Jose Canseco Signs with Worcester Tornadoes
April 20, 2012 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Worcester Tornadoes News Release
WORCESTER, MA (April 20, 2012) - The Worcester Tornadoes today signed former Major League Outfielder & Designated Hitter Jose Canseco to a one season contract. The native Cuban spent parts of 17 seasons in the majors, mashing 462 homeruns.
Canseco recorded eight 30-homerun seasons, five of them in an Oakland A's uniform. He also played for the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and New York Yankees. He ended his Major League tenure with the Chicago White Sox in 2001.
Canseco earned six all-star selections, four Silver Sluggers, the Rookie of the Year Award (1986), the Comeback Player of the Year Award (1994), and the Most Valuable Player (1988). He owns two World Series Championship Rings: one from the 1989 A's and the other from the 2000 Yankees.
Canseco garnered American League MVP honors in only his third full season (1988). As one of Oakland's "Bash Brothers," Canseco notched 42 homers, adding a career-best 124 runs batted in while batting .307 (also a personal best). He also reached career highs in hits (187), runs (120), walks (78), stolen bases (40), total bases (347), slugging percentage (.569) and OPS (.959).
Canseco, 47, says, "I am very much looking forward to putting on a uniform and competing on a professional level again this year; I love the game of baseball. I am particularly grateful to the Worcester Tornadoes for embracing me and having the confidence in me to help the team win."
After signing infielder Abraham Nuñez for the 2011 season, Canseco becomes the second former Major League Baseball player to join the Worcester Tornadoes in their eight-season history.
"We expect Jose to bring a lot of excitement to Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field," says Tornadoes General Manager Jorg Bassiacos. "He brings vast, high-level Major League experience to the team and we expect him to be a very strong contributor. We are looking forward to a very successful season."
Team owner, Todd Breighner, says "We're very optimistic Jose will be a very solid ball player for the Tornadoes as our goal is to continue to bring high-level baseball to Worcester. Minor League baseball is all about affordable family entertainment whose teams become part of the social fabric of the communities who support them. As an industry, we believe we make communities stronger through the great game of baseball; Worcester is a terrific example of that."
The 2012 CanAm League season starts on Thursday, May 17th as the Tornadoes battle the Newark Bears at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium at 6:35pm. The first Tornadoes home game is on Monday, May 21 at 7:05pm; they host the three-time defending champion Quebec Capitales.
Canadian American League Stories from April 20, 2012
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- Opening Night May 17 - Newark Bears
- Jose Canseco Signs with Worcester Tornadoes - Worcester Tornadoes
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