1/28/12

Baseball: James Paxton, Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon, Stefan Welsh


James Paxton, Mariners: Paxton didn't sign with the Mariners until March, but he made up for lost time quickly by double-jumping from low Class A to Double-A during the season, pitching well at both levels. His two best pitches are his fastball -- a truly plus offering he can crank up into the upper 90s -- and an excellent power breaking ball. The improvement he's shown with his changeup is a big reason why the Mariners are even more excited about his potential as a Major League starter. He was shut down a bit early last year, more as a precaution than anything else. Seeing him in Seattle's rotation soon is not out of the question. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120113&content_id=26339048&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&tcid=tw_article_26339048

As the Nationals talk to free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder, they face a significant contractual decision on one of their own players – third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Zimmerman has informed the team of the exact terms he would accept long-term, according to one major-league source. He has said in the past that he does not want to sign an extension that would restrict the club from making other moves. Contract negotiations are fluid, but two other sources suggest that an agreement between Zimmerman and the Nationals is within reach. Zimmerman, 27, is under contract for $12 million in 2012 and $13 million in 2013. After that, he is eligible for free agency. http://www.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbbuzz/sources_nationals_know_zimmermans_price/9534704

The star quality of Rice 3B Anthony Rendon makes up for a lot of Washington’s lackluster drafting past the third round. This is hardly an original thought, and I know I repeat it more than I should, but it is really tricky finding interesting things to say about the draft’s best prospects. There are only so many ways you can say “yeah, he’s really good at X, Y, and Z, perhaps a bit lacking or flawed in A and B, but, on balance, he should be a really good big league player assuming good health, a typical developmental curve, and the continuation of the existence of mankind after 2012.” http://baseballdraftreport.com/

When I awoke on Friday, September 17, 1982, I felt like an 8-year-old on Christmas morning. It really set in when I opened the sports section of the paper (delivered, naturally, to my "suite") and went to the listing of Today's Starting Pitchers and saw: New York (Wever 0-0) at Milwaukee (Caldwell 15-11), 7:30 p.m. I spent the day wandering through some super-mall in downtown Milwaukee feeling pretty good about myself. I bought some things with my newfound wealth (meal money) that I would never have considered buying the week before, like $50 sunglasses. I tried not to think about that night's game, but I didn't have much luck. Everywhere I went, I saw Milwaukee Brewers paraphernalia, and everything I read talked about the incredible offensive prowess of the team (something I would find out about first-hand a few hours later). http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201201/sunlight-moonlight-man

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