10. John Olerud

Despite spending just over four seasons with Seattle Mariners, Olerud became an instant fan-favorite with his friendly personality and even-keel mentality on the field. He hit over .300 twice for the M’s while taking home three gold gloves and appearing in the 2001 all-star game that featured eight Mariners.

9. Dan Wilson

The trusty backstop gets on the list by virtue of his 12-year tenure with the Mariners. Wilson’s best season offensively came in 1996 when he hit .285 with 18 home runs and 83 RBI and made his sole all-star game appearance. Wilson was brilliant behind the plate, posting a career fielding percentage of .995, the sixth-best in major league history.

The Northwest Convergence Zone brings you stellar interviews with the leading artists in the Northwest, and their music, every week. They also give their take on the news, sports, and anything else they find interesting, all brought to you with their unique Northwest perspective on things.

Download & Listen to Part One (Bradford Loomis & Pine Hearts)

Download & Listen to Part Two (Chyeah Chyeah & Torre)

Tracklist:

Bradford Loomis - Get On That Train

Bradford Loomis - End Of This Chain

Bradford Loomis - Dead Man's Dance (Live in NWCZ Studio)

The Pine Hearts - Virginia

The Pine Hearts - When it Comes to You

The Pine Hearts - Don't Let the Stars Bring You Down (Live in NWCZ Studio)

Chyeah Chyeah - Skins

Chyeah Chyeah - Are you Drinking My Kool-Aid?

Torre - Fools

Torre - Atlantic

Midnight Salvage Co. - Lost Lane

The typical youth sports coach volunteers their time and moves on after the season.

It's a 'been there, done that, got a t-shirt' deal.

But the whole exercise is ruined if the coach doesn't keep up with his former players.

They need to stay in touch if they want to take credit for all the good things to come.

For some athletes, youth sport is the pinnacle of achievement, and the coach can take some measure of pride.

For others, it's just the beginning. This is one of those stories.

When former Portland prep star Mike Moser announced earlier this week that he was transferring from UNLV to the University of Oregon for his senior season, it barely moved the curiosity meter.

“Oh good,” Duck fans thought, “he ought to help the team.”

Before Dana Altman showed up in Eugene, UO basketball players arrived in town either toting their high school diplomas or the transcripts saying they did in fact complete their associate’s degree from that juco.

Rarely in those pre-Altman days did a transfer make a lasting impression – with the notable exception of Mr. Ivan Johnson. Anytime a transfer showed up, he brought with him questions about his character. Otherwise he likely wouldn’t have left the school at which he started.

But as the façade of the NCAA caring about academics has continued to fade, players are exploring their freedom more frequently.

Altman seems to spend more time recruiting on college campuses than he does in high school gyms. In his three years as Head Duck, he has now brought in seven players with either one or two years of eligibility.

And it’s not a bad strategy.

As the school year inches to a close and spring sports approach playoffs, it’s easy for University of Oregon students and fans to reflect on the markers of this year’s success. The football team won the Fiesta Bowl, volleyball was runner-up at the national championships, and the women dominated cross country and indoor track and field for two more national championship titles. Of course, trophies and championships aren’t the only ways to measure this year’s triumphs. Several individual athletes are worthy of recognition and have played a major part in the Ducks’ success. In fact, the women of Oregon especially have come to national prominence, and it seems safe to say that after this year, the Ducks boast some of the greatest female athletes in the country.

Whether it’s on the court, the track, or the field, Oregon has a variety of talent. In fact, the Pac-12 conference as a whole tends to be a destination for premier collegiate competition in women’s sports. While Oregon’s teams have climbed to the top this year, a handful of individuals have stood out – and the attention has been national. In just the last week, three lady Ducks have represented the green and yellow on top national recognition lists.

There is no reason to mince words. Tony Allen would be a great fit with the Portland Trail Blazers, and fans should hope that Neil Olshey aggressively pursues him in free agency. The Blazers have a desperate need for an elite defender like Allen. In fact, the Blazers’ defensive rating was among the league's worst this season. By allowing 106 point per 100 possessions, the only teams below Portland were the New Orleans Hornets, Sacramento Kings, and Charlotte Bobcats. The Orlando Magic were better than the Blazers at defense this year and finished with only 20 wins. These are not the teams that the Blazers want to be associated with on either side of the ball.

Allen would be able to bolster Portland's defense drastically. He is a perennial DPOY candidate, and was voted by NBA GMs in the 2011-2012 season as the league's best perimeter defender. Alongside the length of Nicolas Batum, Allen would make the Rose Garden a nightmare for opposing guards and forwards.

It has always been the tale that teams who peak at the end of the season are the ones who usually end up as champions. Playing well in the end is where it counts. So, here we go Beavers, here we go.

Last weekend, Oregon State’s baseball team swept California in three games down in Corvallis. They followed that up with a mid-week victory over the Portland Pilots and now have an overall record of 38-8. But with just three weekend series remaining, we will all find out what our beloved Beavers are made of. Because now the road, literally and figuratively, takes on added substance.

