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Sacramento River Cats

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Sacramento River Cats
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassTriple-A (2000–present)
LeaguePacific Coast League
(2000–present)
ConferencePacific Conference
DivisionNorthern Division (2014–present)
Major league affiliations
TeamSan Francisco Giants
(2015–present)
Previous teamsOakland Athletics (2000–2014)
Minor league titles
Class titles (3)
  • 2007
  • 2008
  • 2019
League titles (5)
  • 2003
  • 2004
  • 2007
  • 2008
  • 2019
Conference titles (7)
  • 2003
  • 2004
  • 2007
  • 2008
  • 2009
  • 2011
  • 2019
Division titles (12)
  • 2000
  • 2001
  • 2003
  • 2004
  • 2005
  • 2007
  • 2008
  • 2009
  • 2010
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2019
Team data
NameSacramento River Cats
(2000–present)
ColorsBlack, brick red, gold
     
MascotDinger the river cat
BallparkSutter Health Park (2000–present)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Susan Savage
General managerChip Maxson
ManagerDave Brundage[1]
Raley Field in 2007
River Cats at Raley Field in 2007
River Cats players in 2007

The Sacramento River Cats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. They are located in West Sacramento, California, and play their home games at Sutter Health Park which opened in 2000 and was known as Raley Field through 2019.

Sacramento was previously represented in the PCL by the Solons, a charter member of the league which was founded in 1903. Three different versions of the Solons played in California's capital city in 1903, 1905, from 1909 to 1914, from 1918 to 1960, and from 1974 to 1976. As of 2018, Sacramento is the only charter city that hosts a PCL team.

The team has won five PCL championships. Most recently, the River Cats won the league crown in 2019. They previously won back-to-back in 2007 and 2008. They went on to win the Triple-A National Championship Game in all three seasons. Sacramento also won the PCL title in 2003 and 2004.

In 2016, Forbes listed the team as the most valuable Minor League Baseball team with a value of $49 million.[2]

History

Following the 1999 season, the Pacific Coast League's Vancouver Canadians were purchased by a group led by Art Savage, moved south to West Sacramento, and renamed the River Cats for the 2000 season. Savage was the majority owner of the team until his death at age 58 in November 2009. His widow, Susan Savage, became majority owner upon her husband's death.[3]

In 2016, Mike Piazza became the first and only former River Cats player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, after earning an 83% vote by the committee. Piazza played three games in Sacramento as part of a 2007 rehab assignment before rejoining the Oakland Athletics.[4][5][6][7]

Attendance

After arriving at Raley Field, the River Cats led minor leagues in attendance during each of its first eight seasons.[8] In 2015, the team drew 672,354 fans in 72 home games, leading the minor league in total attendance. In 2015, they also drew the second highest attendance per game in the minors with an average of 9,338 fans per game.[9] In 2017, the team drew 562,237 fans in 70 home games, placing them third in overall attendance for the Pacific Coast League for the season. In 2018, the River Cats drew their lowest attendance since arriving at Raley Field with 538,785 fans attending 70 home games. While this was the team's lowest attendance since arriving in West Sacramento, it was strong enough to place them fifth in attendance for the Pacific Coast League for the 2018 season.

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
2014 607,839 8,561
2015 672,354 9,338
2016 609,666 8,587
2017 562,237 8,032
2018 538,785 7,808

Playoff history

The River Cats have won 12 division titles, including back-to-back titles in 2000 and 2001, three years in a row from 2003 to 2005, and six consecutive titles from 2007 to 2012. In 2019, the River Cats snapped a six year playoff drought by winning the Pacific Northern Division.

They won back-to-back league championships in 2003 and 2004 and again in 2007 and 2008.

In 2007, they went on to defeat the Richmond Braves in that year's Bricktown Showdown by a score of 7–1. The River Cats repeated in 2008, defeating the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, 4–1.

Roster

Sacramento River Cats roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders


Manager

Coaches

60-day injured list

7-day injured list
* On San Francisco Giants 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated June 19, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Pacific Coast League
 → 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

  1. ^ "Dave Brundage returns as River Cats manager to defend title in 2020". MiLB.com. 13 January 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  2. ^ Klebnikov, Sergei (July 8, 2016). "Minor League Baseball's Most Valuable Teams – 1. Sacramento River Cats". Forbes. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  3. ^ "River Cats owner dies suddenly at home." Archived 2009-11-24 at the Wayback Machine Sacramento River Cats. Retrieved on 21 November 2009.
  4. ^ "Portland vs. Sacramento - July 13, 2007 | Sacramento River Cats Box". Sacramento River Cats. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  5. ^ "Portland vs. Sacramento - July 14, 2007 | Sacramento River Cats Box". Sacramento River Cats. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  6. ^ "Portland vs. Sacramento - July 15, 2007 | Sacramento River Cats Box". Sacramento River Cats. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  7. ^ "Mike Piazza - The Baseball Cube". www.thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  8. ^ Baseball Pilgrimages.
  9. ^ The Sacramento Bee[permanent dead link].

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sacramento River Cats.
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