The 2009 version of the Everett AquaSox took the field for the first time Tuesday night, holding their initial practice under the lights at Everett Memorial Stadium. And while it may have been the first workout for the team collectively, for an unusual number of players it was not their first taste of Everett.
"That's a plus," said infielder Ben Billingsley, who led Everett in RBI last season with 29. "When you've got experience you know what to expect. I think we've got a good team and I'm looking forward to getting started."
The short-season single-A Northwest League sees few repeat performers. A typical Northwest League roster may include three or four players whose names may be familiar, and those players are often moved up during the season.
But of the 22 Seattle Mariners prospects -- 11 pitchers and 11 position players -- who took part in Everett's first practice, nine of them have donned AquaSox uniforms in past seasons.
Six of those -- Billingsley, pitchers Brad Reid and Christian Staehely, shortstop Anthony Phillips, and outfielders Welington Dotel and Ryan Royster -- played for Everett last season. Three others -- pitcher Phillip Roy, infielder Deybis Benitez and outfielder Kalian Sams -- were part of the AquaSox in 2007. For Dotel it's his third straight season in Everett.
"Some guys are back," said manager John Tamargo, who's beginning his 18th season as a minor-league manager but first with the Sox. "Some guys because of numbers, some guys because they have to prove they can handle this league before they go to the next level. They're still young in their development and if they have to repeat a year, that's OK. Some players have to repeat two years at a certain place before they get the hang of it and then go to the next level. I'm not real concerned with that, I just hope we can get these guys to be consistent.
"We've got some talent, now we've just got to prove it."
There were few high-profile players who took part in Tuesday's practice. The highest-drafted player was Royster, a 13th-round pick in the 2008 draft. None of the non-drafted international players can be found on any list of Seattle's top prospects.
However, there were just two college players present from this year's draft: pitcher Daniel Cooper, who was taken in the 21st round out of USC, and infielder Hawkins Gebbers, who was selected in the 33rd round out of Biola. That number will certainly increase as players complete their college seasons and sign with the Mariners.
The rest of the players arrived after spending the past two-and-a-half months at extended spring training at the Mariners' complex in Peoria, Ariz. This is their opportunity to add their names to Seattle's top prospect lists of the future.
"I think we've got a good group," Billingsley said. "Everybody knows one another, we kind of know how one another plays. We've got expectations and I think we can meet those with this team."
Tamargo said he liked the look of Everett's pitching staff. Right-hander Taylor Lewis, a 19th-round pick in the 2008 draft, will get the start on opening night Saturday in Vancouver, B.C. Left-hander Nick Czyz and right-hander Luke Burnett will round out the series against the Canadians.
"I was very happy with the pitching as far as the starters and the relievers," said Tamargo, who got a good look at the players in Peoria the past two weeks. "Hopefully that will continue as far as being aggressive in the strike zone, throwing in and out and mixing their pitches."
Offensively, Tamargo is expecting power from Sams, Dotel and first baseman Gerardo Avila. Dotel led the Sox with seven home runs last season, while Sams blasted 10 long balls in 32 games for Pulaski of the rookie single-A Appalachian League in 2008.
