The drive to watch their son play professional baseball just got shorter for the Paxtons and this time it will be on the game's biggest stage.
James Paxton will have at least 100 family and friends in the stands at Safeco Field on Saturday night when the lefty from Ladner makes his Major League Baseball debut in a starting role against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
The 24-year-old was pitching for the Ms Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma last Sunday when he was pulled after two innings to learn he had been promoted to the big club. His parents had made the trek down I-5 to watch their son pitch at Cheney Stadium. Paxton was able to invite them into the clubhouse to tell them the good news himself.
"We saw his teammates giving him hugs (in the dugout) so we knew something was cooking,"
said his father Ted Paxton. "The first thing I thought I when he told me was all those hours throwing (at nearby) Leslie Park when he was 12 years-old because this is where he wanted to be one day.
"It is going to be very special."
Paxton has spent the entire season in Tacoma where he had put together an 8-11 record, in 28 appearances, with a 4.45 earned run average. With
all-star Hisashi Iwakuma having a limited role for the balance of the season, Paxton will be part of a six-man rotation. He should get at least one more start at Safeco before the end of the season.
The Delta secondary graduate grew up in the Ladner Minor Baseball system before heading to the B.C. Premier League where he flourished with the North Delta Blue Jays under manager Ari Mellios. He earned a full-ride scholarship to the University of Kentucky where he put together three impressive seasons. He was selected 37th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2009 MLB Draft but did not sign with the club.
After a year of independent ball, Paxton was selected again in the 2010 draft, this time in the fourth round by the Mariners. He enjoyed an impressive 2012 campaign with the Ms' Double-A affiliate in Jackson.
Extra innings.... A special week for Ladner baseball players also included Tom Robson pitching the Vancouver Canadians to a playoff win on Tuesday night. Robson, 20, worked five innings and surrendered just one run as the Canadians erupted for four runs in the sixth to break a 1-1 deadlock in a 5-1 win over the Everett Aquasox.
Vancouver also defeated Everett Wednesday to advance to the Single-A Short Season Northwest League championship series.
Since being promoted to Vancouver, Robson has a 3-0 record and a 0.94 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched.
