Rare “Ding-Baby” Helps Mariners Win: Mariner OF Milton Bradley hit a pitch over the outfield fence yesterday, throwing the Mariners/Dodgers “B” game into utter confusion. Bradley, Mariner teammates and coaches stood in shocked silence until umpires informed them that this event is called a “home run,” and that Bradley was permitted to run unimpeded around the bases.
Mariner coaches, sensing a trick, forced Bradley to stay on first base, but the umpires showed them a copy of the Official Baseball Rules and Rule 6.09 (d): “The batter becomes a runner when a fair ball passes over a fence or into the stands at a distance from home base of 250 feet or more. Such hit entitles the batter to a home run when he shall have touched all bases legally.”
Still wary, Bradley sprinted around the bases, knocking over the Dodgers catcher just to be on the safe side. A run was indeed awarded and the Mariners went on to hit two more “ding-babies,” as I believe they are called, in a 7-1 win over L.A.
Now THIS Is More Like It: In a game more representative of Seattle’s renascent Dead Ball Era, the Mariners beat the Giants 1-0 behind three scoreless innings from Jason Vargas. Six Mariner pitchers tacked on a scoreless inning each. Ryan Langerhans’ triple drove in the game’s only run.
Overton Suspended for Pac-10 Tourney: Ending the worst-kept Seattle basketball secret since we found out Clay Bennett didn’t actually want to keep the Sonics in town, the criminal investigation of Venoy Overton concluded yesterday with charges of furnishing liquor to a minor, which is a misdemeanor — and something that every decent American has done at least once. But instead of grabbing a beer for a younger cousin at a wedding, like the rest of us do, Overton’s alleged liquor largesse went to two 16-year-old girls, one of whom later accused Overton of sexually assaulting her. Prosecutors did not bring charges on that count, citing conflicting stories and a lack of evidence, but said accusation did bring the liquor violation to the attention of police. Now Lorenzo Romar has suspended Overton for the entire Pac-10 tournament, though Overton will play in whichever post-season tournament the Huskies end up making.
What they’re saying…
“This has been the toughest year since I’ve been a coach here.” — Lorenzo Romar
“Its sad. I dont even know what to say, someone close to you that, in his last year, to go down like that. Its tough. — Isaiah Thomas, on Overton’s suspension.
“Just as no one can quantify the damage done to the girls involved in the sexual encounter with Overton, no one can quantify the damage done to the Huskies season by having to silently tiptoe around his foolishness.” — Art Thiel
“One series of corrupt acts, on one night, by one player, did lasting damage to a Washington men’s basketball team that coach Lorenzo Romar has spent nine years remodeling with class and integrity.” — Jerry Brewer
“I was in the strike zone, I got ahead in the count early, I wasnt all over the place. It was productive. — Jason Vargas
In other news…
M’s closer David Aardsma seems likely to be out until May, he hasn’t even been cleared to throw.
Local kid Matt Tuiasosopo doesn’t seem to be in the Mariners’ plans. They want him to concentrate on 1B and LF (barely hidden subtext: “You are a bad fielder”), and Tui doesn’t hit well enough to make a major league or even AAA roster at those positions.
Husky defensive wiz Justin Holiday may not play against Wazzu Thursday — Holiday got a concussion in the USC game and hasn’t practiced yet this week.
The Husky athletic department profited nearly $4K on their Holiday Bowl appearance.
Sounders MF Mike Fucito will miss 3-6 weeks with an adductor strain, the same injury Miguel Olivo has. Fucito missed a month last year with a knee bruise.
The Tacoma Rainiers outfield could be awesome: Carlos Peguero, Greg Halman and Mike Wilson, who hit a combined 81 homers last year in the minors.
The next seven days in Seattle sports…
Wednesday, March 9
Baseball: Mariners at Dodgers, 12:05 p.m. (MLB Network)
Soccer: Sounders vs. Colorado at Qwest, Community Shield Charity Match, 7 p.m. (Live look-ins during Sounders season preview on KONG)
Thursday, March 10
Baseball: Mariners vs. Angels, 12:05 p.m. (No radio)
NCAA Hoops: Seattle U vs. Portland St. @ KeyArena, 7:10 p.m. (710-AM)
Pac-10 Men’s Hoops Quarterfinal: Washington vs. Washington St., 8:40 p.m. (FSN)
Friday, March 11
Baseball: Mariners @ Cleveland, 12:05 p.m. (710-AM)
Pac-10 Men’s Hoops Semifinal: UW/Wazzu winner vs. UCLA vs. TBD, 8:40 p.m. (FSN)
Saturday, March 12
Baseball: Mariners vs. Oakland, 12:05 p.m. (710-AM)
Pac-10 Men’s Hoops Final, 3:10 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, March 13
Baseball: Mariners @ LA Angels, 1:05 p.m. (710-AM)
Monday, March 14
Baseball: Mariners vs. Cubs, 1:05 p.m. (No local radio, check Cubs.com
for Chicago radio feed)
Tuesday, March 15
Soccer: Sounders vs. Galaxy @ Qwest Field, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2114586 https://sportspressnw.wpengine.com/?p=2114586">3 Comments
‘Dinger Baby’: That was funny!
Excellent column.
The players will be energized playing with a guy like Wilson.
It will be so fun watching the Seahawks with a guy like Russell Wilson playing quarterback.
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” The Seahawks have built a team where defense is first, the running game second and passing is third.” And this is why I already love watching PC’s team 1000x more than I enjoyed watching any of Holmgren’s teams. At least now I know that we probably aren’t going to go 3-and-out with a 6 point lead and then drop into a prevent D to give up an 80 yard touchdown drive in the last minute of the game. That kind of football is one of the most maddening things I can imagine watching, right up there with watching NBA refs fix playoff games against the Sonics for years on end.
Regarding Flynn vs. Wilson, I think they came into this knowing that TJack was not going to be on the team come opening week. He’s still around in case of injury to Flynn or Wilson. I believe they signed Flynn and drafted Wilson to be the top two QBs on this team for a few years to come. I’m convinced that they actually want Wilson to be the main QB of the future, but there was no way to guarantee he would actually be available to them whenever they decided to draft him, so they had to sign Flynn with the intent of making him the starter. I think the plan is probably to still have Flynn start until Wilson takes the decision out of their hands with his play. He’s getting the start this week so they can get more “information” on him, and so if Flynn were to go down with an injury, Wilson would already have “game” experience with the #1 offense.