2016 Can-Am League Season
LeagueCanadian American Association of Professional Baseball
SportBaseball
DurationMay 19  – September 5, 2016
Number of games100
Number of teams6
Regular season
Season championsNew Jersey Jackals
Finals championsOttawa Champions
  Runners-upRockland Boulders

The 2016 Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball season began May 19 and ended September 5. Following the regular season, the playoffs were held. It was the 12th season of operation for this professional independent baseball league. The Ottawa Champions won their first ever title in just their second season, defeating the Rockland Boulders in the fifth and deciding game of the league championships, played on September 17.

The Cuba national baseball team took part in the season as part of a goodwill tour. It was the first Cuban-based squad since 1960 to play a professional team in a United States minor or independent league stadium during the regular season.[1] The Cubans stated that they were able to include about half their top national players in the team.[2]

Season summary

On August 21, Ottawa Champions outfielder Sebastien Boucher set a league record for career hits with 752 in a game against the Trois-Rivières Aigles.[3]

Tragedy struck the league on September 4, when the co-owner of the Québec Capitales, Roberto Bissonnette was killed in a helicopter crash in Flatlands, New Brunswick, along with the pilot. Team president Michel Laplant was also in the helicopter, but only suffered from non-life-threatening injuries.[4]

On September 5, former Cy Young Award winning pitcher Éric Gagné pitched for the Ottawa Champions,[5] attracting nearly 8,000 fans.[6] The Champions made it to the league finals in only their second season as a franchise.[7]

Tour of Cuban national team

The Cuba national baseball team played 20 regular season games as part of the league schedule, though they were ineligible for the playoffs. It was billed as a "goodwill tour" following the opening up of Cuba–United States relations in 2015.[8] This team included Luis Robert, who would later sign with the Chicago White Sox for a contract worth over $50 million, including a $26 million signing bonus, on May 27, 2017.[9][10] Major league scouts were also interested in Julio Pablo Martinez,[11][12] who in May 2017 signed to play in the Can-Am League with the Quebec Capitales, along with several other Cuban players.[13] The Cuban team finished with an 11–9 record, including eight of their last ten, and will return in June 2017 to challenge the Ottawa Champions, winners of the 2016 season.[14][15]

Lazaro Ramirez, a 24-year-old outfielder, defected during the team's series against the Sussex County Miners.[16]

Shikoku Island League all-star team

After finishing with a 6-10 record in exhibition games during the 2015 Can-Am League season,[17] the all-star team from the Shikoku Island League Plus returned for the 2016 season. Unlike the 2015 tour, the 2016 games were part of the regular season, counting in statistics and standings, as did the games involving the Cuban national team.[18][19] The Japanese players brought a Japanese custom with them by exchanging gifts with the local teams prior to each series.[17] The Shikoku Island League team finished with a record of 8-12.[20] Many of the games were very close and competitive, with six going to extra innings.[21]

Finally, the Shikoku Island team played the Cuban national team in an exhibition match at Stade Stereo+ in Trois-Rivières, Quebec on July 2, 2016. Despite a three-run eighth inning by Shikoku Island bringing them within one run, the Cubans got the win.[22][15]

Standings

TeamWLPct.GB
New Jersey Jackals6238.620–
Rockland Boulders5842.5804
Québec Capitales5644.5606
Ottawa Champions5149.51011
Sussex County Miners3961.39023
Trois-Rivières Aigles3565.35027
Cuba national baseball team*119.55011
Shikoku Island*812.40014

* Teams not eligible for playoffs

Playoffs

Bracket

Semifinals Finals
      
1 New Jersey Jackals 1
4 Ottawa Champions 3
4 Ottawa Champions 3
2 Rockland Boulders 2
2 Rockland Boulders 3
3 Québec Capitales 2

Semifinals

New Jersey vs. Ottawa

Ottawa won the series, 3–1.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1September 7New Jersey Jackals 11, Ottawa Champions 2RCGT Park-1,193[23] 
2September 8New Jersey Jackals 3, Ottawa Champions 4RCGT Park2:471,259[24] 
3September 9Ottawa Champions 8, New Jersey Jackals 3Yogi Berra Stadium3:13720[25] 
4September 10Ottawa Champions 7, New Jersey Jackals 2Yogi Berra Stadium3:07475[26]

Rockland vs. Québec

Rockland won the series, 3–2.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1September 7Rockland Boulders 4, Québec Capitales 5Stade Municipal3:083,924[27] 
2September 9Rockland Boulders 2, Québec Capitales 4Stade Municipal2:532,010[28] 
3September 10Québec Capitales 15, Rockland Boulders 16Palisades Credit Union Park4:082,090[29] 
4September 11Québec Capitales 2, Rockland Boulders 6Palisades Credit Union Park2:531,039[30] 
5September 12Québec Capitales 2, Rockland Boulders 3Palisades Credit Union Park2:551,470[31]

Championship finals

Rockland vs. Ottawa

The road team won every game of the 5 game series, which saw the Ottawa Champions come back from being down two games to none to win three straight games for the championship.

Game 2 action at RCGT Park in Ottawa. The Ottawa Champions are in white, pitching to the Rockland Boulders in grey.

Ottawa won the series, 3-2.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1September 13Rockland Boulders 6, Ottawa Champions 5RCGT Park3:313,289[32] 
2September 14Rockland Boulders 5, Ottawa Champions 4RCGT Park3:362,412[33] 
3September 15Ottawa Champions 13, Rockland Boulders 12Palisades Credit Union Park4:342,015[34] 
4September 16Ottawa Champions 13, Rockland Boulders 3Palisades Credit Union Park2:431,247[35] 
5September 17Ottawa Champions 3, Rockland Boulders 1Palisades Credit Union Park2:283,314[36]

Attendance

2016 Can-Am League attendance[37]
TeamTotal attendanceAverage Attendance
Rockland Boulders149,6322,934
Québec Capitales146,9462,773
Ottawa Champions127,6182,454
Sussex County Miners90,2371,842
Trois-Rivières Aigles78,9481,680
New Jersey Jackals74,3351,652

References

  1. ↑ Spedden, Zach (7 March 2016). "Cuban National Team Set for Can-Am Tour". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  2. ↑ Araton, Harvey (29 June 2016). "Competing on Good-Will Tour in U.S., a Cuban Team Sends Mixed Signals". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  3. ↑ Aylward, Cassie (21 August 2016). "Champions hitter breaks Can-Am League record". 580 CFRA News Talk Radio. Archived from the original on 23 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Co-owner of Quebec Can-Am baseball team dies in helicopter crash". Sportsnet.ca. Rogers Media. Canadian Press. 4 September 2016.
  5. ↑ "Former Cy Young winner Eric Gagne signs with the Ottawa Champions". Ottawa Citizen. Postmedia news. 22 August 2016.
  6. ↑ Carlucci, Mario (7 September 2016). "Champions looking to live up to their name in Can-Am playoff start". CBC News.
  7. ↑ Jackson, Emma (11 September 2016). "Fans feeling the love for Champions ahead of finals". Metro News. Ottawa: Free Daily News Group Inc. Archived from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  8. ↑ Robertson, Grant (2 March 2016). "Baseball diplomacy results in series between Cuban and Can-Am teams". The Globe and Mail.
  9. ↑ "OF Robert gets $26M bonus in White Sox deal". ESPN.com. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  10. ↑ Skrbina, Paul (27 May 2017). "White Sox officially welcome aboard Cuban phenom Luis Robert". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  11. ↑ Badler, Ben (28 May 2016). "Cuba Sending Two Top Prospects To U.S. On Can-Am Trip". BaseballAmerica.com. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  12. ↑ Kayzerman, Julie (28 June 2016). "Who do scouts have their eyes on with the Cuban National team in town?". NJ.com. New Jersey On-Line LLC. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  13. ↑ "Cuban Baseball Players Hired in Canada". Escambray. Prensa Latina. 6 May 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  14. ↑ Patey, Ron (4 February 2017). "Cuban National Baseball Team returns to take on Ottawa Champions in June". Blasting News. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  15. 1 2 Dowell, Ken (14 July 2016). "Baseball, Local and Global". off the leash. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  16. ↑ Obernauer, Eric (10 July 2016). "Cuban baseball player defected in Hampton". New Jersey Herald. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  17. 1 2 "World's best baseball coming to area". The Sparta Independent. Sparta, NJ. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  18. ↑ Reichard, Kevin (19 November 2015). "American Association: 12 teams in 2016". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  19. ↑ Cooper, J. J. (12 November 2015). "Cuban National Team To Join Can-Am League For June Series". BaseballAmerica.com. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  20. ↑ "北米遠征Can-Amリーグ公式戦・第19戦 最終戦勝利で飾る！通算成績8勝11敗". Shikoku Island League Plus (in Japanese). July 1, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  21. ↑ Hamaker, Susan Miyagi (2 July 2016). "Shikoku Island League plus All-Stars Bring Kabuki Spirits to the New York Area". Japan Culture NYC. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  22. ↑ "Cuban National Team vs Shikoku Island: 5-3". CanAmLeague.com – Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  23. ↑ "New Jersey Jackals vs Ottawa Champions: 11-2". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 7 September 2016.
  24. ↑ "New Jersey Jackals vs Ottawa Champions: 3-4". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 8 September 2016.
  25. ↑ "Ottawa Champions vs New Jersey Jackals: 8-3". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 9 September 2016.
  26. ↑ "Ottawa Champions vs New Jersey Jackals: 7-2". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 10 September 2016.
  27. ↑ "Rockland Boulders vs Quebec Capitales: 4-5". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 7 September 2016.
  28. ↑ "Rockland Boulders vs Quebec Capitales: 2-4". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 9 September 2016.
  29. ↑ "Quebec Capitales vs Rockland Boulders: 15-16". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 10 September 2016.
  30. ↑ "Quebec Capitales vs Rockland Boulders: 2-6". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 11 September 2016.
  31. ↑ "Quebec Capitales vs Rockland Boulders: 2-3". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 12 September 2016.
  32. ↑ "Rockland Boulders vs Ottawa Champions: 6-5". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 13 September 2016.
  33. ↑ "Rockland Boulders vs Ottawa Champions: 5-4". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 14 September 2016.
  34. ↑ "Ottawa Champions vs Rockland Boulders: 13-12". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 15 September 2016.
  35. ↑ "Ottawa Champions vs Rockland Boulders: 13-3". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 16 September 2016.
  36. ↑ "Ottawa Champions vs Rockland Boulders: 3-1". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. 17 September 2016.
  37. ↑ "Regular 2016 - Attendance". CanAmLeague.com - Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball.
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