Grip on Sports: M’s begin the season the right way despite a few bobbles

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The Mariners won their season opener last night, 2-1. It marks the 10th time since 2001 they have won their opener. Not to be too negative or anything, we all know how those seasons turned out. Read on.

••••••••••

• Unless you haven’t been paying attention, you know Felix Hernandez was pitching his 10th consecutive opening day start last night at Safeco Field. You also probably know it was the 11th time he had started a season on the bump for the Mariners.

But what you might not have known is Hernandez has won, counting last night’s 2-1 victory over Cleveland, all but two of those starts.

You may not have remembered that because the M’s have made you forget them with their play over the following six months. 

What we are getting at here is somewhat akin to those stock-trading commercials on TV: first-day results aren’t indicative of future success.

• As Dave Nichols outlines in his “Out of Right Field” feature, written before last night’s game, the M’s organization really didn’t do all it could have to shore up the pitching staff. Or build depth to the bench.

It’s omissions like that which really hurt as the 162-game season slogs on. But there were little flaws that appeared last night that might be even more important:

– Edwin Diaz is only 24 years old and in his third major league season. He still gets over-amped in big situations, which isn’t ideal for a major league closer. Most of the time, though, Diaz’s wonderful abilities allow him to overcome playing loose with the strike zone.

Like he was last night. Two hit batters, a whole bunch of unnecessary pitches, the tying run at third, go-ahead run at second, all came to nothing because Diaz overpowered the Indians when he needed to. Still, such tightrope walking (think Fernando Rodney) isn’t good for anyone’s blood pressure.

– Mike Zunino didn’t play last night. He felt soreness in his right side after batting practice Wednesday. And he’s one of the younger Mariners. Mike Marjama had to catch. His first at bat last night? That was his 10th in the big leagues. Depth isn’t the Mariners’ strong suit.

Either is youth. Yes, Nelson Cruz hit a Corey Kluber pitch a long, long way in his first at bat, but in his second the 37-year-old designated hitter hit a ground ball and slowly made his way to first, being careful to not aggravate a leg injury that’s bothered him this spring. You know, before the wear-and-tear of the season.

The M’s are going to need some injury luck. And that’s worth counting on.

– The best thing the Mariners did last night? The pregame tribute to Indians’ manager Terry Francona’s father, Tito, who died recently. 

The younger Francona could be seen tearing up and his voice broke a bit in a postgame interview in which he called the surprising tribute to his father, a 15-year major league veteran, “classy.”

Well done.

•••

WSU: Mark Rypien is a legend in Washington State (and Washington Redskin) circles. The quarterback from Shadle Park moved down U.S. Highway 95 and led the Cougars to many victories. He then led Washington to a Super Bowl title. Now he’s trying to lead again, this time to awareness about CET and its toll. Rypien spoke with John Blanchette recently and sat down for an interview with KHQ. …. The basketball team began the process of replenishing the roster yesterday with a commitment from a wing originally from Serbia. Theo Lawson has the story. … There was a time when I was on Nnamdi Oguayo’s diet plan. It worked the same way, putting on weight. But it didn’t make me faster. Theo explains what Oguayo has done recently to get bigger. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, if you like intersectional football games, Washington just made you happy, announcing a home-and-home series with Michigan starting in 2020. … The Huskies’ spring camp is continuing. … USC is also continuing with spring, as is Arizona. … In basketball, Utah got to the NIT final and then played poorly, getting blown out by Penn State in New York last night. … So what’s happening around the conference? A whole bunch of things. … Finally, this story pairs with Blanchette’s piece on Rypien. 

Gonzaga: The most recent Press Box pod features Larry Weir talking with Jim Meehan about the Zags’ season and their future. … The Bulldogs opened a three-game baseball series at Saint Mary’s with a tough loss.

EWU: There is one Big Sky basketball team still playing. That would be Northern Colorado, which will play for the CIT title tonight at home.

Chiefs: Spokane has put itself in a tough spot, giving up two goals in seven seconds and falling to Portland 4-3 at home. That gives the Winterhawks a 3-1 series lead. Kevin Dudley has the game story.  

Preps: Yes, there were a lot of competitions Thursday. And, yes, we pass along the roundups for baseball, softball, golf, soccer and tennis. But the big news? That would be Justin Reed’s capsule previews and a look at the GSL. 

Mariners: The 2-1 season-opening win was covered on all angles, as one would expect of a season opener. There are game stories from a bunch of different sources, columns from just about everyone in the Puget Sound, including Marge in Kent, and stories about subjects as varied as the Safeco doughnuts.

Seahawks: Richard Sherman got married yesterday. Most of the crowd was Seahawks. Or former Seahawks now. … The Hawks are still looking for a backup quarterback and help in the secondary. Heck, help in a lot of places.

•••        

• If the M’s do well this year, there will be people in my household that will be ecstatic. So there is that. Until later …