Sioux Falls, SD – Sioux Falls Canaries Manager Steve Shirley has been selected as the 2008 American Association Manager of the Year in a vote by league managers and media members. Shirley is the first Canaries manager to win the honor since Doc Edwards was named the Northern League Manager of the Year in 2001.

“In October of 2006, we brought Steve in hoping to bring winning baseball back to Sioux Falls, and he has exceeded any of the expectations we could have had for him,” said Canaries General Manager Matt Hansen. “He continues to guide a team that the city of Sioux Falls can be proud of.”

The Canaries have a 59-36 season record going into tonight’s regular season finale. The club matched a half-season win record established by Steve Shirley last year by winning the First Half North Division Championship with a 31-17 record. In the second half the Canaries have gone on to surpass the 2001 season in both total wins and winning percentage. Shirley is the only manager to ever lead the Canaries to back-to-back winning seasons.

Shirley and the Canaries will begin the American Association Playoffs by hosting the Sioux City Explorers at the Birdcage for Game One of the Best-of-Five American Association North Division Playoff Series on Monday night at 7:05 p.m.
*Courtesy: Sioux Falls Canaries