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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fast Break

The Spokesman-Review

Baseball

Jones expected to start for M’s

The Adam Jones era will begin tonight when the Seattle Mariners call up their top minor league prospect from Triple-A Tacoma.

Manager John McLaren made that announcement after Wednesday night’s 12-inning, 8-7 victory over the Angels, although he refused to say how Jones would be used. While some speculate that Jones will be used off the bench, it’s more likely that the club is bringing him up to play, and he’ll get considerable time in left or right field.

Jones batted .314 with a team-high 25 home runs and 84 RBIs in 101 games with the Rainiers. He went 3 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs on Wednesday.

To make room for Jones, the Mariners are expected to designate reserve outfielder Jason Ellison for assignment, meaning they would have 10 days to release, trade or send him to the minor leagues.

Ellison, who is out of minor league options, would have to clear waivers before the Mariners could send him to the minors.

Football

Another year, another era

Since Dennis Erickson was named Arizona State coach in December, much has been said about the gridiron knowledge the Sun Devils will gain from the two-time national championship winner.

As ASU begins its 95th season with the start of practice today, Erickson also will spend time in school.

“I know two fight songs in the Pac-10,” said Erickson, whose five previous college coaching locales include Washington State and Oregon State – and last year’s second go-round at Idaho that lasted only a year.

“I’m about to learn a third. I imagine that I’ll be learning that at camp.”

The music critiques from players will be relentless, as current and former Sun Devil coaches can attest. The fight-song auditions figure to be a big part of bonding.ASU is paying Erickson a guaranteed $5.6 million over the next five seasons to raise the level of a program that has won eight games or more just six times in the last 25 years.