Quick hits: Bay, Atkins, Pirates, Wood, Shinjo
Circling The Bases —
... . Such a decision would likely keep Alvarez or Lincoln from reaching "Super 2" status, meaning they wouldn't be arbitration-eligible until after the 2013 season. - Matt Welch of Halos Heaven says you should think about Brandon Wood when you watch the Phillies . - And finally, former Mets and Giants outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo is back on a baseball field, but he may have taken the idea of "'70s night" ...
Assorted Links
Beyond the Box Score —
Month-by-month fastball velocity splits, disaggregated in just about every way imaginable.
Why to love the offseason, even if you're an Astros fan.
Should the Braves trade Javier Vazquez?
The role of long-term contracts in building a repeat contender. (Beware post hoc ergo propter hoc)
How to get MLB network in your area.
BONUS: Why Brandon Wood is not too old to be a prospect.
Minor League Review, Angels
Fantasy Baseball Blog at Razzball.com —
... He has been the Angels’ number one prospect from 2006 to 2008, however, he accumulated enough at-bats in 2008 to remove his rookie label. Not to be dismissed from any promising young players conversation, Wood has the talent to produce at the major league level, it’s just a matter of playing time. In 1237 career at-bats in Triple-A, he has hit .287/.354/.547 with 76 homers (that’s about one homer every 16 at-bats) and a 310:126 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Halos Heaven had a good article about being patient with minor league prospects, talking ...
