NSS signing off until June 16

Due to me having spring football practice, Driver's Education classes, finals coming up next week, and no one else writing for the blog, Next Season Sports will be taking a break until June 16. I suppose I could squeak an article in every couple days, but it would not be very well written, and likely not make sense. Quality over quantity I guess.

See you June 16!
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HUSKIES: Who will be the leader in 2011?

Terrence Ross

For a college basketball team to be successful there needs to be a leader. You can’t expect five guys in their early 20’s to run out on the floor and win consistently without someone to lead them. It just doesn’t work that way.

The leader for the Huskies in 2008 was Jon Brockman. 2009, Quincy Pondexter. 2010, Isaiah Thomas.

But what about 2011?

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Isaiah Thomas and Matthew Bryan-Amaning were the leaders of 2010, both leading the team in points and rallying the team late on the season. But they’re gone now, both being seniors last year. So where does that leave head coach Lorenzo Romar?

The first man I think of is senior Darnell Gant. The power forward really came on late last season, inspiring his teammates with his gritty rebounds and defensive sacrifices. He doesn’t have the freakish athletic ability some of his teammates possess, but has decent fundamentals and has won the approval of Lorenzo Romar who has hinted at giving Gant more playing time next season.

6-foot-6 guard Terrence Ross will be the next superstar at UW. I guarantee it. He has extraordinary athletic ability, showcasing it a couple times during the season by dunking the ball over unsuspecting saps. Ross never showed much leadership ability last season, but it’s hard to do that if you’re only averaging 17.4 minutes. Expect his hype machine to steadily increase as the season approaches.

The other person I see as a potential leader for the 2011-2012 UW basketball team is point guard Abdul Gaddy. Before Gaddy tore his ACL at practice, he was enjoying a bounce-back season after struggling as a freshman. He had the best assists-to-turnover ratio in the Pac-10 before the injury averaging 3.8 assists and 1.2 turnovers. Abdul has never shown himself to be a big vocal leader, but whenever you’re the team’s point guard, you have the potential to be the leader.

All I really know is that someone better step up and take control of the team before the season starts. There is no Isaiah, MBA, Quincy, or Jon on Lorenzo Romar’s team right now, so it’s essential that Gant, Ross, Gaddy, or SOMEONE step up and take the reins.

I’m not suggesting everyone freak out and start a riot right now because we can’t see an on court leader, but it’s something to keep in mind.

Reach Nathan Parsons at nathanparsons98@yahoo.com Read more

MARINERS: May grades

Brendan Ryan is keeping the
M's offense afloat 

The Mariners were the worst offensive baseball team in the month of May scoring 84 runs, but yet went 15-11 and came within ½ game for the AL West lead. How did this happen?

Pitching. And lots of it.

Starting Pitching: The Mariners’ pitching staff was ridiculously good, as they finished the month of May with a 2.82 ERA (3rd in MLB) and a 1.13 WHIP (1st in the league). At one point, the starters had a 9-game stretch where they averaged 7 2/3 innings per start, had an accumulative 0.77 ERA and a .160 opponent batting average.

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Felix Hernandez: 2-2, 44.0 IP, 3.07 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 81 strikeouts
Jason Vargas: 3-2, 31.1 IP, 3.45 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 19 strikeouts
Doug Fister: 3-5, 35.2 IP, 3.24 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 24 strikeouts
Erik Bedard: 2-0, 32.1 IP, 1.39 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 32 strikeouts
Michael Pineda: 2-1, 32 IP, 2.81 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 36 strikeouts

Every starter contributed to the Mariners winning ways. Jason Vargas’ stats are a little skewed, as he had a huge collapse near the end of the month vs. the Yankees to spike his ERA. But the no. 1 performer this month was Erik Bedard. The man has rediscovered his curve ball and is keeping hitters way off balance.

Without these red hot starters, the Mariners would still be in the AL West cellar. All five of them have given the Mariners an opportunity to win every night, and that has given the team new life.

GRADE: A

Hitting: Yeash. The Mariners’ offense has reached new levels of futility, only averaging 3.2 runs a game in May, good for last in the Majors. But there have been a couple positives.

Brendan Ryan: .384 AVG, 11 RBI, 11 runs, 7 strikeouts
Adam Kennedy: .290 AVG, 8 RBI, 2 HRs, 8 strikeouts

If it weren’t for these two guys, the Mariners would have wasted all of the starting pitcher’s performances. Brendan Ryan was batting ninth most of May, but eventually moved up to the second spot in the lineup replacing Chone Figgins. Oh yeah, Chone Figgins…

Chone Figgins: .163 AVG, 2 RBI, 0 HR, 5 runs, 13 strikeouts
Ichiro: .210 AVG, 6 RBI, 0 HRs, 11 runs
Michael Saunders: .111 AVG, 1 RBI, 1 HR, 2 runs, 27 strikeouts

It’s disturbing when your no. 1 and no. 2 hitters are in the kind of slump Ichiro and Figgins are, so Eric Wedge finally cut his losses and yanked the Donkey from Shrek from the lineup.

Courtesy SeattleSportsNet

After the Mariners cut Milton Bradley, Jack Zduriencik decided to bring up Mike Wilson and Carlos Peguero. They are batting .190 and .167.

GRADE: D-

Bullpen: The Mariners bullpen has been even better than the starting pitching.

Brandon League: 6.92 ERA, 8 saves, 13 IP, 11 SO, 2 walks
David Pauley: 0.56 ERA, 16 IP, 11 SO, 0 walks
Jamey Wright: 2.11 ERA, 12.1 IP, 6 SO, 8 walks

Aside from a four game struggle when Brandon League blew four straight games, the Mariners bullpen has been untouchable. David Pauley is pitching at All-Star level, and League currently leads the American League in saves with 15.

GRADE: A-

Sorry for the short post, as spring football practice has started and I only have so much time. Expect posting to be down a bit over the next three weeks.

Reach Nathan Parsons at nathanparsons98@yahoo.com Read more