The Elevator

Saturday, May 3, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Who’s going to the penthouse in local sports — and who’s getting the shaft.

GOING UP

Stephen Strasburg

About 10 days ago I wrote a column about the San Diego State pitcher who had struck out 23 batters and allowed just one hit against Utah, and the next time out, struck out 13 UNLV Rebels in a seven-inning stint. In his next start after that, the right-hander threw another one-hitter, striking out 13 against Texas Christian. After the game, the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week award was renamed the Stephen Strasburg Cup. He has won it five times this year.

Jamie Little

The Green Valley High graduate, better known as the pit lane reporter who interviews Dale Earnhardt Jr. after he finishes sixth or seventh, won the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Celebrity Race. I don’t know what’s more amazing: Little holding off bona fide NASCAR driver Mike Skinner for the win, or that somebody considers Drew Lachey and Wilmer Valderrama (two more guys she beat) celebrities.

Bishop Gorman

The Gaels’ baseball team, with a 32-2 record, is the best high school team in the land, at least according to USA Today, which ranked Gorman No. 1 in its recent poll. How’s that for hitting the cutoff man?

GOING DOWN

Bishop Gorman

Within hours after being anointed the best high school baseball team in the land by USA Today, the Gaels lost 7-4 to Sierra Vista. The Mountain Lions apparently can hit the cutoff man, too.

San Diego State

The Aztecs had a Mountain West-high four players selected in the NFL Draft — or one for every victory in the team’s 4-8 season last year. I don’t know what comes as a bigger surprise: that San Diego State had all that talent, or that coach Chuck Long apparently didn’t know what to do with it.

Fox Sports

And others, for already releasing college basketball polls for next season. In its “Very Early Look at Next Year’s Top 25,” Fox has North Carolina at No. 1, reigning champion Kansas at No. 20 and the reigning Rebels (all but two guys coming back) of Lon Kruger at No. 25. To paraphrase Carnac the Magnificent, another famous soothsayer: May a weird holy man and a crazed yak use up their eligibility on preseason predictions that are made six months before the preseason begins.