LEAGUE NEWS: Manager and Executive of the Year Announced09/12/2007 1:14 PM - The Northern League announced Gary SouthShore RailCats Manager Greg Tagert was named Northern League Manager of the Year as voted on by the league’s managers, radio announcers, and local media. Winnipeg General Manager Andrew Collier was named Northern League Executive of the Year.
Tagert, who is in his third season as manager of the RailCats, is leading the franchise to their third straight appearance in the Northern League Championship Series. In 2007, he led Gary to the best record in the league at 58-38 (.604) as they won both halves in the South Division. He came to the RailCats after nine seasons in the Frontier League where he was the all-time leader in victories posting a 412-336 (.551) record. Tagert, who inherited a last place team when he joined Gary SouthShore in 2005, has a 163-126 (.564) regular season mark and 13-11 (.542) post-season record with the RailCats, including one Northern League Title in 2005. He earned his 500th victory in 2006 and has now recorded 12 winning season in 12 years as a manager. As well as leading the team on the field, Tagert serves as the Director of Player Procurement for the RailCats. Prior to his managerial career, the native of Vacaville, CA served as a scout with the Detroit Tigers and as Pitching Coach at the University of New Mexico. As a player, he pitched collegiately at San Francisco State University. Northern League Managers of the Year Year Player Team 2007 Greg Tagert Gary SouthShore RailCats 2006 Doug Simunic Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 2005 Doug Simunic Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 2004 Andy McCauley Schaumburg Flyers 2003 Doug Simunic Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 2002 Joe Calfapietra Gary SouthShore RailCats 2001 Doc Edwards Sioux Falls Canaries 2000 Benny Castillo Duluth-Superior Dukes 1999 Ed Nottle Sioux City Explorers 1998 Doug Simunic Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 1997 George Mitterwald Duluth-Superiors Dukes 1996 Doug Simunic Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 1995 Ed Nottle Sioux City Explorers 1994 Ed Nottle Sioux City Explorers Andrew Collier, who has been General Manager of the Goldeyes since 2002, is a four-time recipient of the Northern League Executive of the Year. He previously received the honor in 2002, 2004, and 2006.
Behind Collier’s leadership, the Goldeyes welcomed a league-high 300,938 fans through the gates of CanWest Global Park in 2007. The franchise eclipsed the 300,000 fans mark for the sixth straight season and led the league in average fans per game for the eighth straight season. To date, the Goldeyes are the only Northern League club to sell over 300,000 tickets in a season. In addition, their average attendance has twice surpassed the 7,000 fans per game, the only independent league franchise to ever do so. Dating back to their entry into the Northern League in 1994, the Winnipeg franchise has been honored with the Executive of the Year six different times (Collier four times, John Hindle twice). Northern League Executives of the Year Year Player Team 2007 Andrew Collier Winnipeg Goldeyes 2006 Andrew Collier Winnipeg Goldeyes 2005 Roger Wexelberg Gary SouthShore RailCats 2004 Andrew Collier Winnipeg Goldeyes Rick Muntean Kansas City T-Bones 2003 Lee Schwartz Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 2002 Andrew Collier Winnipeg Goldeyes 2001 Tim Utrup Lincoln Saltdogs 2000 John Hindle Winnipeg Goldeyes |