Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 2019)
SPORTS Thursday, October 17, 2019 East Oregonian B3 Mariners now only team never to reach World Series By TIM BOOTH Associated Press SEATTLE — And then there was one. The Washington Nation- als are off to the World Series for the fi rst time in franchise history after sweeping the St. Louis Car- dinals on Wednesday night, becoming the fi nal National League team to reach the Fall Classic and leaving a single team with the distinc- tion of never playing for a title. Congratulations, Seat- tle Mariners. Not only do you have the longest play- off drought in professional sports, but you are now the only team that hasn’t been to a World Series. Since the Mariners came into existence in 1977, there has been a void. Despite lineups that included the likes of Ken Griffey Jr., Ichiro Suzuki, Randy John- son, Edgar Martinez and Alex Rodriguez, they have just four playoff appear- ances in their history, all coming between 1995 and 2001. The Mariners have been to three American League Championship Series and were sent home each time. The city has never experi- enced a major league ball game beyond Oct. 22. Seattle’s 1995 playoff run may have saved baseball in AP Photo/Doug Mills, File In this Oct. 5, 1997, fi le photo, Seattle Mariners’ Alex Rodriguez sits in the locker room following their 3-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles in Game 4 of the American League Division Series at Camden Yards in Baltimore. the Pacifi c Northwest. But as memorable as that was, it didn’t end in the World Series. Same for 2001, when the Mariners tied a major league record with 116 wins in the regular season only to be dispatched for the sec- ond straight year by the New York Yankees in fi ve miser- able games in the ALCS. Mariners fan Bob Sime- one, a season-ticket holder since 1985, said attention focused on the team for its World Series futility is sim- ilar to what happened a cou- ple of years ago when Seat- tle inherited the longest postseason drought. “We went through a wave of this when the Buf- falo Bills made the postsea- son. ... So, we had that,” said Simeone, the commissioner of the Seattle Mariners RBI Club, a group of die-hard fans. “It’s a little bit like the 1995 story. You can only bring it up so many times and it starts to get tedious.” The woebegone fran- chise has become somewhat of an afterthought in a city where all the other profes- sional teams have won titles — and almost all coming since the Mariners were last in the postseason in 2001. The Seahawks broke through with their fi rst Super Bowl win after the 2014 sea- son. The WNBA’s Seattle Storm won championships in 2004, 2010 and 2018. The Sounders won the MLS Cup title in 2016. And the Seattle SuperSonics were the fi rst of the city’s franchises to claim a title with their champion- ship in 1979. Now, the Nationals’ unlikely playoff run this year has added the Mariners to a notable list of teams in the four major sports who have yet to reach a champi- onship game or series. Cleveland, Jacksonville, Detroit and Houston have never reached the Super Bowl. Minnesota, Memphis, New Orleans, Charlotte, Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers have never made the NBA Finals. And Win- nipeg, Arizona and Colum- bus are all still waiting for their fi rst Stanley Cup Finals appearances. But in baseball, it’s only Seattle. And there is little sign the drought will come to an end anytime soon. In the bigger picture of where Seattle sits as a franchise, the World Series is a pipe dream. The Mariners are in the midst of a full rebuild with the hopes of becoming com- petitive by the 2021 season, but there’s no guarantee that the prospects Seattle is rely- ing on will become play- off-caliber talents in just a couple of years. By that time, it will have been 20 years since Seattle was last in the postseason. At this point, just being in a playoff game would seem like a satisfactory accomplishment. “The best thing about this postseason is looking at the depth of the four squads and you realize what it takes,” Simeone said. “It’s a long mountain to climb, that’s what it really boils down