SENATE RESOLUTION

                            8689

By Senators Regala, Carlson and Rasmussen

     WHEREAS, a successful baseball organization is like a close-knit family in which all members must contribute to achieve the best results; and

     WHEREAS, the Tacoma Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League are an integral and important part of the Seattle Mariners baseball family and have contributed in the past and will continue to contribute in the future to the success of the parent club; and

     WHEREAS, like the Mariners, the Rainiers had an April to remember, winning 18 and losing only five games for the best record in all of minor league baseball for the month; and

     WHEREAS, several individual Tacoma Rainiers made major contributions to the auspicious start the team has enjoyed. Included are pitchers Robert Ramsay, a former Mariner,  who led the Rainiers and the entire PCL in April with a microscopic 0.75 earned run average,  and Denny Stark, who led the league with a perfect 4-0 record for the month; and

     WHEREAS,  Ramsay and Stark were not alone, as they and the remainder of the Rainiers pitching staff led the PCL with a 2.59 earned run average; and

     WHEREAS, Rainiers infielders Ramon Vazquez and Chad Akers made their mark at the plate batting .378 and .368 for fifth and seventh in the league in April; and

     WHEREAS,  Rainiers players Kevin Hodges, Joel Pineiro, Robert Ramsay and Jordan Zimmerman have contributed as members of the Mariners in the past; and

     WHEREAS, the strong tie between the Mariners and the Rainiers is exemplified by the fact that more than one-third of the players on the current Seattle roster have played for Tacoma.  Included are Charles Gipson, Carlos Guillen, Stan Javier, Chris Widger, Paul Abbott, Ryan Franklin, Freddy Garcia, Gil Meche, Jose Paniagua, and Brett Tomko. Mariners Jay Buhner, Dan Wilson and Jamie Moyer have also played for the Rainiers as part of an injury rehabilitation program; and

     WHEREAS, the Tacoma Rainiers coaching staff this year includes former Mariners Henry Cotto and Chris Bosio, and third base coach for the Mariners is former Tacoma manager Dave Myers;

     NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate congratulate the Tacoma Rainiers for the best record among all one-hundred and twenty  minor league baseball teams during the month of April, and wish the team success for the remainder of the season and in years to come, and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the important role the Rainiers have played and will continue to play in the success of the parent club, the Seattle Mariners, and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, a copy of this resolution be presented to the Tacoma Rainiers Baseball Club.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 8689,

adopted by the Senate May 3, 2001.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate