Seattle

The Vulture has composed an alarming chart showing how many network television shows have taken hits in the ratings over the 2012/2013 season. The vast majority of the nearly 90 series that had their second or higher season on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and the CW lost ground among adults under 50...more than 50 series declined by double digits, nearly 30 fell by 20 percent or more, roughly a dozen gave back a quarter or more of their young audience, and an unlucky seven saw their ratings collapse by at least one-third. It's not all bad news: A few shows like Supernatural, Grimm, and The Big Bang Theory actually gained viewers. Wait, the Big Bang Theory gaining additional viewers is bad news, too, isn't it? Anyway, network television seriously needs to change their model before the bottom drops completely out. I suspect that cable is going to have to do the same thing soon. [ Comment on this story ] [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

From bizarrely anointed starter to the waiver wire, Robert Andino has been cut loose by the Mariners to make room for Jesus Sucre, according to Dave Cameron. Andino was a borderline disaster for the Mariners, compiling only a .184/.253/.237 line in 85 PA despite being paid $1.6 million to do so. This doesn't mean Nick Franklin is coming up. Jack Zduriencik's comments yesterday about Franklin indicate that he's not getting promoted yet. When asked specifically about Franklin, Zduriencik said he's happy with the way he's been playing in Tacoma but noted that he's young and not on the 40-man roster. "Timing is everything with these young kids, there's no question," he said. Source The addition of Sucre, who isn't on the 40-man roster, means that there's no spot remaining to add Franklin without another corresponding move. The Mariners are now short a player who can play all over the infield, and is already on the 40-man. Carlos Triunfel. Barring a trade for somebody new or Z to backtrack on his comments from last night , Triunfel looks like he'll get the call. Triunfel is enjoying a break-out season of sorts in AAA (.300/.351/.476), and is finally putting some things together at the age of 23, which is hard to believe. Triunfel's been in the system for what feels like a decade, and was a former top prospect who has always been all tools and little performance. He's played mostly SS in Tacoma, although he's gotten a bit of work at 2B. He may be asked to back up 3B if he does indeed get the call, despite only playing 2 career games there, or the team could shift Brendan Ryan around there, who played some 3B his rookie season in 2007. Either way, Seager isn't likely to get many days off going forward if this is the case. Maybe we can watch Ackley T-Rex some throws from across the diamond in a super duper emergency, now that would be entertaining. Triunfel is a questionable defensive player who's always been error prone (especially on throws) and isn't much for plate patience (3.8% BB) and will strike out at a decent clip (18.8%), and shouldn't really be expected to perform much better, or differently for that matter, than Robert Andino. Triunfel is hitting for more power than he has in the past (.176 ISO), and while his batting average is fueled by a career high .356 BABIP, Triunfel has ran higher BABIP over his minor league career. Triunfel isn't that exciting of a prospect anymore after he failed to progress much from 2008-2012, but the old tease of his former top prospect status (#62 in 2008) represents a glimmer of upside combined with his decent performance in Tacoma. It's the right corresponding move for the Mariners to make. With Nick Franklin not far behind and Brad Miller on his heels if everything goes according to plan, there may not be many chances for Triunfel to get a crack before he's a forgotten man. At the very least, they can evaluate him to see if he could be the team's utility infielder of the future, and there's always the hope that his leap in performance will translate into something positive at a higher level - even if it's not much. There's still actual upside to Carlos Triunfel - even if the likelihood of it is slim, it's something. This is all just speculation at this point since there's been no announcement of Triunfel - it just makes too much sense not to happen. If Triunfel doesn't get the call, then I've just wasted your time and you can stash this post away for when he does get called up. Until then, please revel in somebody terrible being subtracted from the Seattle Mariners.

You can lump the Seahawks' Anthony McCoy into the NFL's growing crowd of big, athletic tight ends who can create mismatches. But he won't be doing much of anything for about the next six months or so. McCoy underwent surgery Thursday to repair a partially torn Achilles tendon. The injury occurred during Monday's practice. McCoy, 25, has caught just 31 passes in his three-year career. FANTASY ANALYSIS: McCoy has the raw, physical ability to be a force at this level, but he has yet to break through with Seattle. He has played behind Zach Miller the past two years. I'm sure the Seahawks would have liked for McCoy to develop quicker, but here we are. And now he's going to be on the sidelines completely for at least six months. Although McCoy's tendon isn't completely torn, like in the case of Michael Crabtree, it could mark the end of his time with Seattle. The Seahawks drafted tight end Luke Wilson in the fifth round of the most recent draft. He is another special athlete in terms of height, weight and speed.

