Sacramento River Cats

Sacramento River Cats
Founded in 1978
West Sacramento, California
Based in West Sacramento since 2000
Team logoCap 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 San Francisco Giants (2015–present)
Previous Oakland Athletics (1999–2014)
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
              
Mascot Dinger the river cat
Ballpark Raley Field (2000–present)
Previous parks
 Nat Bailey Stadium (1978–1999)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
 Susan Savage
Manager Steve Scarsone
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 are a minor league baseball team based in West Sacramento, California. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and is the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants.

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.[1]

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.[2] In 2012, Forbes listed the River Cats as the most valuable team in all of Minor League Baseball.[3]

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.[4] In 2007, the team drew 710,235 fans in 71 home games.[5]

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 14 years of existence.

Roster

Sacramento River Cats roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Manager

Coaches


7-day disabled list
* On San Francisco Giants 40-man roster
∞ Reserve list
§ Suspended list
‡ Restricted list
# Rehab assignment
Roster updated April 17, 2015
Transactions
→ More MiLB rosters
→ San Francisco Giants 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

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sacramento River Cats.