The New Jersey Jackals are a professional minor league baseball team based in Little Falls in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. The Jackals are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball through its association with the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, neither of which are affiliated with Major League Baseball. From their inception, the Jackals have played their home games at Yogi Berra Stadium, on the campus of Montclair State University.
History
1990s
The club was formed in 1998, and they posted the best record in the Northeast League in their inaugural season under manager Kash Beauchamp. The Jackals won the first half with a 30â€"12 record, clinching the team a playoff spot. After finishing 53â€"31, New Jersey went on to sweep the two playoff series and win the league championship, capturing the final game at Heritage Park in Colonie, New York, over the Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs.
The Jackals joined the Northern League for the 1999 season along with the rest of the Northeast League teams after the two leagues approved a merger. New Jersey finished 45â€"40 and advanced to the playoffs, where they swept the Allentown Ambassadors in the first round. This set up a rematch with Albany-Colonie for a chance to advance to the Northern League Championship Series, but the Diamond Dogs ended the Jackals' season with a 3â€"1 series defeat.
2000s
The Jackals were chosen to host the 2000 Northern League All-Star Game at Yogi Berra Stadium. However, it was one of few highlights in an otherwise down year. New Jersey failed to finish with a winning record for the first time in team history and finished up the season at 31â€"52. Manager Kash Beauchamp resigned at the end of the season and the team chose Waterbury Spirit manager George Tsamis to replace him.
In Tsamis' first season the Jackals again struggled. The team finished five games under .500 in the first half of the season, but was able to even their record by finishing five games above .500 in the second half. Their 45â€"45 record barely qualified the Jackals for the 2001 Northern League playoffs, but the team managed to sweep Albany-Colonie in the first round. They then took on the Elmira Pioneers in the Northern League East Championship Series, winning in five games. The Jackals completed their run by defeating the North Division champion, the Winnipeg Goldeyes, 3 to 1 to claim their first Northern League Championship.
The 2002 Jackals season was historic on two fronts. The first historic moment came when Jeremy Callier threw a no-hitter on August 28 against the Berkshire Black Bears, requiring a home run by Ryan Kane in the bottom of the ninth inning to make it official. The second piece of team history saw the Jackals set a team record for victories, finishing with 62 to lead the league. In the playoffs, however, the Jackals did not have any relative ease in winning games as they were taken to five games by Elmira again in the first round and required a two-out bases clearing double by first baseman Dave Callahan to win over the Adirondack Lumberjacks in the fifth game of their Northern League East Championship Series tilt. Once again, though, the Jackals finished with a championship by defeating Winnipeg in four games.
2003 saw two major changes for the Jackals. After Tsamis resigned following the year to take the managerial position with the St. Paul Saints, New Jersey hired Gary SouthShore RailCats manager Joe Calfapietra to take his place. The second saw the end of the merger with the Northern League, as the Northeast League once again became its own entity. The Jackals returned to the playoffs for a third consecutive year by winning both halves of the season in their division, but were dispatched in the first round by the eventual league champion Brockton Rox. Despite this, the Jackals finished with a 52â€"37 record.
In 2004, New Jersey improved their record to what was then the team's second-best showing in its history, winning 54 games and losing 29. However, the first half of the season required saw the Jackals end in a tie with the New Haven County Cutters, requiring a one-game playoff which New Jersey won for their fifth consecutive half-season victory. The Jackals pulled away in the second half with a 28â€"18 record, winning both halves for a third straight year. After dispatching of the Bangor Lumberjacks in the first round of the playoffs, the Jackals found themselves in trouble against the North Shore Spirit in the league championship series. Trailing two games to none and down late in the third game, the Jackals rallied for an extra inning victory. They duplicated the feat the next day in Game 4 to tie the series, and then won the fifth and deciding game to take the Northeast League Championship. To date, this is the last time the Jackals have won a league championship.
In 2005 the Jackals joined the Can-Am League and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2000 despite posting a winning record of 48â€"44. 2006 saw another history-making performance as Aaron Myers threw the second no-hitter in team history, but New Jersey again missed the playoffs and- with a 43â€"48 record- finished with only their second losing record in team history.
