This Fall Classic should be classic
A GRIP ON SPORTS
The weather, so nice and warm over the weekend, is going to begin to turn today, making its inexorable march to the depths of winter. You know what that means, right? Tonight must be the start of the World Series, when the Boys of Summer finish their season in the Fall Classic. Read on.
• Not all that long ago – and by that I mean in my lifetime – the World Series was played in early fall. Oh, sure, it wasn't as warm as July or August, but early October was nearly perfect baseball weather. Warm enough for pitchers to get and stay loose. Cool enough that a few extended innings didn't tax them too much. An occasional rain shower popped up, but that could happen any time of the year, really. Terribly nasty weather, though, was a rarity. Now, thanks to the expansion of the playoffs – which is probably a good idea – without any correlating reduction in the regular season schedule – not a good idea – has pushed the World Series into late October these days. And late October is when winter begins to peek its head in the door, especially in the Northern climes. This year we are lucky. Kansas City is not Detroit or Boston or New York. The weather should be OK. And San Francisco? Well, the weather in October in the Bay Area is often warmer than June or July. At least in the evening. I spent some really nice days and nights in The City, as it likes to call itself, in late fall, marveling how the evenings were less damp than the summer months. Rain? Yep, it could happen. But as we said, that's a hazard anytime. At least we shouldn't see snow in either park this year.
• The biggest change in baseball in the past 40 years? I would posit it is the ability of more pitchers to throw harder, more often. In the late 1970s, when I was still worried about such things, you would face the occasional pitcher who could throw a fastball in the 90s. Heck, my sophomore year in college, we had a pitcher who threw three innings all season. Part of it was due to injury but mainly it was because he couldn't find the strikezone with a road map. Still, he could touch 92 or 93 on the radar gun. It was such a rarity in those days he was drafted in the third round. The third round. He threw three innings all season. But the arm was too special, back then, to pass up. Nowadays, if you hit 92 you are considered, if not a thumber, then at least kind of a wuss. You want to impress people? Hit 100. Consistently. I have no idea what has caused the change – better mechanics, vitamins, 2-percent milk? – but it's here and here to stay. Which makes it little wonder hitting is beginning to become a lost art again. So enjoy the Series, enjoy the power pitching and enjoy a Kansas City victory. Yep, I have the Royals in seven. But seeing how bad my karma has been recently, I'm pretty sure I'll be wrong. For some unknown reason, the universe wants me to suffer. So the Giants will probably win – again. Personally, I would rather suffer boils on my body, if that could be arranged. They would be less painful.
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• WSU: The Cougars are ready to get back into game mode and they will do so this Saturday against Arizona starting at 3 p.m. According to the quote in the last paragraph of Jacob Thorpe's story this morning, coach Mike Leach didn't know what time the game started. That seems really in character for Leach. Just point me to the stadium on Saturday and let me call plays. I'll be good. ... Jacob also has videos galore following the Cougars' media day yesterday, with ones from Leach, running back Jamal Morrow, defensive lineman Destiny Vaeao (love that name) and offensive lineman Cole Madison. There is also the first look at Arizona, game notes and a morning blog post with links. ... Last weekend gave the Pac-12 some clarity. This weekend will probably disrupt everything again.
• Chiefs: Everett made a trade to bolster its draft status down the road.
• Preps: Lake City's win over Coeur d'Alene not only gave it the inside track on the IEL title, it moved it atop the NWPrepsNow power rankings. ... Some more high school athletes have committed to colleges.
• Seahawks: Guess what Pete Carroll was asked about yesterday? If you answered "the loss to the Rams," you would have been correct, except not as correct as if the answer had been the Percy Harvin trade. Carroll tried to put the failed Harvin experiment behind him yesterday as did, it seems, Harvin from the other side of the country. ... The Ram game didn't result in high grades from Pro Football Weekly. ... You like to see who played how much? Here it is. ... The Hawks need to get better in their pass rush. To do that, they may begin blitzing more. That's high risk and high reward. It starts this week at Carolina, where Byron Maxwell is expected to return to the lineup. ... The Hawks aren't the only NFC West team suffering.
• Mariners: Right-handed starting pitcher Chris Young, who has probably never thrown a 90-mile-an-hour pitch in his life, yesterday was named the American League comeback player of the year by the Sporting News. I wonder if he will come back to Seattle for another season? ... Michael Saunders was also honored yesterday with a community service award.
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• I do believe we've seen our last 70-degree day of 2014. That makes me sad. I think I'll open all the windows, turn up the heater and pretend it's still August. And then just send a huge check to Avista. Until later ...
