Ottawa Voyageurs

The Ottawa Voyageurs, previously the Ottawa Rapidz, were a professional baseball team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada under the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball or Can-Am League.

Ottawa Voyageurs
Information
LeagueCan-Am League (2008–09)
LocationOttawa, Ontario
BallparkOttawa Baseball Stadium
Year founded2008
Year disbanded2009
Former name(s)
  • Ottawa Voyageurs (2009)
  • Ottawa Rapidz (2008)
  • Ottawa Rapids (2007 and 2008 offseasons)
Colours2008 (Rapidz):   red[1]
OwnershipCan-Am League
ManagerTom Carcione
General ManagerBarry Robinson
Websiteottawavoyageursbaseball.com

As a Can-Am team, the team played one season as the Ottawa Rapidz at Ottawa Baseball Stadium, previously home to the Ottawa Lynx Triple-A minor league franchise. Originally, the team was to be spelled as the Ottawa Rapids until it was renamed prior to the start of their 2008 opening season. After the initial ownership declared bankruptcy, the Can-Am league assumed ownership of the franchise, but suspended the team's operations in March 2009 prior to what would have been a second season.[2]

History

The Rapids were established after the Lynx, an International League team, moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania after the 2007 season to become the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The Ottawa City Council discussed different possibilities regarding the city-owned stadium and accepted the offer given by Can-Am League president Miles Wolff.

Following their sale to zip.ca, the team name spelling was modified to the Ottawa Rapidz.[3][4]

On 29 September 2008, amid reports of a $1.4 million team debt, Rapidz management notified the Can-Am league that the team would be dissolved and that bankruptcy proceedings were planned. Rapidz management blamed the City of Ottawa for the situation, citing failed negotiations for the future lease of the stadium.[5][6][7]

Despite the first-season bankruptcy, trading of Rapidz players continued in the Can-Am League offseason, with such activity reported as late as 13 October 2008.[8] The Can-Am League announced on 13 November 2008 that a team would operate in Ottawa for 2009, operated directly by the league while new ownership was sought. Can-Am league commissioner Miles Wolff confirmed this development in Ottawa, displaying the original bilingual logo, with the spelling changed back to Rapids (English)/Rapides (French), but cautioned that the name was not yet final and that the team might operate under a new name.[9] In February 2009, the team was rechristened as the Voyageurs after a name-the-team contest won by Michael Jacobsen.[10]

However, the Voyageurs would never take the field as the Can-Am league announced on 30 March 2009 that the team and the Atlantic City Surf would cease operations.[11] League commissioner Miles Wolff indicated the team lacked financial support and "solid ownership" in order for the franchise to continue.[2][11]

On 3 April 2009, Voyageurs players were made available to the six remaining teams in the league in a dispersal draft.

Logos and uniforms
  • Former Rapids logo, English, prior to 2008 season
  • Rapides logo, French, prior to 2008 season
  • Rapidz former primary logo, 2008

Standings and statistics

2008 season (Rapidz)

The Ottawa Rapidz finished last in the Can-Am League, with a 13-34 (.277) performance in the first half of the 2008 season, followed by an 18-29 (.383) record in the second half. The Rapidz tied the New Jersey Jackals for last place in the second half-season.

Total attendance of the 46 Rapidz home games was 101,073 for a per-game average of 2,197.[12]

2009 roster
Ottawa Voyageurs roster
Active (22-man) roster Coaches
Pitchers
  •   Adam Hawes
  •   Fraser Robinson
  •   Reid Price
  •   Noel Baca III
  •   David Wasylak
  •   Matthew Tosoni
  •   Tanner Watson
  •   Mike Cervera

Catchers

  •   Kyle Geiger
  •   Gaetan Leduc
 

Infielders

  •   Trino Aguilar
  •   Jake Daubert
  •   Nate Hall

Outfielders

  •   Jared L. Lemieux
  •   Jereme Milons
  •   Pete Pirman
  •   Jeff Thomas
 

Disabled List

Inactive List

  •   Jeremy Ware

Coaching Staff

Game broadcasts

In 2008, local radio broadcasts of 80 Rapidz season games were provided in French by CJRC-FM.[13]

See also

References
  1. "Rapid-z change in Ottawa". Ottawa Citizen. 29 April 2008. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  2. "Ottawa baseball franchise folds, leaving stadium empty". CJOH-TV (CTV Ottawa). 30 March 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  3. "New owner rename-z Ottawa Rapids baseball team". CBC News. 28 April 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  4. "Rapids changed to Rapidz". Ottawa Sun. 26 April 2008.
  5. Campbell, Don (1 October 2008). "City would only go to 5 years, Rapidz say". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
  6. "Ottawa Rapidz go under". CBC News. 30 September 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
  7. "Ottawa Rapidz expected to file for bankruptcy". CJOH-TV (CTV Ottawa). 29 September 2008. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  8. "League Transactions". Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball. Archived from the original on 10 April 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  9. Zabihiyan, Bahador (3 December 2008). "Rapidz to rise again". Centretown News. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  10. Baines, Tim (18 February 2009). "Local baseball team has a name: Voyageurs". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 19 February 2009.
  11. "Can-Am to go with six clubs in 2009". Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball. 30 March 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  12. "2008 standings at Can-Am League". Archived from the original on 23 February 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  13. "Radio coverage of Ottawa Rapidz baseball games". Archived from the original on 20 June 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
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