The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT July 4, 2012
The Fourth of July is something I associate with a lot of different things, including watching a ton of afternoon and evening baseball.
And in most cases, the home runs and high-scoring games can't compare to the firework shows I've seen the last few years.
Other times, it's just a letdown.
WHEN A football team loses often at home, it is because the players aren't good enough.
If a basketball team can't win in its own arena, does that mean the ball is different than in the other guy's gym?
So when there's people talking that the Seattle Mariners should move in the fences at Safeco Field, maybe they should pay a little more attention.
The fences weren't the problem when the Los Angeles Angels came to town for the first time this season. In fact, had they considered moving them back about 50 feet - they could have won a game or two in that series.
Last Friday, just a night after a 1-0 win, Boston hit four home runs, while the Mariners could only manage two hits.
With that in mind, maybe moving the fences in isn't the best idea.
Maybe - and this might seem crazy - but why not bring in guys that can hit there?
Albert Pujols didn't struggle when the Angels came to Seattle for the first time this year, hitting home runs in three of the four games.
IF THE pro game isn't quite your taste, the annual Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Wood Bat Classic will be played at six different senior (AA) locations and eight junior (A) locations in the area.
Coeur d'Alene opened the tournament on Tuesday against Pullman at McEuen Field as part of its pod. Prairie will host two games today and Thursday before playing at Ferris High on Friday in pool play.
Teams are coming from all throughout the west coast, with teams as far as Crescent City, Calif., to Alberta competing over the next four days.
It seems like the season just started for both teams, but in 22 days, the Lumbermen will host the Area A tournament at McEuen Field. Three teams advance to the state tournament at Harris Field in Lewiston starting on Aug. 1.
Lewis-Clark gets an automatic bid for hosting the tournament and Trail, British Columbia, will compete against Coeur d’Alene and Prairie for the other two spots.
Cranbrook was in the North Idaho League until folding its program earlier this month because of a shortage of players.
Since Cranbrook has played some league games, the Bandits will forfeit their remaining league games, a decision made by other league coaches in case Cranbrook is somehow able to field a team for districts.
When the season gets to that point, both Coeur d’Alene and Prairie will be very tournament tested with the Lums still to travel to the Clackamas (Ore.) tournament July 11-15 and Prairie at a tournament in Seattle next weekend and at Ephrata July 19-22.
THE NEXT few days of baseball in the surrounding area should be entertaining — and with a little more firepower than you’ll see on the other side of Washington state.
It might not be the pro game, but it will do for a few hours.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected].