A Grip on Sports: Staying in touch is easy no matter where you are these days but does one want to with the M’s?
A GRIP ON SPORTS • We have been on the road for about three weeks. Traveling throughout the Western United States. Seeing family, friends and gyms in three of those states. We’ve missed a lot. And gained a lot as well.
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• Being a modern sports fan while traveling is actually easier and harder at the same time. It’s easier because of the ability to keep up in a myriad of ways with whatever team you wish. It’s harder simply because getting away is supposed to mean just that – and not just in location.
If we wanted to watch a Mariners game while we were in, say, on the outskirts of Zion National Park, it was possible. Not easy, but possible. But if, instead, one wanted to ignore the M’s on-going collapse and take in the area’s beautiful scenery, it was a lot harder than, say, a few decades ago. The computer in your pocket always beckons, updates always available, focusing on what’s outside of your personal bubble as easy as a swipe and touch.
It’s not often one can appreciate a dirty look from your life partner, but sometimes that’s what is needed to get back in touch with the reality of what’s around you. Instead of the reality the Mariners aren’t going to make the last couple months of the season easy on any of us.
As the days away rolled on, cutting the (figurative) cord seemed to get easier. Last night, when we picked up our phone and saw Bryce Miller had thrown seven gold-plated innings, we sighed. Deeply. A 1-0 lead with the way the bullpen is throwing recently? We were sure it was fool’s gold. It was. We tuned out. The Mariners lost 3-1 to the visiting Angels.
Now the question becomes will we tune back in when we arrive home late this evening?
Maybe. We’re anticipating huge news today. Not because we know anything of what the Mariner brain trust and financial officers are thinking, but because our route today, through the wilds of Western Montana, will probably keep us from connecting. It’s clockwork. Whenever we’re out of touch, bombshells drop. Call it The George Kliavkoff Syndrome.
Add in the worry the news of Julio Rodriguez’s minor injury and J.P. Crawford’s more major one will be the impetus for another “wait-til-next-year” move. Maybe even a couple, and we could see a lot of folks tuning out.
And yet there is nothing the M’s can do other than, maybe, trading Cal Raleigh, that would signal Jerry Dipoto’s intent to completely bail on the year. After all, he’s made inexplicable near-deadline moves before and they turned out to be precursors of other additions.
Remember Kendall Graveman and the deal with Houston three years ago? He and Rafael Montero went south for Abraham Toro and reliever Joe Smith. Two days later Dipoto picked up another reliever, Diego Castillo, from Tampa Bay. Two pitchers gone, two added and a bat with potential (Toro) added.
Subtraction. Addition. And, ultimately, another calculation that didn’t pencil out. Toro had some decent days, more bad ones and was finally dealt a year later (with Jesse Winker) to Milwaukee. That Kolton Wong was the return there has never left our memory banks, but that’s for another day.
Ty France was cut over the weekend. Mike Baumann was traded. Crawford and Rodriguez have been lost for a time to injuries. Ryne Stanek has been lost for a time even though he’s still pitching. Maybe all this goes into the computer and AI tells Dipoto to cut bait and cut out on the season.
Will he listen? Or will he continue to trim the fat, add a little lean, and call it good?
It’s days like these our mind wanders back to a time when not everything was available to you instantly on the InterWeb or InstaTweet. When, if you wanted to remember something, you had to memorize it. Let it hide in the recesses of your brain, where it emerges only when needed – like today, when we realized what Dipoto does pretty much every trade deadline was covered by Mr. William Shakespeare long ago, Covered more eloquently than we ever could.
Dipoto’s moves, to quote my friend Bill, amount to “a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” And yielding nothing.
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WSU: John Mateer spent his first two seasons in Pullman running more than passing. But a starting quarterback probably can’t continue that ratio. It has to turn. As Greg Woods tells us, Mateer’s potential to do just that successful is exciting to the Cougar coaching staff. … Jaylen Wells played in the NBA summer league’s title game last night. Didn’t have his best performance. Fouled out with eight points. But it was a late charge he took that looked as if it might lead to a Memphis win. It didn’t. Greg has that story as well. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, John Canzano has his usual Monday mailbag. … The Oregonian’s series of football numbers stories rolls on with No. 40 for Oregon and Oregon State. … The Big Ten takes over the media day focus starting today. Jon Wilner has some thoughts in the Mercury News. … Oregon is among the top teams in the conference according to the preseason polls. … The Ducks’ athletic director had a few things to say. … Is it just us or do the words coming out of ACC commissioner Jim Phillips’ mouth seem a lot like what Kliavkoff was saying a couple years back? … Oregon State seems to have a chip on it shoulder still regarding the Pac-12’s demise. Will the conference join forces with the Mountain West? … When Morgan Scalley takes over at Utah, will he stay in-house with coordinators? … Receiver might be one of Colorado’s best position groups. … The Big 12 will offer Arizona new challenges throughout the department. … Man, salaries for assistant women’s basketball coaches have sure gone up, as these from Oregon show. … The Colorado men have finalized their nonconference schedule. … An Arizona State freshman golfer built upon his outstanding season this summer.
Gonzaga: Another almost 7-foot project will join the Zag roster this season, at least according to Graydon Lemke’s social media. The Las Vegas high school product says he will join the Zags as a preferred walk-on.
EWU: The most-impactful news coming out of the Big Sky media days this weekend? It may be commissioner Tom Wistrcill telling everyone Monday the conference will continue to partner with ESPN for the next few years. As Dan Thompson tells us, keep the ESPN+ password handy. You’ll need it. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Weber State picked up a trophy this weekend. … Three Northern Arizona football players picked up some honors.
Idaho: The Vandals may play for more trophies than anyone in college football. The latest, with Idaho State, is a bulbous potato trophy with the state’s profile connected to it. Peter Harriman has more.
Preps: Colton High is looking for a new coach for its highly successful girls’ basketball team. Longtime coach Clark Vining, who led the Wildcats to 10 state titles, is no longer in charge.
Chiefs: The Portland Winterhawks will have a new coach next season.
Olympics: Katie Ledecky is back. Back to win more gold. To anchor the U.S. women’s swim team. And maybe more.
Seahawks: The final roster rankings, No. 10 to No. 1 are in the Times this morning. … There are at least five things to watch as camp opens. One big one is, for us, how Mike Macdonald makes it run. … Once again we ask, what will Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s role be this season? … The NFL and its players are talking about how to make an 18-game regular season work before the latest collective bargaining agreement expires.
Mariners: France was still on the roster and in uniform Monday. But he did not play. He is on his way out the door. … Jim Bowden has a hard time matching up the M’s with potential suitors for an impact bat. … The Dodgers gave up on former Mariner pitcher James Paxton.
Storm: The non-Olympic members have a long break ahead. And instructions what to do to be ready when league play resumes in mid-August.
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• We are fascinated by a couple things right now. One is the M’s inability to build on what should have been a historic first half. The other? TNT’s ongoing feud with the NBA over the next media rights deal. It looks as if it going to end up in lots of billable hours for both corporations’ attorneys. Until later …