate groups of any size. Plus, our reserved seating allows your entire group to sit together.
Recipients have used the tickets for volunteer appreciation events, support group outings, cultural experience, and team building nights.
By Brian Finlayson
For many, Craft Beer Corner has become their go-to viewing point for Winnipeg Goldeyes games. After its opening in 2018, the large local beer-inspired area has provided fans with products from some of their favourite breweries from around Winnipeg.
Wanting to support the scene, the Goldeyes decided to create an entirely new patio experience that wasn’t just a space for people to mingle. This was a conscious effort to work with local breweries and allow for something that many teams don’t do: serve exclusively local brews.
Located at the end of the left-field grandstands, Craft Beer Corner provides fans with a great view of the game and of the Winnipeg skyline. It creates an entirely new environment and has proven effective in garnering interest from both baseball fans and beer lovers.
Furthering their efforts, a new event was created to give these breweries even more of the spotlight. Ballpark Brewfest was held for the first time in 2022 and created a testing environment for beer lovers on the Shaw Park concourse. This year, the Goldeyes are welcoming 24 breweries to take part in the tasting event, allowing Manitobans to meet their favourite brewers.
Ballpark Brewfest now returns for the second straight year and will be held on July 22, and will run all afternoon from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
In an announcement on June 5, Goldeyes General Manager Andrew Collier explained the significance of hosting Ballpark Brewfest again, expressing it as another meaningful step in supporting the local industry.
“We are uniquely positioned as the first professional team in Winnipeg to partner with local brewers,” Collier said. “Ballpark Brewfest takes this partnership one step further as we invite the breweries themselves into Shaw Park to interact with Manitobans and discuss the only thing that can rival baseball—BEER!”
For many fans, the commitment to the local industry is a huge driving point in supporting Craft Beer Corner. Then, once they arrive and soak in the atmosphere of an ice-cold local beer on a hot summer night at the ballpark, they’ll feel right at home.
It’s meant to express support for the breweries while also listening to the calls from fans to have a more local selection. The Goldeyes were in a unique position to satisfy both of those scenarios while creating just another part of what makes the game experience so unique.
Craft Beer Corner has rotating taps that switch between local breweries every homestand, meaning fans will have the opportunity to return throughout the year and have a different beer experience each time.
It’s hard to imagine a better partnership than local beer and baseball, and the Goldeyes have continuously proven that to be correct. Visit the Craft Beer Corner at your next game and enjoy an ice-cold brew while enjoying some Goldeyes baseball. Visit Goldeyes.com/tickets to get your spot out in left field at Craft Beer Corner.
Visit Goldeyes.com for more information on Ballpark Brewfest. Tickets are now available in limited quantities, so act fast to save your spot among the local breweries!
By Brian Finlayson
Greg Tagert is no stranger to Winnipeg, but now he’ll call the city home as he begins his tenure as Goldeyes manager.
Having spent 15 seasons with the Gary Southshore Railcats, he’s made several trips north to face off against the Goldeyes as a rival, but he’s excited to be a part of the home team now.
“Being a visitor there for many years, I became familiar with the city, Rick [Forney], and the front office,” Tagert explained.
“We were always treated extremely well as the opposing team.”
Goldeyes fans are lucky to have the familiarity gene with their managers, as they recently said goodbye to Rick Forney, who managed the team for 17 years. It was always going to be tough to replace such a familiar face, but bringing in someone who’s had 15 years of experience in both the Northern League and American Association is a great start.
Tagert and Forney have much in common in terms of their pedigrees. Both have found great success in their years in the league, capturing three championships each over their respective tenures. They also have a tendency to win a lot of ball games, with both managers recording 12 winning seasons in their careers in this league.
That being said, they also differ a fair amount with what the on-field product looks like.
“Rick and I, as much as we are alike in terms of what we want to accomplish, there are different ways to do it on the field,” Tagert said. “Anytime you’ve managed a long time, you somewhat get a style that’s familiar to you.”
Tagert has been known for his “small ball” style in this league, focusing heavily on the fundamentals to put together runs. In the past, the Goldeyes became well aware of this as the games against the Railcats were highly contested but in two entirely different ways.
He knows that the methods of different managers can vary visually, but he also knows that Goldeyes fans love to watch a good product on the field and certainly love to watch the team win. In terms of how that win comes about is less of the vision, but instead, it’s about the win on the board at the end of the night.
If you’ve been around the game as long as Tagert has, people are going to notice regardless of how you’re managing. He’s a baseball lifer, and his passion for the game has followed him wherever he goes, leaving a trail of success.
Recently, he had his number retired by the Railcats, and while he said he was surprised by the call, it comes as no surprise that his impact in Gary is widely felt.
“It’s a wonderful honour and I’m very appreciative of all the people who made it happen for me,” he expressed. “A lot of my family grew up there as we settled in while I was with the team, so this means a lot.”
Tagert spent the 2021 season in the Arizona Complex League with the San Francisco Giants organization, an experience that he is thankful for given the proximity to his family in California. He did mention that the Arizona weather didn’t hurt either, but the ability to have a level of control over building your roster was something he missed about the American Association.
He was uncertain if he would ever make his return to the league, but one thing held a great deal of importance to him. The Winnipeg Goldeyes. The ultimate factor in his return was that it was going to be for a team he has the utmost respect for.
“If it wasn’t the Winnipeg Goldeyes, I’d still be doing my job in Arizona,” Tagert said. “That’s the main factor, and it’s not disparaging any team on the partner league level, but they’re why I came back.”
Now that he’s made that decision and is in the dugout here in Winnipeg, he knows the stakes of joining an organization with such high standards. For him, it’s part of the challenge and he’s looking forward to adding his name to the list of successful managers in team history.
“My hope is to continue the legacy and the success that has been built from the ownership on down,” he explained. “The continuity is amazing and almost unheard of in our industry.”
There isn’t a reason to doubt Tagert’s ability to find the best in a ball club, and he’ll surely do that as his baseball journey begins in Winnipeg.
By Brian Finlayson
It’s been a unique few years for first-year Goldeye Jacob Bockelie.
While he may just be taking his first steps onto the field at Shaw Park in a Goldeyes uniform, Bockelie has seen it from the visiting dugout several times before.
In the span of two seasons, he found himself playing for three different teams as a replacement for teams that were unable to bring full rosters to Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. He played three games for the Sioux City Explorers, 10 for the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, and eventually settled in with the Cleburne Railroaders for the remainder of the 2022 season.
Instead of looking at this as a detriment to his career path, Bockelie used it as motivation to make great impressions to help make an impact for his respective team. He knew the situation as it happened, but he wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to be on the field, playing the sport he loves.
Now, he gets a chance to play 50 home games for the Goldeyes, and he’s beyond excited about the opportunity.
“There’s a lot that excites me about being a Goldeye,” Bockelie said candidly. “Mainly the atmosphere I’ve been able to witness playing against the Goldeyes. 50 games at this ballpark is almost an unbeatable experience at this level.”
