Rainiers and M’s extend PDC
Slowly all remaining not extended Player Development Contracts are signed. Only a handful of minor league clubs are up for grabs. The latest signing was in the Northwest of the United States as the Seattle Mariners and the Tacoma Rainiers extended their cooperation through the 2022 season.
Not a surprise the two clubs stick together. The only surprise may be the length as most PDCs are signed for two years. Mariners Director of Player Development Andy McKay
and Aaron Artman, the Rainiers Team President made the announcement.
“This has always been a great relationship,” Tacoma Rainiers owner Mikal Thomsen said. “Our fans in Tacoma and I are all Mariners fans, so it is a natural thing to follow players on both teams from the fan standpoint. On the business side, the Mariners, to a person and as an organization, have been great to work with, and we look forward to maintaining this affiliation far into the future.”
Aaron McKay stated: “The Mariners are excited to be able to extend our relationship with the Rainiers. The Rainiers have consistently demonstrated their commitment to providing the best possible environment for our prospects to develop, as well as providing an opportunity for baseball fans in the Pacific Northwest to meet the next generation of Mariners.”
The two teams are linked together since 1995 after the Mariners took over when the Athletics left Tacoma. Their affiliation is one of the longest-running and strongest in MiLB. The Rainiers 2019 season will be the 25th year as the Mariners top minor league affiliate. During that span, Tacoma has posted an all-time record of 1,741-1,690 (.507).
After the Rainiers joined the Mariners’ organization, the team has won five division titles, three conference championships, and two Pacific Coast League Championships (2001, 2010).
The history of the Rainiers dates back to 1960 when the team was a farm team of the San Francisco Giants. This affiliation lasted through 1965. The Cubs succeeded the Giants in 1966 and left town in 1971. After the Twins stepped in for six years (1972 – 1977) the Yankees called Tacoma home for one year. For the 1978 and 1979 seasons, the Cleveland Indians came to town for two seasons (1980 and 1981). The Oakland A’s had a rather long relationship with the Tacoma Tigers from 1982 through 1994. When the Mariners stepped in, the team changed its name into Rainiers after the former Seattle based AAA team that left Seattle after the 1968 season as the Seattle Pilots took its place as an MLB franchise in 1969.