The Jackals won the Can-Am League First Half Championship in 2007 with a 31â€"15 record, guaranteeing them a spot in the playoffs. Their 31 wins in the first half still mark a franchise best in the first half, and second most in a half (32 in 2002). The Jackals' second half was not as strong, as they finished in last place with an 18â€"29 record. New Jersey took the Nashua Pride to a fifth game at Yogi Berra Stadium in their best-of-five series before losing and getting knocked out. The Jackals missed the playoffs in 2008, finishing 43â€"51.
New Jersey was able to ride a CanAm League record 14 game win streak to a First Half Championship in 2009 with a 28â€"19 record, once again guaranteeing the team a playoff spot. The Jackals won 27 games in the second half for a total of 55, the second most in team history. Despite that, New Jersey was quickly eliminated from the playoffs by the Worcester Tornadoes.
For the second time in their history, the Jackals lost 50 games in 2010. However, their combined record of 42â€"50 was enough for the team to qualify as one of four teams in what was now a seven-team Can-Am League. For the second consecutive year, though, the Jackals were swept in the first round of the playoffs; this time, the defending league champion Quebec Capitales defeated the Jackals.
2010s
In 2010, the Jackals slipped in the first half, finishing fourth with a 19â€"27 record. The team battled back to a 23â€"23 record in the second half, beating out the Worcester Tornadoes by 0.5 game for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Jackals were swept by Quebec three games to none in the opening round.
In 2011, the Jackals finished the regular season 57-36, the second most season wins in franchise history (62 is currently the record). Despite an impressive record, the Jackals were unable to win either half of the regular season (Quebec won both halves), and finished second among the eight teams. New Jersey swept the Pittsfield Colonials in the first round of the playoffs three games to none, giving the Jackals their first trip to the championship since 2004. Quebec and New Jersey met in the championship, with the Capitales winning the series three games to one, capturing their third consecutive CanAm League title. Jackals pitcher Isaac Pavlik made a close run for the triple crown, finishing the regular season atop the league in wins and strikeouts, but third in ERA.
The Jackals and Les Capitales met in the league championship series in 2012 and 2013 as well. Quebec defeated the Jackals in both of those series.
For the 2014 season the Jackals became part of the American Association along with the Capitales, the Rockland Boulders, and the Trois-Rivières Aigles. This move was made after the Newark Bears ceased operations following the season, but allowed the Can-Am League to maintain its own separate identity. The Jackals once again made the playoffs, finishing one game behind the Boulders with a 55-41 record. New Jersey lost its fourth consecutive league championship series, falling in six games to Rockland after winning the first two at home.
Miscellaneous
- Founded: 1998
- Playoff Appearances: (10) 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
- League Championships won: (4) 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004
The mascot for the Jackals is an anthropomorphic Jackal named Jack. He entertains the fans and has some trademark game antics, such as wiggling his tail, the Cha Cha Slide, the YMCA, etc. Jack is popular with children who attend the games, as well as the community.
The Jackals play at Yogi Berra Stadium, which is located on the Little Falls side of the Montclair State University campus and named for Hall of Fame ex-Yankee catcher Yogi Berra, a longtime Montclair resident. Also located at the stadium site is the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center, a baseball-themed educational attraction which also contains a stadium luxury box. The luxury box is used only by major league scouts and Berra himself, who attends at least twice a year during special theme nights on which he signs autographs for fans.
Retired jerseys
The Jackals have retired three jersey numbers since their inception.
- 4 Zach Smithlin
- Smithlin, a native of nearby Fair Lawn, New Jersey, joined the Jackals in 2004 after playing a year for the New Jersey Cardinals. After his first year with the team he was bought by the San Diego Padres, but returned to the Jackals after his release and remained with the team until 2009. Playing center field and later shortstop for the Jackals until 2009, Smithlin set the team records for games played, hits, runs scored, and stolen bases. Smithlin left baseball after playing a season with the Sussex Skyhawks in 2010 and the Jackals honored him by retiring his jersey the next year.
- 8 Yogi Berra
- The Jackals have never issued number 8 in honor of Berra, who wore this number throughout his playing and managerial career and who is the namesake for the Jackals' home stadium.
