When the 1997 version of the Winnipeg Goldeyes took the field on May 30 to face the Sioux City Explorers, optimism abounded, and why not? After all, 11 members of the 1996 squad that won 50 games had returned, not to mention the trio of newcomers picked up in the off-season from around the Northern League.

Leading the way were two-time MVP Terry Lee at first base and Brian Duva at second, while Mike Hickey at third and John Dorman at short rounded out the infield. In the outfield, 1996 Rookie of the Year Chris Kokinda was back, as were CJ Martin and Brent Watts. Small in stature but big on speed, Alabama native Kyle Towner was the new centre fielder, while former Madison Black Wolf slugger Mike Meggers was the designated hitter.

Behind the plate, Kiki Hernandez had come over from Thunder Bay while Derek Reams had done the same from Fargo-Moorhead. The pitching staff, meanwhile, was a combination of faces new and old, with six of the 11 being returnees. Last, but not least, manager Hal Lanier was back and so were coaches Bob Kipper and Scott Neiles.

Like a champion thoroughbred, the Goldeyes burst from the gate and set a torrid pace, winning eight of their first 10, 15 of 20 and 22 of 30. Any other year and the other three West Division teams might have packed it in, turning their attention instead to the second half, but not Sioux City. The pesky Explorers went stride for stride with the Fish, falling no more than two games back at any time, yet came up short on the last day of the first half when the Goldeyes clinched with a 24-9 drubbing of Fargo. For the fourth time in four years, Winnipeg Stadium would play host to playoff baseball in September.

The success the Goldeyes enjoyed over the first half of the season was entirely due to a team effort, but there were some notable individual performances.

Starters Rick Forney and Rod Pedraza were a combined 13-2 at the break, while newcomer Jeff Zimmerman was just starting to find the form that would see him picked up at season’s end by the Texas Rangers. Veteran Mike Bailey turned in the most dazzling performance of the first half, striking out 16 St. Paul Saints on July 9 to set a new team record in a complete game, 6-4 win at home.

At the plate, the Goldeyes led the League with a team average of .299. Showing the way with an impressive .352 was Lee, who was joined in the Top 10 for averages with Martin, Hickey and Duva. Kokinda had the single-game performance of the season, hitting for the cycle on June 21 in an 11-4 romp in St. Paul, the only Goldeyes player to do so in 1997.

Rewarded for their efforts with an August 4 trip to the inaugural All-Star game in St. Paul were six Goldeyes - Forney, Pedraza, Lee, Duva, Martin and Reams. While he had earned his place alongside his five teammates, Reams was definitely the surprise of the six.

Brought in to back-up Hernandez as catcher, the Mississippi native was thrust into the starter’s role when injuries forced Hernandez into retirement in early June, but rarely looked out of place. Reams was strong at the plate, and equally so behind it.

When the second half began on July 18, the Goldeyes picked up right where they had left off, winning four of their first five and 11 of 15. But the consistency of the first half soon gave way to inconsistency, as the Fish won 13 and lost 14 over their final 27 to finish the second half two games back of Fargo. They were playing their worst baseball at the worst time, yet that would all change in the post-season.

The best-of-five West Division final pitted the Goldeyes against their arch rivals from Fargo-Moorhead. In their 12 regular-season meetings, Winnipeg won seven, but that meant nothing come the post-season. The Goldeyes proceeded to lose the first two games at home, then hit the road thinking the unthinkable - sweeping the RedHawks in Fargo to reach the Northern League final, and that’s just what they did!

After stunning the hosts with a 4-3 win in game three, the Goldeyes thumped the ’Hawks 8-1 in game four, forcing a winner-take-all game five.

Jumping ahead 2-0 courtesy of a two-run homer by Chris Coste in the second inning, the RedHawks looked poised to regroup from the thrashing they were handed the night before, but the Goldeyes had something to say about that.

Winnipeg scored five times in the fourth to take a commanding 5-2 lead, then added another two in the fifth, quieting what three innings earlier was a very vocal Fargo Baseball Stadium - but not for long.

The RedHawks scored three in the seventh, then added one more with two out in the ninth to make it 7-6. Brought in to nail the Fargo coffin shut, Goldeyes reliever John Salamon coaxed Troy Hughes to fly out to Brent Watts to end the battle, setting up a meeting with the upstart Duluth-Superior Dukes in the Northern League final.

After a split of the first two games in Winnipeg, the Goldeyes headed east for what had become a best-of-three series. Led by former Goldeyes DH Mike Meggers, who had hit three home runs in Winnipeg then added another in game three, the Dukes won the third game to put themselves one victory away from the title.

But the Fish rebounded once again with a 5-4 win in game four, courtesy of Tony Mitchell’s three-run bomb, setting the stage for another post-season all-or-nothing game five. Despite holding the Dukes to just three runs, the Goldeyes could only muster one themselves, giving Duluth its first League title in five years.

The championship may have eluded them, but not all was lost for Winnipeg. Lee won the batting title and set a record for runs scored, while Duva shattered the previous stolen base record of 46, finishing the campaign with 55 steals.

On the mound, Zimmerman won the Top Rookie Pitcher award, thanks in large to his leading the League in earned run average while finishing second in strikeouts. Forney tied for the League lead in wins with 11 and finished fifth in ERA, earning himself the Top Right-handed Pitcher prize.

Additionally, Lee, Duva and Forney were named to the Northern League All-Star team, as was Dorman, the lone rookie to receive the honor. If that wasn’t enough, Lee, Forney and Zimmerman were all named to Baseball America’s Independent first All-Star team, while Duva was named to the second team.

Season-By-Season Review  |  Roster History  |  Distinguished Alumni