Breaking the rules occasionally pays off

• I had a chance to hear Piniella talk one time about game management. Not on being a manager of a major league team, but game management. It’s different. Being a manager is mainly about managing the clubhouse, keeping 25 guys happy and away from each other’s throats during a season that can stretch over seven months. But game management, that’s different (though, of course, there is a lot of crossover, like when a manager decides to pinch hit for someone, it’s going to affect the clubhouse dynamic). Anyhow, Piniella was giving lessons on management anyone could use, from Little League to the bigs. One of the aspects of the game he was opining about was the sacrifice bunt. Piniella believed the situation of the game dictated its use, though who the hitter was mattered as well. In a sense, there was a sliding scale, the better the hitter, the more important the situation had to be to ask him to bunt. But, and Piniella was adamant about this, once you’ve made up your mind to bunt, don’t change. Never, he said, emphasizing the word, allow a favorable count to change your mind. If sacrificing is the right play on the first pitch, it is the right play with a 2-1 count as well. It was his philosophy and I don’t ever remember him going against it, though he probably did. If you manage as many games in the major leagues as Lou did, there had to be one or two times he played a hunch. Which is where McClendon comes in. The first-year Mariner manager has played hunches more than once this season and they seemed to work out more often than not. Last night, according to the Times’ Ryan Divish , McClendon had decided to have Mike Zunino bunt with two on and nobody out in the fourth inning. But Zunino didn’t offer at the first three pitches, two of which were balls. So McClendon changed his mind, going against the Piniella Theorem. And it worked. Zunino got a fastball he could handle, didn’t miss it and drove it a long, long way. The three-run home run propelled the M’s to a 10-5 win over Houston and within a half-game of the final wild card spot – and within a game of the top spot . Sometimes it takes a hunch or two to pay off for a team to slide into the playoffs. Last night McClendon played one. And today his team is that much closer to the promised land. Even if he did violate one of Lou’s commandments.

• For one of the first times in a long time, I won’t be watching the Cougar game. It’s been years. Instead, I will be at a high school reunion. I will, however, have my phone with me and it will be on the ESPN app. It may be under the table or behind a napkin, but it will be available. In other words, substitute a transistor radio and I will be doing the same things I used to do in high school during the World Series. But this time if one of the priests tries to take it away, he better come with a lot more than just a swinging rope belt and a ruler. Unlike those days, when I meekly gave in, this time I’m not giving up without a fight.

•••

• WSU: Speaking of the Cougars, they host Oregon tonight in Pullman for the first time since 2010. Jacob Thorpe will be there, probably talking behind my back – Jacob, remember, I have T-shirts older than you, so show some respect – and rejoicing because some old guy isn’t yammering in his ear. He has an advance in today’s paper, along with the two-minute drill and the starters for Oregon and WSU . He also has a morning post with links. … I can add the mailbag from ESPN.com’s Pac-12 blog and a viewers’ guide to today’s conference games. … The Ducks’ defensive backs believe they will get a pick or two or more tonight.

• Gonzaga: The Bulldogs won another women’s soccer match .

• EWU: The Eagles, and Jim Allen, are in Bozeman for today’s big non-conference battle with Montana State. Ya, it’s a non-conference game. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t important to both teams, as Jim’s advance shows. … Jim also has a blog post this morning with Big Sky links.

• Idaho: The Vandals are in Ohio today for a game with the Bobcats. John Blanchette has a short advance , part of a look at the region’s games today.

• Chiefs: The Chiefs open the WHL season, as usual, with the Tri-City Americans. Marcus Messier has experienced that before. But this is the first time he’ll experience it as a Chief. Chris Derrick has more in this story .

• Preps: Friday night is high school football night. Lights, action, cameras. Last night was no different, as Greg Lee and a cast of folks were all over the Inland Northwest for a handful of games. Greg was at Lake City where the host Timberwolves outscored Shadle Park, 56-34. … Chris Derrick was at CV where the Bears held off Lewis and Clark, 20-19. … Tom Clouse and Jesse Tinsley were at Gonzaga Prep where the Bullpups overcame Mead, 28-14. Tom has the story and Jesse the photographs . … Jim Meehan was at Post Falls where the Trojans easily handled East Valley, 33-7. … There were also reporters at Sandpoint’s 21-14 win over Mt. Spokane and Cheney’s 21-10 victory at Lakeland. … We can also pass along a roundup of other games. … Finally, Mike Vlahovich was at West Valley, where the Eagles dedicated their baseball field in the name of former coach Jack Spring.

• Seahawks: I’ve seen columns that are adamant this isn’t a Super Bowl rematch. And today there is one that tells us how important this Super Bowl rematch is. I don’t know what to think. … I do think it’s typical of the NFL that a guy who received a four-game suspension for a drug violation is playing in the third game. … Speaking of the NFL, Roger Goodell’s press conference yesterday didn’t seem to move many people. There are still some that think he has to go . … Why doesn’t the league just name Russell Wilson commissioner? I’m sure he could do it. … Want a power ranking? Here’s one . … Pete Carroll talked yesterday. Of course he did . … Once again, rookie tackle Justin Britt will be facing a challenge . That’s life in the NFL.

• Mariners: The M’s hit four home runs yesterday , including two by Dustin Ackley (pictured) and two three-run blasts . Got to love those. … McClendon won’t change how he uses the starters even though each game means a little bit more. … The News Tribune’s Bob Dutton does a nice job in breaking down tie-breaker scenarios concerning the American League wild card spots.

• Sounders: Though Seattle is in first place, that doesn’t mean the Sounders think they are perfect. The organization picked up a defender yesterday, beating the league deadline for making roster moves . He won’t be part of tonight’s game in New York , however, as the Sounders take on a Red Bull team that has been sliding a bit .

•••

• A warning. I’m going to be out late tonight (and will be taking a long nap today in preparation for just such an occurrence). Though it may not be as late as those of you attending the game in Pullman, especially if you are driving back to Spokane or points farther west. All of which means the post tomorrow might be quite a bit later than usual. I’ll get to it. But it may just beat the Seahawks’ kickoff. Sorry to say, I won’t be on the call-in show tonight either. Dennis Patchin is on his own – don’t use those type of words about me Dennis – but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t call. The show is available on all the East Side radio stations of the Cougar network. Enjoy the game and your Saturday. Until later …