Reed-y To Go

The door is open, and Chicago White Sox' rookie reliever Addison Reed should walk right through.

In early December, general manager Kenny Williams traded closer Sergio Santos to the Toronto Blue Jays, in exchange for a then-22-year-old starting pitching prospect, Nestor Molina, leaving the vital closer role vacated.

Only in his second year in Major League Baseball and first as a full-time closer, Santos' 30 saves ranked eighth in the American League, but with the team's plethora of young relievers, Williams felt he was expendable.

Atop that list is the 23-year-old Reed.

Reed made his Major League debut last season on September 4 as one of the month's usual call-ups, but it would be quickly known he was anything, but the usual September call-up, dazzling his piers.

In on mob-up duty with his team trailing 9-0, Reed threw 1 2/3 innings, allowing one run, on four hits, while striking out three in Chicago's eventual 18-2 lose to the division rival Detroit Tigers. Following his debut, Reed would appear in six more games for the White Sox in 2011, including a string of six straight scoreless innings before having it snapped by Cleveland's Asdrubal Cabrera, tagging the right-hander for a three-run home run.

It was the first home run surrendered by Reed in his career.

Reed finished the year with a 3.68 earned run average, while striking out 12 and walking just one in 7 1/2 innings. But it was his road to the show that is most impressive.

A Southern California native, Reed attended Los Osos High School, where he played varsity baseball all four years. However, known for his big bat in the middle of the Grizzlies' lineup, Reed didn't starting pitching until his junior year, pitching his first two high school innings that year.

It wouldn't until his senior season that Reed would flourish in his future home.

Reed went 5-1 during his final year with the Grizzlies, posting a 2.53 ERA and becoming the ace of the staff. Not to mention never losing his ability to hit, batting .446 with 10 doubles, 13 home runs and 34 runs batted in.

After his graduation, Reed attended San Diego State University, joining Hall of Famer, Tony Gwynn's squad. He spent three seasons as an Aztec, mainly closing games for National's ace and good friend, Stephen Strasburg. In 2009, he led the nation in saves, converting all 20 of his opportunities, setting a new team and Mountain West Conference record.

Reed decided to forgo his senior season at San Diego after being drafted in the third-round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft by the White Sox.

After a great season in the rookie ball for the Great Fall Voyagers, Reed begin this past season with only one thing in mind. Combining for 43 appearances for four different teams, including Class A Kannapolis, Class A Advanced Winston-Salem, Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte, Reed rapidly ascended the Minor League system.

Prior to receive his call-up, Reed's numbers were eye-popping. In 78 2/3 innings, he posted microscopic 1.26 ERA, giving up just 43 hits. He also struck out 111 Minor League hitters compared to only 11 base-on-balls.

He was recently named to MLB.com's Top Prospect list, which increased from 50 to 100 this year. Reed found himself just making the cut, claiming No. 100.

Veterans Matt Thorton and Jesse Crain, both whom have experiencing closing, are the favorites heading into camp to land the closer job, but both have been discussed in possibly trade rumors this winter, leaving the door open.

Along with his intimidating 6-foot-4 stature and unorthodox delivery, Reed is armed with a mid-to-upper 90s fastball and a devastating change up that could have him closing games on the South Side by the end of 2012.

Lighting Strikes Twice

Verlander tossed his second career no-hitter
Saturday in Toronto.

Saturday afternoon in Toronto marked yet another historic day in the young career of Detroit Tigers ace, Justin Verlander.

Verlander tossed his second career no-hitter in the Tigers' 9-0 win at Rogers Centre. It's the second no-hitter thrown of the 2011 season after division rival, Francisco Liriano, threw the first in Chicago Tuesday night for the Minnesota Twins.

After not having a no-hitter be changelled in the first month of the season, two come within less of a week of one another.

It's the seventh no-hitter in Tiger history, and Verlander becomes the 28th player in history to throw multiple no-hitters. 

