Changes on the prairies.

Saskatoon (CP)

Baseball fans in Saskatchewan have at least one reason to hope next year will be friendlier than 2011 was.

After the Saskatoon Cossacks finished a disappointing 42 games behind first place Seattle, general manager Trevor Pritchard announced Monday that the squad would be renamed the Amigos for 2012.

Speaking to reporters gathered at Terry Puhl Field, Pritchard denied the move was a thinly-veiled ploy to get free beer and enchiladas from a popular downtown bar of the same name.

"We want to put a positive spin on our rebuilding effort," said Pritchard, referring to last season's trades of Ronald Quijada, Carlos Barrera, and Norman Fuentes, as well as the impending departure of the team's all-time hit leader, Michael Fay.

"We won't turn down on-the-house nachos, but it wasn't our main consideration, no."

All five Hispanic-Canadians living in Saskatoon applauded the move.

Michael Hamilton, vice-president of minor league affairs, also announced that the organization would be relocating two minor league squads in 2012.

The new teams will be the AAA Regina Monologues and the AA Moose Jaw Rumrunners, Hamilton said.

Placing a minor league squad in Regina - Saskatoon's long-time rival - was a "risky" decision, said Hamilton, but the opportunity for wordplay was too great to refuse.

"Reginans shouldn't feel they have anything to brag about," said Hamilton. "We're going to subject them to another season of Christian June and Reynaldo Arias, after all."

The A-ball Tisdale Prairie Sox would be staying put because Pritchard's uncles live in the area, Hamilton added.