THE FRONT ROW with Jason Elliott June 12, 2013

The summer of Northwest baseball just got a lot more interesting.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

A FEW weeks ago, while talking with coaches from the Prairie and Coeur d'Alene "AA" American Legion baseball teams, both stressed they'd be young.

In the first game between the two teams, it might have been accurate as both committed some errors, allowing runs that might not have scored without those growing pains as mentioned before.

But in last Wednesday's game, it was a lot closer.

Both teams started pitchers that had the playing experience as Jeremy McKinney (Prairie) and Suraj Kedia (Coeur d'Alene) took the mound at Ramsey Park in Coeur d'Alene.

Not only did each pitcher match the other in strikeouts throughout most of the first four innings, both were battling back from injuries that had slowed them early in the season.

McKinney didn't allow a hit in five innings, striking out eight. Kedia only allowed three hits, with one coming on a two-run homer and the other two on singles, striking out seven.

For Coeur d'Alene, help is on the way as Jacob Gonzales and Joe Roletto are finishing college classes in the next two weeks and will join the Lumbermen in time for the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Fourth of July Wood Bat tournament.

Injuries to infielder Gibson Green and Carter Chaffin have also limited the Lumbermen thus far.

"We're stretched pretty thin right now," Coeur d'Alene coach Lloyd Duman said. "So right now, we're trying to survive until we get them back."

Starting the season well might be important, but it's how you finish that makes the biggest difference.

WHETHER IT was going to happen this early or not, the Seattle Mariners have called up Mike Zunino, the No. 3 overall pick in last year's MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Due to injuries to some of the backup catchers in Seattle, it became his time - ready or not, it looks like.

Some teams have had some success calling up some of their top prospects early - just look at Bryce Harper with the Washington Nationals or Mike Trout with the Anaheim Angels.

Zunino isn't either of those players.

He's not going to hit 35 to 40 home runs and he's not going to steal a ton of bases.

Considering the team has continued to struggle scoring runs, any little bit will help.

Watching the team play the Houston Astros on Monday, with what looked like a near empty Safeco Field, it might not hurt to have a little more fan interest in the team either.

NO MATTER if you follow Prairie, Coeur d'Alene or the Seattle Mariners, change will be happening throughout the summer.

It hasn't been a bad thing for the local American Legion baseball teams, but we'll have to see with the pro club.

If this doesn't work out - don't be surprised to see more change coming before the end of the summer.

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].