Benny Looper Gets Promotion; Seattle Mariners Shuffle Talent in the Player Development Department

MLN Newswire - Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Bill Bavasi today announced several changes in the Mariners Baseball Operations Department.

Vice President of Player Development and Scouting Benny Looper has been promoted to Vice President, Player Personnel.

Midwest Scouting Coordinator Ken Madeja has been promoted to Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President & General Manager, Player Personnel.

"I believe we've done a good job of transitioning young talent from our farm system to the Major Leagues," Bavasi said. "As we make Major League roster decisions over the next couple of years, having Benny and Ken shift their focus to our Major League roster will be beneficial to us. They will join John Boles and Dan Evans as a group that Lee Pelekoudas and I can rely on for strategy, ideas, information and perspective as we continue to build this team."

According to Stats, Inc., the Mariners have the second-youngest 40-man roster in the Major Leagues, with an average player age 26.23 years, and the third-youngest 25-man roster at 27.86 years (as of Aug. 21). Nineteen of the active players on the Mariners roster are products of the Mariners farm system, or, as in Ichiro's case, have Seattle has their only Major League organization.

In addition:

Northwest Area Supervisor Phil Geisler has been relocated to Midwest Area Supervisor.

Midwest scout Mark Lummus has been promoted to Midwest Area Coordinator.

Assistant to the Vice President of Scouting Jim Fitzgerald has been promoted to Northwest Area Supervisor.

Director of Minor League Operations Greg Hunter will take on additional responsibilities as Director of Minor League and Scouting Operations.

"I believe these changes are both well deserved and make us a stronger organization," Bavasi said. "Phil, Jim, Mark and Greg are all talented baseball executives with bright futures in the game. These moves will allow them to continue to grow and become more valuable members of our staff."

Bavasi also announced today that Minor League Hitting Coordinator Glenn Adams will not return in 2007.