- 28 Joel Bennett
- Bennett joined the Jackals in 2001 as a starting pitcher. A schoolteacher by trade from upstate New York, Bennett pitched for the Jackals until 2007 as was a member of three of the Jackals' league champion teams. He set all of the team's major career pitching records during his seven seasons, and served as a player-coach for his first two years. Bennett was the first Jackal player to have his number retired by the team, who honored him in 2008.
Rivalries
The New Jersey Jackals announced a formal rivalry with the Newark Bears shortly after the Bears joined the Can-Am League in 2010. Since both teams play in Essex County, New Jersey, they established the County Executives' Cup to formalize this geographical contest. Off the field, the Jackals and the Bears will collaborate in order to strengthen each teams' respective recognition in Essex County, support fund-raising projects for local charities, and coordinate educational programs to benefit area students. The New Jersey Jackals won the inaugural County Executives' Cup in 2011.
The Jackals have also had rivalries in the past, notably between the Quebec Capitales and the Winnipeg Goldeyes, of the American Association. The Jackals defeated the Goldeyes in the 2001 and 2002 championship (winners of the East and Central). The Jackals won both Northern League championships series 3â€"1. The rivalry between the leagues, rematches, and off-field incidents led to the formation of this feud. Since their inception, Quebec and New Jersey have played in the same league. Both teams have won four league championships. In 2011, the Capitales defeated the Jackals three games to one in the championship series.
Logos and uniforms
The official colors of the New Jersey Jackals are red and black. The primary logo incorporates several elements, including the initials "NJ" for New Jersey with the "Jackals" wordmark following the "J." A stylized baseball in white with red threading and black outline dots the "J", with a depiction of a jackal's head in red with white shadowing and black outline is centered above the wordmark.
The Jackals wear a black cap for home games and red for away. The road cap has the "NJ" cap logo centered on the front, with a baseball dotting the "J." The home cap is black with the "jackal" cap logo centered on the front with a baseball incorporated with the logo to the left. The home jerseys are white with black pinstripes with the "Jackals" wordmark centered across in red with black outline. The away jerseys are grey with the "New Jersey" wordmark arched across the front in red letters with black outline. An alternate jersey is black with red piping with the "Jackals" wordmark centered across in red with white outline. The batting practice jersey is red with black sleeves, with the "NJ" cap logo centered on the left-side chest.
Notable alumni
- Craig Breslow, relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Breslow joined the Jackals midway through the 2004 season and was bought by the San Diego Padres in 2005, making his major league debut later that season. Breslow has also pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, and Oakland Athletics.
- John Lindsey, former Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman. Lindsey played for the Jackals in 2005 and was bought by the Florida Marlins at midseason, only to be released at the end of the year. Lindsey returned to the Jackals in 2006, played the entire season, and joined the Dodgers in 2007. Lindsey made his major league debut in 2010 at 33 years old. Lindsey joined the Jackals for a third time in 2013 after being released from the Detroit Tigers, where he had been playing in their minor league system for the Toledo Mud Hens.
- Raúl Valdés, relief pitcher for the Houston Astros. Valdes pitched for the Jackals in 2006 and went 7-3 in 17 games with 12 starts. He signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets following the season and made his major league debut for them in 2010. Valdes signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2010 offseason and began the 2011 season with the Memphis Redbirds, the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate. He was released by St. Louis after making seven appearances and finished the 2011 season with the New York Yankees.
- Mark Lemke, former second baseman for the Atlanta Braves. After retiring from the major leagues in 1998, Lemke decided to try to become a knuckleball pitcher and joined the Jackals for 1999. He was released early in the 2000 season due to control problems.
- Pete Rose, Jr., son of Pete Rose and career minor leaguer. Rose, who played as "PJ Rose", spent two seasons with the Jackals from 1998-99.
- Timo Perez, outfielder in the Detroit Tigers organization. Perez played for the Jackals in 2009 for 21 games.
- Benji Gil, former major league infielder. Gil joined the Jackals as part of a comeback attempt in 2005 but was released.
- Argenis Reyes, infielder in the Cleveland Indians organization. Reyes played for the New York Mets from 2008â€"2009, joined the Jackals in 2010, and was sold by the team to the Boston Red Sox in July 2011. The Red Sox promptly traded him to Cleveland, where he joined the Columbus Clippers and led them to the International League championship.