The sports landscape has been completely transformed by the prominence of fantasy sports. I have written about it before and I fully believe that it is a great thing for sports. The National Football League has greatly benefited from the popularity of gambling and fantasy sports. All factors considered, the NFL is the most popular sports league in the country, by far.

However, there are some downfalls to fantasy sports, specifically the expectation level of fans. Anybody can sit behind a computer and draft a fantasy roster for whatever sport it might be. That team may win their league and make them a little bit of money. Good for them. But then a transformation happens; they suddenly think they are a genius and the next GM of their favorite team.

We are in that time of year that fans instantly become armchair GMs. The Portland Trail Blazers have finished their season and are once again in the lottery. That is disappointing for fans but the trajectory of this young team behind Damian Lillard is positive. Fans everywhere are now giving their theories, solutions and trades that will instantly turn this team into a title contender. Let me put it in lame man’s terms for all the readers: you are not smarter, more qualified or more charismatic than Neil Olshey. Your speculations, raised expectations and rumors will only negatively affect your enjoyment as a fan.

My column last week covered the proper use and benefits of ice and heat.  Today, I am going to talk a little about stretching, what it does, why it is important, and list some basic stretches you can add into your routine.  First things first. Contrary to popular belief, it is now suggested that STATIC stretching should not occur after warming up. DYNAMIC stretching is encouraged prior to exercise and can help to reduce the risk of injury. This is a significant change from the way it was when I was growing up as a young athlete. Stretching HAS BEEN proven to increase range of motion and circulation, improve flexibility, provide more energy, help to quiet the mind (think of what happens when you do Yoga for example), and possibly even assist women with making menstrual periods more tenable and regular. I find myself more energized, invigorated, centered, and grounded. After an intense workout, stretching helps me to cool down and be more in my body. I also use a re-bounder, which helps to circulate fluid around the lymphatic system. If you don’t have a re-bounder, try using a mini-trampoline.

Hard as it is to admit, sports didn’t begin after your favorite team won it all, or your sports hero had a great game.

It just feels that way.

When your team or superstar is perfect, they become the prism through which sports pass.

In Chicago, the star is Michael Jordan paired with the 1985 Bears.

Who are they in Philadelphia? In Boston? More important, who are they here in Oregon?

In Portland, the team and the guy don’t have to do that much. The bar isn’t set too high, which might explain the lack of bitterness in local fans’ hearts following year after year of failure.

Two outs, bottom of the inning, two men on base, a full count to the batter at the plate. You've all seen this situation before. Some in real life, some in movies, some in both.

The crowd is hushed, holding their collective breath, watching two men in a field of green and brown. The pitcher stands alone on the mound, a mitt resting against his left shoulder, a ball sits in his right hand, idly spinning and thumbing the ball as it is cradled against his back. The pitcher nods in agreement to the catcher's signal, then eyes the runners on the bases. He eyes the batter, then locks his gaze on to the catcher's mitt. There's the windup and the delivery. The ball screams toward the plate, the batter swings with all of his might, and the hushed silence is broken with a loud crack of the wooden bat. A hush again washes over the crowd as fans slowly rise to their feet, raise one hand flat to their foreheads to block the sunlight bearing down upon their faces, and watch the center fielder sprint towards the wall deep in the outfield. Hands spread apart and arms thrust upward toward the cloudless blue sky, clenching into fists, shaking just a bit, willing the small sports ball of woven leather over yarn and cork to sail higher and farther in to the distance. The grins breaking in to wide smiles as the ball sails over the fence. The roar of the crowd as the announcer calls “Way back, way back … IT’S OUTTA HERE!” Strangers smile at each other and exchange high-fives and exclamations in regard to the magnitude of the amazing moment.

A three run blast. There is just one bigger moment in baseball and that is the grand-slam, which happens all too rarely.

This moment did not come in a game featuring Babe Ruth or in a movie starring Robert Redford.

No, this moment came in a game at Sckavone Field in SE Portland on May 4^th, 2013 between the Bridgetown Thunder and the PBC Tribe of the NWIBL.

After defeating the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 at Jeld-Wen Field on April 14th, there loomed a daunting six road games in the span of eight for the Portland Timbers.  Being an avid Timbers fan, I was well aware of our abysmal road record; fully expecting a meager three or four points out of the possible eighteen.  But what has transpired instills me to think that we have a new Timbers team on our hands.  A Timbers squad with moxy and vigor; they're hungry and it is very apparent after coming from behind against a talented Sporting KC team and tying with San Jose and FC Dallas.

This new influx of Timber talent may have turned me into a spoiled troll, but both 1-1 draws on the road have been rather dispiriting.  I say this largely because the Timbers were ahead of both of those games and just had some defensive let downs.  Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts is playing out of his mind, making mind-defying save after mind-defying save.  The weakness to me seems not a lack of talent on the defensive side of the ball either, it's the mindset.  The mentality of "We have the lead, so let's play defensively" has backfired against them and left the Timbers with a tinge of despair when the final whistle blows.