Hello all. I, Jose Romero, will be stepping in for the esteemed Mr. Baker at games the next couple of days.

It's a pleasure to be back. I get a little time off from the Seahawks with them on a bye.

Thought I would share this piece of info from the M's today:

Seattle Mariners Director of Player Development Greg Hunter announced today that the Mariners have signed a two-year player development contract with the Clinton LumberKings of the Single-A Midwest League. The Mariners also extended their working agreement with the High Desert Mavericks in the Single-A California League. The Player Development contract, which would have run out at the end of the 2008 season, has been extended to cover the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

"We are pleased to be able to begin an affiliation with the Clinton LumberKings and also to extend our working agreement with the High Desert Mavericks," Hunter said. "We look forward to building a great relationship with both organizations and to a successful future working together."

The Mariners enter into a two-year Player Development Contract with the Clinton LumberKings after spending the last 16 seasons in the Midwest League with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The Mariners become the 12th different parent club that the Clinton Baseball Club has had since it joined the Midwest League in 1956. Other major league clubs that have been in Clinton have been: Pittsburgh, Chicago (AL), Seattle/Milwaukee, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Cincinnati, Montreal and Texas.

The Mavericks and Mariners first entered into a Player Development contract prior to the start of the 2007 season. In the two years with the Mariners, the Mavericks have compiled a 112-168 record, including going 54-86 in 2008. Seattle has been affiliated in the California League for the past eight years. The Mariners California League affiliate has won the league championship twice during this stretch, including the title in 2003 and 2006.