Clinton, Wisconsin change affiliations

Finally, a Player Development Contract in the Midwest League that makes sense.

The Wisconsin TImber Rattlers announced Tuesday that they have agreed to a four-year PDC with the Milwaukee Brewers. Geographically, the deal makes complete sense, since Milwaukee and Appleton are about 110 miles apart. Milwaukee's low-A farm club had been West Virginia of the South Atlantic League. The Brewers previously were in the Midwest League in Beloit, also a short drive from Milwaukee.

The deal ends a 16-year partnership between Wisconsin and the Seattle Mariners. That means the longest-tenured marriage in the league is now the Cedar Rapids Kernels and Los Angeles Angels. The Kernels-Angels and Timber Rattlers-Mariners had been tied.

The Mariners, by the way, landed on their feet by agreeing to a two-year Player Development Contract with the Clinton LumberKings. Clinton had been partnered with the Texas Rangers, who moved their low-A farm club to Hickory of the South Atlantic League.

Considering the fine ballclubs the Rangers put in Clinton, the divorce doesn't make much sense. However, the rumor is Clinton GM Ted Tornow didn't get along well with some of the Rangers' minor-league brass.