AquaSox re-up with M’s
Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, January 31, 2006
EVERETT – The Everett AquaSox and the Seattle Mariners are going to be partners for a little while longer.
The AquaSox and the Mariners have reached an agreement to extend their current player development contract for two more years, meaning Everett will be a Seattle affiliate at least through 2008. The previous agreement was set to expire in 2006.
“The Mariners are extremely pleased to extend our affiliation in Everett,” Mariners vice president of player development and scouting Benny Looper said in a press release. “The AquaSox management and fans make this an easy decision as our players and staff enjoy first-class treatment while competing in the Northwest League.”
Everett, which joined the short-season Class A Northwest League in 1984, first became affiliated with the Mariners in 1994 and played its first season as the AquaSox in 1995. The previous 11 seasons Everett, as an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, was known as the Giants.
Since then, Everett has served as the minor-league starting point for many eventual Mariners, including current Mariners Felix Hernandez, Gil Meche, Joel Pineiro and Willie Bloomquist.
“The Seattle Mariners are an exemplary organization and we are delighted to renew our partnership with them,” AquaSox senior vice president Pete E. Carfagna said in a statement. “Thanks to the exceptional skills of the Mariners’ scouting and player development departments, AquaSox fans are able to see some of the best talent in the minor leagues.”
Everett’s 2006 season begins on June 19.
