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08/30/2006 3:54 PM ET
Omaha partnership with KC extended through 2008
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OMAHA, Neb. -- One of the longest-running affiliation partnerships in professional baseball will continue
for at least two more years. The Kansas City Royals and Omaha Royals have finalized the standard Player
Development Contract, extending Omaha's relationship as Kansas City's Triple-A affiliate through the
2008 season.
Omaha has been the top-level farm club for Kansas City ever since the Royals entered the American
League as an expansion franchise in the 1969 season. The partnership, which will reach 40 years at the end
of the new PDC extension, is tied for the second-longest affiliation at the Triple-A level and is tied for the
fourth-longest in all of Minor League Baseball.
"We are encouraged to continue the long-standing relationship with the Kansas City Royals," said
Omaha Royals Senior Vice President/General Manager Doug Stewart. "With top prospects such as Alex
Gordon and Billy Butler on the horizon, as well as the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, Luke Hochevar,
now in the Royals system it should give our fans the opportunity to watch some future Major League stars
shine at Rosenblatt Stadium," Stewart noted.
"The Kansas City Royals are excited to continue our great relationship with the Omaha Royals,"
said Kansas City's Senior Vice President-Baseball Operations/General Manager Dayton Moore. "There
has always been an outstanding spirit of cooperation between the two proud franchises," Moore added.
The only Triple-A team that has been affiliated with its parent club longer than Omaha has been
with Kansas City is the Richmond Braves. Richmond has been Atlanta's Triple-A club since 1966. The
Norfolk Tides join Omaha as being associated with its parent team, the New York Mets, since 1969. In all
of the minors, the longest affiliate relationship belongs to the Bluefield Orioles, which has been Baltimore's
rookie league club since 1958. The Double-A Reading Phillies' partnership with Philadelphia dates back to
the 1967 season.
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