Sacramento River Cats

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sacramento River Cats
Founded in 1978
West Sacramento, California
Based in West Sacramento since 2000


Team logo	Cap insignia

Class-level

Current

Triple-A (1978–present)

Minor league affiliations

League

Pacific Coast League (1978–present)

Conference

Pacific Conference

Division

North Division

Major league affiliations

Current

Oakland Athletics (1999–present)

California/Anaheim Angels (1994–1998)

Chicago White Sox (1988–1993)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1987)
Milwaukee Brewers (1979–1986)
Oakland Athletics (1978)

Minor league titles

Class titles

1999, 2007, 2008

League titles

1985, 1989, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008

Conference titles

1999, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011

Division titles

1985, 1986, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Team data

Nickname

Sacramento River Cats (2000–present)

Previous names

Vancouver Canadians (1978–1999)

Colors

Black, Cardinal, Gold

Ballpark

Raley Field (2000–present)

Previous parks

Nat Bailey Stadium (1978–1999)

Owner(s)/
Operator(s)

Susan Savage

Manager

Darren Bush^[1]

General manager

Jeff Savage

Raley Field, home of the Sacramento River Cats

River Cats during a game at home in Raley Field

River Cats players in 2007

The Sacramento River Cats is a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and is the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics.

The River Cats play at Raley Field, located in West Sacramento. The team began play in 1978 as the Vancouver Canadians, and played their home games at Nat Bailey Stadium until the 1999 season. Following that season, in which they won the Triple-A World Series, the team was purchased by a group led by Art Savage and moved to West Sacramento for the 2000 season. Savage was the majority owner of the team until his death on November 21, 2009 at age 58. His widow, Susan Savage, became majority owner upon her husband's death.^[2]

Sacramento has led all of minor league baseball in attendance during each of its first eight seasons at Raley Field. The team averaged approximately 10,000 fans per game during the 2007 regular season, for a total attendance figure of 710,235.^[3] In 2012, Forbes listed the River Cats as the most valuable team in all of Minor League Baseball.^[4]

The PCL franchise in Sacramento for many years was the Sacramento Solons, a charter member of the PCL which was founded in 1903. Three different versions of the Solons represented California's capital city in 1903, 1905, from 1909 through 1914, from 1918 through 1960, and from 1974 through 1976. Sacramento is the only charter city that still hosts a PCL team.

Attendance

Since the arrival of the River Cats at Raley Field, they have led all of Minor League Baseball in attendance during each of its first eight seasons.^[5] In 2007, the team drew 710,235 fans in 71 home games.^[6]

Year	Total Attendance	Average
2000	861,808	11,969
2001	901,214	12,516
2002	817,317	11,351
2003	766,326	10,643
2004	751,156	10,432
2005	755,750	10,496
2006	728,227	10,256
2007	710,235	10,003
2008	700,168	9,724
2009	657,095	9,126
2010	657,910	9,138
2011	600,306	8,455
2012	586,090	8,140
2013	607,329	8,435

Playoff history

The River Cats won four Pacific Coast League Pacific South Division titles in five years, from 2000 through 2004, and back-to-back league championships in 2003 and 2004.

In 2007 they won the Pacific South Division and league championships again, and defeated the Richmond Braves in that year's Bricktown Showdown on September 18 by a score of 7–1. The River Cats repeated as division, league, and class champions in 2008. They have won the last six Pacific South Division titles and have won 11 division titles in their 13 years of existence.

Roster

Sacramento River Cats roster

Players

Coaches/Other

Pitchers

21 Travis Banwart
19 Bruce Billings
46 Andrew Carignan
32 Pedro Figueroa *
18 Brian Gordon
33 Sonny Gray *
55 Carlos Hernandez
40 Arnold Leon
16 Kyler Newby
36 Fernando Nieve
37 Hideki Okajima
45 Chris Resop
34 Evan Scribner
35 Paul Smyth
43 Andrew Werner *
48 Mike Zagurski

