Depending on which blog you visit, the Mariners are either dead (Hotdog & Friends), five days from death (USS Mariner), or 11 games from death (Lookout Landing). Honestly, it’s all a lot bit premature for a team that’s just six games under .500 on May 7th. The 2007 Yankees were six games under .500 on June 6th–they won 94 games. The 2006 Twins were six games under .500 on June 12th–they won 96 games. The 2005 Astros were six games under .500 on July 1, they won 89 games and made the World Series. This team could tread water for a month and still be well within striking distance. Chill! Onto the news…

Miggy Batista: Only Hillary Clinton had a more disappointing night…
Batista’s awful start was eerily similar to one he made four years ago this month for the pseudo-contender ‘04 Jays, writes Geoff Baker. The game was played in front of a record-low Safeco crowd.

The M’s tried to back away from comments Chuck Armstrong made about acquiring Junior, since they could be construed as tampering, writes Baker.

Also in that notebook, Jarrod Washburn, who heard a “pop” when pitching on Monday, will make his next start, even though he may have a torn ligament: “It’s one of those ligaments you really don’t need, so it shouldn’t be an issue.”

NCAA releases academic performance rates…
Wazzu football docked eight scholarships for poor academic performance.

UW didn’t lose scholarships in any sport.

Ernie Kent’s Oregon hoops team had the highest Academic Performance Record of any team in the Pac-10, yes, even higher than Stanford. John Canzano, who’s been calling for Kent’s firing, changes his tune after reading this news.

Oregon State football was just one point away from being penalized, but scored a 926–the penalties come at 925. All other Beaver programs were fine.

Cougar safety Xavier Hicks, the guy who put rubbing alcohol in his teammate’s contact lens case, pled guilty to two gross misdemeanors. He was back on the team for spring practice–tight ship you’re runnin’ there, Paul Wulff!

Kevin Costner’s band (?!) will play a benefit for the University of Oregon’s fledgling baseball team May 30 and 31.

Former Husky Dan Howell signed with the Bengals, Marcel Reese was released by the Dolphins after (surprise) not being able to catch. Both bits for info reported here by Bob Condotta.

In other news…
Bobby Engram left a note for Holmgren containing his request for a raise, writes Jose Miguel Romero. Over at Field Gulls, John Morgan argues convincingly that Holmgren’s slot receivers always have big numbers, and that the Hawks can easily replace Engram’s production.

Rob Sims is out six weeks after arthroscopic knee surgery.

Judge Marsha Pechman denied Clay Bennett’s motion to decide potential monetary damages in the June trial. So, if Bennett won, there’d have to be a second trial to negotiate monetary damages. Steven Pyeatt at Sonics Central thinks this means that there’s no way the Sonics could move before this year, as Bennett would have to wait out this second trial–but as the P-I’s Greg Johns points out, the team could simply move and negotiate financial damages from afar.

Bellevue’s Libby Ludlow, 26, retired from the US Ski Team, writes Ron Judd. She’s been recovering from microfracture surgery.

The Storm’s Janell Burse will miss the whole year: “”This just happened to be the time that my body just said ‘No’ to me,” she told Jayda Evans.