Friday notes: Mariners show their backing for Seahawks in the Super Bowl

You bet the Mariners will be pulling for the Hawks in the Super Bowl.

Bring it home again, Hawks! Our message to the @Seahawks in today's @seattletimes. #WeAre12 #GoHawks pic.twitter.com/I1XPZcHvhL

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) January 30, 2015

While the majority of the guys do not live in Seattle full-time, they have been following the Hawks. Taijuan Walker, who is a die-hard New Orleans Saints fan, can’t help but be excited for the Hawks this weekend.

“After the last game it is really hard not to root for the Seahawks,” he said on “The Hot Stove” on 710 ESPN Seattle. “Just seeing their fight, down two TDs but they found a way to come back.”

Walker especially appreciates the play of the quarterback.

“Just the passion and fire of Russell Wilson to lead his team back,” he said. “He really reminds me of Felix. They have that same drive. Every time they step out on the field they get the job done.”

Catcher John Hicks, who will compete for a spot in spring training, is a Wilson fan too. The two were youth baseball teammates when they were 13 and 14 and then played against each other in college. Hicks is proud to have a few hits off of Wilson, who in addition to playing shortstop, third base and some outfield also pitched at N.C. State.

“He’s got a great arm, 89-92, 93 off the mound, good slider. He loved to throw it,” Hicks said. “He was a special baseball player, a special football player.”

What is it like to see a former teammate at the top of his game, albeit in a different sport?

“I’m so happy for him,” said Hicks. “He’s a great kid, unbelievable quarterback. His leadership is unbelievable. He’s a special player. He’s going to do a lot of great things for that franchise for many years to come.”

Notes

• While Russell Wilson is now the property of the Texas Rangers, who picked him up in the Rule 5 draft last winter, the Colorado Rockies are the team that followed him, drafted him and still lay a special claim to him. This MLB.com story illustrates beautifully the bond between organizational scouts and some of their picks.

• ESPN’s Keith Law has put out his organization rankings and top 100 prospects lists. Law ranks the Mariners farm system as 21st overall with Alex Jackson, D.J. Peterson, Ketel Marte, Gabriel Guerrero and Edwin Diaz as the top 5 prospects in the organization. Houston was the top AL West team coming in at No. 3. The Rangers were ranked 11th, Oakland 26th and Anaheim 27th.

• Law had two Mariners in his top 100: Jackson, who came in at 59, and Peterson at 61. MLB Network and MLB.com will release their top 100 tonight.

• A couple of familiar faces have signed minor league contracts with the Boston Red Sox. First baseman Bryan LaHair, who spent last season in the Indians organization, and catcher Humberto Quintero, who played in three games for the Mariners last year, both will get looks in spring training with invitations to big league camp.

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