THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: You asked, so I'm going to answer

I love responses from readers.

Yes, even the folks who think I’m a knucklehead.

So …

I’ve been looking for a day to answer as many of you as possible — you know, in between the Mariners’ trade deadline and waiting to see if the Pac-12 can survive this spell in the ICU.

We absolutely had to get some of your questions in print now, though, because it was WAY too much when Parker Woodall wrote in to question my wardrobe choice (hey, no problem) and kick soccer in the teeth (whoa!).

Parker was kind enough to say he enjoyed my column, but then said this …

“Do wonder why you (with logo cap and shirt) identify with a sport which does not resonate with 90 percent of your readers?”

In case anyone wonders about the cap — and especially the jersey — I am a huge fan of Arsenal FC, a football (soccer) club in north London.

NOW THEN …

The photo in the online edition of The Press was never supposed to show the shirt. It was meant to look nice and understated, like the cap-only version in the print newspaper.

I’m sure people are tired of the Arsenal colors by now, so maybe I’ll change that ensemble (but not just to please Manchester United fans).

As for the notion that hardly anyone cares about soccer in this country, however, please note that NBC won a bidding war at $2.7 billion to carry the English Premier

League in the United States.

CBS has exclusive rights to the European Champions League and ESPN is now jumping over the pond to carry endless games from Spain, Germany and other countries.

There are die-hard fans caring and watching everywhere here in the Colonies, believe me.

Wearing more garish shirts than mine, too.

Meanwhile, MLS is booming to the point where it’s adding teams (and Leo Messi) with sold-out stadiums every night.

I’ll try to sharpen up my column photo, Parker, but you’re going to be living with the soccer popularity.

Try learning to enjoy it.

OK, I’m going to get to some other readers’ questions as space permits here.

Let’s do this…

FROM: Fred Harris on Mariners baseball…

“Any thoughts on a new manager?

ME: No reason to consider it.

Scott Servais hasn’t made any terrible tactical blunders, and he uses the pitching staff pretty cleverly.

The manager can’t get big hits with men on base, which is why the Mariners don’t have a better record.

Servais has finished in the top three in AL Manager of the Year voting each of the past two years, for good reason.

He just needs more weapons.

FROM: John McTear on college sports …

“Revolving door portal and NIL as a recruiting tool. What could possibly go wrong?

ME: That one answers itself, John (which I’m sure you intended).

FROM: Martin Coon …

“I’ve been wanting to ask someone that knows baseball to explain to me why so many major leaguers look at a third strike? Last I heard was that the average little

league coach stresses to at least foul off that third strike.”

ME: Simple.

They’re up there guessing, Martin.

You’re right, it should drive anyone crazy to see somebody like Julio Rodriguez take a fastball down the middle for strike three with two on and two outs in the ninth inning.

It isn’t just Julio, though.

In this era of the long ball, there don’t seem to be many players using a “two-strike approach” — where you just try to get the bat on anything close to the zone.

Instead, they stick with their original plan, which generally means guessing a pitch and location based on video and prior at-bats against a specific pitcher.

When it doesn’t work, they look just plain silly.

FROM: Patrina Wayne …

“The Mariners are certainly underperforming, but how’d you like to be in the Padres shoes currently? Third highest payroll in MLB and they’re last in batting average and dead last with runners in scoring position.”

ME: That’s the bigger story of spending fortunes to grab free agents, Patrina.

You’re giving generational wealth to a group of young athletes and hoping they’ll all live up to their talent (and past performance levels).

Sometimes it works, and sometimes …

Ugh.

The Mets are currently tearing down a team with a payroll of $353 million.

The Padres, as you mention, are going nowhere.

On the other hand, Texas has spent zillions and looks like a playoff team, although Jacob deGrom is hurt (predictably) and now so are Nathan Eovaldi and Andrew Heaney.

The Mariners’ organizational belief in draft, develop and trade is safer in the long run — as long as you reach into your wallet for a couple of key free agents ONCE in a

while!

ME: Shout out to Tom Neill from the Cleveland Spiders.

Tom had an opinion (Vegas is a crappy place for a baseball team) rather than a question.

But he made me laugh.

Cheers!

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”