"The first time the Seattle Mariners signed Brian Sweeney, he was a 22-year-old pitcher with the Lafayette Leopards and their interest was less than overwhelming. "The Mariners wanted me so badly they told the Independent League team I was pitching for they wouldn't pay the $500 fee to buy out my contract," Sweeney said. "If they'd asked me, I'd have paid it. "Tom McNamara signed me and opened the trunk of his car, pulled out this old, crusty Mariners cap and said 'Welcome to Seattle.' My dad framed my contract and put the hat on a nail next to it." Sweeney is 36 now, back with an organization he first joined in 1996. McNamara, then a scout and now the director of amateur scouting, is delighted he's back. He begs to differ on one memory, though. "It wasn't a crusty Mariners cap," McNamara insisted. "It was the last one I took out of a box of new ones."" http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/18/1231769/old-mariner-back-with-new-outlook.html
