A Grip on Sports: The Mariners bring an old manager’s truism to life as we look ahead to the next few weeks
A GRIP ON SPORTS • And the hits just keep on coming. For the Mariners. Not the type anyone wants. Another relief pitcher on the injured list. Another game in which the opposition blasted the M’s starter. Another loss? Well, no. Because of two big hits. The positive kind.
•••••••
• I’ve said here many times Lou Piniella was a savant. Though I’m pretty sure Piniella would have said something profane, earthy and funny – all at once – if I said it in his presence. And be right to do so.
But both things can be true. As it can be true Logan Gilbert gave up more than a dozen rockets last night in the M’s 5-4 home win over the red-hot Atlanta Braves – and still did his job. Four of the balls hit more than 100-miles-per-hour traveled more than 410 feet. All with no one on base.
Which brings me to Piniella’s savantness, if you’ll allow me to make up a word. And Word will stop trying to auto-correct it into some sort of jibberish.
During his time as the M’s winningest manager, he was adamant solo home runs don’t beat you. Avoid traffic on the bases, avoid losses.
It’s a baseball equation that doesn’t always add up, but it certainly did Monday.
The M’s, mired as they are in mediocrity at the plate, only hit a few balls with authority. Two of them came in the sixth inning: Luke Raley, doing what should be done with a hanging breaking ball, depositing it into the right-centerfield seats with two aboard; and J.P. Crawford, three batters later, lifting a fastball down the rightfield line with Mitch Garver on.
Those two home runs trumped the four Atlanta hit. Why? Before Raley’s dinger, Randy Arozarena and Dom Canzone walked. Before Crawford’s? Garver did the same.
Somewhere Piniella, who used to die almost every time an M’s pitcher issued a free pass, had to be smiling. And saying something profanely wise.
• A heads up for you folks. My dog Donut and I are going on an adventure together. A “Travels with Charley” type of one – without ever leaving the neighborhood.
Our house is emptying somewhat today. Kim and Tyler are leaving Spokane for the rest of the month, heading south to be with Kim’s 92-year-old mother. Which leaves me alone with Donut. My dog in nomenclature, Kim’s in reality.
Like every living creature Kim has ever come in contact with, her open heart and other-centered nature have built a bond even the fact she felt I was making a huge mistake at the shelter can’t penetrate. The two are Mutt and Jeff(’s older sister).
As is his nature, he will have trouble adjusting to the change. And like any dog who sees such change as an invitation to complain, he’ll try to get me to change it back. Incessantly.
The next few days might be filled with shorter than usual columns, until Donut comes to realize he doesn’t have an open lap to sleep in before 9 a.m. I’m going to get started earlier in hopes he’ll settle down, accept the fact the pillow in the office is just as good a place to finish up the night’s sleep as his usual spot, the living room couch next to his buddy, and settle in.
My confidence factor it will happen quickly? What’s lower than zero?
We’ve been through this before. All of us. But this is the first time it’s happened when the weather is nice, which I hope will lead to an easier transition period. If not? Anyone know if the Dog Whisperer is still around and available? Or if a John Steinbeck wanna-be is looking to write a sequel? Have them drop me a note.
• By the way, one of the hooks, for me at least, to the sci-fi series “The Expanse” was the name of the main character, Rocinante.
Ya, maybe their ship might not have been listed as the series’ star but it was. And its role fit perfectly with what Steinbeck did with his camper in “Travels.” And had a bunch of gun battles added in.
Talk about capturing this country’s zeitgeist in the late 2010s. A show, set in space, did it darn well. The last time Donut and I were home alone, we re-watched the series in its entirety, snuggled together in my chair, wrapped in a blanket. Of course, it was wintertime. It fit.
Still, with the price of gas these days, it beats driving an old Ford pickup around the country no matter the weather.
•••
WSU: Around the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, John Canzano’s mailbag for the week is worth reading. … Jon Wilner has an updated top 25 in the Mercury News for you football fans. The highest ranked Pac-12 school? No. 25 Boise State. … We linked this Times’ story on the Washington offense yesterday. It is on the S-R site today. The defense is the Times’ subject today. … Former UW defensive lineman Voi Tunuufi died Monday at age 23. … Utah’s offense has a hard act to follow. … In basketball news, are you worried expansion will dilute the NCAA Tournament field? It will. But why worry? After a couple days we are back to the 64. Anyone who lost didn’t belong anyway. And there will have been more basketball. You don’t have to watch if you don’t want. … The news Tommy Lloyd’s contract extension has him reporting directly to Arizona’s president in many matter has been covered in this space before. The Athletic has more details in this story. … The Oregon State men added another transfer. … So did San Diego State, who picked up its latest from Italy. … The Colorado women are trying to improve their 3-point shooting.
Gonzaga: Colton Clark headed out to the Patterson Baseball Complex on Monday night as the Zags hosted their soon-to-be-conference-mates from Washington State in baseball. And he has this game story as GU got its bats going again and cruised to a 10-5 win. … We linked Wilner’s thoughts on the CW’s deal with ESPN yesterday when they ran in the Mercury News. The column is on the S-R’s site today and we link it again. In the Gonzaga section.
EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, the conference’s softball tournament started in Pocatello yesterday. Montana split a couple games. Weber State lost its only game. Idaho State and Sacramento State swept and will meet today with a spot in Thursday’s championship game (or games) on the line.
Preps: The spring sports’ regular seasons are either winding down or have finished. Dave Nichols’ roundup of Monday’s action covers baseball on its last day of the regular season, softball’s district play and golf.
Indians: With no Northwest League games on Monday, Dave uses the day to look back at the recent games in a notebook.
Mariners: We linked the game story above and do so again here. … We did the same with the story on Gabe Speier’s injury and IL designation. Here is a paragraph from Adam Jude’s story: “Speier is the 10th Mariners player on the IL, joining Brash (15-day), third baseman Brendan Donovan (10-day), starting pitcher Bryce Miller (15-day), outfielder Victor Robles (10-day), reliever Carlos Vargas (15-day), infielders Miles Mastrobuoni (60-day) and Will Wilson (10-day) and starting pitcher Logan Evans (out for the season after having elbow surgery in January).” That’s not good. … The M’s are still ninth in this Athletic ranking, which tells you how many good teams are going through slow starts this season.
Seahawks: The Hawks added a veteran pass rusher today. Former Cowboy edge Dante Fowler Jr. … Here’s a question for you. What type of broadcaster would Russell Wilson make? Matt Calkins has his thoughts on the Times’ site today. … I found this story interesting. It covers the Hawks, the 49ers, Christian McCaffrey’s future, this year’s draft and how they were all related.
Storm: Former Cashmere High star Hailey Van Lith is a free agent. She was cut by the Chicago Sky on Monday, replaced by new guards who better fit the WNBA model. That doesn’t mean she isn’t in demand. Two stories today list the Storm as one of the most-appropriate landing spots. … That my explain why Seattle cut first-round draft pick, guard Taina Mair, yesterday.
Bloomsday: We sort of hoped yesterday the large crowd who returned to the road race for its 50th anniversary would translate into a Renaissance for the future. But we were unaware of the depth of the starting line issues. Mathew Callaghan has this story. Unsaid throughout is how the rotten experience will impact the number of participants next year. It can’t help grow the race, that’s for sure.
•••
• Off to the airport soon. I’m a little jealous, as Kim and Tyler will be attending a Dodger Stadium birthday party, eating In-N-Out and Rolling Pin doughnuts – a great little spot in Camarillo – and walking the beach soon. Heck, someone has to stay home, mow the lawn, water the flowers and clean out the cat box. It’s my turn. Wish me luck. Until later …