Weekend Update: Erik, Paxton, Rendon, etc.
A handful of interesting developments:
- Erik Bedard returns to face MLB hitters for the first time since 2009 -- and strikes out the first two batters he faces. Seven-pitch inning. Very good news.
- Also potentially very good news: James Paxton, the one-time supplemental first-rounder who dropped to the 4th round in the 2010 draft has apparently finally signed. Paxton lost a lot of time due to injuries, eligibility, holdouts, etc., but when he last pitched for real -- at Kentucky in 09 -- he whiffed 115 and walked only 20 in just 78.1 IP. He was throwing mid-90s back then, but supposedly had dropped to lower-90s/upper-80s in his pre-draft stint in independent ball (he had been declared ineligible to play at UK in 10). No one really has any idea what he'll show up with, but the ceiling is very high if he can recapture what made him a 1st-rounder. And he's a lefty from Canada, just like Bedard, so it's a particuarly big day for southpaws from the North.
- New bats (less springy aluminum) were supposed to cause endless headaches and reduce power in college baseball. And, Anthony Rendon was supposedly hampered by a second ankle injury. No biggie. Rendon smashed two HR off USC over the weekend and is off to a .393/.514/.643 start (7 BB, 2 K). Mariners are probably going to have to hope that the Pirates are reeeeeeally spooked by Scott Boras (not likely).
Which brings us to the other candidates for the #2 pick:
- Matt Purke was scratched from his start due to a blister.
- Gerrit Cole pitched an inning on Friday and was rained out. He came back on Sunday and went 5 scoreless frames before being knocked around in the 6th: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K -- he's at 17 K/2 BB in 14.1 IP so far.
- George Springer is not adjusting as well as Rendon: he's 3-for-22, 1 HR so far against (mostly) non-top-flight opposition, with 7 K and 4 BB. Teammate Matt Barnes is doing better, with 20 K and just 4 BB in 13.0 IP.
- Finally, Sonny Gray has been in-between. 12 K and 6 BB in 10.0 IP.
Doc asked for my ratings (FWIW, I'm not anybody), but for info-tainment purposes: 1. Rendon; 2. Cole; 3. (for Safeco) Purke; 4. (for Safeco) Springer; 5. Gray. EDIT to ADD: "Wild Card": Bubba Starling (see discussion). That being said, they've been babying Purke quite a bit so far, and that will need to be watched.
Interest categories: