Managing The C's - A Look Back Through The Years
(Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium - Vancouver, B.C.) - It's one thing to have a goal, yet another to have a plan that is strong enough to make that goal become a reality. As we gear up for the 2016 season with new manager John Tamargo Jr. ready to embark on his first season in the Pacific Northwest, it's easy to reflect on those who have come before him with the a similar set of responsibilities.
No two managers will ever have the exact same set of tasks as some will need a specific focus on development with little talent while others are blessed with an embarrassment of riches in the form of top end prospects and players overflowing with ability that simply have to be for lack of a better word, 'managed'.
Tamargo Jr. becomes the 10th manager in Vancouver Canadians Class-A, Short-Season franchise history adding his name to a growing list of those who took on the responsibility of leading a Minor League baseball team within a Major League city. From the longest tenured manager in franchise history, Rick Magnante, who for five seasons led our beloved C's onto the field to interim manager Rich Miller who filled in for a handful of games at the backend of a tumultuous 2011 season that amazingly enough ended with a Northwest League Championship - the road for all of our previous managers has had a number of turns that really makes for a unique journey through our franchise's history.
Here's a chronological look at the nine baseball minds that led our franchise onto the field dating back to 2000;
Dave Joppie (2000):
Joppie had the dubious task of leading the Class-A, Short-Season Vancouver Canadians onto the field at Nat Bailey Stadium just months after the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A Vancouver Canadians left for greener pastures in Sacramento, California. Joppie was gifted with 2nd Round, Blue Chip prospect SS Freddie Bynum, but not much else, as the C's would play close to .500 baseball in front of sparse crowds as new ownership from Medford, Oregon wondered if Vancouver was really ready for such a dramatic on-field shift.
Joppie would later find his way from the Oakland Athletics organization to the Boston Red Sox where he has since managed at several levels.
Webster Garrison (2001):
"Webby" as he was known among those within baseball circles was joined in Vancouver by pitching coach Jim Coffman and hitting coach Billy Owens. These three saw what some might call the greatest single class of prospects in Canadians franchise history. From Rich Harden to John Rheinecker, Mike Wood, Chris Mabeus, Neal Cotts and Dan Johnson - this team was loaded with talent, and yet stumbled to a 37-39 record. Garrison, a former hitting coach could only watch as Matt Allegra would strikeout a franchise high 104 times in 71 games, while Georgia Tech prospect Jason Basil never found a home be it in the infield or behind the plate. Canadians catcher Casey Myers would keep Garrison from pulling his hair out as the Johnny Bench Award finalist was calm and mature behind the plate in his 59 games alongside catcher Jorge Soto.
Orv Franchuk (2002):
Tough as nails. That was a direct quote from one player who said that his Edmonton, Alberta born manager was just not all that approachable just weeks after being selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 2002 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Franchuk was the first Canadian-born manager in franchise history, and actually still holds that distinction. The 3rd manager in C's franchise history led Vancouver to a 37-39 record with Mark Teahen (13 games), Nick Swisher (13 games), Nelson Cruz (63 games) and Joe Blanton (1-1, 3.14, 14.1 IP) all on the roster at different points in the season.
Blue chip prospect Steve Obenchain would also find his way to Vancouver but failed to dazzle in his 41 innings while working with Franchuk who would manager for just the one season in Vancouver.
Dennis Rogers (2003-2004)
Remembered as the first manager in Canadians Northwest League history to help Vancouver into the post-season (2004), Dennis Rogers was a mild mannered manager who has spent time with the Medford Athletics, which through baseball bloodlines later become the Vancouver Canadians (franchise relocated in 2000 from Medford, known at the time as the Southern Oregon Timberjacks).
In Medford, Rogers would go 53-17 in his first season, and 50-18 the following year (2013) before finishing his three-year tenure with a 45-29 season. All told, Rogers in his first tour with the franchise went 148-64 (.698) although those numbers are not considered in Vancouver Canadians history, nor is the NWL title the 1983 Medford Athletics won in 1983.
That said, Rogers went a dismal 35-41 in his first season with the Canadians before bouncing back in 2004 as Vancouver (43-33) advanced to the Northwest League Championship for the first time losing to Frank Gonzalez and the Boise Hawks despite having the NWL Most Valuable Player in Javier Herrera.
Juan Navarette (2005):
The Oakland Athletics sent manager Juan Navarette to Vancouver almost as a last resort in 2005 as the longtime instructor/coach took the assignment at the last moment heading into the season. Lucky for Vancouver baseball fans as Navarette was a cool, calm teacher of the game that saw the C's go a franchise best 46-30 in 2005 and earn a return to the NWL Championship, this time against Spokane.
