A's Extend Player Development Contract with Single-A Stockton
A's and Ports Agree on Two-Year Extension Through 2016
The Oakland Athletics have announced the club has extended its player development contract with the Single-A Stockton Ports of the California League through the 2016 season. Prior to this new two-year extension, the A's and Stockton had signed a two-year agreement April 15, 2010 for the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
"We are pleased to renew our relationship with the Ports through the 2016 season," said A's Vice President and General Manager Billy Beane. "Pat Filippone and his staff have been tremendous to work with and we are so appreciative the way the Stockton community has embraced our Single-A team. We look forward to continuing this relationship for many years to come."
The Athletics began their association with the Ports in 2005, the same year the Single-A club christened its new 5,200-seat Banner Island Ballpark in downtown Stockton. Since then, the Ports set attendance records in three of their first five seasons and have averaged more than 200,000 fans per year in the new venue, qualifying for postseason play in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2011. Site of the 2007 Single-A All-Star Game, the park welcomed its one-millionth Ports' fan in stadium history on July 30, 2009.
"It is great to see so many former Stockton Ports making an impact in Oakland," said Filippone, the Ports' president. "The Athletics are a first-class organization, and we are eager to continue building upon the tradition in Stockton as an A's affiliate well into the future".
In addition to Stockton, the Oakland Athletics' minor league system consists of the Sacramento River Cats (Triple-A; Pacific Coast League), the Midland RockHounds (Double-A; Texas League), the Beloit Snappers (Single- A; Midwest League), the Vermont Lake Monsters (Short-A; New York-Penn League) and the Arizona Athletics (Rookie).