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BREWERS BASEBALL Helena Brewers 2017 Media Guide and Information Advanced Rookie Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers Table of Contents Team History 3 Pioneer League Kindrick Legion Field 4 2016 Pioneer League Review 25 Ownership 5 Mileage Chart 26 Front Office 6 2017 All-Star Game 26 All-Time Helena All-Stars 27 2017 Brewers Brewers Leading the Pioneer League 27 Coaching Staff 7-8 2017 Opponents 28-29 2016 Brewers Draft 8 Milwaukee Brewers Organization Helena History Affiliates and Contacts 30 Year-by-Year Results 9 Promotional Schedule 31 Post Season Results 9 2017 Season Schedule 31 1st Half & 2nd Half Results 10 Broadcast Information 31 All-Time Managers 10 Former Helena Major Leaguers 11-13 All-Time Roster 14-16 Single Season Team Records 17 Single Season Individual Records 18 Year-by-Year Season Leaders 19-22 All-Time No-Hitters 22 2016 Year in Review 23 2016 Highs and Lows 24 Photos courtesy of BMG Media 2 HELENA BASEBALL HISTORY ating all the way back to the expedition of Lewis Despite the success of the 1990’s, the team Dand Clark, baseball has been a part of the fabric saw declining attendance in the later part of the of life in Montana. With the turning of winter into decade. There were rumblings that management was the long days of summer, the prospect of taking in an looking to relocate the team, speculation that was evening of America’s pastime has drawn fans out to only fueled by the city of Provo reaching an agree- the ballpark for over a century. It was in that time that ment to build a new ballpark. After the 2000 season, the first organized baseball club came into existence it became official - baseball was leaving Helena. in Helena. Management relocated the team to Provo where they became an affiliate of the Anaheim Angels. For the During 1892, before Montana was a state in first time in 22 years, professional baseball was absent the Union, the city of Helena was a charter member from Helena. of the Montana State League, along with Butte, Boz- eman, Great Falls, Missoula and Philipsburg. Though This was not, however, the final chapter for the league lasted for only one season, baseball in baseball in the Treasure State’s capital. Thanks to the Helena was here to stay. efforts of the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the Elmore Sports group, Helena rejoined the Pio- Fast forward to 1978, when the Philadelphia neer League in 2003 after the Medicine Hat Blue Jays Phillies opened up a rookie affiliate in the Pioneer ended their affiliation with Toronto and relocated to League right here in the Capital City. Known as the Montana. The club has been in continuous operation Helena Phillies, the team enjoyed decent success, ever since. making the playoffs in their second year of operation in 1979 under first year manager Roly De Armas. It Helena continues to be a hotbed of Major was during this era that Helena hosted future Hall of League talent. Ryan Braun, Wily Peralta and Jonathan Famer Ryne Sandberg, who played in 56 games for Lucroy all spent time in Helena before moving on to the rookie-level Phillies before going on to a 16-year play at Miller Park. Though they would go on to have career with the Phillies and Cubs. success with other Major League teams, the likes of Lorenzo Cain, Michael Brantley, Alcides Escobar, Cole After partnering with the Phillies for six sea- Gillespie and Jake Odorizzi all spent some of their sons, Helena changed its named to the Gold Sox in rookie season in Helena. 1984 and played as an independent franchise in the Pioneer League. Under the guidance of Harry Gurley, Since their return, the Brewers have made the the Gold Sox went 44-24, claiming the Northern Divi- playoffs five times and brought home another cham- sion regular season crown before taking down Billings pionship, claiming the 2010 Pioneer League title. In 3-1 in the playoffs to bring home the franchise’s first January of 2016, the Milwaukee Brewers announced Pioneer League Title. that Nestor Corredor would become the 23rd man- ager of the Helena franchise. Corredor is entering his The 1984 season would be the only year that second season at the helm in Helena and his seventh Helena went without an affiliation as they found a overall as a manager in the Brewers system. new parent club in 1985, the Milwaukee Brewers. Over the next 12 seasons, Helena made the playoffs five times and won back-to-back Pioneer League Championships in 1995 and 1996. High caliber Major League players including Gary Sheffield, Greg Vaughn and Mike Matheny all spent their rookie seasons cut- ting their teeth in Helena. 3 KINDRICK LEGION FIELD n all 37 seasons of operation, the Helena baseball The ballpark incorporates elements from Iteam has called Kindrick Legion Field home. all different eras of baseball. The grandstand is still the original wooden frame built when the field was Built in 1932 and origianlly named Memorial used mostly for American Legion games and other Park Field, the ballpark was renamed Kindrick Legion baseball leagues, a piece of the structure that is Field in the mid-1970s in honor of longtime Legion older than the Pioneer League itself. supporter Ace Kindrick. From it’s completion in 1932 until the mid-1960s, the field was the site of thou- As part of a blast from the past, the orange sands of ballgames for the semi-pro City and Copper seats that make up the main spectator area are League games. It also served as the location for the from the 1970’s Oakland Coliseum. After the team Helena High football team until Vigilante Stadium was relocated from Medicine Hat, the city of Helena built in 1935, as well as the field for the Helena Ca- approved improvements to the park in 2004 and thedral and Central High’s football games from 1955- 2007. 68. Since 1978, with the exception of a couple years, the park has been the home to the Helena Phillies, This offseason, the club invested in a com- the Helena Gold Sox and the Helena Brewers. pletely new pitchers mound while also overhauling the grass to ensure one of the best playing surfaces Kindrick Legion Field has expanded it’s capcity in the Pioneer League. over the years and currently holds 2,100. From home plate to the left field foul line is 335 feet, to the right field wall is 325 feet and the deepest part of the park is 400 feet to the batters eye in straight away center field. 4 Brewers Ownership and Management The Elmore Sports Group D.G. Elmore – Principal Owner Under the watch of owner D.G. Elmore, the Helena Brewers will embark on their 15th season as a part of the Elmore Sports Group during the 2017 campaign. As Vice President of the Elmore Sports Group, D.G. Elmore has been at the helm as Chairman and Owner since before the franchise made its move back to Helena. In 2000, D.G. Elmore acquired the Medicine Hat Blue Jays, where they stayed until the team relocat- ed to Helena in 2003. Along with his work in the Elmore Sports Group, Mr. Elmore is the President and Owner of Gant Travel Management. Mr. Elmore is also a chairman and partial owner of several other compa- nies, including Velo Sports Vacations, Decision Tree Resources, National Education Services, Corner- stone Information Systems and Adams & Westlake Ltd. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the New Horizons Foundation and The Navigators. A graduate of SMU with a degree in accounting in 1980, Mr. Elmore continued his education at Indiana University, where he earned his Masters in Business and a Law Degree. He and his wife, Gini, reside in Bloomington, Indiana with their six children. Paul Fetz – President/ General Manager Working in his 28th season in professional baseball and his 15th with the Helena Brewers, Paul Fetz’ hard work and determination has set the standard of success for the Helena Brewers. Hand picked by D.G. Elmore to assume the role of General Man- ager for Medicine Hat in 2000, Fetz oversaw the franchises move from Medicine Hat to Helena. Before joining the Elmore Sports Group, Fetz worked in the Pioneer League from 1994 to 1999 as Assistant General Manager of the Idaho Falls Padres. Fetz also spent the 1993 season as a member of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox staff and worked for the Albuquerque Dukes from 1990 to 1992. A graduate of Gonzaga University in 1989 with a degree in public relations, Fetz made his first foray into professional baseball while he was still a student, working for two summers for the Spokane Indians. He has been named Executive of the Year for the Pioneer League twice, bringing home the honor last in 2015. Under his leadership, the Brewers have increased their community involvement through reading programs and community events, along with introducing Wally the Woolly Mammoth as the teams’ official mascot in 2015. Fetz also helped renegotiate Helena’s deal with the Milwaukee Brewers back in 2014, agreeing to an extension through the 2018 season with the big league club. 5 Brewers Front Office Staff Travis Hawks - Assistant General Manager Abraham Castenada - Clubhouse Manager Entering his fourth season with the Helena Brewers, Travis Hawks con- Born in Minnesota and raised in Brownsville, TX, Abraham Castaneda re- tinues his role as Assistant General Manger. Hawks began his career in turns to the Helena Brewers for his second season as the clubhouse man- professional baseball in 2012, working for the Grand Junction Rockies as ager.