Winnipeg Goldeyes

The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball, which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of the Northern League from 1994 until 2010. The Goldeyes were champions of the Northern League in 1994. They are also three-time champions of the American Association; having won in 2012, and back-to-back in 2016 and 2017.

Winnipeg Goldeyes
Team logo Cap insignia
Information
LeagueAmerican Association (North Division)
LocationWinnipeg, Manitoba
BallparkShaw Park (1999–2019, 2021–present)
Year founded1994
Nickname(s)The Fish
League championships4 (1994, 2012, 2016, 2017)
Division championships10 (1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2014, 2017)
Former league(s)
Former ballparks
ColoursRed, navy blue, white, gold
       
Retired numbers5, 6, 21 and 31
OwnershipSam Katz
ManagerRick Forney
General ManagerAndrew Collier
MediaShaw TV
Winnipeg Sun
Winnipeg Free Press
CJNU 93.7 FM
Websitewww.goldeyes.com

The Goldeyes have played their home games at Shaw Park since 1999 (except in 2020). The team is named after the goldeye, a fish usually served as a smoked delicacy and commonly called Winnipeg goldeye.[1]

History
1950s logo

There have been two separate and distinct baseball teams based out of Winnipeg to use the Goldeyes name, each playing in different incarnations of the Northern League. They first played in the original Northern League from 1954 until 1964. During that time, the Goldeyes were a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals and they won the league championship three times (1957, 1959, and 1960). The Goldeyes returned to the Short Season-A Northern League for one season, 1969, as an affiliate of the expansion Kansas City Royals,[2] but they did not return in 1970, and the entire league shut down after the 1971 season.

The Goldeyes name was resurrected in 1994 when the independent league Rochester Aces of the new Northern League relocated to Winnipeg. It was decided the team would take on the name of the former Winnipeg team in honor of the past. In their inaugural season in Winnipeg, the new Goldeyes captured the Northern League championship.[3]

The Goldeyes became the longest tenured franchise in the Northern League following the departure of the St. Paul Saints, Sioux City Explorers, and Sioux Falls Canaries to the breakaway American Association in 2005; however, the team would jump to the American Association after the 2010 season.[4][5] The Goldeyes captured their first American Association championship in 2012, sweeping the Wichita Wingnuts in the finals.[3]

The Goldeyes fueled their rivalry with Wichita in 2016, when they defeated the Wingnuts in game five in Wichita for their second American Association championship.[6] Next season, the teams would meet again; this matchup looked as if the Wingnuts won the series in game four after a ground-out won the game and the team began celebrating on the mound. However, the umpire had called a balk and the strike was re-thrown; the Goldeyes tied the game later in the at-bat and forced a marathon 17-inning game.[7] This was the longest game in American Association history, which they won to play a game five.[8] The Goldeyes would seal back-to-back championships with an 18–2 victory over Wichita at home in Winnipeg.[9]

In 2020, the league announced that the Goldeyes would compete as one of six teams in a condensed 60-game season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[10] However, they would not play games at Shaw Park, and were instead based at Newman Outdoor Field (thus sharing a home field with the Fargo Moorhead RedHawks).

Stadium

From 1994 to 1998, the Goldeyes played their homes games at Winnipeg Stadium, a Canadian football stadium retrofitted for baseball. The team moved into CanWest Global Park (now Shaw Park), their own baseball-only facility, prior to the 1999 season.