Highly-touted prospect Travis Buck played in nine (9) games for the C's hitting .361 (13-for-36) before getting called up to Class-A Kane County (Midwest League). Navarette never wavered despite the ever-changing roster relying heavily on Jeff Baisley, Chad Boyd and Anthony Recker behind the plate as the C's came within one game of a NWL title. Spokane, trailing two-games-to-none in the best-of-five series came back to win the Championship as Vancouver simply ran out of pitching options down the stretch. A tough way to lose and it would be Navarette's last game as manager of the Canadians despite going 48-33 in 2005.
Rick Magnante (2006-2010):
The longest tenured manager in Vancouver Canadians Short-Season history, Rick Magnante was the epitome of what you wanted at a professional level where players were getting their first taste of professional baseball.
A silver-haired, impeccably dressed manager, Rick Magnante was a unique combination of scout, manager and father-figure. His demeanour was laid back, yet his attention to detail kept you on your toes as the long time scout could dissect your game in a matter of minutes and made a key adjustment just as fast.
Magnante would lead the Canadians through five seasons going 39-37, 37-38, 34-42, 36-40 and 42-34 in his final season as his swan song with Vancouver culminated in a playoff-birth that saw Everett dismantle the C's in two straight games.
Beyond the wins and losses, Magnante was trusted with the best the Oakland Athletics could draft including Michael Choice, A.J. Griffin, Travis Buck and Sean Doolittle. However, it was what Magnante did for the fringe players that made him one of the most memorable in franchise history, and definitely the most respected. Magnante made the stars humble and the bubble guys feel great understanding that professional baseball was a gift given to just a few, yet something that remained a game.
Rick has since gone on to manage in Vermont, Beloit and Stockton and is still within the Oakland A's organization.
John Schneider (2011, 2014-15):
At just 31 years of age, John Schneider became the youngest manager in franchise history when he took the job back in 2011, just four years after he finished playing within the Toronto Blue Jays organization.
The Canadians, had just switched affiliations going from the Oakland Athletics whom they had shared a relationship with since 2000, to the aforementioned Blue Jays, Canada's only Major League Baseball property.
Schneider would manage the first 52 games of the season before having to take a personal leave of absence and was replaced by interim manager Rich Miller. Although no word was ever given as to Schneider's imminent return, his absence would extend through the end of the season giving Miller the final 24 regular season games and the C's first ever Northwest League Championship.
With Schneider at the helm, Vancouver went 29-23 (.558) before he gave way to Miller who proceeded to go 10-14 (.417) as the Canadians lost five of its final six regular season games. However, Vancouver would knock off the Eugene Emeralds and Tri-City Dust Devils in hard fought three game series to help the C's to a 1st ever title.
Schneider would eventually return to the Vancouver Canadians in 2014 and manage for two more seasons including 2014 when the Canadians returned to the Northwest League Championship for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year, falling short to Hillsboro two-games-to-none.
During Schneider's tenure, the Blue Jays fed him a number of blue chip prospects including Noah Syndergaard, Justin Nicolino, Dalton Pompey, Franklin Barreto and Miguel Castro. The former catcher was assigned in 2016 to manage the Lansing Lugnuts of the Midwest League.
Rich Miller (2011): *interim manager
Miller would manage the Canadians for 24 regular season games along with the Canadians run to the 2011 Northwest League Championship. His arrival came at a unique time as he was announced as the team's interim manager, replacing John Schneider after nearly 70% of the season had already gone by. Luckily, Miller tells of a speech that he gave to the Canadians about his time within the New York Mets organization that helped spur Vancouver toward a Northwest League Championship.
Miller has not managed since, and is a Senior Advisor within the Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Operations.
Clayton McCullough (2012-2013):
When baseball players and front office personnel talk about having the 'it' factor, there is no better way to describe Clayton McCullough who in his two years with the Canadians led them to a pair of Northwest League Championships.
Following the C's first title, McCullough was tabbed as the manager who would try and repeat as the best of the Northwest, and he led with a combination of detail and passion that inspired his players, staff and a city.
With names like Marcus Stroman, Balbino Fuenmayor and Art Charles, the son of a former Major League Baseball exec quickly found his own identity and was named Northwest League Manager of the Year by his peers.
After going 46-30 (.605) in his first season with the C's, a subtle 39-37 (.513) would see McCullough manage what might have been his finest season with the Canadians somehow getting into the post-season before topping a talent heavy Boise Hawks team.
After 2013, the manager with the dusty brown hair and southern twang made his way into the Los Angeles Dodgers organization where he is tabbed as a person to watch as he works with the future of the West Coast powerhouse.
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