THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: From Hancock to Evans ... to a rain delay for M's

It’s a weird situation. 

If you’re writing about a baseball team, things can change (often dramatically) from day to day. 

Or, more accurately for our discussion here, from night to night. 

See, unless you’re responsible for a game story that pushes the newspaper right up to deadline, whatever you put together will be written and gone before you know what happens in that evening’s game. 

It’s not the end of the world in a 162-game season (unless a star player breaks his leg), but it DOES make for a mildly embarrassing story that has readers saying: “Does he really know what’s happening with this team?” 

Sometimes, the confusion involved is even crazier than usual. 

For instance, I’m typing this column on Tuesday afternoon, with the Mariners on a four-game winning streak and preparing to face the struggling White Sox (14-34) tonight in Chicago. 

There are question marks that make the situation quite a bit strange. 

Seattle has three starters on the IL (leaving them one short of having the usual five in the rotation), so this could be what managers grimace and call a “bullpen game.” 

AH, BUT that’s not the only issue today.  

It’s been raining all day in Chicago, and the forecast is for more of the same — along with isolated thunderstorms. 

We’re creeping closer and closer to game time, and the White Sox are allowed to decide — until the first pitch — if the teams should play this one out. 

Or the Sox could say to hell with it, let’s play a doubleheader on Wednesday (which is “today” as you read this. 

See what I mean about columnists being prone to headaches with bizarre scheduling changes? 

And even if the weather in Chicago were glorious, I’d still be stuck with this business of writing about a team that might win, lose, be postponed or losing a player to injury between the time I share these valuable words — and the VERY valuable time that you share to read them.

Are we still on the same page? 

So to speak? 

In fact, I had a really good plan for today’s column (Wednesday, that is…). 

I wanted to write about emergency pitchers Emerson Hancock and Logan Evans, the guys who are taking two of the three vacancies in the Mariners starting rotation. 

Neither was scheduled to go on Wednesday in Chicago, but late Tuesday night, Evans was announced as today’s starter.

Unless I was sideswiped by Mother Nature this afternoon (Tuesday), I’d have a timely column for you today (Wednesday). 

Still with me? 

SERIOUSLY, things were working out. 

Still are, matter of fact, as we creep toward first pitch at Rate Field (what on Earth kind of name is that?). 

I didn’t think the place was all that meaningful as Guaranteed Rate Field. 

I wonder what happened. 

Does that bank no long guarantee its rates? 

Hmmm. 

Anyhow, we’ll get around to some exciting prose on the two pitchers eventually. 

It gets your attention that Hancock was drafted No. 6 overall in 2020, and carried big-time hopes into his professional career. 

He’s struggled with injuries and lack of effectiveness at various points, however, and just now is finally looking like a guy who can get major leaguers out. 

The major problem is that Hancock hasn’t developed an “out pitch,” something to miss bats or get weak contact when he’s worked a count in his favor. 

Hancock is lugging a 6.21 ERA around with him, but in his last start in San Diego, his velocity was up, he attacked hitters, and he kept the Padres to a single run in 4 2/3 innings. 

Progress. 

Evans, meantime, was drafted No. 367 in 2023, but he’s rising quickly. 

He’s been lights out in two of his four starts, average in one, and “Guh!” in the fourth. 

Evans has a nice 2.57 ERA, but that is the result of five earned runs being wiped away on a hit-to-error scoring change. 

Pretty cool if he can run with it. 

Meanwhile, I told you that anything could happen today (Tuesday). 

The Mariners and Sox are now in a rain delay. 

Of course they are. 

Sigh. 

Email: [email protected] 

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times weekly -- Tuesday, Wednesday and 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.”