Grip on Sports: It’s nearly time for a break from the summer’s least fun story
A GRIP ON SPORTS • Are you tired of reading about the Mariners’ troubles? Think how tiring it is to write about them. Read on.
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• As the M’s slowly sink in the West, it gets harder and harder to find a sliver of hope.
Numbers don’t help.
They are five games under .500. They have lost eight consecutive home games. The Astros, 17.5 games ahead of Seattle and 15.5 games ahead in the division, have basically clinched the division. With the latest losing stretch, the Mariners are 4.5 games out of the last wild card spot and watching more teams leapfrog them in that race.
Hoping for roster additions doesn’t help.
The two starting pitchers who are still out, Drew Smyly and Hisashi Iwakuma, are either are certainly (Smyly) or seemingly (Iwakuma) out for the year. Most of the veterans with ability have contracts that make them basically untradeable and the rest, other than possibly Kyle Seager, won’t get much in return. The minor league system is basically a desert of talent with a couple of oasis Jerry Dipoto want to retain.
And looking at what they used to have doesn’t help either.
Art Thiel examined the former Mariners around baseball in a column this morning. His piece isn’t going to make any Seattle fan smile. And he even missed one of the biggest failures, Chris Taylor, the former Mariner shortstop who is having a solid season as a utility guy with the Dodgers.
(Taylor’s heroics last night led to this tweet from Orange County Register columnist Mark Whicker: “Chris Taylor is the reason, or 1 reason, that when a GM’s phone rings and the caller ID says “Dipoto”, he breaks a fingernail answering it.”)
The All-Star break looms. The M’s are hoping the break will allow them a chance to reset.
But unless Dipoto can clone Bob Gibson, turn back the clock for Felix Hernandez and light a fire under Robinson Cano, the break will be just that: a break from the inevitable. And another year watching other teams play in the postseason.
Yes, 2001 was a long time ago.
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WSU: The Cougars received a commitment from an Oregon defensive back yesterday. … Around the Pac-12, UCLA is going to look different this fall. The Bruins’ deal with uniform supplier Under Armour kicks in. … Oregon State baseball has a chance to be just as good next season. … Oregon quietly gave its athletic director a contract extension last fall. … It’s always hot in Arizona. And now that heat extends to the seats under the state’s college football coaches.
Gonzaga: Jim Meehan was busy yesterday looking into the Zags’ future and keeping up with their past. On the future side, he has a feature on incoming freshman guard Jesse Wade (pictured). From the (recent) past, he examines Przemek Karnowski’s odd summer basketball season. … It’s good to be Kelly Olynyk right now.
Indians: Spokane’s newest players helped the Indians to a 2-1 win over the Hillsboro Hops at Avista last night. Johnathan Curley has the game story and Whitney Ogden delved deeper into the recent additions. … Around the Northwest League, Eugene is in a deep losing streak while Everett’s pitching struggled in a loss to Salem-Keiser. … Boise has a four-legged star.
Chiefs: Spokane made a deal for a goalie.
Golf: The Lilac City Invitational is underway under the hot July sun at the Fairways.
Mariners: The M’s golden opportunity to get something going this season is slipping away fast. Don’t let Dave Nichols’ Mariners Log slip away today without checking it out. The links are there.
Sounders: The injuries to Chad Marshall and Ozzie Alonso (pictured) will keep the two veterans out of the Seattle lineup for the rest of the month. At least. … Portland scored early, fell behind by a goal, then rallied and earned a home draw.
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• Bernard Slade once wrote a play about a couple who got together once a year at a hotel. Hilarity ensued. My friend John Nelson writes this story about a group of guys who get together once a year for a backpacking trip. Injuries ensue. Until later …