He may be excited about getting the home schedule going, but he should give fans lots to like both on and off the diamond. He’s dedicated to winning, and above all else, enjoying the game he loves to play for as long as he can.
“I go out there and I play to have fun, but I also play to win,” he explained. “I don’t think you’re going to find someone that’s going to have more fun on the field than I am.”
He also wants fans to know that they’re part of what makes this special for him. He’ll be out there with a smile on his face and will never shy away from interacting with the people cheering him on. For him, Shaw Park’s fan experience is what he may be looking forward to most.
That being said, his success on the field is also something that could benefit from 50 games at Shaw Park. In his limited time here as a visitor, he knows the park has aspects that should appeal to hitters.
“You can see the ball really well,” Bockelie said. “When the lights go on, it’s one of the best for illuminating the ball. That’s a big part of trying to find my offensive success.”
Additionally, he also remarked how nice it is that the wind typically blows out, making it a fairly hitter-friendly ballpark. He also sees the fan support as a boost for players, who love to give the Goldeye faithful something to cheer about.
Throughout his career, he’s found himself in several different positions. That being said, he’ll usually wind up in his natural position as a catcher or hold down first base. This season, Goldeyes fans will most likely find Bockelie at the first base position, which is something he’s become quite comfortable with.
“I had a really great call with Greg [Tagert] about my role this year,” he mentioned. “It was more with me being at first base this year because we have some really good catchers this season, and I was totally on board with that.”
His positional flexibility is part of what made him successful as a roster addition during those difficult seasons. On nights when opponents could only field nine players, Bockelie was willing to step into new opportunities to try and help the team. He even saw time in the outfield, but he wanted to do whatever he could to help the team.
Ultimately, that’s what he wants to do wherever he may be. His entire mindset is focused on helping the team, ensuring that he’s doing everything in his power to help them win. His personal success was always a by-product of just trying to win.
“Thankfully, I was able to make an impact on a couple of teams,” Bockelie said. “Getting the opportunity and then getting the chance to stick around was huge for me.”
With him finally getting the opportunity to play in Winnipeg for a full season, he has an important message to the fans who come out to support him and the rest of the team.
“We’re going to have a great year this year,” he stated. “We’re in a position to do some damage as a team, and personally, I can’t wait to get out there in front of Goldeyes fans this year and have some fun.”
By Brian Finlayson
On Monday, July 3, a trio of Winnipeg Goldeyes received the call that they were being named 2023 American Association All-Stars.
Samuel Adames, Dayson Croes, and Max Murphy were awarded a spot on the West Division roster and all three have done more than enough to earn that honour.
Adames is in his first year with the Goldeyes and is making a great first impression on fans. Nearing the halfway point of the season, Adames’s 2.04 ERA ranks first on the Goldeyes and third among American Association pitchers with 20 or more innings pitched.
He remains the only Winnipeg pitcher to record a save this season and has five to this point in the year. His five saves have him placed sixth in the league as he continues to show up on leaderboards with his standout season.
Max Murphy, the reigning American Association Player of the Year, gets All-Star recognition after making his way back to the top of the league’s leaderboards.
While Murphy has chosen to forego participation in this year’s festivities, his accomplishments are still worthy of his selection.
This season, he’s picking up right where he left off in 2022. Among the league leaders, he ranks second (14) in home runs and fourth in RBI (46). He leads the Goldeyes in both of those categories, while also leading the team in slugging percentage.
Murphy has made a habit of collecting extra-base hits and getting on base, and it shows. He is second on the Goldeyes in doubles (10) and in OPS (on-base plus slugging) at 0.896.
After a bit of a slow start for the veteran slugger, his averages have bounced back, and he now sits fifth among Goldeyes regulars with a .262 batting average.
Dayson Croes is having a spectacular rookie season and now you can add “American Association All-Star” to the list of the many impressive feats he has accomplished.
Croes, 23, has been among the American Association leaders in both base hits and batting average for nearly the entire season. In his first professional season, he’s making his mark and now getting the chance to showcase it on the league’s biggest stage.
His average has not dipped below .340 since May 26 against the Sioux Falls Canaries. Since that time, he has batted in the high .300’s even reaching .398 at one point. In fact, thanks in part to his 25-game hit streak that stretched from May 14 to June 13, he has only been held hitless five times all season.
His plate discipline is something to behold as well. In 192 official at-bats this season, Croes has struck out just 14 times. In terms of how that ranks in the league, among players with 150 or more at-bats, he has the second-fewest strikeouts.
He’s credited his patient approach to the early days of his career in Junior College, and clearly, it has carried over to his success in his first professional season.
Adames and Croes will make their All-Star debuts on July 18 in Franklin, Wisconsin at the 2023 All-Star Game hosted by the Milwaukee Milkmen.
By Ron Arnst
NOTE: This article is the first of a two-part story. Part 2 will appear in the next edition of the Goldeyes Digital Magazine.
Sam Katz had to buy three baseball teams before they would let him field one.
The successful entertainment industry entrepreneur had a business relationship and personal friendship with Pat Gillick, then General Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, and it was Gillick who prompted Katz to investigate bringing professional baseball to Winnipeg.
Sam initially set his sites on Triple A baseball, the highest minor league – one step below the majors. He purchased the Edmonton Trappers of the Pacific Coast League only to have the league owners deny the deal which was dependent on moving the team to Winnipeg.
Undeterred, he turned to the Denver Zephyrs of the Triple A American Association only have his purchase similarly turned away.
But Katz remained motivated to bring affordable, family-friendly baseball entertainment to Winnipeg.
When he learned a fledgling independent league was looking to replace a franchise in their 6-team organization, he told Northern League Commissioner Miles Wolff he was interested.
The purchase and relocation of the former Rochester Aces to Winnipeg was quickly done.
Doug Simunic, the manager of the Rochester team the year before, was brought on as the Goldeyes’ first manager.
Winnipeg sporting equipment retailer John Hindle was hired as the team’s first General Manager. Hindle recalls that he initially contacted Katz because he saw the new team in town as a great business opportunity. And when the two first met, Katz began to interview what he thought was a potential management candidate but Hindle was still trying to make a deal to provide the new team with their equipment needs.
The initial misunderstanding was quickly resolved and Hindle came on board.
That first season also had the hiring of another critical piece of the Goldeyes’ history – Andrew Collier. Then 24, Collier was working at IBM when he joined Katz in a golf game. On the 14th hole, Andrew asked Sam for a job.
Collier quickly rose from box office employee to management and ultimately General Manager. On and off the field, the Goldeyes have consistently proven the value and wisdom of acquiring good people, putting them in the right place, and letting them succeed.
If baseball was church, Opening Day would be the highest of high holidays. Coinciding with spring and the freshening of a new year, Opening Day brings its own freshening - a new season full of promise and possibility.
June 7th, 1994 marked an Opening Day like no other. It confirmed the re-birth of the historic Winnipeg Goldeyes franchise - in a different league, in a different ballpark but the Winnipeg Goldeyes nonetheless.
And Winnipeg was more than ready for the return of professional baseball.
Without professional baseball for more than two decades - the Triple A Whips were a distant memory - Winnipeg was a much-desired location in the eyes of the fledgling independent league. Northern League Commissioner Miles Wolff told Scott Taylor of the Winnipeg Free Press that the Winnipeg was a coveted site for a franchise.
“When the old Northern League was establishing itself… as one of the best minor-league operations in baseball, Winnipeg was one of the flagship franchises. That’s why we still want Winnipeg in the league. For a year and a half, I’ve made it clear that Winnipeg is a desired city.”
General Manager Hindle recalled the mammoth task for preparing the newly-minted Goldeyes organization for its first season was “different, exciting, crazy, wild” extremely fast-paced and overwhelming, with too many things to do and not enough people to do them. Hindle says he found the only way they could make progress was by communicating well and focusing on what needed done right now.
He says it all paid off on Opening Day on June 7th when 14,764 Winnipeg fans showed up to watch their new team in action.
They would not be disappointed.
Tim Cain, an All-Star with Rochester the year before, threw the first pitch in the new Goldeyes’ history. His battery-mate, former big league catcher Dann Bilardello, contributed a single and a double in a 9-1 win over the Duluth-Superior Dukes. The Goldeyes struck for 7 runs in the 5th inning, effectively putting the game out of reach. Second baseman Dave Lowery hit a 2-run triple in the big inning.
With a wildly successful first game behind them, things looked pretty rosy for the team.
But baseball has a way of bringing you back to earth and the Goldeyes landed with a resounding thump.
NOTE: This article is the first of a two-part story. Part 2 will appear in the next edition of the Goldeyes Digital Magazine.
By Ron Arnst
NOTE: This article is the second of a two-part story. Part 1 appeared in the previous edition of the Goldeyes Digital Magazine.
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With a wildly successful first game behind them, things looked pretty rosy for the 1994 Winnipeg Goldeyes team.
But baseball has a way of bringing you back to earth and the Goldeyes landed with a resounding thump.
The Goldeyes finished the first half of the 80-game season well back of the first place Sioux City. The Explorers won 27 of their first 40 and secured a spot in the Northern League Championship series.
The Goldeyes won only 16 games while losing 24. They faced a huge comeback challenge if they wanted to earn a playoff spot.
Manager Doug Simunic, who would go on to earn a reputation as an excellent judge of baseball talent as well as an unparalleled architect of winning teams, made a shrewd move very early in the season. He acquired a player he knew from his previous job in Rochester, outfielder Steve Dailey.
The 24-year-old had played well for Simunic’s Aces but ended up in Duluth after a dispersal draft. Dailey and Duluth did not fit well, Steve hit a meagre .129 over the first 10 games of the season. As Dailey told the Winnipeg Free Press:
“I couldn’t hit my way out of a wet paper bag with Duluth, but I told (Simunic) ‘I’ve always hit. I’m going to hit,’ but for it to happen that quickly —like immediately, the first game — I was all of a sudden feeling good and the rest is history.”
Steve Dailey
History indeed.
Dailey hit .340 for the Goldeyes and led the club with 14 homers. Dailey’s resurgence was a significant factor in the Goldeyes’ second half turnaround.
Simunic also went to work over the short break between the end of the first half and the beginning of the second 40-game mini-season. His two most prominent and impactful acquisitions were a pair of veteran players: Pete Coachman and Jim Wilson.
Coachman was a career .281 hitter in the minor leagues, most of it at the Triple A level.
Wilson was a power hitter was experience in the high minors where he hit over 100 homers.
Both were pivotal pieces in the rebuild.
Jim Wilson
Pete Coachman
Mike Hankins
Dave Lowery
Darryl Brinkley topped the team with 44 RBI while hitting a strong .293.
The Goldeyes were strong up the middle. Shortstop Mike Hankins was a .320 hitter and second baseman Dave Lowery checked in at .284. Together, Hankins and Lowery totaled 98 double plays.
Simunic also credited his catcher, Dann Bilardello, with being a driving force in the second half comeback.
On the mound, former major leaguer Jeff Bittiger was the team’s best starting pitcher, finishing with a 9-4 record and a 3.05 ERA in 14 starts. Bittiger pitched 85 2/3 innings in 1994, allowing just 70 hits, only 3 homeruns and striking out 100 opposing batters.
Mark Futrell and Jack Jones were the next best hurlers on the staff. Both performed double duty, starting and relieving. Futrell appeared in 20 games, 12 of them as a starter. He posted an 8-5 record and a 3.30 ERA. Jones got into 24 games including 9 starts. He won 6, lost 5 and pitched to a team best 3.03 ERA.
Jeff Bittiger
Remarkably, the Goldeyes made their second half Championship run without the man who may have been their best pitcher. Opening Day starter Tim Cain dominated Northern League opponents, winning 5 of his 6 starts with a stingy 2.30 ERA. Cain was so good that the Boston Red Sox wasted no time in buying his contract and assigning him to their Double A New Britain farm team.
As the second half of the 1994 season began, it quickly became apparent that the Goldeyes were a team to be reckoned with. They had what every Championship team has - strength up the middle, a strong veteran core and an ample supply of talented younger players.
They rolled through the second half, winning 27 games and finishing first. That meant a berth in the Northern League’s best of five final series. Their opponents would be first half winners Sioux City.
The Explorers were almost as good in the second half as they were in the first, winning another 25 games and ending the season with as 11-game hit streak. Even the most ardent of the 212,571 fans the Goldeyes drew in 1994 had to admit their team was the underdog in this fight.
The Goldeyes defied the experts form charts, and shocked the Explorers, by winning the first game 5-3 on Darryl Brinkley’s 2 out, 2 run double in the top of the 8th. They put an exclamation point on the series with a resounding 16-1 win in game two.
The Explorers showed their mettle and denied the Goldeyes a sweep with a 6-3 win in Winnipeg, setting the stage for a pivotal game the next night.
Game four welcomed 7,379 fans, many hoping for a Goldeyes triumph that had seemed improbable just a few days earlier. Dann Bilardello, the former Montreal Expo who was a big contributor to the Opening Day win, ensured the fans would go home happy with a grand slam homer in the 4th inning.
September 9th, 1994, was red-circled as the date of the Winnipeg Goldeyes first Championship.
The Championship was completely unexpected by the Goldeyes organization. General Manager John Hindle called it “almost too much” after the wildly successful first season.
Owner Sam Katz said it defied pro sports logic that dictated new franchises invariably had to suffer through difficult times before grabbing the brass ring.
The post-game scene was what we normally expect a Championship celebration to be. Back slapping, unconstrained joy and smiles big enough to fill the ballpark. On the field, in the midst of the happy mayhem, Bilardello found Goldeyes’ owner Sam Katz.
“Enjoy this Sam. Enjoy it all. You never know when it will happen again.”
The well-meaning Goldeyes’ star had no idea how right he would be.
It would be 18 years before the Goldeyes would hoist a Championship trophy again.
[Editor's note: The author was standing next to Bilardello and Katz as this exchange happened back in 1994]
By Ron Arnst
They line up. They step up. They speak up. They show up every night.
They come in all sizes and all ages.
They are loyal, passionate, fun-loving and enthusiastic.
They are also hardy. Boy, are they hardy.
Not only able to withstand the vagaries of Winnipeg weather they seem almost eager to bask in the unrelenting heat, face bone chilling winds and defy the driving rain.
If you ask Goldeyes’ General Manager Andrew Collier, he will tell you it’s that never-say-die spirit that sets Goldeyes baseball Fans apart.
Since the 1994 return of the Goldeyes, 6,857,112 Fans have hollered their hearts out, urging their hometown heroes to even greater heights.
They have been front and center for all the big moments, the history-making events, the record breaking achievements... and the soul crushing defeats, too.
Sure, they came for the excitement. They stayed for the winning. But they came back and keep coming back for far more complicated reasons.
You can call it atmosphere or “the Fan experience” but Goldeyes’ owner Sam Katz thinks of it as putting the paying customer before everything.
Goldeyes Director of Sales and Marketing Dan Chase often quotes Katz’s devotion to serving Goldeyes Fans.
“Sam has a saying - the answer is yes, now what’s the question.”
That can-do attitude permeates the entire organization and sharpens the focus on delivering the best possible Fan experience every night at the ballpark. It is also a driving force behind a Goldeyes’ innovation - the Fan services representative.
The Goldeyes were the first pro sports organization in Winnipeg to embrace the concept of “ushers” who do much, much more.
Chase says Goldeyes Fan Services Representatives - and the whole organization for that matter - undergo very specific training on the specialized customer service regimen dubbed “The Goldeyes Way”.
There are rare occasions when the Fans are a bigger story than the players and the game.
August 18, 1997 was one of those times.
Faced with using a make-shift field jammed into a corner of a football field, the Goldeyes decided to use the cavernous impossible-to-sell-out stadium to their advantage. General Manager John Hindle approved a plan by a staff member who wanted to try to set an attendance record for minor league, short season, professional baseball. The target was 20,000 and Andrew Collier recalls his colleagues coming together in a massive effort.
As news of the effort spread throughout Winnipeg and across Manitoba’s baseball community, the record attempt gained momentum. And when game day came, over 22 thousand Fans showed up. The record belonged to the Winnipeg Goldeyes and, most appropriately, their Fans.
Record-setting crowd at Winnipeg Stadium, Aug 18, 1997
Sometimes the most impressive efforts come from individual Fans.
Decades worth of Goldeyes memorabilia crowd basement rooms, spare bedrooms and refitted garages in various Winnipeg neighbourhoods. Collections of special baseballs, bobble head figurines and novelty items line shelves and occupy entire walls.
(Photo credit: Mike Sudoma/Winnipeg Free Press)
Special jerseys carrying favourite players’ names and numbers fill closets. Dedicated Fandom knows few limits and their collections of cherished baseball artifacts serve as reminders of even more cherished memories.
(Photo credit: Mike Sudoma/Winnipeg Free Press)
Over the years, some Goldeyes’ Fans have had an opportunity to build a much closer relationship with their baseball heroes.
The Goldeyes Host Family program has involved hundreds of players who choose to move into a Fan’s home rather than a rented hotel suite or apartment. It’s far more than a bed-and-breakfast arrangement. The players are taken into the homes and hearts of willing Fans. And they end up making a relationship that often endures for a lifetime.
Host families and players from the 2022 season
From deep and lasting personal relationships fostered by the host families to the enthusiastic, engaged game day Fans, the connection between Goldeyes Fans, players and the organization is strong.
Goldeyes icon Rick Forney spent 25 years as a player, coach and manager performing for the Fans. And he has no hesitation calling Goldeyes Fans “second to none.” Forney says he maintains several relationships with Fans over the years and plans to continue staying in touch.
Rick Forney -- like scores of players who have donned Goldeyes colors -- is definitely a fan of the Fans.
By Ron Arnst
2012 was not supposed to be the year the Winnipeg Goldeyes’ long Championship drought would end.
It was supposed to happen a year earlier.
The 2011 Goldeyes finished first in the American Association North Division winning 60 games and scoring 105 more runs than they gave up. But a heart-breaking loss to the St. Paul Saints in the fifth game of the best of five semi-final extended the drought to an 18th season.
The 2012 Goldeyes team won 55 and lost 45, finishing second in the American Association North Division.
Goldeyes' right fielder Josh Mazzola led the team with 18 homers in the regular season. Yurendell de Caster hit a reliable .327 while manning a number of infield positions. Center fielder Chris Roberson contributed a .317 average with 36 steals. On the mound, Matt Rusch won 10 games and posted a sparkling 2.40 ERA. The bullpen revolved around side-arming closer Brian Beuning who won 5 games and saved 6 with a remarkable 0.99 ERA.
Despite some laudable performances, the Goldeyes struggled mightily to qualify for the post season.
They finally punched their ticket to the playoffs on the second last day of the season.
The Goldeyes received a dubious reward for making the playoffs - a first round date with the powerful Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, winners of 65 games and first place finishers in the American Association North. Worse yet, the RedHawks had won 12 of 18 regular season games against the Goldeyes.
Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney admitted that he was not sure his team was up to the task of toppling the mighty RedHawks. A phone call from a friend before the first game of the series provided some reassurance and a huge dose of foreshadowing. Forney’s pal reminded him that in the playoffs anything can happen.
The Goldeyes’ manager was not the only one looking to catch a little lightening in a bottle.
Third baseman Amos Ramon, who hit a respectable .282 in the regular season but only 4 homers, was focused on personal redemption.
He had faced Fargo in the 2006 playoffs and went 0-for-16 at the plate as the Goldeyes lost the series. He said he was not going to let that happen again and admitted he entered the first games with “a chip on my shoulder”.
Ramon doubled in his first at-bat setting up the Goldeyes’ first run of the game as they tried to overcome an early Fargo 2-0 lead. Amos doubled again in his second at bat and came up in the 7th with a runner on base. He recalled some sage advice from one of his former managers and now RedHawks’ pitching coach Steve “Mongo” Montgomery.
After a meeting on the mound, Montgomery said, a pitcher will very often throw a fastball and try to get an early strike. Armed with that advice, Ramon jumped on the first pitch fastball and hammered it over the center field fence - the deepest part of the ballpark.
The Goldeyes’ 4-2 win gave them an early and very unexpected 1-0 lead in the best of five series.
If the first game was a surprise, the second was a shock.
The Goldeyes fell behind 3-0 but roared back on a pair of home runs by Josh Mazzola and one by Yurendell de Caster to claim a thrilling 5-3 win.
The Goldeyes were one win away from advancing to the American Association Championship series.
