Former Captain David Wallace to Manage Team in 2012

(Eastlake, OH) - The Lake County Captains and the Cleveland Indians announced the 2012 Captains field staff today which is led by manager David Wallace and will include pitching coach Jeff Harris, hitting coach Jim Rickon and Trainer Bobby Ruiz.

Wallace, 32, was the Captains catcher in the inaugural 2003 season. He was selected to the South Atlantic League All Star team prior to his promotion to Kinston that season. Last season was his first as a manager as he guided the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (NY - Penn League) to a 41-34 record. He also assumed the role of Catching Coordinator in the Indians Player Development System. This will mark his fourth season as a coach or instructor in the Indians organization. He spent 2009 and 2010 as an Assistant to the Major League coaching staff.

The Nashville, Tennessee native was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Indians in August of 2001 out of Vanderbilt University where he played both baseball and football for the Commodores. He played professionally for seven minor league seasons from 2002-2008, mainly in the Indians organization. He played in the Indians organization from 2002-2007 and went to Major League Spring Training camp as a non-roster invitee in 2008 before being traded to the Nationals. He ended his career with a minor league career average of .223 with 45HR and 180RBI in 486 games. Wallace resides in Jacksonville Beach, FL with his wife Lauren and daughter Lakely.

Rickon, a Cleveland area native and resident, will return as the Captains hitting coach. This will be Rickon's sixth year overall with the team as he had the same position with the Captains in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011. Rickon spent 2006 as the hitting coach for the Kinston Indians, helping lead the K-Tribe to the Carolina League Championship. The 2011 season will mark Rickon's 14th season as a member of the Indians organization. He spent three seasons as an active player in the Indians minor league system from 1999-2001. From 2002-2004 he was a player-coach for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. He was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Cleveland State University where he earned a degree in art. Rickon graduated from Maple Heights High School where he played football and baseball. In the off-season he lives in Hudson with his wife Adriana and their son Mason and daughters Avery and Campbell.

Harris begins his fourth year in the Indians organization and his second consecutive season at Lake County. He spent two seasons as the pitching coach for the AZL Indians. Harris was drafted in the 28th round of the 1995 draft and played professionally for 14 years with stops in the Minnesota, Seattle and Cleveland organizations. He made his Major League debut in 2005 with the Mariners and threw five shutout innings. In his big league career he went 2-5, 4.26 in 14 games including eight starts. He spent his final two professional season pitching for AAA Buffalo which was an Indians affiliate at the time. Harris lives in Surprise, Arizona with his wife Kimberly and his daughter Rilyn.

Ruiz returns to Lake County for his second season. It is his second year as the Athletic Trainer with the Cleveland Indians and professional baseball. Previously he was the Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer with University of Connecticut Baseball. He is a Corona, California native and graduated from the University of La Verne (La Verne, CA) in 2008, with a B.S. in Athletic Training. He received his Master's degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis on heat and hydration from the University of Connecticut, Storrs in 2010. Bobby lives in Goodyear, AZ and is engaged to be married.

Full season tickets plans, 7-, 12-, 20-, and 35-game mini ticket plans for the 2012 season are on sale now at great prices complete with several exclusive benefits. Information can be found at the Captains website www.captainsbaseball.com.

The Lake County Captains are a Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians and play their home games at Classic Park in Eastlake, at the corners of State Route 91 and Vine Street. For more information on the Captains, please visit the team's official website at www.CaptainsBaseball.com.