A Grip on Sports: All-Star week starts with an all-star-worthy performance and a glimpse of the future

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Let’s face it. Not a lot of people want to work on Sundays. Many have to, of course, as life’s demands make it mandatory. High on that list of demands is working in the world of sports, whether that means competing or chronicling that competition.

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• It’s mainly the competition that gets people out of bed on Sundays, isn’t it? Otherwise, there wouldn’t be much to read on Monday mornings. Hey, wait. There isn’t. Especially today.

If it weren’t for the Mariners, bless their hearts, the second Monday of July, in the year 2023, would be a desert of Sahara-like proportions.

So let’s start in Houston, where the M’s ended the unofficial first half of the season with a Jerry Dipoto-written textbook 3-1 victory.

The true author, though, was Logan Gilbert.

We wondered Sunday morning how Gilbert would bounce back from the first complete game of his career in his last start. Was his arm a bit tired after completing the shutout? Nope. Other than a third-inning mistake to Martin Maldonado, Gilbert was lights out in his seven innings.

How do we know? We listened to the game on XM Radio as we drove through the California backcountry, with the Houston broadcast team supplying the verbal images. And, boy, were they impressed.

The emphasis was the change they’ve seen in Gilbert over his three years, especially in how often he uses his slider. It seemed to be the pitch the Astros were struggling with all game, at least to two guys who see America’s most-villainous team on a day-to-day basis.

The Astros themselves didn’t seem to be seeing it at all. They had just three hits, one of which was Maldonado’s second home run in two days. No matter. Jarred Kelenic took care of erasing that. Well, Kelenic and home plate umpire Edwin Jimenez.

With the M’s leading 1-0 in the third, Kelenic thought he had walked on a 3-1 pitch. But Jimenez thought differently and he’s the only one who matters. After apologizing for throwing his bat away and heading down the line, Kelenic lined the next pitch into centerfield to score Ty France and Teoscar Hernadez. That was enough support for Gilbert and the bullpen.

Now the M’s will wait four days to get back to work at T-Mobile. Well, most of them anyway. Julio Rodriguez, George Kirby and Luis Castillo will suit up for the American League All-Star team Tuesday night, with Rodriguez pulling double duty by competing in tonight’s Home Run Derby (ESPN, 5). Scott Servais will be in uniform Tuesday too, coming off his team actually winning a series in Houston.

Add in the loud booing when commissioner Paul Manfred announced the Astros’ first pick in Sunday’s MLB draft – held at Lumen Field – and it was good day for M’s fans. And a bad one for the Astros.

• Sunday was also a good day for soccer in this nation. A second-string U.S. Men’s National Team was able to battle past Canada in the Gold Cup quarterfinals, winning 3-2 in a shootout. The win highlighted a new-found grit for the men, who haven’t displayed it often enough over the years. And depth, too, as the American backups were better than their Canadian counterparts.

That’s always been the case for the U.S. women, who played their last tune-up for the World Cup before heading to New Zealand, where they open the tournament July 22.

The depth displayed in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Wales was personified by one Trinity Rodman, who spent her college time, brief as it was, in Pullman.

Rodman is another example of the new American generation who will be counted on to continue U.S. dominance in the sport as the last generation ages out.

She scored both goals despite not entering the match until the 77th minute. Her first was a rocket, one that only could have been accomplished by a superb athlete, something the U.S. seems to be producing more often these days.

The formula, and transitional emphasis, worked Sunday. And should continuing working through this summer’s World Cup.

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WSU: We’ve been sharing stories of local basketball players making their pro debuts this summer, so an update of how former Washington State baseball players are doing in that regard seems appropriate. Colton Clark provides it today, starting with two pitchers who are having solid seasons at the major league level. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, it’s funny that The Athletic pulled back from its Washington coverage just when the Huskies were returning to national prominence. To get something done in Seattle these days, the publication has to send a national writer to the place. In this case, Bruce Feldman to talk with Kalen DeBoer. … The Colorado basketball program may reap some benefit from Tod Boyle coaching a national team this summer.

Gonzaga: Is Mark Few’s roster set? Not necessarily. The Bulldogs have added summer transfers before and, with only 10 scholarships accounted for, have room for another one or two this year. Theo Lawson takes a look at five guards who might be on their radar.

Indians: Spokane rode impenetrable pitching to earn a series-ending 3-0 win yesterday at Avista Stadium. Dave Nichols was there to chronicle it.

Mariners: The M’s future may rely on high school players, as the franchise drafted three of them with the four picks it had Sunday in baseball’s draft. … We mentioned above Rodriguez returns for the Home Run Derby this year. He not only is coming off a runner-up finish last season, he also is hitting at home. Though the latter should add some pressure.

Kraken: Cale Fleury signed a two-year deal Sunday, avoiding arbitration and given himself some financial security.

Golf: American Allisen Corpuz won for the first time on the LPGA Tour yesterday and it was big win, the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach.

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• You want to know how dedicated we are to losing weight? We’ve been in In-n-Out territory for two days now and all we’ve eaten is one Double-Double. We used to call that a midnight snack back in our younger days. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll make up for lost time today. We’ll see. But we also like the fact our belt has been tightened a spot or two. My dad would be proud. That’s important as we are thinking about him on what would have been his 98th birthday. Miss you pops. Until later …