I’m kind of in full promotional mode right now, so this will be brief. Just wanted to point out a couple of cool items out there:

• Prospect Interview with Brent Carter. J.C. Bradbury, esteemed author of The Baseball Economist: The Real Game Exposed, did a little Q&A with Padres left-hander Brent Carter. Some choice snippets from Carter:
  

  If you’re a baseball fan, it’s hard not to like Moneyball. It’s been a few years since I have read it, but I remember the Chad Bradford story, and Giambi’s Hole pretty well. When it was first published it seemed the “Moneyball” concept was cutting edge stuff, so that’s what I really liked about it.

  Yep, everyone loves the Bradford story. And Scott Hatteberg; don’t forget him. Anyway, we’re talking about Carter. Check this out:

  Stat-heads are looked at differently. Some people think it’s a waste of time, but others, like me, try to use it as a tool I can use to help me get better. Perfect example — my batting average against (BAA) lefties last year was .377. That really hit home with me and told me that as soon as my Achilles got well enough for me to throw, then I have got to start working on a pitch that runs away from lefties.

  The interview continues in that manner; it’s a worthy read. Seriously, where else are you going to find someone asking a minor-league pitcher what he thinks about DIPS?

• Prospect Diary: Dirk Hayhurst. I was going to save this for the weekly link roundup, but it’s too cool not to share right now. Over at Baseball America, right-hander Dirk Hayhurst checks in from spring training with his thoughts on the experience. This is great because it’s his own words and almost none of it has to do with baseball. Hayhurst arrived late to camp and didn’t get his first choice of living quarters. What to do, what to do:
  

  I managed to find another older guy in a suite without a roommate. He snores like a dragon and no one wanted to room with him (which explains his lack of an eager roomie candidate).

  I wanted a suite, so I took my chances. I know this guy, and I know his potential to rattle the walls, practically shaking the foundation of the building. I also know that for some strange reason people who snore always fall asleep faster then those who don’t. It’s like some cruel joke. This guy is also one of the guys who falls asleep fast and does not wake once he’s down for the night. I could already see myself waking up angry and launching something, anything, at him to shut him up so I could get some sleep. I am a light sleeper so I pretty much committed sleep suicide when I decided to room with him.

  Very entertaining read. Apparently Hayhurst is one of BA’s “featured diary scribes for 2007″ so I’m hoping we’ll get more of this throughout the season. I don’t know about you, but for me, these stories never get old.

That’s all for now. Oh yeah, don’t forget to buy the book.