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1/28/12

Baseball: Taijuan Walker, Drew Pomeranz, A.J. Burnett, Carlos Pena, Cory Hahn


Taijuan Walker, Mariners: With the way Walker pitched in his first full season, the Mariners will quickly forget they didn't have a first-round pick in 2010. The SoCal high school product was a multi-sport star and, as a result, is really focusing on pitching full-time for the first time as a professional. So far, so good, as Walker has been dominant as the Mariners have been cautious with him up until this point. The stuff is there, with a mid-to-high 90s fastball and excellent curve. His changeup is rapidly improving. That three-pitch mix, his size and athleticism could all add up to a frontline starter in the future. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120112&content_id=26330142&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&tcid=tw_article_26330142

Drew Pomeranz, Rockies: The tail end of the 2011 season was a whirlwind for Pomeranz. As the player-to-be-named in the Ubaldo Jimenez Trade Deadline deal with Cleveland, he sat in limbo for a long stretch, unable to pitch, waiting for his part of the trade to be completed. Then he had to have his appendix removed. Despite all that, he pitched very well for the Rockies and earned his first callup to the big leagues, throwing five shutout innings in his debut. When fully healthy, he has a plus fastball and curve. His changeup isn't quite as good, but it's still an effective pitch. If the former Ole Miss southpaw commands the ball the way he did in the big leagues late last year -- that had been an issue for him in the past -- he'll be just fine, and he should get a long look for a rotation spot this spring. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120113&content_id=26339048&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&tcid=tw_article_26339048

It seems as if the Yankees are determined to get rid of A.J. Burnett has they have been getting the word out ever since the Michael Pineda-Jesus Montero swap that they would love to deal him, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN. Start reports that the Yankees would prefer to take on somebodies bad contract rather than eat Burnett’s salary, but there aren’t many comparable options out there. Jason Bay of the Mets may be the best fit if teams are looking to just swap bad contracts. Burnett is owed $33 million over two years while Bay is owed $32 million over the same time period. Alfonso Soriano and Adam Dunn are two other names that have been thrown around as possibilities, but both have contracts that extend beyond 2014 which pretty much kills those possibilities. http://bronxbaseballdaily.com/2012/01/rumor-yankees-continue-to-shop-a-j-burnett/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Carlos Pena was, of course, a member of the worst-to-first 2008 Rays (not Devil Rays, that’ll cost you). That club won 97 games, Tampa Bay’s first ever American League East title, Tampa Bay’s first ever playoff series, and Tampa Bay’s first American League Championship, all just a year after Pena and his .430 wOBA could only power the team to a 66-96 campaign. He was also there for 2010, the Rays’ second division championship, but that team’s success was almost despite him. Pena still provided his trademark power, slugging 28 home runs, but his strikeout problems and a sharp dip in BABIP led to just a .196 batting average and a .326 wOBA. Between the failures of 2010 and his contractual demands — he sought and eventually received eight figures on a one-year deal — Pena and the Rays diverged for the 2010 season. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/carlos-pena-returns-to-the-trop/

Cory Hahn made his way down the third base line of El Dorado Field to home plate with the assistance of his father, Dale, late Saturday afternoon. The crowd at El Dorado High School greeted him with a standing ovation. After all, he is the main attraction. "He's a star now," said former Los Angeles Angels announcer Rex Hudler. "He's got a chance to encourage a lot of people – more than he would if he were a ballplayer." The former Mater Dei baseball star was the guest of honor as a who's who of Orange County baseball sluggers took part in the 1st Annual Trinity Bat Company Home Run Challenge. Proceeds from the charity event were donated to the Cory Hahn Fund. High schoolers, minor leaguers and major leaguers, including Angels catcher Hank Conger and first baseman Mark Trumbo, attended. However, Trumbo didn't participate while still recovering from a stress fracture in his right foot.  http://www.foxsportswest.com/01/21/12/Hahn-inspiring-beyond-baseball/landing_angels.html?blockID=650944&feedID=9174

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