By IAN WILSON

The tenure of the Lethbridge Black Diamonds marked the end of an era for Pioneer League baseball in the city.

The rookie-level professional circuit – a starting point for numerous ball players who dreamed of cracking a Major League Baseball (MLB) roster – began in Alberta in 1975 with the arrival of the Lethbridge Expos, a team that featured future Hall-of-Fame outfielder Andre Dawson.

From there, the franchise became an outpost of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1977 through 1983 before the Pioneer League left the Windy City for the remainder of the 1980s.

The Mounties – an unaffiliated squad co-operated by MLB – returned the Pioneer League brand to Henderson Stadium between 1992 and 1995. They were replaced by the Black Diamonds the following season. The Arizona Diamondbacks made the Lethbridge club their first official affiliate.

The three-year run of the Black Diamonds ceased operations in 1998, giving way to a new era of Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) action that was ushered in by the Lethbridge Bulls.

Let’s get to the best and brightest of the Lethbridge Black Diamonds, who produced an impressive number of MLBers in their three years of operation.

The roster will consist of the following: manager, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, three outfielders, designated hitter, utility/bench players, middle relief pitchers, a closer, and five starting pitchers for the rotation. We’ll craft our own lineup card and set up a rotation after we run through our selections.

MANAGER

The Black Diamonds had a new manager for every year they took the field.

Chris Speier – a veteran of 2,260 MLB games, mostly with the San Francisco Giants and Montreal Expos – was the team’s inaugural field boss. He led the Black Diamonds to a 50-22 record and a .694 winning percentage in 1996. Lethbridge had the best record in the Pioneer League but lost in the semi-finals during the playoffs.

After he left Alberta, Speier climbed the minor-league managerial ranks before earning a third base coach job with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2000. The Californian returned to the Diamondbacks in 2001 and won a World Series ring as a third base coach with Arizona. More big league gigs followed, including the third base coach job with the Chicago Cubs, as well as bench boss duties with the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals.

Rod Allen took over the Black Diamonds in 1997. As a player, the outfielder played 31 games in the majors with the Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland. He also suited up for the Edmonton Trappers during their inaugural season in 1981. His assignment in Lethbridge marked his first managerial role and it was largely successful. Allen guided the club to a 39-33 record, but they lost again in the semi-finals of the playoffs. Following his time at Henderson Stadium, the Californian worked as a broadcaster for the D’backs and Tigers.

In 1998, Joe Almaraz took the reins and led the Black Diamonds to another winning season, this time sporting a 43-32 record in the Pioneer League. The team went further in the postseason but lost in the finals. Almaraz had been the pitching coach of the Great Falls Dodgers the previous year, and more minor-league managerial work followed his tenure in Lethbridge. He also worked as a scout for the Baltimore Orioles in the early 2000s.

Lots of great candidates here, but we’re going to go with Speier, who posted the best record in franchise history, along with a more extensive MLB resume.

CATCHER

Undrafted backstop Rod Barajas started his pro career in southern Alberta in 1996 and was an immediate impact player. In his 51 games and 175 at bats for Lethbridge, the righty batter launched 10 homers, produced 50 runs batted in (RBI), scored 47 runs and posted a .337 batting average. Barajas made his MLB debut three years later and ended up playing 1,114 games in the majors over 14 seasons. He won a World Series title alongside Speier in 2001. After he hung up his cleats, Barajas took coaching jobs with the San Diego Padres and Miami Marlins.

Robby Hammock put up strong numbers for the Black Diamonds in 1998, pumping out 10 long balls, 56 RBI, 14 doubles, 46 runs and a .286 batting average over 62 contests. Hammock was a versatile player, who logged time as a catcher, corner infielder and outfielder over the course of his career. He went on to play 181 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks between 2003 and 2011. The University of Georgia grad stuck with the big-league D’backs as a catching coach from 2017 through 2021.

While both catchers put up similar power numbers for the Black Diamonds, Barajas was a more consistent hitter with a lengthier track record in the big leagues. For those reasons, Barajas is our starting catcher.

