Saltdogs Acquire Rights To Left Hander

LINCOLN, Neb. * The Lincoln Saltdogs have announced that the team has purchased the contract of left handed pitcher Ben Fox from the Fullerton Flyers of the Golden Baseball League.

Fox, a native of Las Vegas, appeared as a starter in four games for the Saltdogs in 2005 and went 2-2 with a 4.88 ERA. Fox worked 24 innings and struck out 22 batters for the Saltdogs and was traded to Fullerton this past September. In the Golden League, Fox had a record of 9-2 with a 3.23 ERA. He appeared in 14 games and pitched 94.2 innings and had 82 strikeouts.

Fox will begin his fifth season of professional baseball in 2006. He was drafted in the 10th round of the 2001 draft by the San Diego Padres after pitching collegiately for Dixie (UT) Junior College.

The Lincoln Saltdogs, members of the American Association of Independent League Professional Baseball, will begin their sixth season of professional baseball in May 2006.

#Saltdogs

Teams Added to American Association League

Lincoln, Neb. - The American Association, baseball's newest Independent league, has added five teams for the 2006 season, it was announced today.

The Fort Worth Cats, Shreveport Sports, El Paso Diablos, Pensacola Pelicans and Coastal Bend Aviators will join the Lincoln Saltdogs, St. Paul Saints, Sioux City Explorers and the Sioux Falls Canaries to form the 10-team league. The league expects to announce the 10th team within the next month.

Miles Wolff, who is also commissioner of the Can-Am League and a veteran minor-league baseball executive, has been named commissioner of the new league.

"These clubs are a great addition to the American Association," said Wolff. "It's an exciting day for the league and an exciting day for Independent baseball."

"We are excited, as an organization, to be a part of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball." said Lincoln Saltdogs General Manager Tim Utrup. "Our fans will continue to enjoy the Saltdogs fun, family and affordable atmosphere."

The league has also announced that the El Paso Diablos have been awarded the All-Star Game versus the Canadian-American Baseball Association in July, 2006.

The American Association will play a 96-game schedule beginning in May, 2006.

Lincoln Professional Baseball is a family-oriented organization that is dedicated to providing the community with an exciting product that promotes everything great about the game and safeguards the dignity of the players

#Saltdogs--

New League Announced

Lincoln, Neb - The Lincoln Saltdogs today announced their membership in a new professional baseball league, the "American Association of Independent Professional Baseball". The Saltdogs will be joined by the Sioux City Explorers, Sioux Falls Canaries and St. Paul Saints in the new venture.

"We are very excited with the announcements today. Miles is considered to be one of the most influential people in baseball. His leadership and vision will afford the Saltdogs and the American Association the opportunity to be creative and innovative," said Lincoln Saltdogs President Charlie Meyer.

The league will commence play in May of 2006 with 10 franchises and will play a 96-game schedule in a divisional format. It is anticipated that the caliber of play in the American Association will compare favorably with that in the independent Northern League, in which the four franchises previously conducted play.

The teams have also announced that Miles Wolff will serve as Commissioner of the league. Wolff, the founding Commissioner of the Northern League, has been credited by many as the "Father" of the independent professional baseball industry.

It is expected that the additional six franchises will be named shortly in a separate announcement by the league, along with other details. The initial organizational meeting of the league will take place later this month at which time procedures will be adopted for the acceptance of applications from prospective ownership groups and communities seeking admission to the league in 2007 and 2008.

Questions regarding the new independent league may be addressed to Charlie Meyer, 402-474-2255, or Mike Veeck, 843-324-0297.

Lincoln Professional Baseball is a family-oriented organization that is dedicated to providing the community with an exciting product that promotes everything great about the game and safeguards the dignity of the players

#Saltdogs

New Independent League to be Announced

Sioux Falls, SD - The Lincoln Saltdogs organization will join members from the St. Paul Saints and Sioux Falls Canaries for a press conference at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, October 12th in Galley #2 at the Ramada Inn & Suites (1301 West Russell Street) in Sioux Falls.

On September 29, the Saltdogs, along with the Sioux Falls Canaries and the St. Paul Saints announced termination of their memberships in the Northern League and became founding members of a new independent league. One week later (on October 4th), the Sioux City Explorers also joined the new league. The inaugural season of play will begin in May 2006.

Mike Veeck, minority owner of the Canaries, will be in Sioux Falls to answer questions regarding the formation of the new league and assorted topics. Later in the day, Mr. Veeck will attend another press conference in Sioux City, Iowa. Future press conferences in other league cities will be announced at later dates.
Lincoln Professional Baseball is a family-oriented organization that is dedicated to providing the community with an exciting product that promotes everything great about the game and safeguards the dignity of the players.

#Saltdogs

Warner Named an All-Independent All-Star

Six Northern League players have been selected to the first team on the 2005 Baseball America All-Independent League All-Star Squad, it was announced Thursday.

The six first team selections are four more than any other Independent League. The Atlantic, Can-Am, and Golden Leagues are represented by two players apiece and the Central and Frontier Leagues have one player each. It marks the second consecutive year that six Northern Leaguers have been named to the first team.

The Northern League first team position players are catcher Kelley Gulledge of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, shortstop Chad Ehrnsberger, who split the season between the St. Paul Saints and Joliet JackHammers, and Lincoln Saltdogs outfielder Bryan Warner, the 2005 Northern League Player of the Year. The Northern League occupies two of four starting pitcher selections: RHP Brandon Culp, the NL Pitcher of the Year from the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and RHP Greg Bicknell of the Kansas City T-Bones. RHP Matt Hammons of the St. Paul Saints was named as the first team relief pitcher.

Northern Leaguers named to Baseball America's second team are third baseman Carlos Duncan of the Calgary Vipers, outfielder Cory Harris of the Lincoln Saltdogs, and LH starter Joe Sergent of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks.

The nine total first and second team selections for the Northern League are also the most of any league. The Atlantic League has six players, the Can-Am League earned five spots, the Frontier and Golden League each had three selections, and the Central League had a pair of honorees. Gulledge is the only 2004 Northern League first team selection to be named again in 2005.

Baseball America selected Quebec Led Capitales third baseman Eddie Lantigua as its 2005 Independent League Player of the Year. Lantigua was the Can-Am League's Most Valuable Player, hitting .324 with 31 homers and 112 rbi in 91 games in 2005.

The complete first team is listed below.

FIRST TEAM
C--Kelly Gulledge, Fargo-Moorhead (Northern)
1B--Brian Becker, Nashua (Atlantic)
2B--Ricardo Cordova, New Jersey (Can-Am)
SS--Chad Ehrnsberger, St. Paul/Joliet (Northern)
3B--Eddie Lantigua, Quebec (Can-Am)
OF--Pete Pirman, Kalamazoo (Frontier)
OF--Bryan Warner, Lincoln (Northern)
OF--Desi Wilson, Surprise (Golden)
DH--Juan Camacho, El Paso (Central)
SP--Greg Bicknell, Kansas City (Northern)
SP--Brandon Culp, Fargo-Moorhead (Northern)
SP--Grant Gregg, Chico (Golden)
SP--Brett Laxton, Camden (Atlantic)
RP--Matt Hammons, St. Paul (Northern)

#Saltdogs