CLUB INFORMATION 2018 DUNEDIN STAFF Affiliation: Toronto Blue Jays Level: Class-A Advanced Ownership Group: Toronto Blue Jays/Rogers Communications President and CEO, Toronto Blue Jays: Mark Shapiro Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations & General Manager: Ross Atkins Senior Vice President, Baseball Operations & Assistant General Manager: Tony LaCava Senior Vice President, Business Operations: Andrew Miller Contact Information: 373 Douglas Avenue, Dunedin, FL 34698 Phone: (727) 733-9302 Fax: (727) 734-7661 Box Office: (727) 733-0429 Website: www.dunedinbluejays.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/DunedinBlueJays Twitter: @DunedinBlueJays Instagram: DunedinBlueJays 2 DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS CLUB INFORMATION 2018 DUNEDIN STAFF FRONT OFFICE Director of Florida Operations…………………………………………………………………………………………….Shelby Nelson General Manager…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Mike Liberatore Accounting Manager………………………………………………………………………………………………..………….Gayle Gentry Manager, Community Relations and Retail Sales……………………………………………………………..Kathi Beckman Manager, Corporate and Group Sales……………………………………………………………………………...Kelsey McIntosh Manager, Ticket and Box Office Operations…………………………………………………………………..Jacqueline Purcell Administrative Assistant…………………………………………………………………………………………………...Michelle Smith Coordinator, Box Office Operations………………….……………………………………………………………………...Matt Woak Coordinator, Retail and Community Relations………………………….…………………………………………..Josh Gumbel Coordinator, Graphic Design……………………………………….……………………………………………………Allasyn Lieneck Coordinator, Media Relations………………………………………………………………………………………………..Daniel Venn SUPPORT STAFF Head Superintendent……………………………………………………………………………………………………….Patrick Skunda Supervisor, Stadium Operations……………………………………………………………………..…………………..…..Zac Phelps Supervisor, Facility Operations…………………………………………………………………………………………Steve Paliewicz Home Clubhouse Manager…………………………………………………………………………………….…..………Vinnie Pezzino Visiting Clubhouse Manager…………………………………………………………………………………………….…Bobby Walker FIELD STAFF Manager……………………………………………………………………………………………………………......……….Casey Candaele Pitching Coach…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Mark Riggins Hitting Coach……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Donnie Murphy Coach………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Michel Abreu Trainer…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...………….Dan Leja Strength and Conditioning Coach……………………………………………………………………………………..…Kyle Edlhuber GAME DAY STAFF Official Scorer…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Steven Boychuk Announcer……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Bill Christie Radio Broadcaster………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Jim Tarabocchia NOTE: All front office staff and support staff can be reached by e-mail using the following template: [email protected] 2018 MEDIA GUIDE 3 MEDIA INFORMATION DUNEDIN MANAGEMENT All media requests may go through Daniel Venn or Mike Liberatore. In order to obtain press credentials, send your request via e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected]. Requests should be made at least 24 hours prior to the game. All credentials should be picked up at the Blue Jays box office at Dunedin Stadium. The Blue Jays clubhouse is off limits to the media at all times. The visitors’ clubhouse is governed by that visiting team. There is a media room located on the first floor of the Blue Jays offices, outside of the clubhouse. The playing field and dugouts must be clear of all media 30 minutes prior to scheduled first pitch and must remain so until after the game. There is no exception for rain delays. Special consideration may be granted, if requested in an appropriate and timely manner. The press box is located behind home plate on the second floor of Dunedin Stadium. Special requests for player interviews may be set up by contacting either Daniel Venn or Mike Liberatore. 4 DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS MEDIA INFORMATION DUNEDIN MANAGEMENT SHELBY NELSON DIRECTOR, FLORIDA OPERATIONS Shelby enters his 17th year in the Blue Jays organization and his ninth as Director of Florida Operations. Shelby joined the Toronto Blue Jays in 2001 as an Account Executive. In 2003, he was promoted to Manager of Product Development and eventually became the Manager of Group Sales. In 2007, Shelby was named Director of Retail Sales before joining the Dunedin Blue Jays as GM in 2008. He studied Sports Management at York University in Toronto, Canada, and currently resides in Palm Harbor, Florida with his wife and three children. MIKE LIBERATORE GENERAL MANAGER Mike is beginning his 7th full season with the Blue Jays and his third as General Manager after joining the staff in 2011 as Manager of Corporate Sales and Service. He is