Wednesday Halolinks: Is Edwin Jackson Affordable? Is He An Upgrade?

Heathly, weathly, and not-so-wise edition of Halolinks:

(I'm fortunate to have a work schedule that allows me to spend probably more than too much time on this website, but it also allows me the opportunity to do some things with my kids (damn kids always butting into my internet time). Today's Halolinks is a little shy on commentary because I get to spend the morning and afternoon with my daughter's kindergarten class during their first field trip. If I survive, tomorrow's links will be back in their pre-K glory)

• Yesterday's Halolinks included a link to a 2012 season preview post that claimed the Angels biggest weakness was their pitching depth. Although I disagree with that assessment, I'm know I'm not always right (yeah, hard to believe, but probably true). If the Angels truly need another starting pitcher, how about this guy: Edwin Jackson is willing to accept a one-year deal - HardballTalk. "He entered the free agent market last fall with such high expectations, but now Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports that Edwin Jackson is likely to accept a one-year deal." And not only is he willing to take a one-year deal, he's allegedly willing to sign at a terrific, team-friendly contract, "Boston, which has offered a one-year deal in the $5-$6 million range according to major league sources, is definitely in the hunt. But if they're the contending team that's going to land him, it hasn't happened yet." (Time's Running Out For Free Agent Edwin Jackson - Baseball Nation). If the Halos can somehow dump Bobby Abreu's salary on another team, the $9M removed could be used to upgrade the rotation, while opening up a spot for Mark Trumbo's bat.
• This is one of the coolest things I've ever heard a player doing: Outfield assist of another kind - The Hardball Times. "The next day, he walked out to his position before the game, carrying a signed baseball in his hand. He spotted the familiar faces, smiled and threw the baseball over the fence." Sure, players do a lot of good through charities and foundations, but sometimes just the simplest interaction with fans is just as touching. And besides, providing bacon to anyone is the most humanitarian thing one human can do for another.

• This doesn't appear to be a PED issue, but rather a "drug of abuse" problem: Angels pitching prospect banned 50 games for second drug violation - CBSSports.com. "Los Angeles Angels minor-league pitcher Daniel Reynolds has been suspended 50 games for a second drug violation. Taken by the Angels with the 201st pick of the 2009 amateur draft, the 20-year-old was 3-2 with a 4.60 ERA in 20 relief appearances last year for the rookie level Orem Owlz of the Pioneer League." Hopefully Reynolds gets the help he needs.
  
• Stress and Anxiety in Baseball - FanGraphs Baseball. "For some players, that stress lacks a healthy outlet. It builds and builds until mental disorders begin to bubble to the surface, and in some cases, they can become debilitating for players."
• Congratulations to Mr. Neyer: Anniversary No. 1 - Hot Corner - Baseball Nation. "One year ago today, I wrote my last piece for ESPN.com, which had been my home for a long time. Exactly that same day, I was launched into a completely unrelated personal crisis that left me in a depressive, sleep-deprived, generally food-free state for about three months."
• Position previews: Catcher - ESPN Los Angeles. "Many Angels fans, tired of watching Mathis' feeble at-bats, seemed joyous over the news (trading for Iannetta and trading away Mathis). But how much better -- if at all -- will it make the team? Are the Angels simply giving up defense to gain offense? Or, was Mathis' defense -- the subject of periodic rhapsodies from manager Mike Scioscia -- overrated? Is Iannetta even a much better hitter?" Please Mark, tell us the answer! Sorry, this is actually a pretty informative post.
  
• Sam Miller tells us: 2002 Angels: Where they’ve been, where they are now - The Orange County Register
  
• Entertaining post about Keith Olbermann and the 2012 Topps baseball cards: 10th Annual Topps Pack Opening Day " Baseball Nerd. "The first box to come off the production line is ceremonially opened, either on television or at Topps HQ, and then we quietly pillage through whatever’s available pack-wise."
• Great video:
  
• I don't know why more players, when facing such an extreme shift, don't do this: Mark Teixeira ... $180 million bunter? - ESPN New York. "In order to beat the shift, Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira claims he’s going to do the previously unfathomable: bunt. "I've been so against it my entire career, but I might lay down a few bunts," Teixeira conceded Tuesday night. "If I can beat the shift that way, that’s important."
• Fred Lynn, Jim Rice, the 1979 MVP Race and the Hall of Fame - Baseball by the Numbers. "The 1979 MVP race in the AL was strange because Baylor won so handily despite not leading the lead in a any major offensive category other than RBIs, contributing almost nothing on defense and, although nobody used the term at the time, not even finishing among the top ten in the league in WAR. Baylor’s election, by a margin of 347-241 over second place finisher Ken Singleton was one of the most extreme cases of the MVP simply going to the top RBI man on a division winner."
• Seattle Mariners Trade Partners - Lookout Landing. "Baseball-Reference has this tool. It actually has a zillion tools, but it has this one particular tool that allows you to look at all the trades ever made between two teams.Finally, the team the Mariners have gone the longest without trading with is the Angels. The Mariners have made a trade with every other team at least once since 2006. The haven't made a trade with the Angels since March 25, 1996, when they acquired Ricky Jordan for cash considerations."
• Very interesting article: Dissecting a mystery pitch - The Hardball Times. "On April 29, 2011, during the top of the fifth inning of a Toronto at New York game, Yankee pitcher Freddy Garcia threw a split-fingered fastball to the Jay's Juan Rivera. A video of the pitch was captured by YES-MO, the high-speed video camera from the Yankees television broadcast, with sufficient resolution to allow both the spin rate and the rotation axis of the ball to be determined with reasonable precision." Be sure to check out the video. (Thanks: Freddy Garcia's Mystery Pitch - Hot Corner - Baseball Nation)
  
• Padres, right-hander Moseley settle on one-year deal for $2 million-plus - CBSSports.com. "Moseley will make $2,012,500 this year, $12,500 below the midpoint of what he requested and the Padres offered. Moseley had asked for $2.55 million, San Diego offered $1.5 million."
• Good looks and good taste in food too: Jenny Dell is the new Heidi Watney in Boston - Yahoo! Sports. "NESN has made a habit of hiring very attractive females to report on the Boston Red Sox during its game broadcasts." Wait, are they trying to make some kind of sexual joke with that photo??