The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT May 22, 2010

It doesn’t take much to amaze me when it comes to watching sports anymore. Whether it is the NFL, baseball or basketball, something always seems to come from nowhere.

It doesn’t take much to amaze me when it comes to watching sports anymore.

Whether it is the NFL, baseball or basketball, something always seems to come from nowhere.

DURING TUESDAY’s game between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, the Yankees filed a protest, claiming that when Boston starter Josh Beckett was hurt, he showed no signs of injury and that the player that came in to relieve him shouldn’t have been allowed as much time as needed to finish his warmup tosses.

Doesn’t seem like much of a problem, but since these two teams absolutely love to hate each other and ESPN loves showing every minute of it, it becomes one.

Regardless of whether Beckett was hurt at the time, he ended up on the DL a day later and the Yankees were still steaming about it.

Love them, hate them, but fans of baseball are going to hear more about it all summer long.

WHAT PROBABLY won’t take all summer is the biggest saga to hit the NBA since the Shaq vs. Kobe drama a couple years ago.

LeBron James, whose Cleveland Cavaliers just fell out of the playoffs for the second straight year as the favorite in the Eastern Conference, is a free agent and has the chance to go out and sign with any team he wants.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter where he goes.

Should he go and play in New York, he’ll be the main focus on a team that hasn’t made the playoffs in a long time.

A friend put the idea of him possibly going to Los Angeles to play for the other team that occupies the Staples Center.

As I thought more about him becoming a Clipper, it started to make more and more sense.

A chance to play in a big-time media market, share the city with Kobe Bryant and play with a supporting cast that includes Baron Davis, Blake Griffin and Chris Kaman.

Not exactly Antawn Jamison and company, but the chance to play in L.A. may be enough to bring him to the West Coast.

Then again, with LeBron in the starting mix, maybe the Clippers will make the playoffs and with a couple more pieces to the puzzle, add another championship to the rafters.

Who am I kidding? That’s not going to happen.

OVER THE past two weeks, Seattle Mariners designated hitter Ken Griffey Jr. has received some heat for allegedly falling asleep in the clubhouse.

This was before being booed at Safeco Field a couple weeks after fans gave him another standing ovation during the M’s home opener in April.

I can understand getting booed on the road, but not in his home park — definitely not in the place he made possible by igniting the run in 1995 that led them to the playoffs and getting that palace they currently play in built.

And should the Mariners decide to release Griffey, they’ll lose one of the reasons why fans started coming back after a 100-loss season two years ago.

Surprising stories, yeah.

Amazing, not even close.

There is still time for amazing this season.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached via telephone at 664-8176, ext. 2020 or by e-mail at jelliott@cdapress.com.