FIRST BASEMAN

Brian Fox also could’ve been in the running for a catching job on this team. The lefty slugger geared up behind the plate and handled first base duties for Lethbridge. In 1997, the Texan appeared in 64 games for the Black Diamonds and batted .295 with a .392 on-base percentage. He also generated nine dingers, 44 RBI and 30 runs. Fox also returned for one more game with the Black Diamonds in 1998. The 15th-round draft pick never made it past the Single-A level and finished his diamond days playing independent-league ball with the Sonoma County Crushers in 1999. Fox is our uncontested choice for first base on this team.

SECOND BASEMAN

The keystone corner was governed by Junior Spivey in 1996. The Oklahoma native appeared in 31 games for the Black Diamonds that summer. Over 107 at bats, he batted .336 with a .459 on-base percentage, 30 runs, 25 RBI and eight stolen bases. At the major-league level, Spivey was a career .270 batter in his 457 games with the D’backs, Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals.

Succeeding Spivey at second base was Belvani Martinez, who played the position in both 1997 and 1998. The Dominican suited up in 88 games for the Black Diamonds and collected 77 runs, 38 RBI, 11 round trippers, 15 doubles and 34 stolen bases. He also had a batting average over .300 in both Pioneer League seasons.

Martinez – who also played shortstop and third base for Lethbridge – never made it past the Double-A level, but we are going to give him the starting assignment at second over Spivey, nonetheless. Martinez was with the Black Diamonds longer and he proved himself to be a capable hitter and base stealer.

THIRD BASEMAN

University of Maryland alum Ron Hartman was outstanding for the Black Diamonds during their first season in Lethbridge. During 66 games, the righty batter went yard 16 times, put up 72 RBI, touched home plate 69 times, and powered 23 doubles into outfield gaps. In that time, he also batted .326 with a .409 on-base percentage. While he never made it out of the minors, the 11th-round pick impressed the Henderson Stadium faithful.

Jose Taveras warrants a mention for his tenure as an infielder with the Black Diamonds in 1997. Primarily a third baseman, the Dominican also played first base, shortstop and second base in his 67 games. Taveras was unreliable with the bat, but he showed some pop by hitting eight home runs, scoring 36 runs and manufacturing 38 RBI. Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep the strikeouts in check.

The third base job goes to Hartman, who is an easy choice here.

SHORTSTOP

Baseball card of Alex Cintron (right) from a late 1990s Lethbridge Black Diamonds team set.

Our undisputed shortstop is Alex Cintron, a Puerto Rican middle infielder who ended up getting into 680 MLB games, most of them with Arizona. Cintron appeared in one game for Lethbridge in 1997 before putting in a full season with the team the following year. He didn’t look like a future major leaguer at that point, but the switch hitter scored 41 runs, notched 34 RBI and had 18 extra base hits in 67 games in 1998. He got better from there and made his MLB debut in 2001.

OUTFIELDERS

Ronald Calloway is in tough to crack our roster, despite going on to suit up in 172 contests for the Montreal Expos after he left Lethbridge. The former Edmonton Trapper appeared in 43 games for the Black Diamonds in 1997 and scored 23 runs.

A lock for the starting lineup is Kevin Sweeney, who was named the Pioneer League’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1996. The lefthanded hitter out of Buffalo, New York was incredible that year, batting .424 with a .552 on-base percentage and a .734 slugging percentage. In his 63 games and 203 at bats, Sweeney scored 72 runs, produced 72 RBI, smacked 14 homers, hit 19 doubles, walked 60 times and had 149 total bases. The Mercyhurst University Hall of Famer peaked that year and only played two more minor-league seasons, but he was on another level with the Black Diamonds.

In 1997, Jhensy Sandoval split his season between Lethbridge and the Single-A South Bend Silver Hawks. With the Black Diamonds, the 18-year-old Dominican batted .375 while scoring 33 runs, manufacturing 37 RBI, muscling out eight bombs and swiping seven bags. Sandoval got as high as Double-A and ended his playing career as a member of the Calgary Outlaws in the short-lived Canadian Baseball League in 2003.