Season-by-season records
        First Half   Second Half   Overall    
Season League Division W–L Finish W–L Finish W–L Win%   Playoffs
1994 NL N/A 16–24 5th 27–13 1st 43–37 .538 Won championship
1995 NL N/A 25–17 2nd 22–21 3rd 47–38 .553 Lost championship series
1996 NL West 25–17 2nd 25–17 2nd 50–34 .595 Lost divisional series
1997 NL West 29–12 1st 24–18 2nd 53–30 .639 Lost championship series
1998 NL West 25–18 2nd 33–10 1st 58–28 .674 Lost division series
1999 NL West 28–15 1st 20–23 3rd 48–38 558 Lost championship series
2000 NL West 24–19 3rd 24–19 2nd 48–38 .558 Lost Central semi-final
2001 NL North 29–16 1st 23–22 1st 52–38 .578 Lost championship series
2002 NL North 28–17 1st 28–17 1st 56–34 .622 Lost championship series
2003 NL East 26–18 2nd 29–16 1st 55–34 .618 Lost championship series
2004 NL North 26–21 3rd 30–18 2nd 56–39 .589 Did not qualify
2005 NL North 22–25 4th 25–23 4th 47–48 .495 Did not qualify
2006 NL North 27–21 2nd 25–23 2nd 52–44 .542 Lost West final
2007 NL North 27–20 2nd 25–23 2nd 52–43 .547 Lost Division Finals
2008 NL N/A 51–45 3rd N/A N/A 51–45 .531 Lost semi-final
2009 NL N/A 55–41 2nd N/A N/A 55–41 .573 Lost semi-final
2010 NL N/A 46–53 6th N/A N/A 46–53 .465 Did not qualify
2011 AA North 60–40 1st N/A N/A 60–40 .600 Lost Division Finals
2012 AA North 55–45 2nd N/A N/A 55–45 .550 Won championship
2013 AA North 56–44 2nd N/A N/A 56–44 .560 Did not qualify
2014 AA North 63–37 1st N/A N/A 63–37 .630 Lost division series
2015 AA North 47–52 2nd N/A N/A 47–52 .475 Did not qualify
2016 AA North 58–42 2nd N/A N/A 58–42 .580 Won championship
2017 AA North 62–38 1st N/A N/A 62–38 .620 Won championship
2018 AA North 41–59 5th N/A N/A 41–59 .410 Did not qualify
2019 AA North 57–43 4th N/A N/A 57–43 .570 Did not qualify

Playoffs

Roster
Winnipeg Goldeyes roster
Active (22-man) roster Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 32 Nate Antone
  • -- Mike Devine
  • -- Ryan Dull
  • 34 John Gorman
  • 45 Kevin Hilton
  • 27 José José
  • 40 Mitch Lambson
  • -- Josh Lucas
  • -- Eduard Reyes
  • 26 Dylan Rheault
  

Catchers

  • -- Lucas Herbert

Infielders

Outfielders

  • -- Willy García ‡
  • -- Jay Gonzalez
  • 25 Logan Hill
  • -- Tyler Hill
  • -- Max Murphy
  •  4 Dario Pizzano
  • -- Liam Scafariello
  

Manager

  • 43 Rick Forney

Coaches

Disabled list
‡ Inactive list
§ Suspended list

Roster updated February 2, 2021
 Transactions

Retired numbers
  • 5, Brian Duva
  • 6, Max Poulin
  • 21, Donnie Smith
  • 22, Hal Lanier
  • 31, Andrew "Ace" Walker

See also

References
  1. "Goldeye". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  2. "Winnipeg Goldeyes – Team History". Winnipeg Goldeyes. Retrieved 2017-09-22.
  3. Prest, Ashley (September 15, 2015). "Goldeyes win second championship in franchise history, first since '94". Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  4. Four Clubs Added to American Association
  5. Wiebe, Ken (October 10, 2010). "Fish Check Into A.A." Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  6. "Goldeyes win second straight American Association Championship title". CBC News. September 19, 2016.
  7. "Baseball team loses after phantom balk call interrupts team's championship celebration". USA Today. September 19, 2017.
  8. "Goldeyes keep championship hopes alive with wild 17-inning win". CBC Manitoba. September 19, 2017.
  9. "Goldeyes win second straight American Association Championship title". CBC Manitoba. September 21, 2017.
  10. "American Association unveils plans for 2020 season". americanassociationbaseball.com. Retrieved June 13, 2020.

Sources
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