Northwest Sports: In the Morning

Mariners almost set...
On the team: Mike Morse, who'll likely set a team record for spring average (he's at .508), makes the team (if he didn't, there'd be a Congressional investigation). Mark Lowe makes the team and assumes the 8th-inning role.

Off the team: Brandon Morrow goes to warm-weather West Tennessee to get his control back. Jeremy Reed goes to Tacoma.

Still unclear: The M's haven't chosen between Cha Seung-Baek and R.A. Dickey for the long-man role. Baek's out of options and Dickey's a Rule V guy, so they'll lose the guy they don't take.

Whatever lineup McLaren uses in today's game will be the Opening Day lineup, reports Geoff Baker. Most likely, you'll see Lopez hitting second and Vidro seventh.

Chris Reitsma hasn't contacted the club after splitting camp when he was sent down. Frankly, I'd rather it stays that way.

The bullpen, then, is: J.J. Putz, Mark Lowe, Eric O'Flaherty, Sean Green, Ryan Rowland-Smith, and either Baek or Dickey.

NCAA coaching carousel...
Indiana offered Tony Bennett their head coaching job, reports FOX Sports.

Bennett is a frontrunner for the Cal job, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. That would make for some uncomfortable trips to Friel Court.

Cameron Dollar is one of three finalists for the Sacramento State job. The other two are junior college coaches you've never heard of. Sac. St. was 2-24 against D1 opponents last year.

Other stuff...
The Everett Silvertips were eliminated in the WHL playoffs.

After Davidson eviscerated Wisconsin last night, maybe some belated respect is due to Gonzaga? There was no shame in losing to that team by six points, they are legitimately good.

Today's Action
M's vs. Cubs from Vegas, 12:05pm, FSN.
Husky baseball @ Oregon St. (dh), 1pm, KKNW-1150.
Xavier vs. UCLA, 3:40pm, CBS.
Louisville @ North Carolina, 6:05pm, CBS.
WHL Playoffs: Seattle @ Kelowna, game six (Seattle leads 3-2), 7pm, KKNW-1150.
Charlotte @ Blazers, 7pm, Comcast SportsNet.