Seattle Salts
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| Team logo | |||||||
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| Affiliations | |||||||
| League | Bull League | ||||||
| Subleague | Metropolitan League | ||||||
| Division | West | ||||||
| Team Info | |||||||
| Name | Seattle Salts (1989-present)
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| Other nicknames | Salty Dogs
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| Colors | Red, white, salt blue
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| Owner | Marty Kimble
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| General manager | Ryan Sauve | ||||||
| Ballpark | |||||||
| Ballpark | Salty Park | ||||||
| Former | Olympia Dome (1989-1994) | ||||||
| Titles | |||||||
| Bull Cup championships | (1) 1992 | ||||||
| League pennants | (2) 1992, 2014 | ||||||
| Division titles | (5) AEL West - 1992, 2004, 2009, 2014—2015, 2017 | ||||||
The Seattle Salts are an American Bull League baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. The team competes in the Bull League playing in the Metropolitan League (ML) West division. They play their home games at Salty Park.
The team name derives from the the nautical slang "salty dog", referring to an experienced sailor. Seattle is a major port city on the Pacific Northwest coast, and is a hub of commercial shipping and fishing activity.
The team all-time win-loss record (from 1995 to 2023) is 1382–1400 (.497).
Contents
History
The Salts were first founded in 1989 as part of the former Central League (now called the Lake League), where they resided in the west division. When the first major league reorganization occurred in 1991, and the AEL was formed from the former Southern League, many of the original Southern League teams were disbanded. Seattle was moved to the AEL.
The Salts were the second team to win the Bull Cup Championship Series, taking it in 1992 in a contest against the Ohio Oxen. They then had a very long Bull Cup championship drought, and did not appear again until 2014 when they were swept 3-0 by the Montreal Metros.
Since 1995 they have had a total of 7 playoff appearances.
General managers
| Seattle Salts General Managers | |||
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| Years | Name | Record | Notes |
| 1995–1999 | Brian Eberwein | 186–196 (.487) | Under Eberwein, the team fell from three successive winning seasosn (1995 to 1997) to two of the worst seasons in club history (both under .400) and was promptly let go. |
| 2000–2010 | Ben Penland | 423–457 (.481) | Penland brought back winning seasons, and playoff appearances, but the team continued to struggle to find consistency under his tutelage. |
| 2017 | Jerry Perelli | 63–37 (.630) | Perelli brought the team short-lived success, with a first-place finish in the American Eagle League. Postseason success was limited, however, as the team was squeezed out in the best-of-5 Elimination Round, losing to the Jacksonville Ravens, 3-2. He was fired after just one season. |
| 2018–2023 | David Cuellar | 307–341 (.474) | Dominican-born Cuellar was first announced as assistant GM for 2018, filled the role as GM for much of that year due to an absentee GM. He was finally confirmed as GM the following year, bringing the Salts to a second consecutive postseason and a division first place finish. Again, he found himself relegated to the assistant role in 2020, but that GM too had abandoned the team, and Cuellar continued to steer the club, this time to a first-to-worst finish. Described as a "warm body" GM, who focused on hitting, he continued until the end of the 2023 season. |
| 2024 | Ryan Sauve | Ryan joined the Salts as a new GM with a fresh perspective prior to the 2024 season. | |
Retired Numbers
The Seattle Salts have retired only one uniform number since first forming, that of 8-time All Star pitcher Jacques Papierclip, who played 24 seasons in the Bull League, including 8 with Seattle, where he remains the career team leader in wins with 50. In his last season with the Salts, 2007, he led the AEL in wins with 12, and ERA, with 2.51.
 Jacques Papierclip 1B/OF Retired 2011 |
Championships
The Seattle Salts have just a single Bull Cup Championship Series win. They have two Bull Cup finals appearances, having made an unsuccessful return in 2014.
| Bull Cup Championships | ||
| Preceded by: Chicago Knights |
1992 | Succeeded by: Chicoutimi Cinquantes |
| American Eagle League Champions | ||
| Preceded by: Chicago Knights |
1992 | Succeeded by: California Tidals |
| Preceded by: California Tidals |
2014 | Succeeded by: Calgary Inferno |
| American Eagle League West Division Titles | ||
| Preceded by: Nevada Speeders |
1992 | Succeeded by: Nevada Speeders |
| Preceded by: Richmond Ravens |
2004 | Succeeded by: Richmond Ravens |
| Preceded by: Richmond Ravens |
2009 | Succeeded by: California Tidals |
| Preceded by: California Tidals |
2014—2015 | Succeeded by: San Diego Seagulls |
| Preceded by: San Diego Seagulls |
2017 | Succeeded by: Current winner |
Minor League Affiliations
| Level | Team | League | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | Orlando Mickeys | Cow League | Orlando, Florida |
| AA | Blue Ridge Penguins | Heifer League | Blue Ridge, Georgia |
| A | Winnipeg Gophers | Calf League | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Short Season A | Paradise Dust Devils | Milk League | Paradise, Nevada |