The last player to accomplish that feat, excluding the postseason, was Chicago White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle. He would toss his first no-hitter in a 2007 game against the Texas Rangers and reached new heights by throwing a perfect game in 2009, capped off by one of the most memorable catches in baseball history by defensive replacement DeWayne Wise.

Verlander's first no-hitter also came back in '07, no-hitting the Milwaukee Brewers during Interleague play.

The three-time All-Star had been perfect through the first seven innings, but had it broken up by walking a Blue Jays rookie. Catcher J.P. Arencibia battled Verlander with an epic 12 pitch at-bat in the eighth inning -- an at-bat that saw the twelfth pitch sail outside at 100 mph.

That would be the only blunder of the day by Verlander.

The slender right-hander showed great command from the gecko, throwing 74 of his first 108 pitches for strikes. Verlander struck out only four batters Saturday compared to in his first no-no when he struck out 12 Brewers. It was his third of the young season bringing, his record to .500.

But if it wasn't known before, Verlander possesses the repertoire to throw a no-hitter every time out with his upper 90s fastball and 12-6 curveball.

The 28-year-old was the 2006 American League Rookie of the Year, winning 17 games for the Tigers. That same season, also in his rookie season in Detroit, manager Jim Leyland clinched the franchise's first wild card berth and helped the Tigers win their first AL Pennant in 22 years.

Verlander started Game 1 of that World Series and was opposed by fellow rookie Anthony Reyes of the St. Louis Cardinals. It was the first time in the series' 103-year existence that two rookies faced off to open the Fall Classic

After avoiding the dreadful sophomore slump in '07, it would come a year later for Verlander, losing a career-worst 17 games.

Since that time Verlander has become the horse of the Detroit staff, throwing 200 innings each of the last four years and striking out 200 batters in back-to back seasons, including leading the majors with 269 in 2009. He has won as many as 19 games in a season and finished as high as third in the AL Cy Young voting.

The final out was recorded by punching out right fielder Raja Davis on a 2-2, 87 mph breaking ball.

Detroit is currently two games under .500 and six and half games back of the division leading Indians, who are in Anaheim for a weekend series with the Angels.

Despite the slow start, with the trio of Venezuelans at the heart of their order and two power arms at the front of their rotation, Detroit will be in the hunt for their first AL Central title in franchise history. Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan holds the record for no-hitters thrown in a career with seven. The former first-round pick has a ways to go if he wants to reach that mark.

In the mean time, Motown will be rocking and waiting to congratulate their ace with maybe another on the horizon. 

65 Million Dollar Man?

Bautista led the majors with
54 home runs in '10.

Jose Bautista will be staying north of the border for the next five years, agreeing to a five-year extension with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Bautista is coming off a career year where he led the majors with 54 home runs and was a first-time All-Star. The deal is worth about $65 million, but could have huge upside for the Jays, having a player enter his prime, or a daring gamble.

Over the last couple of years, Toronto has been notorious for signing players to long-term deals that seemingly do not work as planned.

Most notably the seven-year contract they gave to Vernon Wells in 2006 and the six-year contract with Alex Rios in 2008, both whom are no longer with the organization and never lived up to their respective agreements. Wells was injured much of the contract and after finally producing a bounce back year in 2010, he was traded to the Angels this offseason. As for Rios, he was placed on waivers late in 2009 and claimed by the Chicago White Sox in August.

Since then, Rios has also bounced back hitting 21 home runs in '10, while driving in 88 runs.

The Blue Jays have reason to be concerned, but hopefully that will not be the case with '10 Hank Aaron Award winner. Although, we are talking about a player that had never hit more than 16 home runs in an entire season until last year and had been with five different organizations in his short seven-year career.

Bautista made the biggest jump in home runs in a single-season compared to his previous season total in baseball history. His inability to go to right field with power could prove be a problem for the Jays as well, 53 of the 54 home runs were either hit to left or left-center.

The question has already been asked, is the Silver Slugger worth $65 million, or have the Jays made another huge contract gaff to kick off the decade? Only time will tell.