A Grip on Sports: As the M’s were busy finishing off their latest victory, Gonzaga posted a couple of its own in the recruiting realm
A GRIP ON SPORTS • The Mariners are mashing the ball. And, as far as we could observe while watching in a West Side pub last night, that is exciting the M’s faithful.
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• After the usual large-chunk-of-the-day drive across Interstate 90 on Friday afternoon (part of it listening to Rick Rizz), it seemed like a good idea to catch the final innings of Seattle’s 13-1 demolishing of Texas in the Irish pub next to our hotel.
You know, for research. And, yes, to see if the Harp bites were still as tasty. They were.
But not as tasty as watching the folks at the bar glued to the TV set as Troy Taylor tried to finish off a shutout.
That the former UC Irvine standout couldn’t was met with more than a little disappointment for those wearing M’s caps or T-shirts or, in one case, a small tattoo. You know, people who have spent their entire life following the regional big-league baseball club and having to deal with disappointment every season.
Taylor’s two-out, two-strike gopher ball notwithstanding, there was little to disappoint those watching in Kent.
An interested observer could hear snippets of conversation – when the live music paused – of conversations. Names like (Bryan) Woo and (Cal) Raleigh were obvious. And why not?
Woo was lights out, even considering how the Corey Seager-less Rangers’ offense has yet to turn on its power. The Big Dumper? He crushed a solo home run in the fourth, followed that with a game-breaking grand slam an inning later and is leading baseball with 12 dingers.
But it is the non-big-name members of the roster that have really been the stars during the Mariners’ 15-4 run that has vaulted them atop the American League West standings.
Guys like rookie Ben Williamson, who has been Brooks Robinson-like in the field – and at the plate. Or veteran Jorge Polanco, whose name held a different meaning this time last year. As in failure. This season? Comeback player of the year seems to be in his future if the trends hold.
It seems as if Dan Wilson pencils a name in the lineup these days, production follows.
It can’t last – can it? The injuries, the youth, the reversion-to-the-mean, all should conspire to limit the offense at some point.
Which is why Woo’s performance was so crucial. As has been his early season success. The righthander was near perfect through five innings Friday. And extra-special into the seventh. His final line: 19 outs, one looping hit, no walks and eight strikeouts.
With Logan Gilbert out for a while, George Kirby still not ready to start his season and Bryce Miller a bit banged up, the M’s need Woo and Luis Castillo to be the modern-day stars in their “Spahn-and-Sain-and-pray-for-rain” revival.
Or they could just score nearly 10 runs a game as they have done in their five-game winning streak.
• Hey Zag fans. Happy now?
We’ve heard your protestations in virtual Zagville (or its ancient counterpart, in-person contact) concerning the lack of activity in the transfer portal. And in high school recruiting. Up until Friday, there was a zero next to GU’s name in the former and a one – as in guard Davis Fogle – next to the incoming freshmen line.
Yesterday changed both.
Center Parker Jefferson visited Spokane during the near-perfect week and the Inglewood (Calif.) High soon-to-be graduate decided becoming a Bulldog was the right choice.
That was quickly followed by a similar decision by someone with about five more years of experience under his belt, former Arizona State (and other places) guard Adam Miller.
In one couple-hour period Mark Few and his staff took care of the long-term – such as it is these days – future of the post position and a short-term need concerning with the roster’s guard depth.
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WSU: Around the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner has his weekly mailbag in the Mercury News, passes along a West Coast football recruiting summary and takes another look at Stanford’s athletic director search. … John Canzano wanders a little farther afield with his column from Friday. All the way to North Carolina. All the way to May and its relationship to December too. … Washington held its spring game Friday night and more than 20,000 folks showed up to watch the action. … Every college football team needs big offensive linemen. Oregon has its fair share. … Big defensive linemen, like Utah just picked up in the portal, help too. … Colorado needs players at a lot of spots. … Arizona State has the cornerback room covered. … In basketball news, the Oregon State men added a shooter. Yes, another one. … The Colorado back court should be crowded. … Arizona will begin the upcoming season facing defending champion Florida in Las Vegas.
Gonzaga: The two pieces of news we mentioned (and linked) above? The coverage of them comes from Theo Lawson, who has followed Jefferson’s Spokane trip intently and was ready when Miller decided to make his transfer decision. … There is also this story out of Phoenix on Miller’s transfer.
EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, Montana State’s newest men’s basketball player is happy to be back in the state. … UC Davis finished up its spring football workouts this week still trying to decide who is going to start at quarterback.
Whitworth: The Pirates are one of the most-successful Division III men’s basketball schools on the West Coast. Have been since they joined the NCAA. Have churned out coaches that have moved up the ladder. But in that regard, no Division III school anywhere can touch the accomplishments of Pomona-Pitzer. And that’s because of one man: Gregg Popovich. Pomona is where Popovich’s coaching journey began. It ended Friday as the 77-year-old legend – he won more games than any NBA coach ever while grabbing five titles – retired from San Antonio’s high-stress position.
Preps: Cheryl Nichols has the roundup of Friday’s action.
Indians: With no WHL playoff action last night, Dave Nichols had a chance to monitor the Indians’ game. And write this story on their 8-2 loss in Pasco.
Bloomsday: There is a chance of rain tomorrow. But only a small one. The temperatures should be cool but not too cold. And the crowds, on the streets and the sidewalks, watching, have a chance to be better. Elena Perry has this preview.
Mariners: With success comes rewards. The M’s twice had the A.L. player of the week in April. And Mr. Perfect, closer Andrés Muñoz, Friday was named the league’s relief pitcher of the month. Muñoz sealed the deal in 11 wins during April.
Seahawks: The Hawks were on the practice field yesterday. At least the rookies were. And most of the eyes, as they usually are, were focused on the quarterback position. That’s where Jalen Milroe was trying to prove his post-draft assertation he was the best quarterback in the draft class. … The Hawks’ newly drafted safety, slash whatever is needed, Nick Emmanwori also was at the workout, wearing an iconic number. … Just how could the roster shake out?
Sounders: Seattle hosts St. Louis tonight, with the Sounders looking to stay hot.
Reign: We asked a question yesterday concerning Seattle’s match with league-leading Kansas City. The answer turned out to be, yes, the Reign did have an advantage. One that led to victory.
Horse racing: Rain holds the promise of altering the outlook for any horse race. With the surface at Churchill Downs for today’s Kentucky Derby, that’s always true.
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• If you were wondering yesterday about the mention I had of my dad’s appearance in a Billy Crystal movie, I can explain. For a couple years in retirement a friend hooked him up with work as an extra in Hollywood. It was a grueling job, sitting in a lawn chair for hours on end, eating snacks and waiting for his “big” moment. He appears in the background of “City Slickers” – though the scene in which Daniel Stern’s character hits him in the back with his carry-on never made it past the editing bay despite about 20 takes – and “Doc Hollywood,” as well as an audience member in a bunch of Ronco commercials. Until later …