Link Dump 2/23: Because No One Else Took the Time to Create One

It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I post today's DLD.  The reason for my distraught feelings?  As of 11:30am PST, no one had posted a DLD.  What happened?  Where are the dependable dumpers?  Why have those trusted names and dedicated souls let us down?  Why has it been left to me, a lurker who posts a comment less than once a month, to post the DLD?  Shame on you.

On to my shabby list o' links...

It's early, but Susie says Zito and Harden are in fine form.

Zito is in sensational shape and his velocity is up, according to the two men who have caught him, while Harden's recovery from surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder is rapidly becoming a non-issue.
Only one tangentially-related A's question in Neyer's chat this morning:
Dan (Stirling, Scotland): Rob, Do the Cardinals sign Mark Mulder to an extension, just to not get completely embarassed from the Haren/Barton deal? The thought of signing Mulder to a long-term deal given his downward trend in peripherals scares the heck out of this Cardinals fan.

Rob Neyer: Depends on the $$$ in the long-term deal. My guess is that Mulder and his agent will be thinking All-Star money . . . but Mulder's really not that good any more. He's still a good pitcher, so he's worth $8-$10 million per season. But I don't think the Cardinals can get him for that. And yes, they're going to miss Haren and Barton.

Wow, is it a slow news day.  Guess I'll mention that Dan Meyer had a tough season last year.  (Where was I?)
Meyer's year was a nightmare. He injured his left shoulder working out in spring training, didn't tell anybody, got hammered in the Cactus League and the first five weeks of the regular season at Triple-A Sacramento, then finally told the truth about the injury.

"If I could do it again, of course, I would say something earlier," Meyer said. "But it's a new team, a high-profile trade. There was some pressure. I wanted to show what I can do. I kept pressing, and I pressed too hard. That's the type of competitor I am. I didn't want to be that person. I did everything I possibly could to battle through it."

The A's weren't thrilled Meyer took so long to come clean about the injury, but felt a sense of relief because it explained why Meyer was suddenly so ineffective. Meyer never had an ERA above 2.87 at any level in the minors, yet his ERA was 6.62 when he went on the disabled list May 11.

Extremely off-topic, somewhat self promotional, and a possible violation of AN guidelines: I'm training for a triathlon and raising money for the good people at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  If you'd like more info, here it is. (I apologize in advance for the blinding photo.)