Grip on Sports: Take some time before smelling the blooming flowers today to find out what’s happening in the world of sports
A GRIP ON SPORTS • Maybe the best spring weekend of the year, weather-wise, beckons. So we’ll get out of the way quickly. Though we have a little to say. Read on.
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• When the team in your area has a roof on its stadium, ensuring every game will be played as scheduled, it’s hard to fathom why any new baseball field built in the past couple decades wouldn’t. But that’s probably just me.
And such an attitude makes yesterday rainout in Detroit tough to take. The Mariners were on a roll and then – nothing. No game. All dressed up and nowhere to play.
So there is the dreaded doubleheader today. Six-plus hours of playing in one day. Heck, doubleheaders are so rare these days baseball allows each team to add a player to the roster, just in case.
I wonder if they get an extra mound visit or two? Just kidding. Of course not. That might slow down the pace of play. As if showers don’t.
Mandate roofs on new stadiums. That would speed things up. If not for individual games but for the season as a whole.
• It’s funny, but just as the prep spring seasons are winding down, the weather turns wonderful. And makes it great to be outside. It’s the curse of the spring sports to start when it’s usually snowing and end when shorts are the order of the day.
A high school baseball or softball game, a track meet, a golf or tennis tournament, a soccer match, they are all much more fun to watch (and participate in) when the temperature reaches into the 70s. And that doesn’t happen often around here until mid-May.
So enjoy the week or two of really nice spring weather during the playoffs.
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WSU: The Cougar baseball team lost at home to USC, 8-6. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, is there something fishy going on with the conference’s television revenue? … Oregon has lost another recruit who graduated early and came for spring ball. … Arizona has a player who wishes the proposed redshirt rule was already in place. … Finally, the Todd McNair trial is headed to the Jury.
Gonzaga: The Bulldogs honored Steve Hertz with not only a statue and his name on the stadium, but also in the way that probably warmed his heart the most: a well-pitched 2-1 win.
EWU: Larry Weir’s Press Box pod features an interview with basketball coach Shantay Legans. … The Big Sky Track Championships continued yesterday.
Idaho: There is some discussion in Moscow if a sexual assault accusation that authorities declined to prosecute contradicts a statement from Rob Spear.
Chiefs: Everett defeated Swift Current 6-3 last night but will have to win twice in Canada to earn the WHL title.
Preps: After yesterday’s action, we shift gears a bit this morning. Jim Meehan begins the day with his weekly golf column, which focuses on the hard work prep golfers put in to be successful. … Greg Lee has a feature on a Lakeside athlete who competes in an odd track and field double. … We also have roundups from baseball, softball and track and field.
Mariners: “Rain, rain, go away” didn’t work. So the M’s have a doubleheader today in Detroit. It will be Manny Acta’s managerial debut. … If you have a subscription to The Athletic, this story shouldn’t be missed. It even has a Spokane connection.
Seahawks: The Hawks made some roster changes after the rookie mini-camp. … Training camp will start a bit earlier this summer.
Sounders: The salaries in the MLS are rising. That’s improved the quality of play.
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• That’s it for today. There is golf on the TV if you don’t want to go outdoors and risk a sunburn. Until later …