Saltdogs Warner Retires
Published on February 19, 2008 under American Association (AA)
Lincoln Saltdogs News Release
LINCOLN, NEB. - When the 2008 season of Lincoln Saltdogs baseball opens next spring, the organization will be without one of the its most respected and recognizable players in franchise history. A member of the first Saltdogs team back in 2001, Bryan Warner has announced that he is retiring from professional baseball ending a 14-year career, the last seven of which were played in Lincoln.
"I really want to thank the city of Lincoln for the experience I've had playing in front of such great fans and I want to thank the organization for giving me the opportunity to try to bring a championship to Lincoln," Warner said. "I wish we'd been able to win one but I have great memories of my time here and I've met a lot of great people. To be here from the beginning and help build the organization into one of the best in the minors is pretty rewarding for me. I'm going to miss running out to right field every night at Haymarket Park but it's time to move on."
Warner's career in Lincoln got off to an inauspicious start when he suffered a broken hand in the Saltdogs' first-ever game at Haymarket Park back in 2001. He missed 45 games that season but then became the cornerstone of the lineup missing just seven games total over the past six years. In all, he played 610 games in a Saltdogs uniform and hit .325 with 90 homeruns and 480 RBI. He hit over. 300 in each of his seven seasons and collected at least 120 hits in five-straight years. Warner was the Northern League MVP in 2002 when he hit .331 with 15 homeruns and then earned the honor again in 2005 when he put together his best statistical season hitting .352 with 21 homers and 104 runs driven in. This past season, the 34-year-old right fielder, batted .311and also served as Lincoln's hitting coach guiding the Saltdogs to a .301 team batting average, which led the American Association.
"It's unusual for someone to be in one place for such a long time but, other than the Major Leagues, there's no place I would have rather played than here," Warner said. "I will always consider myself a Saltdog and I look forward to being associated with the organization for years to come. I've been in the game a long time and my time in Lincoln has been meant a lot to me and my family."
Not only has the strong-armed right fielder been a fixture on the field for the Saltdogs, he has also been the face of the franchise around the Lincoln community. Charlie Meyer, Lincoln's team president said not having the Dogs' long-time team captain to rely upon will be a difficult adjustment in many ways for the organization.
"There's no question about it, Bryan has been the heart and soul of the Saltdogs for the past seven years," Meyer said. "He came here and immediately gave us experience and leadership and became the guy we wanted to build the team around. He's done everything we asked of him and I think I speak for the entire organization when I say it will be an emotional time this season when he's not in the lineup for us. He'll always be a member of the Saltdogs family and we have nothing but best wishes for him and his family and their future."
After playing two years at Glendale Community College in California, Warner was selected by Cleveland in the 14th round of the 1994 Major League draft. He spent three seasons in the Indians' farm system as well as a year each with both Colorado and Chicago (NL). After being released by Montreal in the spring of 1997, Warner joined the Independent ranks and hit .392 with Rio Grande in the Texas-Louisiana League. He also played Indy ball with Duluth-Superior of the Northern League and hit .340 in 1999. Prior to joining the Saltdogs, Warner played in seven different cities in the first seven years of his career before final settling down and playing seven-straight seasons in Lincoln. Overall, Warner finishes his career as a .305 hitter with 1,534 hits in 1,301 games in 14 seasons.
A native of Monrovia, Calif., Warner and his wife, Tricia, have a four-year-old daughter, Delaney. They moved to Lincoln in 2001 and plan to remain in the Capital City.
"I've got a lot of great memories of my time here and a great family that I can now spend more time with," he said. "We love it here and that's why we've made our home here over the years and will continue to do so.
American Association Stories from February 19, 2008
- Kirsten returns for fourth season with Cats - Fort Worth Cats
- Saltdogs Warner Retires - Lincoln Saltdogs
- Wingnuts Add Wichita State Standout - Wichita Wingnuts
- Saints Trade for Big Hitting First baseman - St. Paul Saints
- Pels Manager Guest Speaker at Sportsmen's Spectacular - Pensacola Pelicans
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