MARINERS SIGN PARTNERSHIP WITH JAPAN'S ORIX BLUE WAVE

          The Mariners have signed a two-year working agreement
     with the Japanese Pacific League's Orix Blue Wave.  The deal
     includes the exchange of coaches, players, front office
     staff and scouting information.  In addition, the clubs plan
     to play exhibition games in each country.  The clubs will
     publicize each other by selling each team's merchandise in
     their respective ballparks and by providing access to team
     officials in the other's country (Mariners).  Mariners Dir
     of PR Dave Aust said that the clubs could play an exhibition
     in Seattle "as early as" '99, but Blue Wave GM Shigeyoshi
     Ino said it could happen "even sooner" (KYODO NEWS, 2/19).