to.” Ravens’ Thomas respectfully gears up for return to Seattle By DAVID GINSBURG Associated Press OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Over the course of nine NFL seasons with the Seattle Sea- hawks, Earl Thomas picked off 28 passes, earned a Super Bowl ring and was selected to the Pro Bowl six times. Those are some of the memories the standout safety will take across the country before he faces his former team Sunday as a member of the Baltimore Ravens. “They gave me my fi rst shot. I won so many games there, grew up as a young man there,” Thomas said Wednesday. “So I’m always going to respect that organi- zation and always going to be a part of it.” The 30-year-old Thomas started 125 games in Seat- tle, but his 2018 season began with a training camp holdout and effectively ended when he extended his middle fi n- ger toward the Seahawks bench while being carted off the fi eld with a broken leg in Week 4. Thomas, however, views his exit as the result of the team’s desire to save salary cap space while retaining their linebackers. “I feel like they were kind of trying to phase me out,” Thomas said. Seattle coach Pete Car- roll has a different take on the circumstances surrounding Thomas’ departure. “I wish he could have played with us and we could have stayed together for- ever. But it didn’t work out that way,” Carroll said. “We parted ways. That’s it.” After losing safety Eric Weddle to free agency, the Ravens were delighted to provide Thomas with a four- year, $55 million contract. The deal surprised him, not just monetarily but in who offered it. “I thought maybe the Cowboys, to be totally hon- est,” he recalled. “I thought that’s what the story was looking like until the money got funny.” And so ended a successful run in Seattle that included seven playoff appearances, two Super Bowl games and a brutish defense nicknamed “The Legion of Boom.” “He went on and pursued another opportunity, got a great shot with the Ravens,” Carroll said. “Earl was an incredible competitor, and I loved coaching him. I think it will be fun playing against him.” Seattle’s loss has been a boon to the AFC North-lead- ing Ravens (4-2). Thomas already has an interception and 19 tackles in addition to providing leadership in the locker room and on the fi eld. “He has taken to the whole thing,” coach John Har- baugh said. “He believes in what we’re doing and how we’re doing it, culture-wise and football-wise. I love being around him. I love his demeanor. I love his desire to be great, and I think it’s rub- bing off on the guys.” Thomas has no idea what to expect from Seattle fans who cheered for him for the better part of the past decade. “I thought about it late at night,” he said. “Hopefully they respect what I’ve done and I get a couple of cheers, not too many boos. Whatever happens, happens. But hope- fully it’s love.” EASTERN OREGON marketplace Place classified ads online at www.easternoregonmarketplace.com or call 1-800-962-2819 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. After hours, leave a voicemail and we’ll confirm your ad the next business day. Email us at classifieds@ eastoregonian.com or fax: 541-278-2680 East Oregonian Deadline is 3 p.m. the day before publication 211 S.E. Byers Ave. 333 E. Main St. We accept: Pendleton, OR 97801 Hermiston, OR 97838 See www.easternoregonmarketplace.com for classified ads from all over Eastern Oregon EAST OREGONIAN • HERMISTON HERALD • BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLE • WALLOWA COUNTY CHIEFTAIN 104 Special Notices 104 Special Notices PLEASE CHECK YOUR AD ON THE FIRST DAY OF PUBLICATION. While we are happy to make any necessary corrections, we can not be responsible for errors appearing for mul- tiple days. Thank you! 104 Special Notices CLASSIFIED LINE AD DEADLINES East Oregonian 2:30PM the day prior to publication Hermiston Herald 10am Tuesday WHY WAIT! GET YOUR CLASS AD NOW! Looking for a new place to live? The classified ads offer a complete section of homes, apartments, and mobile homes to fit your needs. Check daily for new listings! Get Your Class Ad Today! Something for everyone in the Classifieds 1-800-962-2819 Call for your classified ad today! 