Pittsburgh product Jason Conti had a strong campaign at Henderson Stadium in 1996. The outfielder had a .367 batting average and a .449 on-base percentage over 63 games. In addition, he scored 63 runs and stole 30 bases. Conti managed to get into 182 MLB games with four different teams.

Speedster Rob Ryan was solid for Lethbridge playing alongside Conti. The Washington State University alum hit .303 and got on base at a .421 clip in his 59 games with the Black Diamonds. He scored 55 runs, walked 43 times, stole 23 bases and posted 37 RBI. Ryan – who was born in Havre, Montana – suited up in 55 MLB games with the D’backs and the Athletics.

David Hayman played his only pro baseball season with Barajas, Spivey, Hartman, Sweeney, Conti, Ryan and the rest of the 1996 Black Diamonds. It was an impressive campaign that saw the Mississippi native set a single-season franchise record for homers, with 17, and he added 68 runs, 59 RBI, 140 total bases and a .313 batting average over 63 games.

Australian Paul Weichard joined the Black Diamonds as an 18-year-old in 1998. The switch hitter scored 37 runs, contributed 28 RBI and stole 19 bases in 54 games.

One outfielder who took the field in two games for Lethbridge in 1997 – and ended up playing 136 contests for the Florida Marlins and Kansas City Royals – was Abraham Nunez. He didn’t play enough for the Black Diamonds to qualify for this team, but he was another talent that the club can count as an MLB alumni.

Several options to choose from here, and we are going to include Sweeney, Conti and Hayman as our starting outfielders.

DESIGNATED HITTER

Jack Cust paced the offence of the Black Diamonds in 1998. He led the club in games played (73), runs (75), doubles (20), homers (11), RBI (56), walks (86), total bases (134), batting average (.345), on-base percentage (.530) and slugging (.601). Actually, nevermind paced, he was the offence that summer. The Pioneer League All-Star played 670 MLB games, with his biggest power outburst happening in 2008 with the Oakland Athletics when he hit 33 home runs. Over four seasons with the A’s, Cust smashed 97 long balls.

UTILITY/BENCH PLAYERS

There are some solid options for bench duty. We’ll make Junior Spivey available as a middle infield replacement and Robby “Hammer” Hammock brings a great nickname and some versatility to the roster. Hammock has experience as a catcher, outfielder and corner infielder.

Outfield cut Rob Ryan rounds out our bench bats. He was capable both as a batter and a base runner.

STARTING PITCHERS

There are seven starters being considered for spots in the rotation.

Cuban righty Vladimir Nunez was exceptional for the Black Diamonds in 1996, going 10-0 over 13 starts and 85 innings. He had 93 strikeouts and a 2.22 earned run average (ERA) for Lethbridge and was promoted to the Visalia Oaks, a High-A team in the California League that same year. Nunez appeared in 254 MLB games and logged 442 innings for the Diamondbacks, Marlins, Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves. The undrafted pitcher, who was a Pioneer League All-Star, also took the mound for the Calgary Cannons in 2000.

Fellow Cuban Larry Rodriguez took the same pro path from Lethbridge to the Visalia Oaks in 1996. With the Black Diamonds, he was 7-1 with a 3.83 ERA and 46 Ks in 10 starts and 54 innings pitched. Unfortunately, Rodriguez didn’t follow his countryman to the big leagues, but he impressed fans in Lethbridge while he was there.

Bret Prinz, a right-handed pitcher from Arizona, was a reliable arm for the Black Diamonds in 1998. He started 10 games and delivered 46-plus innings for Lethbridge and went 4-2 with a 3.09 ERA and 30 strikeouts in that time. Prinz eventually pitched in over 100 MLB games with the Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels and Chicago White Sox.

Lefty Ben Norris played parts of two seasons with Lethbridge in 1996 and 1997. The 6-foot-3 Texan handled 94-plus innings of work for the Black Diamonds and was 7-3 over 14 starts. He registered 66 Ks.