originally from Rochester, NY prior to his family relocating to Port Charlotte, FL. Mike played collegiate baseball locally at St. Petersburg College and later at Embry-Riddle University, where he graduated in 2003. In his spare time, Mike enjoys kayaking, fishing, and following the Buffalo Bills and Sabres. KATHI BECKMAN MANAGER, RETAIL SALES AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS Kathi begins her 12th season with the Dunedin Blue Jays. She joined the team in 2006 as an Account Executive and was promoted to Manager of Retail Sales and Community Relations in 2009. Kathi is originally from Clarkson, Michigan and attended Michigan State University. She resides in Clearwater with her husband Ryan, daughter Reese and lovable yellow lab, Zoe. ZAC PHELPS MANAGER, SECURITY AND STADIUM OPERATIONS Zac joined the Blue Jays in January of 2010. When Zac isn’t installing new seats, pressure-washing the concourse, remodeling the bullpen, putting up billboards or raising First Half North Division Championship banners at Dunedin Stadium, you can find him under the hood of a car. Or several. Zac is the proud owner of (at least) two Ford Mustangs, and he enjoys listening to “The Bobby Bones Show” during his morning commute. KELSEY MCINTOSH MANAGER, CORPORATE AND GROUP SALES Kelsey joined the Blue Jays in June 2015 as the Manager of Sales and Promotions. She is originally from Fairfax, Virginia and attended the University of South Carolina (Go Gamecocks!). Aside from the Blue Jays and the Gamecocks, her favorite sports team is the Washington Redskins. She played softball for 16 years and still reminisces about her perfect game. JACQUELINE PURCELL MANAGER, TICKET AND BOX OFFICE OPERATIONS Jacqueline joined the Blue Jays staff in the fall of 2017 as the Manager of Ticket and Box Office Operations. She is originally from Port Huron, Michigan but moved here from Phoenix, Arizona where she worked for Salt River Fields at Talking Stick and most recently the Arizona Coyotes. Previously her other roles included Mobile Marketing for the Ali Sports Dew Tour and Guest Service Manager for Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auctions. 2018 MEDIA GUIDE 5 2017 MILB RECAP 2017 MILB RECAP The Bisons have drawn at least 500,000 fans at Coca Cola Field each year since becoming a Blue Jays affiliate in 2013 and the previous season was no exception. More than 525,000 fans came out to see the Bisons play during the 2017 season, an average of over 8,000 per game in the seats. The Buffalo fans were treated to an incredibly talented roster throughout the season, as 40 different players with previous Major League experience put on a Bisons jersey. 12 more players were called up from Buffalo to make their Major League debut during the season. CF Roemon Fields paced the Bison’s offense from the leadoff spot, finishing fifth in the International League’s batting title chase and leading the league with 43 steals. Behind the plate, Buffalo received strong offensive contributions from C Raffy Lopez and C Mike Ohlman, who tied for the team lead with 12 homers each, and late season call-up C Danny Jansen (.328/.423/.552). On the mound, Carlos Ramirez threw 14.0 scoreless innings out of the Buffalo bullpen to complete an incredible minor league season. In 37.2 innings between New Hampshire and Buffalo, Ramirez did not allow an earned run, leading to a much-deserved September call-up for the converted outfielder. LHP Tim Mayza was nearly as dominant, allowing just two runs in 19.1 innings, good for an ERA of 0.93 and an August call-up to Toronto. A team-record 14 former Fisher Cats made their MLB debuts in 2017, including six who began the season in New Hampshire. OF Anthony Alford became the first position player in franchise history to make the jump from Double-A to the majors, and finished the season with a team-high .310 batting average in 68 games. RHP Chris Rowley, a former first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, headlined the pitching staff in the first half of the season with a 1.73 ERA and 0.81 WHIP before winning his big league debut on August 12. SS Richard Urena, LHP Tim Mayza, and RHP Carlos Ramirez also suit- ed up for the Blue Jays by season’s end, promising a bright future in Toronto. In a pitching rotation loaded with prospects like RHP Sean Reid-Foley and RHP Jon Harris, it was LHP Ryan Borucki who stole the show after joining the team in July. Through his first three Double-A starts, he allowed one run in 21 innings (0.43 ERA) with 18 strikeouts and three walks. The Fisher Cats hosted the Eastern League All-Star Game in 2017, with the hometown East All-Stars earning a 7-1 win behind New Hampshire stars like IF Gunnar Heidt, RHP Dusty Isaacs and breakout prospect C Danny Jansen. By: Tyler Murray The Dunedin Blue Jays won their first championship in franchise history in 2017, sweeping a winner-take-all road double header