THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: A's pitcher disses M's, who get the last dis

OK, boys and girls, it’s time for our world-renowned notes and quotes column — which is followed closely as far away as Mumbai.

Atlanta?

No?

Would you believe…

Sandpoint?

Right, then, let’s get off and running.

Yes, I’ll get to Tom Brady’s ballyhooed return to New England (probably on Friday), but today have to start with the true foolishness of Oakland pitcher Cole Irvin.

When the Mariners lit him up for 10 hits in a victory early in the season, Irvin flat-out insulted the Seattle hitters by saying: “That team should never get 10 hits off me – or anyone else.”

And now?

Irvin has almost kept the Mariners in the wild-card race by himself.

Seattle has beaten him four times, the latest a 13-4 thrashing on Monday night.

Irvin gave up six hits and five runs in three innings.

So…

Thanks for those thoughts, Cole.

The Mariners clearly were amused.

ITEM: Like any columnist, I get lots of emails.

Some are complimentary, and of course, a few suggest I be left on top of Mt. Spokane in my underwear – with no provisions.

All in fun (I hope).

Anyhow, we don’t have space to print all your messages, so I try to sum up what I’m hearing as best I can.

Once in a while, though, I get an email that just HAS to be published.

For instance, this one from reader Eunice Gilliam…

“Did you hear that a question on Jeopardy was: ‘What is the name of the Gonzaga gym?’

“No one got it right.

“Now, the name Gonzaga is on game shows.

“Wow!”

I’m wondering if they would have accepted “What is The Kennel?” as a correct answer.

ITEM: Speaking of the Zags, Mark Few and Co. just bagged their first recruit for the class of 2022.

Braden Huff, a 6-9 power forward from Glen Ellyn, Ill., was originally though to be headed to Wisconsin — but an official visit to Spokane last week changed his mind.

Huff is a four-star prospect, and therefore the type of player on which Gonzaga has built its program.

This is my opinion only, but I’d rather the Zags got out of the business of shooting for five-star, one-and-done megastars.

Sure, Jalen Suggs was spectacular, and a real gift to the program, prior to going No. 4 in the NBA draft.

But this incoming class has three five-star players in Chet Holmgren — the top recruit in the nation — Hunter Sallis and Nolan Hickman.

Depending on how the season goes, Holmgren should be a cinch for the draft, while Sallis and Hickman may have decisions to make.

The Zags, though, have constructed their monster with a different type of player — talented, but raw, and needing some time in college.

These have been guys who stay two, three years or more, players like Corey Kispert, Joel Ayayi, and back to Rui Hachimura and Josh Perkins.

Meanwhile, schools like Kentucky, Memphis and Duke have gone all-in on one-and-done standouts, and haven’t had the success they’ve expected in the NCAA tournament.

I hope that going the superstar route doesn’t become the “new normal” for Gonzaga.

The old normal has been terrific.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

He also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball which is published monthly during the offseason, and weekly beginning in mid-October.