Grip on Sports: Deciding whether to attend an M’s game at T-Mobile Park takes a lot of discussion … and budgeting

A GRIP ON SPORTS • I may attend a Mariner game this weekend. Maybe. I’ve been going over the pros and cons in my head for a while. What do you think?

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• Attending a big league baseball game has always been a commitment, and not just in time but money as well. Both have grown exponentially in my lifetime, from a couple hours to twice that and from a few dollars to “can I get a loan on my kidney?” Pulling the trigger on a game is almost like buying a house or a new car; you better weigh the positives and negatives before you make up your mind.

Pro: I’ll be in the Seattle area this weekend and have free time this Friday night.

Con: The Weather Channel says it will be cold and rainy that evening at T-Mobile.

Pro: T-Mobile Park has a roof.

Con: T-Mobile Park isn’t heated.

Pro: The Twins are in town. They are good. An American League-second-best 26-15 good. Martin Perez, who is 5-1 this season, is scheduled to start.

Con: The Mariners have lost their last 73 games. OK, that’s an exaggeration. The are 4-12 in the last 16 and just 9-11 at home this year despite finishing a two-game sweep of the A’s last night. And the M’s don’t know who their starter will be Friday. Actually, that last nugget might fit better under the pro category.

Pro: Nelson Cruz, who was one of our favorite M’s the past few years, plays for Minnesota now. He would be fun to root for this weekend.

Con: Cruz has a sore wrist and didn’t play last night.

Pro: It isn’t the Cubs or the Yankees or the Red Sox visiting. Ticket prices are better.

Con: Wow, they are still expensive.

Pro: Reading the menu on the Mariners’ website makes me hungry.

Con: My Visa card’s limit may not be enough. I wonder if I can get it raised before the weekend?

Pro: There are plenty of parking spaces nearby. And you can buy a pass on-line, so there is no need to search for a spot.

Con: When Safeco first opened, and we went to at least 10 games a year, you could find free parking within a decent walk. I’m not sure that’s the case anymore.

Pro: The M’s are still within shouting distance of .500, which is saying something in this season of the “step back.”

Con: After perusing their website, the only thing that seems to have stepped back is the chances of making the playoffs. Prices haven’t.

Pro: If you are in the ballpark, you don’t have to hear Dave Sims.

Con: If you are in the ballpark, you don’t get to hear Aaron Goldsmith.

Pro: It shouldn’t take anytime to get back to the hotel after the game. The game starts at 7:10 so it should finish around 11. By then, the rush-hour traffic should have dissipated.

Con: It’s Friday night. Getting to T-Mobile will take planning, time and patience. When it comes to those things, I’ve never been a three-tool player.

Pro: It’s a major league baseball game for goodness sakes. It’s part of America. It’s part of my life. It’s a tradition.

Con: OK, I can’t think of a con to play off that pro.

• Will Kim and I attend a game at T-Mobile for the first time? You’ll have to wait and see. But I’ll give you a hint. I’m a big fan of Newton. No, not Doc Newton, who pitched for the New York Highlanders back at the turn of the 20th Century. I’m talking about Sir Isaac, who ruined my senior year of high school with all his laws of physics. Old Isaac mentioned something about an object in motion staying in motion, didn’t he? The converse of that has to be true as well.

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WSU: The baseball team found a new and interesting way to lose yesterday, squandering an eight-run lead in a 20-13 loss at Utah Valley. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, the NCAA announced yesterday it has formed a committee to examine financially reimbursing athletes for the use of the likeness. … UCLA is this close to not being eligible for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. … Arizona picked up a transfer from Kentucky. … There is football news from Utah, including another in-conference transfer joining the Utes, and Colorado.

Gonzaga: The women’s team will play in a Thanksgiving tournament in Florida this season. Jim Allen has more on the Gulf Coast Showcase. … The baseball team lost at Oregon.

EWU: Basketball coach Shantay Legans joined Larry Weir for the latest Press Box pod.

Chiefs: Spokane coach Dan Lambert will coach Canada’s U18 team this summer in the Hlinka Gretzy Cup.

Preps: It’s the postseason, which means there are way too many stories to hold any for Thursday’s newspaper. For example, Dave Nichols has a feature on the Flesland siblings at Mt. Spokane, who did something special on the same day in early April. … District golf finished up yesterday and Jim Meehan was there. He has the coverage of the 4A and 3A competition. Tyler Tjomsland was also out at MeadowWood and has this photo report. … We have roundups from state soccer and softball action as well.

Mariners: Thus far this season the M’s seem to have the A’s number. They belted three home runs and won 4-3 last night. … With Felix Hernandez going to miss at least four weeks, Wade LeBlanc’s return is even more critical. … Kyle Seager is back playing at Tacoma. … The franchise made a payment concerning its stadium. … Gene Warnick is back with the Out of Right Field summary.

Seahawks: If you want more Hawk information, we have that for you.

Sounders: Seattle is at home tonight, hosting Orlando. The Sounders will still be without one of its key midfield players.

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• We need places for kids to play sports, especially on the South Hill. We need to plan for the future, everywhere. We also need to allow neighborhoods to keep something of their character. None of these things are mutually exclusive. All should happen together. But it won’t if folks aren’t willing to work together for the greater good of the community, not just for their own interests. A proposed sports complex less than a mile from my home illustrates this. The area in question is not going to stay as it is. In the past decade, hundreds of homes have been built nearby, adding considerable traffic to roads built to rural standards. Only recently have improvements begun. More are needed no matter what. Wouldn’t it be best for everyone to plan ahead, to improve the infrastructure now to handle the inevitable change, whether that change consists of greenspace dedicated to sports facilities or more homes? Until later …