Huskies Slip Past Portland: The Pilots, playing a physical, slow-down style, crept to within 6 points late in the game. But the Dawgs pulled away with a few key threes for a 94-72 win. Justin Holiday and I.T. both scored 20. Thomas also led the team in rebounds with 7. Huskies 6-2. Next game Saturday @ Texas A&M.
Forget About Getting a Bat: Chuck Armstrong says the M’s payroll will stay at $94 million. $70M of that is already committed to 10 players. (Two of whom aren’t on the team anymore.) So that’s $24M to sign 32 players. Even if all 32 signed for the major league minimum, which they won’t, you’d only have $12.8M leftover. And that wouldn’t even buy Jayson Werth.
Mike Williams Questionable for Sunday: The sprained ankle that knocked Williams out of Sunday’s game is healing. Williams will try to practice Wednesday. This injury is unrelated to the foot sprain that cost Williams a game earlier this year, though it is on the same leg.
What they’re saying…
“LIKE IVE SAID BEFORE I ACCEPT WHATS PUT BEFORE ME WITH OPEN ARMS NEVER POUT JUST PROVE PEOPLE WRONG IS WHAT IM AFTER.” — Former Rainier Beach star Terrence Williams, via Twitter, who the Nets have sent down to the D-League.
“Just watched CJ Wilcox miss a three, didn’t know that was possible.” @dandonohue
“Received my Green Card. Permanent Resident Status in this great country. No need for a Visa. Thanks to all who made it happen! And thank God” — Sounders forward Steve Zakuani, via Twitter.
“I think really the job of the general manager is not to select the correct players. ItÂ’s to select the correct people to select the players.” — Pat Gillick, elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame yesterday, to SPNW’s John Hickey.
In other news…
The Mariners dipped into that budget to give $2.9 million to a 17-year-old from the D.R. Estelion Peguero will hopefully be a name worth learning in around 2015. He’s a 6’1″, 185 lb. shortstop. That $2.9 million is the fourth-largest international bonus ever. (Felix got $710K, in case you were wondering.)
Names linked to the Mariners yesterday by media: Hideki Matsui, Rich Harden, Eric Chavez, Gregg Zaun, Matt Diaz.
Here are the Mariners’ top 10 prospects according to Baseball America.
J.J. Putz signed a 2-year/$10M deal to be the Diamondbacks’ closer.
Other Seahawks injury news: DT Colin Cole (high ankle sprain, has missed past five games) should play this week, which should vastly improve the Seahawks’ run defense. TE John Carlson should also play. WR Ben Obomanu, who left Sunday’s game with a cut on his right hand, is a little more iffy.
NFL draft guru Rob Rang thinks Jake Locker might’ve pushed his draft stock up with that game-winning TD throw to Kearse.
The weekly basketball rankings came out: UW moved up two spots to #21 in the AP poll, stayed at #22 in the coaches poll.
Husky golfer Richard Lee finished just one stroke short of earning a 2011 PGA Tour card.
Today in SPNW…
Todd Dybas talks to Steve Sarkisian about his addiction to going for it on fourth down.
Todd Dybas on how the Huskies beat Portland’s slow-down tactics.
John Hickey on Hall-of-Fame electee Pat Gillick.
5 Minutes With: David Hawthorne.
Today’s action…
NADA! Take your special friend to dinner or something. Or, if your special friend has book club, today’s the first full slate of high school hoops games. Go check one out.