Let’s discuss the financial situation
A GRIP ON SPORTS
We are going to talk money today. No, we're not asking you for any. All we're going to do is talk dollars and cents and the Mariners. Pretty simple. Read on.
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• Before we get to our thoughts, we would like you to read this blog post published yesterday by the Seattle Times' Geoff Baker. It's about the upcoming sale of the San Diego Padres and what the $800 million price tag for that franchise means for Seattle's bottom line. When you're done reading Baker's piece, head back. ... Now that you've read the post, and gotten over the mind-boggling fact the Mariners could be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $850 million dollars, how do you feel about their 31-44 record now? About the years of building through youth? The recent wandering-in-the-desert seasons? That Howard Lincoln (above) is still in charge? Personally, I'm of two minds. One wants me to rail about the idiocy of stepping over dollar bills to pick up nickels, of ownership's keep-the-budget-down philosophy that's killing the product on the field. That's easy to do. But another part of me is happy. Happy this ownership group has streamlined the operation, turned the books into models of economic efficiency and ensured the value of the franchise. Happy because now these sons-of-biscuits can sell the damn club, make a profit and get out of our sports pages. If we're really, really lucky, the next ownership group will be about winning, about sitting behind home plate on national television during the World Series, about hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy in a champagne-soaked locker room. Not about saving 12 cents on a contract just to make the books shine.
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• Washington State: The best thing in the S-R today is this column by John Blanchette on Steve Gleason (left), who held a golf tournament at Black Rock yesterday and raised more than $300,000 for ALS-related charities. ... It's been more than 25 years since the Arizona Wildcats last won a baseball national title. They did it Monday night, scoring three times in the top of the ninth and defeating South Carolina, 4-1. A few things stand out. Arizona was 10-0 in the postseason, getting hot at the right time. The Wildcats never trailed in Omaha. And coach Andy Lopez made all the right moves in the sweep of the two-time defending champion Gamecocks. ... Ted Miller over at ESPN.com's Pac-12 blog looks at the conference teams and how they are situated at quarterback. ... The BCS commissioners are getting together today and looking into the future. This post tells you everything you need to know about what's going on. ... The NBA draft is bittersweet for UW fans.
• Indians: The Indians returned home Monday night and won their second consecutive game, this one 4-1 over Boise. Jess Brown has the story. ... Yakima is moving to Hillsboro, Ore., next season. Here are the particulars of the agreement.
• Preps: Jess also has the youth sports notebook for the week.
• Mariners: There is more than just money to discus today, though the M's 1-0 home loss to a resurgent Oakland team last night is probably too depressing to really get into. But we have to here at Sportslink, so we will. Erasmo Ramirez (right) was pretty darn good in a 10-strikeout, three-hit, eight-inning start. But don't say Safeco Field's dimensions are killing the M's offense. That will tick off the powers that be. ... Charlie Furbush has been really good out of the pen this year. ... When will Mike Zunino sign?
• Sounders: No rest for the winless. Seattle hasn't posted an MLS win in weeks – the streak has reached a franchise-record seven games – but they step out of league play for a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal tonight against San Jose. The game is in San Francisco's venerable Kezar Stadium. ... Sigi Schmid isn't sure how his team will play on short rest.
• Horse racing: Correspondent Jim Price takes us back a few years to when a successful female jockey was big news.
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• I see no one volunteered to help me with the laundry yesterday. And after all I do for you. We're still finishing up (hey, I'm slow) but I am confident I can wade through the whites this morning. Until later ...
