Mariners minor leaguers made splashes in 2009

The Mariners had some on-field admirers during pre-game batting practice yesterday. members of the Class A High Desert squad turned up in the dugout at Angel Stadium to witness the action. In the photo above, you can see Felix Hernandez talking to some of the players. The guy in the red and white striped shirt is California League MVP Alex Liddi, a native of Italy, who has a league-leading .345 batting average with 23 home runs and 104 RBI. Liddi played in the Futures Game as part of All-Star Game festivities in St. Louis. Another guy who played in the Futures Games is my fellow Canadian, Tyson Gillies, of Vancouver, B.C. You can see him in the photo below, in the middle of the pack of players in the dugout, wearing a blue shirt with a white collar. Obviously, this is a pretty good team. The Mavericks are 83-57 overall and have captured both the first-half and second-half (that's how the California League works) championships, only the second time in club history that's hap...