Coming home up two games to none and looking to complete the sweep, the team that was supposed to be Fargo fodder was starting to look like a team of destiny.
Matt Rusch was brilliant through seven innings for the Goldeyes but gave up an early run. A fourth inning rally fueled the Goldeyes’ comeback. Two runs scored on Kyle Day’s grounder that went through the Fargo first baseman and Amos Ramon added a crucial 2-run single to give Rusch and the Goldeyes bullpen all the runs they would need.
The Goldeyes swept the RedHawks and set their sights on the AA Championship and the Wichita Wingnuts.
The first game of the 2012 American Association Championship series was one of the most thrilling games ever played at Shaw Park. It was a back-and-forth struggle from the outset. Three times Wichita took the lead. Three times the Goldeyes came back to tie the score.
The game went to extra innings. With a packed crowd on the edge of their seats, Goldeyes’ designated hitter Barbaro Canizares pounded a 3-0 pitch deep into the Manitoba night. The game winning blast unleashed a roar that could well have rattled windows miles away.
Game two followed a by-now familiar pattern: the Goldeyes fell behind, they rallied behind a key hit to take the lead and they won.
This time it was the bottom of the sixth, the Goldeyes had two runners on base and Amos Ramon due up.
Amos recalls Goldeyes’ batting coach reminding him that the Wingnuts’ pitcher was throwing him a slider when the count was 2-0.
Sure enough, the count went to 2-0, the slider came as predicted, and it left in a hurry over the left field wall.
Ramon’s 3-run homer put the Goldeyes ahead 5-3 and on the road to a fifth straight playoff win.
Game three in Wichita as almost anti-climactic given the nailbiters the previous games had been. Five Goldeyes runs in the second inning paved the way to an 8-3 win and a sweep of the Championship series.
The Goldeyes had finally claimed their second Championship after an excruciating wait of nearly two decades.
Understandably, the 2012 title ranks first in Andrew Collier’s heart.
The Goldeyes had two strong candidates for the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs: Closer Brian Beuning (6GP, 11 2/3 IP, 0.77 ERA, 1-0, 4 saves) and third baseman Amos Ramon (.476, 10 hits, 2 HRs, 9 RBI).
When the decision was announced, Ramon said he was surprised he had won. The moment remains at the top of Amos’ baseball achievements.
There had never been a sweep of the American Association playoffs. The Goldeyes won 6 games in a row to become the first team to complete the Championship quest without losing a single game.
MVP Ramon believes the 2012 Championship was important to the Goldeyes franchise but also to the entire city.
He recalls that Winnipeg had not claimed a pro sports championship in quite some time and the Goldeyes win inspired the city. He said winning the title for his new hometown meant a lot to him.
But more than what they did, it was how they did it.
The team that barely scrambled into the playoffs, that trailed more often than they led, found a way to win.
There is not likely to be a Goldeyes Championship quite like this one.
By Ron Arnst
Every summer, they all chase it.
Millions of them around the globe. All chasing the dream of a professional baseball career in the major leagues. It is a dream that only a very select few will be talented enough and lucky enough to turn into reality.
The Winnipeg Goldeyes have had their fair share of success in getting players started down the path that could lead them to the Major Leagues.
Nine Winnipeg Goldeyes have made the arduous journey to the Majors. Once there, their accomplishments have been impressive including All Star games and postseason play.
• • •
The first Goldeyes alumnus to reach the Majors, right-handed pitcher Mike Cather, made his Major League debut on July 13, 1997, with the Atlanta Braves.
Soon after setting the Goldeyes’ single-season saves record in 1995, the Braves purchased Cather’s contact.
The Braves called him up midway through the 1997 season. Cather was a key member of the Atlanta bullpen as the Braves cruised to the National League East title.
• • •
The second Goldeyes alumnus to reach the Major Leagues, Canadian right-handed pitcher Jeff Zimmerman made his Major League debut on April 13, 1999, with the Texas Rangers.
Shortly after nailing down Northern League Rookie Pitcher of the Year honors in 1997, Zimmerman was on his way to spring training after the Rangers purchased his contract. Zimmerman was named the Rangers’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 1998, and made it to the Majors the following season—highlighted by an appearance in the 1999 MLB All-Star Game at Boston’s Fenway Park.
Goldeyes’ former General Manager John Hindle remembers receiving a phone call from Zimmerman who was looking for an opportunity. Shortly after arriving in Winnipeg, Zimmerman had a chance to show his ability, quickly impressing Hindle and Goldeyes field manager Hal Lanier.
• • •
The third Goldeyes player to reach the Majors, right-handed pitcher Jeff Sparks made his Major League debut on September 12, 1999, with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
After setting the Goldeyes’ single-season saves record in 1998, Sparks was poised to make the Majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1999 before a mid-season trade to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Sparks received the call that all baseball players dream of, as the Devil Rays promoted him to the big club in August of 1999.
• • •
The fourth Goldeyes’ alumnus to reach the Majors, left-handed pitcher George Sherrill made his Major League debut on July 16, 2004, with the Seattle Mariners.
Former Goldeyes manager Rick Forney calls Sherrill’s rise to the big leagues “an amazing story” of a pitcher who rebuilt himself through hard work and determination.
Sherrill opened the 2004 season with Triple-A Tacoma. He was scheduled to pitch in the Pacific Coast League All-Star Game, only to decline the opportunity when the Mariners called him up.
Sherrill made 21 relief appearances for the Mariners, and even came back to Winnipeg to instruct at the Goldeyes’ Holiday Skills Camp. Sherrill was back in Seattle in 2005 where he recovered from early shoulder trouble to make 29 more Major League appearances.
Sherrill was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 2007. On July 6, 2008, Sherrill was named as one of the closing pitchers to represent the American League in the 2008 All-Star Game.
In his first All-Star game appearance, Sherrill struck out two batters and gave up one hit over 2 1/3 innings. He pitched part of the 12th, and all of the 13th and 14th innings in the record-setting 15 inning game.
• • •
The fifth Goldeyes’ player to reach the Majors, left-handed pitcher Bobby Madritsch made his Major League debut on July 21, 2004, with the Seattle Mariners.
Purchased by the Mariners just days before he was named Baseball America’s Independent Player of the Year in 2002, Madritsch earned Double-A Texas League all-star honors with the San Antonio Missions.
Madritsch began 2004 with Triple-A Tacoma in the Pacific Coast League and, three months later, the Mariners called him up.
Madritsch totaled 11 starts and four relief appearances for Seattle, and returned to the Majors in 2005 where he made the Opening Day roster. Madritsch suffered a torn ligament in his pitching shoulder after his first outing in 2005.
• • •
Infielder Brian Myrow made his Major League debut on September 6th, 2005 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Myrow was the first Goldeyes’ position player to reach the Majors.
His contract was originally purchased by the New York Yankees early in the 2001 season and he spent nearly three years with the Yankees’ organization before being traded to Los Angeles.
Myrow played the remainder of 2004 and much of 2005 in Triple-A and when the Dodgers called him up to the big club with a month left in the Major League season.
After spending one year playing in Korea, Myrow played brief stints for the San Diego Padres in 2007 and 2008. Myrow returned to the Goldeyes in 2011 before spending the final years of his career with the Grand Prairie Air Hogs.
• • •
Right-handed pitcher Brandon Kintzler was called up by the Milwaukee Brewers on September 10, 2010 and pitched in Double and Triple A.
Kintzler pitched for the Goldeyes in 2007 and 2008, primarily as a starter winning 12 games over two seasons.
Video credit: MLB.com
Kintzler has played the last 10 years at the Major League level with the Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cubs, compiling a 3.37 ERA in 424.1 Major League innings. Kintzler earned his first All-Star selection while playing for the Twins in 2017.
• • •
Left-handed pitcher Ian Thomas made his major league debut on March 31st, 2014 for the Atlanta Braves, making the jump straight from Double-A.
In 2009, Thomas signed with the Goldeyes as a non-drafted free agent out of Virginia Commonwealth University. In a span of three seasons with the Goldeyes, Thomas was 11-5 with a 2.03 ERA in 82 relief appearances, and was named the 2010 Northern League’s Rookie Pitcher of the Year.
Video credit: YouTube.com/MLB
Ian was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015.
• • •
Brennan Berardino is the most recent Goldeyes’ alumnus to play in the major leagues.
The lefthander pitched for the Goldeyes in the last half of the 2018 season before signing with Tijuana of the Mexican League. He made his major league debut with the Seattle Mariners on July 31, 2022.
Bernardino’s contract with purchased by the Boston Red Sox and he is on their active major league roster.
• • •
The American Association of Professional Baseball is often referred to as a “second chance” league. Every year, teams
offer opportunities for young men striving to keep their Major League dream alive.
While losing a good player can be difficult at the time, the Winnipeg Goldeyes are proud to acknowledge and celebrate all those who have reached the pinnacle of baseball achievement.
By Ron Arnst
It is not unusual for professional athletes and teams they play for to engage in charitable activities often described as “giving back to the community”. Without exception these programs are very well intended and enthusiastically carried out.
The Winnipeg Goldeyes Field of Dreams Foundation is a shining example of “giving back” and has been for three decades.
Goldeyes’ General Manager Andrew Collier has served as Treasurer for the Field of Dreams Foundation since its inception.
Established in the Goldeyes’ second season, the Field of Dreams Foundation has supported children’s charities in Manitoba with over $2.6 million in grants.
Photo credit: Movement Centre
The Foundation’s funding sources are many and varied, ranging from the Goldeyes’ annual Field of Dreams Foundation Golf Tournament to Fan donations, Ks for Kids pledges, the Radar Pitching Booth on the concourse at Shaw Park, memorabilia silent auctions and the sale of 50/50 tickets during games.
Clearly, Fan involvement and commitment to the Field of Dreams Foundation is a critical factor in its success.
The grassroots focus of the Field of Dreams Foundation is the basis of its charitable philosophy. The Foundation focuses on helping smaller organizations where every dollar makes a direct impact.
The Foundation also has a baseball-specific cause it supports, awarding Baseball Manitoba Scholarships annually.
These $1,000 scholarships are awarded to members of Baseball Manitoba who are continuing with post-secondary education and will be maintaining their involvement in the baseball community. Scholarships are awarded based on an individual’s baseball ability, academics and service to their community.
• • •
While the Field of Dreams Foundation is the primary focus of the Goldeyes’ community outreach, it is far from the only activity.
The Goldeyes’ Community Zone is open to various Manitoba charities, inner-city programs and community groups. The Community Zone program provides groups or families who would not otherwise be able to attend the opportunity to experience the fun of a Goldeyes game. Civic-minded community sponsors are regularly engaged to assist with the program.
Goldeyes’ players and mascots, Goldie and Goldette, are also busy outside of game-day.
The Goldeyes’ Junior Fan Club offers baseball Fans 12 and under the chance to get to know Goldie and Goldette as well as various Goldeyes’ players.
Special activities, such as I Love to Read Month, also involve Goldeyes’ personnel every year.
Fans sitting in the Community Zone, 2022.
Leading a kids' skills camp in Thompson, MB, 2023.
Visiting a school during "I Love to Read" Month, 2023.
• • •
While these undertaking are commonly referred to has “giving back”, there is little doubt that the benefit flows both ways.
Goldeyes’ players are eager to meet and enjoy the company of their Fans while also helping them enjoy all the aspects of Goldeyes baseball.
Whether you are giving or receiving – or both – being part of a vibrant, caring community keeps everyone on a positive note throughout the baseball season and beyond.
Editor's note: The 2023 Winnipeg Goldeyes Field of Dreams Foundation Golf Tournament is scheduled for July 10.
By Ron Arnst
There was an unaccustomed feeling in the air when the Winnipeg Goldeyes opened their spring training ahead of the 2016 season.
The Goldeyes had failed to qualify for the postseason in 2015 and only six players from that team were on the roster for this season. Plenty of new faces and a strong dose of uncertainty.
Even the usually upbeat manager Rick Forney sounded a little cautious when discussing his team’s potential in a pre-season interview.
Source: YouTube / ShawTV Winnipeg
The Goldeyes were indeed good enough in 2016.
They rode Reggie Abercrombie’s 20 homerun season and David Rohm’s team-leading 71 RBI to a 52-48 record, good for second place in the American Association’s North Division.
The Goldeyes were pretty good on the pitcher’s mound too with Mikey O’Brien and Edwin Carl winning 10 games each.
• • •
Having made the playoffs, it was time for the Goldeyes to turn their attention to the St. Paul Saints - their first round opponent. The Saints finished first in the North with a strong 61-win performance.
The Goldeyes played the Saints 17 times in the 2016 season and won 9 of them.
But St. Paul held the postseason upper hand, having won 3 of the playoff series between the teams.
The first two games were played in Winnipeg and St. Paul quickly took the series lead with a 1-0 win in the opening game. Saints starter Mark Hamburger, a 12-game winner in the regular season, shut the Goldeyes out for 7 innings on 8 hits. Goldeyes starter Mikey O’Brien pitched brilliantly as well, giving up 3 hits in 7 innings but a hit batsman, a wild pitch, a groundout and a sacrifice fly in the third inning ended up costing him the game.
The Goldeyes came back in Game 2 and made up for their shutout loss by parading 6 runs across the plate to take a 6-1 lead. They would hold on for a 9-7 win to even the series at one game each.
The pivotal third game was played in St. Paul and it was a dandy.
The teams were tied 2-2 heading to the bottom of the ninth inning when Saints’ shortstop Tony Thomas stepped to the plate and put St. Paul ahead in the series with a solo homer to left.
The heartbreaking loss could easily have spelled the end for the Goldeyes but manager Rick Forney was convinced that would not be the case.
