Mariners Moose Tracks, 3/17/17: Drew Smyly, Bryce Harper, and March Madness

Good morning folks! I have survived the rigors of midterms and made it to the other side mostly intact. I hope you all had a tremendous week. Let’s get you some news from around the world of baseball to close it out.

In Mariners news...

• Jeff Sullivan provides reasons to be encouraged by Drew Smyly’s start in the World Baseball Classic. It’s too early to make too much of it, but Smyly’s fastball is looking a whole lot better this spring.
• Eddie Matz at ESPN gives some love to Edwin Diaz, chronicling the pitcher’s transition from a starter to a reliever.
• Tyler O’Neill discovered a parody twitter account that was made about him.

Around the league...

• Check out our very own Matt Ellis’ piece on Short Relief with Baseball Prospectus. Nathan Bishop and Patrick Dubuque also appeared in Short Relief to discuss the Cubs and baseball cards.
• What does spring training mean? Kate attempts to answer that question in her second piece with Fangraphs.
• Craig Edwards at Fangraphs pieces together a plan for the Yankees to make enough room for Bryce Harper when he becomes a free agent. It really does feel inevitable that he’ll wind up in New York eventually, doesn’t it?
• Don Mattingly is a very trusting man.

Anders’ picks...

• There has been an update in the University of Washington men’s basketball coaching search.

• It’s all fun and games until someone gets nailed in the face.

• Skip Bayless made a dumb take, and Jon Heyman roasted him for it.