Northwest Sports: In the Morning

Mac-Ball...
The key play in yesterday's game was a hit-and-run base hit by Jose Lopez. We're going to see a lot more of that, according to Steve Kelley. McLaren told him: "To go where we want to go, I think we're going to have to [manufacture runs]. I've been around a long time, and it's hard to try and outslug people every night. We tried to do that in the old days in Toronto and we had some firepower. We'd lose games 9-7, and that takes something out of you. Our strategy is to get leads and add on to it. Whatever it takes to add on runs. Hittin'-and-runnin', stealin', buntin', squeezin', whatever." (Am I the only one who thinks McLaren is channeling Journey here? "When we're stealin', buntin', squeeeeziiiiiinnnn' whatever.")

In convo with Art Thiel, McLaren contrasts himself with Lou Piniella: "When we were together, I was always about speed, defense and pitching, and Lou mostly wanted to slug people to death. I think it was good for us both -- in Tampa, the players used to call us Yin and Yang. In the late innings, I'd always want to put in a player who was good in the field, and Lou would always go for the guy with the bat. But it usually worked out well."

Griffey talks...
A long interview with the Dayton Daily News about his future in Cincinnati, his legacy as a player, and how to "play the right way."

Elsewhere on Opening Day...
Adam Jones went 0-3 for Baltimore.
Mt. Vernon's Mark Hendrickson was Florida's opening day starter, he lost to the Mets.

Studious Sonics...
Kevin Durant and Jeff Green will both attend summer school rather than play on the Sonics summer league team, writes the Times' Percy Allen.

Pac-10 basketball news...
The Lopez twins are going pro.

Ryan Appleby tells John Boyle of the Herald he'd like to continue his career overseas.

John Canzano wonders why, when any half-sentient basketball fan could've figured out the top candidates for the Oregon State job, the university paid a headhunting firm $75,000 to conduct a "search."

Note: My roommate is half-hoping that Indiana recruits Romar for their job and the Dawgs hire Ken Bone, because then "Romarville" would become "The Bone Zone."

Today's action...
Washington baseball vs. Portland, 5pm.
WHL Playoffs, game seven, Thunderbirds vs. Kelowna, 7:05pm, KKNW-1150.
Mariners (King Felix) vs. Rangers (Padilla), 7:10pm, FSN.