JETHAWKS-MARINERS PACT RENEWED\New stadium cited in extension through 2000.Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer Lancaster JetHawks The Lancaster JetHawks are a minor league baseball team in Lancaster, California, USA. They are a Class-A Advanced team in the California League, and are a farm team of the Boston Red Sox. , the city's new class A minor league baseball
With the existing contract set to expire Sept. 30, the Mariners and the JetHawks reached an agreement to extend the player development contract for four years - making it one of the longest, if not the longest, contract of its type, Jethawks management said. "We are thrilled to enter into a new relationship with the city of Lancaster The City of Lancaster (2002 population: 133,914) is a local government district with city status in Lancashire, England. Its main town is Lancaster, from which it obtained its city status. Other towns in the district include Morecambe, Heysham, Slyne, and Carnforth. ," said Larry Beinfest Larry Beinfest is the Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager of the Florida Marlins Major League Baseball club. Since he started at the Marlins in 2002 Beinfest has dramatically modified the team's roster. , the Mariners' director of player development. Speaking from the Mariners spring training camp in Arizona via a telephone hookup hookup, n in the Trager method of therapy, the practitioner enters into a meditative state along with the patient, which allows him or her to work more intuitively and to feel subtle changes in the patient's movement and tissue texture. at a Lancaster press conference, Beinfest cited Lancaster's new stadium and the team's working relationship with the JetHawks ownership team as the reasons for extending the contract. "I assure you the players and coaches will give the city of Lancaster a first-class effort," Beinfest said. "I know the players are excited about opening a new stadium." The team has sold 5,500 tickets for opening day April 16. An undetermined number of standing room only tickets will be available game day. The lack of an agreement with the Mariners beyond the 1996 season was among the criticisms voiced by opponents of the deal that brought the JetHawks to Lancaster. Other communities have seen big drops in attendance after losing their affiliation with a major team, similar to what happened last year in Bakersfield when the Los Angeles Dodgers "Dodgers" and "Brooklyn Dodgers" redirect here. For the American football team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (football). For the Eastern Basketball Association team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (basketball). opted to contract with San Bernardino. "We're assured the Seattle Mariners will be part of Lancaster for five years," said Mike Ellis, the JetHawks president. "I know this has been an issue. Now that issue is closed." The JetHawks, formerly the Riverside Pilots, are a class A minor league team in the 10-team California League. There are 17 players on the Mariners' current 40-man roster with California League experience. The JetHawks are nearly at the 2,000 mark in season and mini-season ticket sales. The team expects to reach 2,500 by opening day. CAPTION(S): PHOTO Photo (color in AV) Workers put on finishing touches at Lancaster JetHawks Stadium. John Lazar/Special to the Daily News |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion