Lincoln Saltdogs
Encyclopedia
The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball
team based in Lincoln, Nebraska
, in the United States
. The Saltdogs are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball
. Since the 2001 season, the Saltdogs have played their home games at Haymarket Park
.
were sold and moved to Lincoln after the 2000 season. The team was a member of the Northern League from 2001 to 2005. After the 2005 season, the Saltdogs (along with the St. Paul Saints
, Sioux City Explorers
and Sioux Falls Canaries) left the Northern League to form the American Association.
The Saltdogs claimed their first-ever league title in 2009, winning the American Association Championship. Their overall regular-season record was 49-47, but Lincoln went 27-21 to claim the second-half North Division title, and advanced to the championship by defeating the first-half North champ Wichita Wingnuts
in the division series, three games to two. The Saltdogs then claimed the title by defeating the South Division champion Pensacola Pelicans
three games to two, with Game Five decided by a 2-1 score at Pelican Park in Pensacola.
Lincoln celebrated Season Ten of Saltdogs baseball in 2010, and the team responded with its fourth berth in the playoffs over the past five seasons. The Saltdogs finished with a 51-45 overall record, the seventh time in ten years Lincoln reached the 50-win plateau, and the ninth time in ten seasons that the team finished above the .500 mark. Although the Saltdogs did not win a division title in 2010, their overall record was still good enough for them to qualify for the postseason via a wild card berth. Lincoln has earned four wild-card playoff berths in its history, with the first three (2001, 2002, 2005) coming during the team's Northern League days.
The Saltdogs made the playoffs in each of their first two years in the American Association. In both 2006 and 2007, they finished with the league's best overall regular-season record, winning three of the four North Division titles (both the 1st-half and 2nd-half titles in 2006, and the 1st-half title in 2007). Their 14-game winning streak in 2007 is the longest in team history. The Saltdogs have the best overall record (272-204) of any team in the five-year history of the American Association.
Kash Beauchamp
was the first manager in Saltdogs history, although his tenure lasted just 42 games into the 2001 season, during which the team went 21-21 (.500). Pitcher Les Lancaster
replaced Beauchamp, guiding Lincoln to playoff berths in both 2001 and 2002. Lancaster served as a player-manager for the first ten days of his managing tenure before moving exclusively to the bench. He posted a regular-season record of 86-53 (.619), and a postseason record of 6-7. After the 2002 season, Lancaster departed and was replaced by former Toronto Blue Jays manager Tim Johnson
. Johnson spent six seasons with the Saltdogs, compiling a 314-252 (.555) regular-season record and a 2-9 postseason record. Lincoln made the playoffs three times under Johnson (2005, 2006, 2007) and won three division championships (American Association 2006 first-half and second-half North Division titles, 2007 first-half North Division title). Johnson resigned as manager at the end of the 2008 season, and was replaced by Marty Scott, who had managed the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs during the '08 season. Scott won two championships between 1995 and 2000 as the manager of the St. Paul Saints
, and guided Lincoln to the 2009 championship, his fourth overall as a manager. Over his two seasons in Lincoln, Scott has compiled a 100-92 (.521) regular-season record, and a 6-7 postseason record.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team based in Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Saltdogs are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. Since the 2001 season, the Saltdogs have played their home games at Haymarket Park
Haymarket Park
Haymarket Park is a baseball and softball complex in Lincoln, Nebraska. It is half a mile west of the campus of the University of Nebraska in downtown Lincoln. It is named because of its location in Lincoln's historic Haymarket District.-Hawks Field:...
.
History
The Saltdogs were formed when the Madison Black WolfMadison Black Wolf
The Madison Black Wolf was a Northern League baseball club located in Madison, Wisconsin from 1996 to 2000. They played their home games at Warner Park which was then nicknamed "The Wolf Den". The club was owned by Madison Baseball, LLC, which folded operations following the 2000 season...
were sold and moved to Lincoln after the 2000 season. The team was a member of the Northern League from 2001 to 2005. After the 2005 season, the Saltdogs (along with the St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, Sioux City Explorers
Sioux City Explorers
The Sioux City Explorers are a professional baseball team based in Sioux City, Iowa, in the United States. The Explorers are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.They were originally to be...
and Sioux Falls Canaries) left the Northern League to form the American Association.