Catchers

28 David Freitas
20 Luke Montz
6 Ryan Ortiz

Infielders

9 Anthony Aliotti
10 Daric Barton
5 Hiroyuki Nakajima
12 Andy Parrino *
2 Jemile Weeks *

Outfielders

24 Michael Choice
7 Jake Goebbert
22 Shane Peterson *
52 Michael Taylor *

Manager

23 Steve Scarsone

Coaches

15 Dustin Hughes (bullpen catcher)
27 Rick Rodriguez (pitching)
17 Greg Sparks (hitting)

7-day disabled list
* On Oakland Athletics 40-man roster
∞ Reserve list
§ Suspended list
‡ Restricted list
# Rehab assignment
Roster updated April 10, 2013
Transactions
→ More MiLB rosters
→ Oakland Athletics minor league players

Players

See: Category:Sacramento River Cats players

Notable former River Cats currently in the major leagues

This list does not include MLB players who were in Sacramento on a rehabilitation assignment while on the disabled list.

References

↑ Lee, Jane. "A's shuffle Minor League coaching staffs". OaklandAthletics.com. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
↑ "River Cats owner dies suddenly at home." Sacramento River Cats. Retrieved on 21 November 2009.
↑ "River Cats Top PCL, Minor Leagues in Attendance." Sacramento River Cats. Retrieved on 13 September 2007.
↑ "How Billionaires Like Warren Buffett Profit From Minor League Baseball Ownership " Forbes. Retrieved on 6 June 2012.
↑ Baseball Pilgrimages.
↑ The Sacramento Bee.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sacramento River Cats.

Oakland Athletics

Formerly the Philadelphia Athletics and the Kansas City Athletics
Based in Oakland, California (Bay Area)

The Franchise

History in Philadelphia • History in Oakland • Seasons • Records • No-hitters • Players • Owners and executives • Managers • Broadcasters • Award winners and league leaders • First-round draft picks * Opening Day starting pitchers * Record holders

Ballparks

Columbia Park • Shibe Park • Municipal Stadium • Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum • Cisco Field (proposed)

Spring Training: Barrs Field; Terry Park Ballfield; Wilmington Park; McCurdy Field; Connie Mack Field; McKechnie Field; Rendezvous Park; Scottsdale Stadium I; Phoenix Municipal Stadium; HoHoKam Stadium(2015)

Culture

Philadelphia Athletics (football) • Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame • Charlie-O • Stomper • $100,000 Infield • "Holy Toledo!" • Billyball • Celebration • Moneyball (book • film)

Lore

The Mack Attack • Catfish Hunter's perfect game • 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake • Dallas Braden's perfect game

Rivalries

City Series • Bay Bridge Series

Important figures

Hall of Fame members	Home Run Baker Chief Bender Mickey Cochrane Eddie Collins Dennis Eckersley Rollie Fingers Jimmie Foxx Lefty Grove Rickey Henderson Catfish Hunter Reggie Jackson Nap Lajoie Connie Mack Eddie Plank Al Simmons Rube Waddell Dick Williams

Wall of Fame members	Sam Chapman Jack Coombs Jimmy Dykes George Earnshaw Ferris Fain Bob Johnson Eddie Joost Bing Miller Wally Moses Rube Oldring Bobby Shantz Eddie Rommel Elmer Valo Rube Walberg Gus Zernial

Retired numbers

World Series
Champions (9)

American League
Championships (15)

A.L. West Division
Championships (16)

Minors

AAA: Sacramento River Cats
AA: Midland RockHounds
A: Stockton Ports; Beloit Snappers; Vermont Lake Monsters
Rookie: Arizona League Athletics, DSL Athletics

Seasons (114)

1900s-1910s	1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919

1920s-1930s	1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939

1940s-1950s	1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959

1960s-1970s	1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

1980s-1990s	1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

2000s-2010s	2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

v t e Oakland Athletics franchise
Triple-A	Double-A	Class A	Rookie
Sacramento River Cats	Midland RockHounds	Stockton Ports Beloit Snappers Vermont Lake Monsters	AZL Athletics DSL Athletics

Pacific Coast League

American Conference

North Division	Colorado Springs Sky Sox Iowa Cubs Oklahoma City RedHawks Omaha Storm Chasers

South Division	Memphis Redbirds Nashville Sounds New Orleans Zephyrs Round Rock Express