THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Cats, good deeds, wild pitchers and other stuff

If recent history means anything, by late this week I would be reading quite a few emails containing the same question …

“When are you going to do another Notes and Quotes column?”

So …

Always battling to stay ahead of the game, I decided to fire one up for today (and save you the trouble of laptop harassment over the next couple of days).

Fair enough?

First off, though, I have a minor complaint of my own.

I see where a national survey ranks Sandpoint 24th among the most dog-friendly vacation destinations in America.

That’s fine, congratulations and so forth, but …

What about cats?

Where is THAT survey?

Surely you remember my lovely feline Sammie the World’s Greatest Cat (TWGC), who passed away from kidney failure two years ago.

These days, there is another fascinating ball of fur trotting around the house.

Yes, that would be Addison, the NEW world’s greatest cat (TNWGC).

Where is Addison welcome at various vacation sites?

Where would SHE have a lovely holiday?

Speak up, Sandpoint!

Right, now that we have that issue up for public debate, let’s get on with today’s actual fun and games …

ITEM: I’m sure you know one of the planet’s most famous (or infamous) phrases …

“No good deed goes unpunished.”

Right, well …

Talk to Julio Rodriguez about that one.

Last Saturday afternoon, Julio achieved a lifetime dream when he leaped over the fence in left-center field and snatched a home run away from Baltimore’s Ryan O’Hearn.

It was the final out of the seventh inning, and on his way back to the dugout, Rodriguez made a detour to the stands — where he sought out a particular young boy and handed him the baseball.

“He had a big sign with boxes checking off things, and the last one on there was meeting me,” Rodriguez said.

“I went over and said hi to him and talked to him a little bit between the innings earlier.

So, after I made that catch, I was like, ‘Take that as a souvenir. I know you’ll appreciate that.’ ”

Definitely a good deed, and therefore …

One day later, Rodriguez launched what he believed was a first inning homer to right-center, only for the Orioles’ Anthony Santander to leap above the wall and make the catch.

Good deed punished.

Check.

(By the way, we’ll be taking a long look at Rodriguez later this week, and dig into the issue of his slow start compared to last year. Maybe we can solve the problem.

ITEM: Another good deed, etc.

If you’re a Zags fan, you know that one of the program’s coveted scholarships was given to Australian international player Alex Toohey.

A 6-8 forward who showed the skills to play all over the court, Toohey said he was thrilled at the thought of joining the Gonzaga family — and especially working with a first-class coaching staff.

Apparently, however, Toohey ultimately decided the flight was too long, or …

Something.

Toohey announced last week that he was decommitting from Gonzaga, and instead would be playing professionally in Australia.

“I think it’s the best path for me to reach my ultimate goal,” Toohey said.

Frankly, Toohey’s decision might have been influenced by an all-star game he played in the U.S.

He was torched by several of the top prep recruits in the country, and the verdict of several scouts was that he was still a bit “soft,” and needed to be tougher physically if he hoped to eventually take a shot at the NBA.

Meanwhile, back in Spokane, Mark Few now has 13 available scholarships heading into the 2023-24 season — which is unusual, to say the least.

ITEM: Maybe it’s the umpires.

Or maybe it’s the pitch clock.

Whatever the reason, we’ve seen a lot more pitchers go a bit crazy this year.

You’ll remember that the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole fired a ball over the head of Seattle’s Jose Caballero — when Cole felt the rookie was manipulating the clock to break his rhythm.

Cole’s “pitch” brought back memories of the scene in “Bull Durham,” when wild young fireballer Nuke LaLoosh conked the mascot when a fastball got away.

Cole didn’t take things any further (although he probably didn’t invite Caballero to dinner), and we’ll mark that down as fortunate.

On the other hand, Houston’s Ryne Stanek DID officially lose it when he was called for a balk in a crucial situation against the Dodgers.

Runners on second and third, two outs, game tied 7-7 in the bottom of the eighth, Stanek pitching to Miguel Rogas.

Stanek appeared to reach the set position, then he stepped off.

Second base umpire Junior Valentine called a balk, and Stanek was, um, not pleased.

Houston manager Dusty Baker looked murderous.

To Stanek’s credit, he stayed in the game to strike out Michael Busch, but then he went nuts.

With his long hair flying, Stanek rushed around the diamond, yelling at any umpire he could find.

Valentine promptly threw him out of the game, and Baker right afterwards.

It was a hell of a fracas.

Bottom line: Please don’t tell Stanek I said this, but …

The call was correct.

It WAS a balk.

Umps have missed plenty of calls so far this season — Phil Cuzzi comes immediately to mind — but the law of averages finally worked for them.

Sorry, Ryne.

Email: [email protected]

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.”