JetHawks switch to Diamondbacks

By ED HARBOUR
Valley Press Staff Writer

The Lancaster JetHawks announced Thursday that they will be affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks and signed a player development contract with the team through the 2004 season.

The Diamondbacks become the second major league affiliate in JetHawks history following a very successful five-year run with Seattle, in which the JetHawks qualified for the playoffs three times.

"We talked to (Arizona) on (Sept. 6) and said, 'We want to be with you guys,' " JetHawks vice president and COO Matt Ellis said. "And they said, 'Well, we want to be with you guys.'

"It worked out better than I ever thought it would."

The Ellis and McMurray families have in fact lined up all three minor league franchises they control, Lancaster, short-season Yakima, Wash., and Rookie-level Missoula, Mont., with Arizona.

The Missoula franchise was the first minor league club in Diamondbacks history when Arizona signed on with the club in 1996 when it was in Lethbridge, Alberta.

"We've been with them, as an ownership, since day one," Ellis said. "We feel very confident in their player development ability. In fact, we won a championship with them in Missoula."

The Yakima Bears have been aligned with the Los Angles Dodgers for several years and come into the fold as the Arizona organization's first short season Class-A Team.

"The fans were a major consideration in this," Ellis said. "Talking to our fans, they want to be able to go to spring training in Arizona. The fact that triple-A is driveable, that the major league club is driveable, the fact our fans can go see the guys after they here and move up the chain, is important to us.

"(The fans also) want a quality organization with quality players. The Diamondbacks have always been known for drafting not only for play on the field but for quality; for character. Before they draft, they always check out a player's character. To me that's important."

In five years as a farm system, thre Diamondbacks have produce top major league talent like Travis Lee, Brad Penny and Vladimir Nunez. All came through the Cal League with Arizona.

"We're joining them at a time when, their farm system's maturing," Ellis said. "You don't just develop a farm system overnight. It's taken them a while and I think we're getting on board at the right time. They're getting everything in place."

As for the Mariners, they will return next year to San Bernardino where they fielded teams for several years, beginning in 1988. Seattle signed a two-year deal with the Elmore Sports Group, owners of the Stampede.

"If the Diamondbacks weren't available," Ellis said, "we would have liked to stay with the Mariners."

"This decision wasn't against the Mariners. It was for the Diamondbacks."

Also announced this week was the Milwaukees Brewers 2-year development deal with the High Desert Mavericks.

The Diamondbacks entry in the Cal League this year, High Desert, trudged through a disappointing 48-92 season. Their pitching staff was the worst in the league with a 6.13 earned run average.

But as the JetHawks staff well knows, the difference in on-field talent can vary widely from yearto-year.

After a 55-85 club in 1999, Lancaster fielded an 89-51 team that won both first half titles.

"We had a terrible year here last year with the Mariners and ended up doing great this year," Ellis said. "You can't equate one season to the next, it doesn't match."

The JetHawks will host several officials from Arizona on Monday in what the team is calling, "Meet the Diamondbacks Day."

Expected are Arizona farm director Tommy Jones and general manager Joe Garagiola Jr.

The meeting will be open to the public and refreshments will be available.

Uploaded September 15, 2000