Forney overheard veteran leader Reggie Abercrombie take charge of a deathly quiet Goldeyes’ clubhouse and knew his team had reached a turning point. Abercrombie’s impassioned rallying cry put the team back on their feet and pointed in the right direction.
Game 4 was every bit as thrilling as its predecessor.
With the Goldeyes facing elimination and the game tied at 4 in the top of the 9th, shortstop Maikol Gonzalez drew a bases loaded walk to put Winnipeg ahead 5-4. Winston Abreu closed out the Saints in the bottom of the inning and send the series to a fifth and deciding contest.
Facing the end of their season for the second straight day, the Goldeyes got going quickly with a run in the top of the first inning.
That was important as runs proved to be scarce. The Goldeyes increased their lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the third and the score held until the Saints last at-bat. A solo homer with 1-out drew St. Paul a little closer but Winston Abreu struck out the final 2 batters to send the Goldeyes to the American Association Championship series.
• • •
The title tilt would feature the Goldeyes against the Wichita Wingnuts. Wichita, like St. Paul, was a 61-win team and first place finisher albeit in the South Division.
The Goldeyes once again opened the best of five playoff at home and got off to a quick start with an impressive 5-0 win. Edwin Carl pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, with relievers Victor Capellan and Winston Abreu combining for the final 7 outs. to score Goldeyes’ first postseason shutout in 7 years.
The Wingnuts showed up in Game 2, with a vengeance. They posted a resounding 9-2 win to even the series. The Goldeyes were still in the fight when the Wingnuts came to bat in the top of the 6th but Wichita scored 3 times to take a 7-1 lead and that was that.
The venue shifted to Wichita and the Wingnuts flexed their muscles again. They pushed 5 runs across the plate in the bottom of the first and rolled on to a 7-5 win.
For the third time in this postseason, the Goldeyes were on the brink of elimination.
The Goldeyes rose to the challenge again, breaking loose for 4 runs in the top of the first inning. But Wichita was not going to go easily. The Wingnuts battled back and trailed by 1 run (5-4) in the 8th inning. They had a runner on first when Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney summoned Winston Abreu from the bullpen. A flyout and a strikeout ended the 8th, and Abreu added three more Ks in the bottom of the 9th to finish the game. The series would go the maximum 5-game distance.
The winner take all 5th game was Reggie Abercrombie’s night. The Goldeyes’ centerfielder left no doubt about the outcome hitting 2 homers and driving in 7 runs as Winnipeg stormed to an 11-4 win and the American Association Championship.
The 2016 Championship was as thrilling as they come. The Goldeyes faced elimination, and the end of their quest, five times through two playoff series.
But each time, they came back.
And they kept coming back, kept fighting back until they captured their ultimate goal.
Editor's note: Here is never-before-seen footage of the post-game celebration. Audio has been edited out to keep this clip family-friendly.
By Ron Arnst
• • •
ri-val-ry
noun
competition for the same objective or superiority in the same field
- Oxford Dictionary
• • •
With all due respect to Oxford and their perfectly fine definition, there is a much better way to define a rivalry...
Winnipeg versus Fargo.
The Goldeyes and the RedHawks have been “enemies” since the North Dakota team saw their first pitch in 1996.
They have met 397 times in the regular season with the Goldeyes winning 185.
Even more importantly, they have squared off 10 times in the playoffs and the Goldeyes have won four of the series. Winnipeg has claimed four Championships in franchise history while Fargo has six.
There are those who are convinced the Goldeyes should be credited with 3 more Championships after winning the Northern League in 1999, 2001 and 2002. But in each of those years Winnipeg lost the final playoff series against the winners of the Northeast League.
Great teams in the same division and geographic proximity have fueled the annually intense battle for supremacy between them.
But it runs deeper, and hotter, than other rivalries between neighbouring teams.
• • •
Things got off to a hot start when the Northern League expansion team, the Fargo Moorhead RedHawks, began building their new team by wrangling the field manager away from the Goldeyes.
The man at the center of the storm in 1996 was Goldeyes’ manager and soon-to-be Fargo manager, Doug Simunic.
He says that, after two successful seasons with the Goldeyes, he was starting to look for an opportunity to move back to the United States. When a Northern League expansion franchise was awarded to Fargo-Moorhead, Simunic saw it as a perfect fit. He said he was “a start-up guy” who had experienced building teams from the ground up: exactly what the new team in North Dakota needed.
Simunic admits that his decision to leave Winnipeg sparked the rivalry in its early days.
He chuckles when he recalls returning to Winnipeg in a Fargo uniform and seeing Goldeyes Fans waving signs with his face obscured by a large “X”.
“I guess they weren’t happy I had left”, he grins.
Sparked by the manager move, the rivalry gained momentum quickly.
Goldeyes’ General Manager Andrew Collier says things got particularly heated when the teams faced off in the post-season.
With passionate Fans on both sides, the rivalry caught fire. There were simply no bigger games in any season than when Winnipeg and Fargo clashed. The ballparks were full, the Fans were loud and tireless, and the action on the field was intense.
Long time Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney was a player when he got his first taste of the Goldeyes-RedHawks rivalry.
Few in baseball took a backseat to Hal Lanier’s competitive zeal and Doug Simunic was every bit as driven, in addition to his recent history with both teams.
The high intensity on and off the field certainly makes for great drama and wonderful entertainment but it is impossible to maintain over time.
As the Goldeyes and RedHawks got to know each other between the foul lines, their organizations and their Fans got to know each other too. Friendships sprung up. Strong friendships in some cases.
Goldeyes GM Andrew Collier says his "best friend in baseball" is Josh Bucholz, the former GM of the RedHawks and now Deputy Commissioner of the American Association.
It may also surprise you to discover that Rick Forney and Doug Simunic -- opposing managers for most of the battles over the past three decades -- also have a very good relationship that continues to this day.
The birth of new friendships that have endured over the years was not limited to those on the field.
Some Winnipeg and Fargo Fans have also found kinship with their rivals to the point where they welcome and greet each other as the longtime friends they are.
The Winnipeg-Fargo rivalry is good for baseball, it is good for the American Association (and the Northern League before that), and it is great for both franchises and their Fans.
The love-hate relationship may have cooled a little over the years but all it will take to fan the flames is another playoff series in September.
Beat Fargo!
• • •
Winnipeg field manager Hal Lanier and Fargo-Moorhead field manager Doug Simunic pose with the Moosehead Mug. During the 2004-2008 seasons, the winner of the season series between the two teams was awarded the Moosehead Mug.
By Ron Arnst
It’s what little kids dream of:
Bottom of the ninth.
Championship hangs in the balance.
Our hero is at the plate, the count is 3-and-2.
Swing...
It’s a hit! It’s deep, it’s high, it’s GONE!
The hometown team wins and our hero delivers the game winner!
• • •
The late game comeback is one of the most exciting events in baseball.
Staring defeat in the eye, your team digs deep for one final push. They rally and somehow, some way they come back from the brink. The win is thrilling, the celebration is turbo-charged. The game becomes a part of baseball lore to be told and retold for years to come.
The Winnipeg Goldeyes have won their fair share of comebacks, much to the delight of their Fans.
• • •
Second baseman Dakota Conners turned pro with the Goldeyes in 2021. He was a good fielder and a solid contact hitter in college (.301 average in 180 college games) but he was not a power hitter, with only 3 home runs in his college career. In 66 games as a first-year professional, he hit exactly one homer.
But it was memorable.
A grand slam home run is not a regular occurrence in professional baseball. Neither is a game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth. For a first-year player to manage to combine both in one dramatic swing ranks as astounding and wildly thrilling.
• • •
As we've covered previously, 2016 was the year of the comeback for the Goldeyes.
They scrambled their way into the playoffs, an upset and comeback in itself.
But it was during the playoffs that Goldeyes displayed the kind of resilience that is not soon forgotten. Five times they faced elimination. Five times they came back with a win. The comebacks culminated in one final push that yielded the third Championship in Goldeyes’ history.
Despite those and many other noteworthy comebacks there are still two that rank higher.
These events have earned legendary status in Goldeyes’ history.
• • •
One of those games occurred on July 15, 2017. The Kansas City T-Bones were locked in an 11-11 stalemate with the Goldeyes. The game stretched into the 14th inning.
With the winning run on base, Kansas City manager Joe Calfapietra elected to bring righthander Matt Sergey into the game. Sergey had pitched the day before, so he and his manager decided he could throw lefthanded to issue a free pass to Goldeyes catcher Mason Katz.
• • •
Undoubtedly, the single most memorable Goldeyes’ comeback occurred on September 17, 2017 in the fourth game of the American Association Championship final series.
The Wichita Wingnuts held a 2 games to 1 lead in the best-of-five. They were one out, one strike away from the title.
Goldeyes’ 2B Casey Turgeon hit a groundball to third and was thrown out at first for the apparent final out and a Wichita Championship win.
But the home plate umpire had called the Wichita pitcher for a balk prior to the final pitch meaning the out was nullified. The game would continue.
The scene was typical of most Championship on-field celebrations with deliriously happy Wichita players being watched by woefully disappointed Goldeyes players and Fans. The Wingnuts were initially overcome with joy as you would expect – all except, as Goldeyes owner Sam Katz recalled, the Wichita catcher.
The Wichita backstop had been one of the few people in the ballpark who had heard the umpire call the balk. He knew immediately that the game was not over and the Championship had yet to be decided.
Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney had told Mikey O’Brien that he would be going in to pitch if the Goldeyes managed to tie the game. Watching from the bullpen mound, O’Brien – like almost everyone else – thought Casey Turgeon’s groundout was the end of the season.
O'Brien took over in the top of the 10th and worked six shutout frames with eight strikeouts. He stranded the go-ahead run in scoring position in four consecutive innings from the 12th to the 15th in one of the most memorable – and amazing -- pitching performances in Goldeyes history.
It was also improbable because Wichita had enjoyed good success with O’Brien on the mound.
The Goldeyes would battle the Wingnuts until the 17th inning, when David Rohm’s double down the right field line scored Casey Turgeon to win the game, even the series, and force a deciding contest.
Game four – the Balk Game – remains vividly at the forefront of Goldeyes Fans’ memories as the single most incredible comeback in team history.
As for the rest of those playoffs, that's a story for another time...
By Ron Arnst
Records, it is said, are made to be broken.
That is particularly true of baseball, a sport addicted to measuring everything and maintaining exhaustive records over decades and centuries.
There are single-game records, season records, playoff records and all-time records.
The record book also includes team, individual, and series high water marks.
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are very well represented from the first page of the record book to the last page.
• • •
The best regular season the Goldeyes have ever had was 2014. They won 63 games and finished first in the North Division of the American Association.
1B Casey Haerther and SS Tyler Kuhn finished tied for second in the league for batting average at an impressive .360 mark.
CF Reggie Abercrombie topped the team with 19 homers and 74 RBI.
On the mound, Nick Hernandez ruled the roost with a 12-2 record and a 3.06 ERA in 20 starts. More than good enough to win the American Association Pitcher of the Year Award.
On June 4, 2014 the Goldeyes employed 5 pitchers against Sioux Falls to record the team’s first-ever no-hitter.
• • •
Winnipegger Donnie Smith was pitching senior baseball when Goldeyes’ manager Hal Lanier asked him to turn pro.
It was a great decision for Donnie and for the Goldeyes.
Smith contributed 8 years of superb relief pitching and retired as the Northern League’s all-time leader in appearances with 206. He collected 15 wins and 28 saves while compiling a 3.22 ERA. He also struck out 246 batters in 246 innings.
• • •
The American Association of Professional Baseball has played host to several memorable and outstanding players but there has been only one Reggie Abercrombie.
The slugging centerfielder played 10 seasons in the American Association including a most memorable and most outstanding six years with the Winnipeg Goldeyes.
A key member and one of the leaders of the Goldeyes’ back-to-back Championship teams in 2016, Abercrombie blasted his way into record books at the team and league levels.
One his biggest hits came on July 14, 2016 when he blasted his 88th career homerun, setting a new American Association record.
Just a couple of games short of his retirement, Reggie was still setting records.
The Goldeyes team record for home runs in a career fell to his powerful bat on August 31, 2019. By his own admission, it was the record he cherishes most among all.
• • •
Home run hitters also took center stage in 2022 when the Winnipeg Goldeyes became the first team in American Association history to have two batters reach or exceed 30 homeruns in the same season: veteran 1B David Washington hit 30 homers and OF Max Murphy hit 31.
Murphy is quick to share credit with Washington for their combined feat, saying it was nice to have someone who could pick up the slack when he wasn’t hitting and to push him to do more even when things were going well.
• • •
Kyle Martin also homered his way into the Goldeyes and American Association record books.
In 2021, he slammed 31 homers and drove in 106 runs. The home run total was a team record at the time before Murphy equaled it a year later. The 106 runs batted in still stands as a Goldeyes and American Association record.
• • •
While Goldeyes hitters were smashing records, some excellent pitchers were slicing up records of their own.
Goldeyes’ closer Victor Capellan set the team record for saves in 2019 when he rescued 27 victories for his team. An astounding feat that contributed to an even more incredible total of 68 saves over his 5 year Goldeyes career.
When his previous stints in Laredo and Joplin are added, Capellan claims the all-time American Association saves mark of 75.
• • •
Perhaps the most revered pitching record is the strikeout mark.
Kevin McGovern holds the Goldeyes record (489) and the American Association all-time record (845). The lanky lefthander says he was not focused on either record as they approached.
• • •
Records are cherished by those who worked so hard to make them.
But they all know that they are made to be broken.
What cannot be broken are the great memories held by the players and the thousands upon thousands of fans who witnessed these remarkable achievements.
By Ron Arnst
Wildest expectations... suprassed.
By Ron Arnst