A GRIP ON SPORTS

Three-run home runs are cool, sure, and oftentimes can be crucial to winning a baseball game. But catching a short flip from the first baseman very well may be more important. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Things you would expect to see in Cleveland: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the house where they filmed “A Christmas Story,” LeBron James haters. Things you wouldn't expect to see in Cleveland: a first-place baseball team, Kevin Costner, Felix Hernandez being knocked around like Eric Bedard. Yet all those unexpected things were available for viewing yesterday. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

When you sit down every day – and by every day, I mean every day – to write a sports-related blog post, you never know what occurrence will tickle your fancy and set you down the road to the finished product. You'll never believe what got me going this morning. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

There was a considerable amount of optimism in the Mariners clubhouse Thursday night. Then came Friday in Cleveland. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

It is the middle of May, right? Not September or October? Good. After reading about the atmosphere in the Mariners' clubhouse yesterday, I was afraid I had fallen asleep and awoken three or four months in the future. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

You are walking down the street. You come across David Stern's limo, which has a flat tire. He is standing outside the car, holding a dead phone in his hand. No one else is around. Do you: A) pull out your phone and call for help; B) ignore him and walk away; or C) tell him exactly how you feel concerning his treatment of Seattle over the years? Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

I'm pretty sure it was Yogi Berra who said, “it ain't over until it's over.” Or something akin to that. Whatever. That saying has a double meaning today. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

There have been some weird baseball injuries over the years. Joba Chamberlain on a trampoline with his son. Josh Outman throwing up and straining a muscle. Luke Scott pulling a hamstring in a home run trot. But last night I may have outdone them all. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

We're back, this time with our usual morning blog post. And if you love baseball, today's the day to read. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • UPDATED: 9:05 A.M.

The second Saturday in May doesn't seem like a traditional time to be thinking about professional football, but it is. At least it is this year. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

We're going to keep it simple today. There is a reason for that. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Baseball is all about tradition. But even baseball has embraced the idea of instant replay to help officiate, albeit slowly and in a quite limited way. After what happened last night, however, maybe it's time for baseball to go back to a simpler time – or move forward. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Well, that's better. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

This time of year, when the flowers are blooming and the sun shining, an off day for the Mariners really cuts into our links for you. But we'll make do. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Are non-major collegiate sports important to you? I ask because tonight my alma mater, UC Irvine, plays for its second consecutive NCAA men's volleyball title. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

It only seemed as if the Mariners were going to play for 162 consecutive days. They actually do have a few off days, though, as far as I can recall – at my age, recall isn't total anymore – they had just one in April. But they had Thursday off. All they had to do following Wednesday's game was to travel from Seattle to Toronto and get situated for a road series that starts tonight. But don't worry, they'll be home in time for Mother's Day, and that's important. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Who were those guys? You know, the ones who inhabited the Mariner uniforms the past week or so? Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

You know how an NBA game usually comes down to the last two minutes? That's sort of how I feel about Chris Hansen's quest to move the Sacramento Kings to Seattle. It will come down to the final two minutes. And those two minutes might not occur for a year or so. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

The NFL draft is about the future. We understand that and honor it, linking enough newspaper stories today to wipe out a small forest. But we also like it when a newspaper honors the past. And the Review does that today with a look back at Playfair, once the thriving home of horse racing in the Inland Northwest. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Why would anyone be surprised by anything the Seahawks do during the NFL draft? Trade down to get more picks, take a guy who plays a position already well stocked, or pick a guy with some baggage, it's always something. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

I didn't get to watch the NFL draft yesterday – as a fan of fine menswear, I rarely miss it – but because the Seahawks were not involved, I didn't think it was that big a deal. However, because I was driving around a lot, I was able to listen to it on the radio. And it was better than listening to golf on the radio. But not by all that much. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Those of us who write for “A Grip on Sports” are not a very lucky group. None have ever won the lottery. Success at bingo? Forget about it. And having to write a daily column during the last two Seattle Mariners' seasons? That's the opposite of lucky. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Are there better words to hear this time of year than “65 and sunny?” How about this: “Mariners handle woeful Astros?” We can tell you, one of those statements is applicable. The other, not so much. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

You know, winning is hard work. Really. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

All is right in the world, in that a sense of normalcy has returned. The Mariners' offense continues to struggle, as does the Cougars'. The Sounders actually score a goal and the Seahawks try to find the right pieces for another playoff run. In other words, it is a Sunday morning in late April. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

It was an announcement everyone expected but most Gonzaga fans hoped wouldn't happen. Kelly Olynyk is bypassing his senior year of eligibility and heading to the NBA. But guess what? The system worked. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Pardon me for being a bit distracted this morning, but I have been following the news from Boston. Makes sports seem a little less consequential today. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

I have an off-the-wall theory on why the NBA is dragging its feet concerning the sale of the Sacramento Kings and their possible relocation to Seattle. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

One of the games Mariners fans play is titled “Name the Worst Trade.” There has always been a lot of contenders, from the Heathcliff Slocumb deal to the Erik Bedard debacle, thanks in large part to the legacy of Bill Bavasi. But there is a recent one that is creeping up the list. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • UPDATED: 11:15 A.M.

Believe it or not, a television viewer may have saved Tiger Woods' opportunity to win another Masters. Just by calling Augusta National. Read on.