When the Winnipeg Goldeyes opened the 2000 Northern League season at CanWest Global Park on May 26, they had some pretty big shoes to fill. Not only had the six previous Goldeyes teams made the playoffs, the 1999 version reached the league final and did so in front of the largest crowds in team history.
But that mattered little to this year's squad, or so it seemed, as they limited the visiting Sioux Falls Canaries to just four runs in a three-game sweep. Although it was still very early, the combination of returnees and newcomers looked poised to run away from the rest of the Central Conference.
Four position players and six pitchers were all back, and were complemented by a number of newcomers, including starter Scott Conner and shortstop Jack Jones. But the newcomer attracting the most attention was a newcomer only in that he wasn't here in 1999. Wes Chamberlain was back after a year-and-half in organized baseball and was being looked upon to lead the way once again.
A day after sweeping the Canaries, the Goldeyes hit the road, looking to pick up where they left off. But they obviously didn't look hard enough, as they dropped five of six road games, then returned home to drop two of three to Fargo-Moorhead. What had once looked so promising had quickly gone horribly wrong.
Things worsened in June when injuries to Forney and Fortin forced them on to the inactive list. Winnipeg was just starting to hit its stride when the two went down, but others stepped in to pick up the slack.
Keppen took over as the staff ace, putting up career numbers in every category, while Onley shone after a frustrating 1999 season. Jones emerged as the most entertaining shortstop in the conference, Chamberlain led by example while outfielder Garry Villacres played the game equally well on offence and defence.
Unable to fully overcome the loss of Forney and Fortin, the Goldeyes came up a little short in the first half. Regrouping for the second half, they stayed in first or close to it right up until the season ended then locked up the wild card spot to set up another post-season meeting with first-half champion Fargo-Moorhead.
Doing to the Goldeyes what the Goldeyes did to them a year previous, the RedHawks swept Winnipeg to advance to the Central Conference final. It was short, yet anything but sweet, as the Goldeyes found themselves swept in the playoffs for the first time in team history.
It didn't end the way is was supposed to, but 2000 was still a great season for the Goldeyes. As a team, they sold out 34 home games and played before a club record 271,513 fans during the regular season, best in all of independent baseball and established a new NL record for average attendance (6,465) in a season.
On an individual basis, Ryan Jones made team and league history on August 8 in Sioux Falls when he hit four home runs in a 19-2 win. Brian Duva also entered the record books this year when he became the league's all-time leader in hits, runs scored and stolen bases.
As well, manager Hal Lanier led a charge of nine Goldeyes to the 2000 Northern League All-Star Game in New Jersey. Joining him were coach Scott Neiles, pitching coach Rick Forney, Chamberlain, Keppen, Onley, Jack Jones, catcher J.P. Fauske and pitcher Alan Ochsner.
Additionally, Chamberlain and Jack Jones were named to the Central Conference post-season all-star team. And Keppen was recognized by Baseball America as one of the top indy players in North America, earning a spot on the magazine's All- Independent second team. Last, but by no means least, general manager John Hindle was recognized for the second time in three seasons as the Central Conference's GM of the Year.
Season-By-Season Review | Roster History | Distinguished Alumni