- D'Angelo Jiménez, former major league second baseman. Jiménez joined the Jackals in the second half of the 2011 season after spending the previous season split between the Rochester Red Wings and the Mexican League.
- Stuart Pomeranz, pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles. Pomeranz pitched for the Jackals in 2009 and was bought following the season by the Colorado Rockies.
- Ãngel Berroa, former major league infielder who won the 2003 American League Rookie of the Year award with the Kansas City Royals. Berroa joined the Jackals in 2012 after spending the previous season split between the Reno Aces of the Pacific Coast League and the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League.
- Matt Chico, former Washington Nationals pitcher. Chico, who has had major elbow surgery in the past, spent 2011 pitching for the Nationals' Gulf Coast League team, the Harrisburg Senators, and the Syracuse SkyChiefs before signing with the Jackals in 2012.
Season records
All-time Team Records
Players in italics are still active.
Batting
- Average, career: Sandy Madera/Aaron Fera, .355
- Hits, career: Zach Smithlin, 503
- Home runs, career: Chris Rowan, 44
- Runs batted in, career: Wilton Veras, 153
- Runs scored, career: Zach Smithlin, 287
- Stolen bases, career: Zach Smithlin, 154
- Doubles, career: Wilton Veras, 67
- Triples, career: Travis Bailey, 13
- Hits, season: Zach Smithlin, 135 (2005)
- Home runs, season: Chris Rowan, 23 (2004)
- Runs batted in, season: Kevin Grijak, 77 (2004)
- Runs scored, season: Zach Smithlin, 79 (2005)
- Stolen bases, season: Zach Smithlin, 40 (2005)
- Doubles, season: Chas Terni, 34 (2002)
- Triples, season: Chris Dean, 2000 (10) and Ricardo Cordova, 2005 (10)
- Longest hitting streak: Carmine Cappuccio, 39 games
Pitching
- Appearances, career: Isaac Pavlik, 149
- 'Starts, career: Isaac Pavlik, 109
- Wins, career: Joel Bennett, 59
- Losses, career: Isaac Pavlik, 34
- Saves, career: Rusty Tucker, 59
- Innings pitched, career: Isaac Pavlik, 769.1
- Strikeouts, career: Joel Bennett, 632
- Bases on balls, career: Joel Bennett, 206
- Complete games, career: Joel Bennett, 15
- Earned run average, career: Jason Dietrich, 1.45
- Shutouts, career: Aaron Myers, 7
- Appearances, season: Mike Pontius, 42 (2010)
- Starts, season: Aaron Myers, 20 (2002); Joe Orloski, 20 (2005); Isaac Pavlik, 20 (2008)
- Wins, season: Joel Bennett, 14 (2002)
- Losses, season: Joe Orloski and Aaron Myers, 9 (2006); Jackson Crowther, 9 (2004)
- Saves, season: Rusty Tucker, 24 (2009)
- Strikeouts, season: Joel Bennett, 141 (2002)
- Bases on balls, season: Josh Brey, 50 (2005)
- Complete games, season: Kevin Pincavitch, 7 (2000); Aaron Myers, 7 (2002)
Statistics are as of the end of the 2011 season.
Post-Season records
Current roster
Broadcast homes
The Jackals currently offer broadcasts of their games via webcast at jackals.com and also provide a stadium-only radio broadcast for its fans attending games at Yogi Berra Stadium which is available on 88.1 FM. Since 2013, Big Jim has been the play-by-play broadcaster, taking over for Corey Schiner. For home games only, Cohen is joined by Nick Delahanty as color man.
When the Jackals began in 1998, games were carried over Seton Hall University's WSOU. After a season there, the team moved to commercial station WMTR, an oldies station in Morristown, New Jersey. They also were heard on WJUX-FM, a New York-based standards station, ending their run on commercial radio in 2002. For this entire stretch, Jim Cerny was the voice of the Jackals.
WPSC-FM, the on-campus radio station for William Paterson University, took broadcast rights in 2003 and kept them until 2006. The original broadcast team consisted of Darren Cooper on play-by-play with Joe Ameruoso as color commentator. Cooper left the broadcast after the season, and Tony Colucci was added as color man to take over for the promoted Ameruoso. Beginning in 2005, Ameruoso did the broadcasts by himself.
References
External links
- New Jersey Jackals (official site)
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