grantpaulsen.com » 2008

Collin Balester to Debut on Tuesday

June 29th, 2008

One of the Washington Nationals’ top farm-hands is going to make a much anticipated debut on Tuesday night. Collin Balester, a 22-year-old former 4th-round draft pick, is expected to be promoted to the big leagues and asked to take on the Florida Marlins. Balester is 7-3 with a 4.18era in 13 starts this season at AAA-Columbus.

I talked with Balester soon after the Nationals announced that Balester was going to get the call and the Callifornia-native said that he was both “excited” and “ready” to make his first major league start. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, MLB

Minors and Majors - June 28th

June 28th, 2008

Today’s Guests:

Jake Arrieta: Baltimore Orioles’ farm-hand and 2007 5th-round pick.
-Talked about starting for the Carolina League All Stars in the Hi-A All-Star Game
-Talked about being named to the Team-USA Roster for XM Radio Futures Game
-Talked about his start as a pro in ‘08 (2.88era and 85 k’s in 84ip through 16 starts)
-Discussed the promotion of his house-mate and friend Matt Wieters to AA Bowie Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, MLB

Interleague Play Still Interesting

June 24th, 2008

THE TEXAS Rangers are paying the Washington Nationals a visit today. Tomorrow there will be Angels in the outfield at Nationals Park. Prior to Washington’s homestand this week neither had ever happened. Without interleague play neither ever would have.

Interleague play has provoked immense debate in baseball circles. The topic ranks with the designated hitter and a proposed salary cap as the game’s most-discussed issues.

Every fan has a strong opinion on the topics. Every fan either supports the DH or can’t stand it, and endorses a salary cap or doesn’t. And every fan either loves interleague play or hates it. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in Articles

Who’s at Short?

June 24th, 2008

The Baltimore Orioles are getting no production out of the short-stop position. A solo home run by Alex Cintron, who began the year at AAA-Norfolk, earlier this week was the first by a Baltimore short-stop all year. Cintron has since been named the team’s starter, replacing Freddie Bynum who was demoted this weekend. Bynum hadplaye taken over for Brandon Fahey who had taken over for Luis Hernandez, all of whom struggled to hit their weight this season.

Knowing full well that there is no short stop worth promoting in his organization’s minor league system, O’s President of Baseball Opps Andy MacPhail said this week that he has alerted scouts to be on the lookout for a player worth adding. I’ve compiled a list of a half-dozen short stops, each of whom are serving as backups right now - but all of whom make some sense as potential acquisitions to bolster the six-spot in the Baltimore infield. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, MLB, Baltimore Orioles

MLB: Tidbits from around the league

June 22nd, 2008

Here is what jumped out at me as I scrolled through the box scores of today’s big-league games.

@Yankees 4, Reds 1
-Mariano Rivera recorded his 21st save today. He’s sporting a 0.76era. Not bad for a 37-year-old who wasn’t supposed to be a Yankee this year.

@Braves 8, Mariners 3
-Mark Teixeira blasted three home runs in a game in which every Atlana starter had a hit. Too bad the Braves don’t play every game at home. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, MLB

Mariners Should Move Bedard

June 21st, 2008

The Seattle Mariners gave up a boat-load to land Erik Bedard this offseason. And when they finally did acqure the lefty-ace the thought around baseball was that Seattle was going to compete for the American League West crown.

June is now three-weeks old and Seattle is no longer considered a contender. Not only are the Mariners not expected to compete for the Western division’s top-spot, but Seattle’s main mission for 2008 has now become to finish anywhere but in last-place.

An immensely talented pitcher with the stuff to be an all-star, Bedard is as over-powering on the mound as he is aloof off it. There’s no dispuiting that he has the stuff to be an ace. But he’s been plagued by injuries throughout his career, and just yesterday left another start early with back spasms. When he’s healthy he’s money, but that’s like saying when Gilbert Godfrey isn’t talking out loud he isn’t annoying because he always has something keeping him from operating at 100%. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, MLB

Minors and Majors - June 21st

June 21st, 2008

Today’s guest list included…

Collin Ballester – Washington Nationals AAA Pitcher - took calls from listeners, and described his experience with the varying quality of hotels while traveling on the minor league circuit.

Colby Rasmus – St Louis Cardinals minor league prospect – discussed his recent hot bat, and his fellow draft class stars particularly Jay Bruce’s success with the Reds.

Phil Stanton – CollegeBaseballInsider.com – talked about the remaining teams in the College World Series analyzing the winners and losers thus far. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General

Dads raised great stars–and good kids

June 18th, 2008

NOBODY HITS a golf ball like Tiger Woods and no one plays tennis like the Williams sisters. There’s never been an outfielder more proficient at robbing home runs than Ken Griffey Jr., and there’s no more successful a tandem of brothers under center than Peyton and Eli Manning.

But long before Woods had won the first of his 13 (and still counting) majors, he was a young boy learning how to swing a club. His teacher on the golf course was the same man who mentored him off it. Like the Williams sisters and Manning brothers, and like Griffey Jr., everything Woods learned about his craft while growing up came from his father. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in Articles

Day at the Diamond

June 18th, 2008

It’s been a good couple days of baseball for me. I drove up to Philadelphia to watch the Phillies and the Red Sox yesterday. And right now I’m sitting at Camden Yards in Balimore, Maryland checking out the Astros and the Orioles. So much for silly-high gas prices right? Actually I probably wouldn’t have come ot both games if I had to drive, but luckily I’ve been a passenger during each trip.

Tuesday’s Phillies-Sox game at Citizen’s Bank Park was a good one to be at. John Lester was filthy. He pitched seven one-hit innings. Jamie Moyer went for Philly and struggled early which resulted in his not even getting into the 6th. It’s still impressive that he’s still able to get big-league hitters out at 45. His problem when I saw him was that he was getting pinched low-and-away, which is an area of the plate (off the plate and a little low) he needs at this point in his career. At one point in the first-inning Chase Utley fouled off about nine pithces in an at-bat that lasted as long as an episode of the Wonder Years. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General, MLB

Jay Gibbons

June 12th, 2008

There have been reports circulating today that Gibbons signed with an independent league team. The Baltimore Sun, among other papers, reported today that Gibbons had signed on to play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball with the Independent League Long Island Ducks. That isn’t the case, though.

I talked with the PR Director for the Ducks a few moments ago and he said that Gibbons has not signed with the team. He also said that he hadn’t had any direct contact with Gibbons yet. He had heard the rumors as well, but to his knowledge there has not yet been a deal in the works. Read the rest »

Posted by Grant Paulsen Filed in General

Collin Balester to Debut on Tuesday

June 29th, 2008

Minors and Majors - June 28th

June 28th, 2008

Interleague Play Still Interesting

June 24th, 2008

Who’s at Short?

June 24th, 2008

MLB: Tidbits from around the league

June 22nd, 2008

Mariners Should Move Bedard

June 21st, 2008

Minors and Majors - June 21st

June 21st, 2008

Dads raised great stars–and good kids

June 18th, 2008

Day at the Diamond

June 18th, 2008

Jay Gibbons

June 12th, 2008

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