GalleyCat says that Once Sold Tales, an online retailer in Kent, is closing, and the owner needs to get rid of 500,000 books. A Redditor explains: Carrie will be operating her website and selling books at the warehouse (1$ for paperbacks, 2$ for hardback, or 1.50$/lb) until the end of May … Details are still getting worked out but it looks like 10 dollars for 8 books or 18 for 16. If you're into spending your days rifling through a warehouse packed with dirt-cheap books, it sounds like a road trip might be in order. [ Comment on this story ] [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

A local ABC affiliate describes the situation this way: "BART is rolling out a new plan that will allow it to ban passengers who don't behave." But the RT blog describes it this way: "New law will ban protesters from riding mass transit in California... that power could be used to prevent political protesters from getting to demonstrations or essentially going anywhere." The law is here and states, among other things, that possession of any illegal substance, "lewd" behavior, "unruly" behavior, or pretty much anything a transit cop decides is undesirable—they get a lot of discretion—can lead to a year-long prohibition from public transit. (It seems one must have gotten three infractions in 90 days.) This measure was put in place, in part, because of repeated protests against BART in San Francisco after a BART cop shot and killed a mentally ill homeless man. (A few years prior, a BART officer shot and killed an unarmed 22 year-old.) BART, of course, defends the law as an attempt to "create a safer, cleaner environment for BART riders and employees." But even the ABC report recognizes that "AB 716 won't only target violent behavior. It can be applied to protestors who have been arrested during free-speech movements." [ Comment on this story ] [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported that Seattle Seahawks tight end Anthony McCoy is expected to miss at least six to nine months after undergoing surgery to repair a partially torn Achilles tendon.

Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen is making the most of his offseason. After recently selling a pair of blue curtains painting for $43.8 million, he has now purchased, restored and displayed a 46-foot tall V-2 rocket used by Nazi Germany in World War 2 at his Flying Heritage Museum in Everett, Washington. Bill Sheets of the Herald Net reports that there are now only six such rockets in the United States and 16 total in the world. Even better, the paper filmed time-lapse video of the rocket being assembled (below). Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen added the rocket to his collection of World War II-era aircraft and weapons in 2003, and its restoration was recently completed, military aviation curator Cory Graff said. The restored rocket was brought to the Flying Heritage Collection museum at Paine Field in three sections on Monday, and crews worked all day to have the rocket reassembled and ready for display today. ... "It's definitely an iconic piece of machinery. It fits very well into our technology theme," Graff said. "It's great to have that as an example of a milestone of World War II aviation and technology." Aubrey Cohen of the Seattle PI has more details. Just like Christmas here, except you know what's in the package," Graff said. And most Christmas gifts aren't 46 feet tall, with the ability to carry 2,000 pounds of explosives 200 miles at 3,400 mph. V-2, short for Vergeltungswaffe (Retaliation Weapon) 2, was the commonly used name of the Aggregat-4 rocket, which Germany deployed in the last year of World War II. It was the world's first long-range ballistic missile, the first human-made object to travel into space and the basis for future U.S. and Soviet rockets and ballistic missiles. Image via HeraldNet video on YouTube -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter

Seattle Seahawks tight end Anthony McCoy underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon.

He went to Puyallup High School and played college ball at the University of Idaho. Now, after trying out with the Seahawks earlier this month, he’s got a shot with the NFL’s hottest team. The Seahawks on Thursday announced signing Justin Veltung, who played wide receiver and returned kicks for the Vandals the past four years. He joins a crowded roster of receivers and will compete for a spot on the team during training camp this summer. “He’s a smart guy,” receivers coach Kippy Brown told Seahawks.com after rookie camp May 10 through 12. “He knows what to do. He doesn’t make very many mistakes, and so far he’s been [...]

Kelly OManager not pictured. The manager at Ballard Annex Oyster House is so smooth and good-looking, it's like you're in a movie. You're the extras out to dinner at the tastefully upscale, bustling seafood restaurant. The manager—who's suavely introducing himself and asking if he can get you a drink before the waiter, who will also introduce himself, arrives—is played by The Rock, at last realizing his dream of running his own restaurant from The Rundown. When you say you don't know what you want to drink yet, The Rock graciously allows this—reassures you, even—and, muscularly, moves on. No explosion ever occurs... KEEP READING > > > *Plus Its Portland Cousin, Southland Whiskey Kitchen