TERRY MOSHER
TOP OF THE TOWN –It’s not my money so I can’t tell baseball what to do with budding superstars, but if it was my money I would play with those young players like outfielder Jarred Kelenic and let them sink or swim in the big leagues. The heck with saving service time (thus saving big bucks). If a guy like Kelenic and pitcher Logan Gilbert look like future superstars I want them on my Major League roster as quick as possible. It’s all about winning and if a Kelenic is going to be a Ken Griffey Jr. why the heck don’t you treat him like Junior and put him in the big-league lineup? Well, circumstances (read injuries to four pitchers) have forced the Seattle Mariners to wait no longer. Gilbert and Kelenic will both join the Mariners for the first game of a three-game home series against Cleveland on Thursday (May 13). Gilbert, in fact, will start on the mound for that first game. Kelenic will also be in the lineup. All I can say is, “About Time.” Many people may have forgotten that Griffey was 19 when he arrived in the big leagues with the Mariners. Alex Rodriquez was just 18 when he arrived. Kelenic is 21 (he will be 22 in July). The six-foot-six Gilbert just turned 24 on May 5. I promise that Kelenic will hit and defend extremely well. The Mariners need Kelenic. They needed him at the start of this season. So he’s here now, or will be tomorrow, so that is good. He will add some needed juice to an offense that is the worse in baseball. He will star and barring injury will make millions in his career. Gilbert too. The Mariners are sitting at .500 (18-18) and if I could I would recall the 20-year-old wunderkind outfielder Julio Rodriguez and pitchers George Kirby and Emerson Hancock, both 6-foot-4 right-handers, from Everett, the Mariners’ high-A farm club. I would also bring up 6-3 power-hitting catcher Cal Raleigh from the Tacoma Rainiers. I think we are all tired of the Mariners soft-pedaling around, following some grand plan that is down the road. I say go for it now. Put the best players on the field and let the chips fall where they may. Quit trying to protect these young guys and save service time. … I’m impressed with the players that Washington Husky football coach has assembled, especially on the defensive side of the ball. They are young, but there is some serious size at every position. Now if these guys have serious heart the Washington Huskies may be a top-10 team. …Talk about putting together a good team. That is what appears to be happening in Pullman with the Cougar men’s basketball team. One of the nation’s top recruits – Mouhamed Gueye, a 7-footer, has committed to the Cougars. Gueye reportedly can handle it, shoot it, rebound it and is a rim protector. He is listed as a small forward (can you believe that?) and joins two other tall timbers in 6-11 Dishon Jackson, listed as a center, and 6-10 Efe Abogidi, listed as power forward. These three players make it eight international players on the roster. Ok, that is enough for today. Stay safe.
Be well pal.
Be careful out there.
Have a great day.
You are loved.