No Hot Links yesterday morning because Tuesday night I was up until 1:30am writing something you'll hopefully read here soon. Hot Links late this morning because I overslept from staying up until 1:30am writing something you'll hopefully read here soon. Tomorrow morning's posting plan is to be determined. Could be a late scratch, who's to say?
*Big News of the day yesterday was not the 4-2 loss to the Twins, but that of Yuli Gurriel's impending hand/wrist surgery to remove the hamate bone that will keep him off the field for 5-6 weeks, or from now until his suspension ends (if you are the Cynical Type).
Jake Kaplan writes about how this is, of course, better news for Tyler White, J.D. Davis, or A.J. Reed - all of whom had hoped to win an Opening Day job even with Gurriel's 5-game suspension. Luhnow:
It will provide an opportunity for somebody on our roster to play in the big leagues while Yuli is recuperating. We knew that was going to be the case anyway for the suspension, but instead of five days, it might be 10 or 15 days. Whoever it is who gets that spot is going to have more time to prove themselves.
*Jeff Bagwell came to West Palm yesterday. Bagwell:
They're a machine right now. As great as last year was, there's such an opportunity for us to continue this. We're a good team. We're going to be a good team for a while.
*
— Houston Astros (@astros) February 28, 2018
*Tony Kemp's diving catch was SportsCenter's #1 top play. He talked about it to McTaggart.
*Hinch said that AC Favorite Rogelio Armenteros will pitch in the majors this season.
*Missed this from a couple of days ago: undrafted free agent Jacob Dorris is an inspiration to A.J. Hinch:
I have a soft spot for guys that never expect to be here or never had the way paved for these opportunities. He's a good story for the minor league camp that anything's possible. He hasn't been a top prospect, he wasn't a high pick, he wasn't handed anything, he just performed his way to big league camp.
Dorris was signed in 2015 out of A&M Corpus Christi. In 33.2IP for Fresno he allowed 22H/7ER, 28K:13BB for a 1.87 ERA/1.04 WHIP.
*Gerry Fraley writes that the Rangers are trying a new plan to beat the Astros this year: Start mostly lefty pitchers.
*Colby Rasmus walked away from baseball, but now he's back in Baltimore. Rasmus, on why he left:
Man, it wasn't fulfilling me with all the happiness in the world. It's always been that love-hate relationship. That's how it is with every player. All of my life it's all I've been around. I realized that even more when I went home. That's about the only thing I'm good at. Or, that I could get lost in.
I miss Colby Rasmus.
