James Paxton

I am now going to look at James Paxton nicknamed the Big Maple” because he is tall at 6’4 and from British Columbia Canada. He is left handed and can throw hard like another former Mariner in Randy Johnson though he isn’t as tall.

The biggest thing against Paxton is that he has had a tendency to get hurt every year. This will be his third year in a row  where he should start at least twenty games. Last season he took over as the ace of the Mariners from King Felix. It is figured that he should start the season opener for the Mariners for the first time. There are some that say Felix will be offended  if Paxton starts however he needs to realize that he isn’t the ace any longer. On the other hand is it that important that the ace of the team starts the opener even though it has been traditional. Whether Paxton or Felix start the opener I don’t really care.

Actually I would look at how the rotation will look for the season. Most likely they will have three right handers in the rotation plus another lefty besides Paxton. The candidate will probably be Marco Gonzales so if Paxton is the opening starter than the rotation likely be Paxton, Felix, Mike Leake, Gonzales with Erasmo Ramirez in the fifth spot. The Mariners have three days off in the first week so the fifth starter may not go until the second time around. Really the schedule is weird because I see that the Mariners have the first two Fridays off in the season. I don’t remember teams ever taking Fridays off.

Until he was hurt I thought that Paxton had a chance to be in contention for Cy Young Award however he ended with a record of 12-5 in twenty-four starts. Also he had 156 strikeouts in 136 innings. Depending on his control he should be able to go at least seven innings because he can throw at least a hundred pitches. In fact he can stay strong that he should be able to go between 110 and 120 pitches. Often his fastball is as strong if not stronger late in games. Staying healthy is the key for him however if he can pitch thirty games depending on when or if the Mariners go to a sixth man rotation. Being a number one starter I would like him to go every fifth day even if the Mariners go to the sixth man rotation. A team is much better when their top pitcher goes as often as possible.

News came in after starting this story that Erasmo Ramirez will be shut for two weeks with a strained  right lat muscle. With this news could help someone like Andrew Moore and Ariel Miranda to take over the fourth spot in the rotation. If Ramirez isn’t ready to pitch in the rotation when the season begins he could have a spot in the bullpen. Another question will the Mariners look to go outside the organization to get another starter. We may know in a few days. This would depend to if another starter has an injury while in training camp. So could be a blessing in disguise if the Mariners decide to bring in another starting pitcher. Go M’s.