in passing
Noticed while looking up other things: Jermaine Van Buren recently signed a minor league contract with the Florida Marlins. Boy, he had really slipped off the radar. Actually, he had slipped over to the Chinese Professional Baseball League, where he pitched the last two seasons. The former Hattiesburg High ace, a second-round draft pick by Colorado back in 1998, hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2006 with Boston. Wonder if he’s got anything left in what used to be an electric right arm? We’ll know soon enough. Camps open very soon. Can feel it in the air.
P.S. Also noticed in the small print somewhere: Former Mississippi Braves left-hander Chuck James was signed to a minor deal by Washington. Did anyone ever fall faster than James, who looked like a mainstay with Atlanta in 2006 but was essentially discarded a year later?