800-962-2819 classifieds@eastoregonian.com It’s so easy to get your Classified ad! Just call 110 Announcements 800-962-2819 DONATE YOUR CAR FOR BREAST CANCER! Help United Breast Foundation education, prevention, & support programs. FAST FREE PICKUP - 24 HR RESPONSE - TAX DEDUC- TION. 1-855-385-2819. (PNDC) 184 Personals Your Dream Home Use an attention getter, color, or border to make your ad stand out! Could Appear at any Contact Rowan or Chloe at MOMENT! 1-800-962-2819 to place your classified ad! classifieds@eastoregonian.com 204 Automobiles DONT LET THAT MOMENT SLIP AWAY! CHECK CLASSIFIEDS FOR LOCAL PROPERTY LISTINGS! 360 Garage Sales Huge Moving-Estate Sale 1st of 2 sales 714 NE 2nd Street in Pendleton OR. Oct 18th, 19th, and 20th, 9 AM to 2 PM Sunday half price on most items Bid Box Friday and Saturday Visa and Mastercard accepted Take North Main St. To Furnish, Turn Right onto NE Furnish to 2nd St. then take left. Follow signs, lots of parking! Church pew, shell back chairs, antique desk, chair w otto- man, drawer cabinet, file cab- inets. Sterling + silverplate, houseware, Lovita Elk, Bauer + many other pottery pieces, retro dishes, Pendleton Blan- kets. Men + women’s; jeans, winter wear, boots, purses, scarves + misc. Sled, lots of Xmas, great baskets, WW2 Items, grenade boxes, train pieces, knives, ladders, hand + power tools, yard tools + de- cor, potting bench, primitives, pressure washers, chain saw, compressor, weed eaters, hardware, rugs, fishing, work- mate, records + CDs, skis + clothing and much more! DONATE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR BOAT TO HERITAGE FOR THE BLIND. Free 3 Day Va- cation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. CALL 1-844-493-7877 (PNDC) See Pictures online @ Vintage Court Antiques Estate Sales 541-377-0510 YOUR DREAM HOME CLASSIFIEDS is right here in the Classifieds! Check our real estate listings. 360 Garage Sales 502 Real Estate Garage Sale Tools, Some Antiques, Man Stuff and lots of Odds & Ends. 9-4 Friday & Saturday 1730 SW 18th St., Pendleton. Parking Lot Sale Saturday October 19th Sale will be at the 305 SE 4th Street, begins at 9:00am. Clothing, household items and furniture. How Much is your Home Worth? Call Matt Vogler, The Week- end and After Hours Realtor, for a free Market Analysis. 541.377.9470. More Listings needed to meet current buyer demand! John J. Howard & Assoc. (541) 377-9470 Parking lot sale Saturday October 19th. Sale will be at the Agape House at 500 Harper Road and begins at 8:30 a.m. Sale ends at 11:30. Clothing, furniture, and bins of knick-knacks. Clothing will be 5 items for $1.00. Furniture priced as marked and bins of knick-knacks will be you name the price. 502 Real Estate Fall is here! It is a great time to find that perfect home for the holidays. Call me today so we can get started. Carolyn at Ranch-N-Home Realty. 541-786-0822 TURN HERE REALTY-- One Realtor accessing all prop- erties--Prompt, Courteous, Reliable service to find your New Home Call Kerry 541 377 6855 or drop by the Office at 305 SW Court Ave Pendleton IT WILL SELL EMAIL : CLASSIFIEDS @ EASTOREGONIAN . COM CALL CLASSIFIEDS! 1-800-962-2819 I N C LASSIFIEDS ! CALL 1-800-962-2819 to advertise today! 504 Homes for Sale Never been a better time to sell. Get a FREE market analysis call Garton & Associates 541-276-0931 Prices are up! Now may be the time to gain some equity and move up to a larger home. Call Matt Vogler for a free Market Analysis. John J. Howard & Assoc. (541) 377-9470 $395,000 NEW LISTING Time to Wash Car Wash. 27,443lot- witha 3349 building High traffic area. RMLS#19615657 Call Kal for more info (541) 969-7358. Garton & Associates 541-276-0931 Current MLS listings include several 3 and 4 bedroom, 2 bath homes for sale in popular loca- tions. Call Matt Vogler, “The Weekend and After Hours Re- altor” for addresses and pricing. John J. Howard & Assoc. 541.377.9470 New Listing 712 SE Court . Car wash or Espresso shop on a very high traffic intersection. $ 94950 Priced to Sell RMLS#19111739 Call Kal for more info (541) 969- 7358 Garton & Associates 541-276-0931 GET A JOB... check out the employment Classifieds today!