All Stars, Seahawks and Hoops

by Mike Salk

Ready for the slowest day of the sports year? So am I!
Here’s some links to get you going…

MARINERS/MLB

All Star game was fun last night…sort of. The AL won the game
4-3, moving their undefeated streak to 13 years.
Amazingly, American League pitchers combined to
retire 18 straight batters and despite not scoring a
run or recording an RBI Carl Crawford was
named the MVP for his late inning potentially game saving
catch. Defense seemed to be more important last night
than ever…

The Mariners all-stars seemed to have fun last night.
Larry Stone recaps the
experiences of Ichiro Suzuki and
Felix Hernandez, his first pitch deep
foul ball was no mistake. Geoff Baker compares Ichiro’s numbers this year to his 2001
MVP season. Ichiro’s numbers are up – in almost every
category.

The greatest pitcher I have ever seen is making his
return to baseball. Pedro Martinez has signed with the Phillies. He has
been placed on the 15 day DL and is expected to make a
couple minor league starts before his debut. I hope this
goes well, but I’m not holding my breath. Buster Olney
ranks the Seattle Mariners as the #6
surprise of the first half citing how awful things
were just last year. He’ll be on the show at 12:25
today.

It seems like the rest of the country disagrees with me
about the Home Run Derby. The derby received a 6.0 cable
rating, ESPN’s third best mark for the year. I have
to say I’m a little shocked. But, last year’s derby was
awesome, so maybe this was a carry over.

SEAHAWKS/NFL

Danny O’Neil is getting ready for the football season.
He examines the expectations for TJ
Houshmandzadeh. I have to say, I think the
expectations are sky high. Based on his interview on our show, I am
expecting a ridiculous year for Housh. Field Gulls takes
a look at Chris
Spencer, who was taken with a first round
pick in 2005, and sees one of the most powerful and
athletic centers in the league. His down fall is his lack
of technique.

Mike Sando’s NFC West blog is updated with a great
Q & A with a smart football observer, and a pretty
hefty mailbag. We’re talking to Mike at 1:10 today.

Around the NFL, Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell
Suggs has reached an agreement with the
Baltimore Ravens. The 6-year deal will make him the
highest paid linebacker in NFL history. He’s good. But
that good? QB Matt Cassel signed with the Chiefs for 63 million.
That puts him in the second tier of NFL starting
quarterbacks.

BASKETBALL

Former University of Washington star Nate
Robinson has been offered a contract to
play in Greece for the same team as Josh
Childress.

Plans are being made for a Blazers preseason game to take place
at Key Arena. The Blazers have plenty of Seattle
connections with Nate McMillan, Martell Webster,
and Brandon Roy.

Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson, and Swin Cash
will represent the Seattle Storm at the WNBA all-star
game. The Storm will dominate the team,
having 3 of the 5 starters.

NOTES

-Ichiro went 1 for 3 with a first inning single

-Felix pitched a perfect 8 pitch inning

-Former starter Ryan Franklin had a 9
pitch inning and some nasty facial hair

–Raul Ibanez went 0 for 2 -Adam Jones
went 0 for 1 but had game winning sacrifice fly for his
only RBI

–Tim Lincecum pitched 2 innings giving
up 2 runs, 1 earned

–Brian Fuentes, on the Mariners in
2001, did not play

The AAA All-Star game is tonight, the Rainiers’
Chris Shelton and Bryan
LaHair were selected but with Shelton recently
called up he will not play.