2008 Woodie Awards
Jaxx tout new look
Under Mariners banner, West Tenn. to offer same benefits
Zane Gresback
Issue date: 3/6/07 Section: Campus News
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Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Mariners.
What Major League Baseball team does not belong in this group? Baseball fans in West Tennessee can quickly point out that the Seattle Mariners are a franchise that does not rank high in popularity among the others. Regardless, the Mariners are the new franchise coming to take the field in Jackson for at least the next two seasons.
2007 will mark the 10-year anniversary of the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx but the first year that the Chicago Cubs will not supply the players.
West Tennessee has a large share of Cubs fans who have been elated at some of the talent and history that has come through Jackson on the way to Wrigley Field.
Numerous players that are on the Cubs' current 40-man roster at spring training once wore a Diamond Jaxx uniform. Buck Coats, Brian Dopirak, Rich Hill, Juan Mateo, Scott Moore, Matt Murton, Felix Pie, and Ryan Theriot are among the most recent and most notable.
Rehabilitation assignments by Sammy Sosa in 2004 and Mark Prior last season were two major events among many that filled the seats at Pringles Park over the 10-year Cubs span.
Now fans will be forced to embrace a new organization, but that might not be such a bad thing.
Diamond Jaxx General Manager Jeff Parker is excited by the change. "The Mariners are a committed organization to player involvement in the community," said Parker. "[The Mariners] even award a player with a community service award." Parker feels that increased player involvement and access will be the biggest change for fans in 2007.
So why the Seattle Mariners of all the teams in baseball? Parker explained that the transition was triggered by the Cubs not reaching a contract extension and opting to relocate to Kodak, Tenn., formerly home to Arizona Diamondbacks' affiliate, the Tennessee Smokies. Now the Smokies of East Tennessee will showcase Cubs players.
MLB franchises with interest in the Southern League that were looking to find a home were the Diamondbacks as well as the San Diego Padres and the Mariners.
What Major League Baseball team does not belong in this group? Baseball fans in West Tennessee can quickly point out that the Seattle Mariners are a franchise that does not rank high in popularity among the others. Regardless, the Mariners are the new franchise coming to take the field in Jackson for at least the next two seasons.
2007 will mark the 10-year anniversary of the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx but the first year that the Chicago Cubs will not supply the players.
West Tennessee has a large share of Cubs fans who have been elated at some of the talent and history that has come through Jackson on the way to Wrigley Field.
Numerous players that are on the Cubs' current 40-man roster at spring training once wore a Diamond Jaxx uniform. Buck Coats, Brian Dopirak, Rich Hill, Juan Mateo, Scott Moore, Matt Murton, Felix Pie, and Ryan Theriot are among the most recent and most notable.
Rehabilitation assignments by Sammy Sosa in 2004 and Mark Prior last season were two major events among many that filled the seats at Pringles Park over the 10-year Cubs span.
Now fans will be forced to embrace a new organization, but that might not be such a bad thing.
Diamond Jaxx General Manager Jeff Parker is excited by the change. "The Mariners are a committed organization to player involvement in the community," said Parker. "[The Mariners] even award a player with a community service award." Parker feels that increased player involvement and access will be the biggest change for fans in 2007.
So why the Seattle Mariners of all the teams in baseball? Parker explained that the transition was triggered by the Cubs not reaching a contract extension and opting to relocate to Kodak, Tenn., formerly home to Arizona Diamondbacks' affiliate, the Tennessee Smokies. Now the Smokies of East Tennessee will showcase Cubs players.
MLB franchises with interest in the Southern League that were looking to find a home were the Diamondbacks as well as the San Diego Padres and the Mariners.
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