Clinton and Seattle

This was in the Quad Cities Times Monday.

LumberKings,Mariners join forces

“They want to be in Clinton and be in the Midwest League, and honestly, sometimes it’s nice to know that someone wants you,’’ LumberKings general manager Ted Tornow said. “We had a good six-year run with Texas, but the difference is that the Mariners want to be here and be a part of our league.’’

That couldn’t necessarily be said about the Rangers, who were the last major league team to sign a contract with a low-Class A affiliate when they renewed with the LumberKings two years ago.

Tornow said Rangers officials hinted that the club was searching to place its low-A team in the South Atlantic League in anticipation that Texas’ high-A team — located in the California League — will be one of two clubs that will be relocated to an expanded Carolina League within the next two years.

“With that reorganization on the horizon, they told us that they were looking at the structure of their organization, and there were no guarantees that we would fit into those plans,’’ Tornow said.
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Mariners director of player development Greg Hunter visited Clinton’s Alliant Energy Field and quickly offered to sign after touring the recently-renovated stadium.

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Following the June firing of general manager Bill Bavasi, Seattle’s organization is in a transition period this offseason and Tornow said Hunter acknowledged that during his visit.

“He was honest and upfront with us,’’ Tornow said. “I think they may have rushed a few prospects through the system and that may have hurt them a bit at the lower levels in their system. We saw that firsthand with Texas in 2006 and it takes time to recover.’’

Like when the LumberKings made the playoffs in 2007 and 2008?