Simon Sanchez made 13 starts for the Black Diamonds in 1998. The righty was 5-3 with a 4.11 ERA and 37 strikeouts in his 61.1 innings. The Dominican played his final pro season the following year.

Fellow Dominican Republic product Jose Bido was also on that team and went 4-6 with 48 Ks and a 4.14 ERA through 63 innings. The righty split time as a starter and a reliever and delivered a complete-game shutout in one of his starts.

Henderson, Nevada native Doug Kohl was part of the same pitching staff with Sanchez and Bido. He made 13 starts for the Black Diamonds. The 12th-rounder was 2-1 with a 4.66 ERA and 43 Ks in 63-plus frames.

Some impressive options to study here – we’re going with a rotation of Nunez, Rodriguez, Norris, Prinz and Sanchez.

MIDDLE RELIEVER

There were some stellar relievers who came through Lethbridge in the trio of summers the Black Diamonds called Henderson Stadium home, offering a bevvy of choices for both middle relief and the closer role.

Erik Sabel pitched in 20 games and 42 innings for Lethbridge in 1996. The righthander, who studied at Tennessee Tech University, had one save, a 2.79 ERA and 41 strikeouts in those appearances. Sabel ended up doing mound work on 50 occasions in the big leagues and he became a pitching coach in Arizona’s system when his playing days came to a close.

In 1997, southpaw Eric Knott toed the rubber for the Black Diamonds in 21 games. Through 47 innings, he picked up three saves, racked up 62 Ks and posted a 2.87 ERA. The lefty later played for the D’backs and the Expos. He also worked as a starter and a reliever for the Edmonton Trappers.

Also part of that pitching staff with Knott was lefty Jamie Puorto, an Illinois native who appeared in 20 games, making starts in six of them. He was 4-2 with a pair of saves and a 2.43 ERA. Puorto also had 58 Ks in 59.1 innings.

Mike Koplove was a righthander from Pennsylvania who tossed 28 innings for Lethbridge in 1998, going 1-2 with a 3.54 ERA, two saves and 22 strikeouts. Koplove was a reliever for the Diamondbacks from 2001 through 2006 and he also got into a handful of games with Cleveland in 2007.

We’ll slot pitchers into bullpen roles after we review the potential closers.

CLOSER

Minnesotan Chris Bloomer was summoned out of the bullpen 27 times when he was with the Black Diamonds in 1997. The righthander had nine saves, a 5-2 record and a 1.76 ERA in 30.2 innings. He also registered 38 Ks and only nine walks.

Florida’s Jason Crews picked up five saves and 37 strikeouts in 39.2 innings for Lethbridge in 1996. He had a 2.50 ERA in his 25 games that summer.

Mark Chavez went straight from pitching for Cal State Fullerton to Lethbridge after he was selected in the 60th round of the 1996 MLB Draft. He was the 1,601 overall pick that year. With the Black Diamonds, the righty had four saves, 26 strikeouts and a 3.60 ERA in 30 innings and 24 appearances. It was his only season of professional baseball.

We have room for only three relievers, so there are some tough decisions to make. For the middle innings, we’ll call on lefty Eric Knott and righty Erik Sabel.

Our closer is Chris Bloomer.

BATTING LINEUP

Jason Conti, OF
Ron Hartman, 3B
Kevin Sweeney, OF
Jack Cust, DH
David Hayman, OF
Rod Barajas, C
Brian Fox, 1B
Alex Cintron, SS
Belvani Martinez, 2B

Bench … Junior Spivey (2B), Robby Hammock (C, OF, 3B, 1B), Rob Ryan (OF)

STARTING ROTATION

Vladimir Nunez, RHP
Larry Rodriguez, RHP
Ben Norris, LHP
Bret Prinz, RHP
Simon Sanchez, RHP

Bullpen … Eric Knott (LHP), Erik Sabel (RHP), Chris Bloomer (RHP)

There it is – your Lethbridge Black Diamonds All-Time roster!

What do you think? Did we miss any any top players? Would you make any roster changes to the squad? Sound off in the comments and on social media.