The Saltdogs claimed their first-ever league title in 2009, winning the American Association Championship. Their overall regular-season record was 49-47, but Lincoln went 27-21 to claim the second-half North Division title, and advanced to the championship by defeating the first-half North champ Wichita Wingnuts
Wichita Wingnuts
The Wichita Wingnuts are a professional baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas, in the United States. The Wingnuts are a member of the Central Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.An expansion franchise in the...
in the division series, three games to two. The Saltdogs then claimed the title by defeating the South Division champion Pensacola Pelicans
Pensacola Pelicans
The Pensacola Pelicans were a minor league baseball team based in Pensacola, Florida. In various incarnations, they played in three different independent baseball leagues from 2002–2010...
three games to two, with Game Five decided by a 2-1 score at Pelican Park in Pensacola.
Lincoln celebrated Season Ten of Saltdogs baseball in 2010, and the team responded with its fourth berth in the playoffs over the past five seasons. The Saltdogs finished with a 51-45 overall record, the seventh time in ten years Lincoln reached the 50-win plateau, and the ninth time in ten seasons that the team finished above the .500 mark. Although the Saltdogs did not win a division title in 2010, their overall record was still good enough for them to qualify for the postseason via a wild card berth. Lincoln has earned four wild-card playoff berths in its history, with the first three (2001, 2002, 2005) coming during the team's Northern League days.
The Saltdogs made the playoffs in each of their first two years in the American Association. In both 2006 and 2007, they finished with the league's best overall regular-season record, winning three of the four North Division titles (both the 1st-half and 2nd-half titles in 2006, and the 1st-half title in 2007). Their 14-game winning streak in 2007 is the longest in team history. The Saltdogs have the best overall record (272-204) of any team in the five-year history of the American Association.
Kash Beauchamp
Kash Beauchamp
James Kash Beauchamp is the son of Jim Beauchamp, and a former minor league baseball outfielder and manager. Beauchamp originally attended Grove High School in Oklahoma and then Bacone College...
was the first manager in Saltdogs history, although his tenure lasted just 42 games into the 2001 season, during which the team went 21-21 (.500). Pitcher Les Lancaster
Les Lancaster
Lester Lancaster , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1987–1993 and is currently the manager of the Sioux City Explorers....
replaced Beauchamp, guiding Lincoln to playoff berths in both 2001 and 2002. Lancaster served as a player-manager for the first ten days of his managing tenure before moving exclusively to the bench. He posted a regular-season record of 86-53 (.619), and a postseason record of 6-7. After the 2002 season, Lancaster departed and was replaced by former Toronto Blue Jays manager Tim Johnson
Tim Johnson (baseball)
Timothy Evald Johnson is a former professional baseball player and manager. A shortstop and utility infielder in Major League Baseball from 1973-79, he became better known as a manager when he was caught lying about his service in the Vietnam War.- Playing career :After signing with the Los...
. Johnson spent six seasons with the Saltdogs, compiling a 314-252 (.555) regular-season record and a 2-9 postseason record. Lincoln made the playoffs three times under Johnson (2005, 2006, 2007) and won three division championships (American Association 2006 first-half and second-half North Division titles, 2007 first-half North Division title). Johnson resigned as manager at the end of the 2008 season, and was replaced by Marty Scott, who had managed the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs during the '08 season. Scott won two championships between 1995 and 2000 as the manager of the St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, and guided Lincoln to the 2009 championship, his fourth overall as a manager. Over his two seasons in Lincoln, Scott has compiled a 100-92 (.521) regular-season record, and a 6-7 postseason record.
External links
- Lincoln Saltdogs
- nlfan.com Lincoln Saltdogs' Guide (Northern League '01-'05)
- aabfan.com Lincoln Saltdogs' Guide (American Association '06-)
- nlfan.com Madison Black Wolf Guide