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Winnipeg Goldeyes owner and CEO Sam Katz announced that field manager Rick Forney has been signed to a two-year contract.

Forney, 40, has been at the helm of the Goldeyes for the past six seasons, leading the team to a 316-265 record over that time and five trips to the post-season. This past summer Forney guided the Fish to a team record 60 wins, its first division pennant since 2003 and was named the American Association’s Manager of the Year. Winnipeg also set a new home record for wins in a season with 33.

“Rick has consistently assembled a winning team in Winnipeg throughout his first six seasons as manager and I am ecstatic that he will continue that role with the team for at least the next two seasons,” Katz said. “Last season Rick showed his skills in player recruitment and as a manager when he led the team to the North Division pennant against perennial powerhouses in the division, like the St. Paul Saints, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and Sioux Falls Pheasants.”

Under Forney’s watch, the Goldeyes have posted a winning record in five of his six seasons and posted a winning percentage of .600 in 2011 for the first time since 2003.

“I am pleased to be back in Winnipeg for at least the next two seasons,” Forney said. “The Goldeyes have been a big part of my life since 1997. I look forward to building on the success we had last season and will continue to strive to bring another championship to Winnipeg.”

Prior to being named the Goldeyes third manager in franchise history in 2005, Forney was the team’s pitching coach for five seasons and was the ace of the team’s pitching staff for four seasons before that. As a pitcher with Winnipeg, Forney had a career 33-17 record and 3.46 ERA. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1991 and played five seasons in their organization, reaching Triple-A Rochester in 1995. He also spent part of the 1999 season in the Atlanta Braves system with Double-A Greenville.