Sometimes there are players that you know are
destined for great things.
Sometimes
players think they are destined for great
things.
All too often players who are
merely 19 or 20 years old playing minor league baseball carry a swagger as
if they are already doing commercials with Randy Johnson or Sammy Sosa.
One current Chicago Cub outfielder came out of a Double-A clubhouse one
night only a couple years after being drafted, after a game one night
proclaimed, “Just one guys. Only signing one (card)
apiece.”
Those are the kinds of players
that give the game itself a bad name. Who cares what kinds of tools they
have or if they remind some of a younger Barry
Bonds?
One player who has the hype but
not the attitude to go with it is Rickie Weeks.
“Some people are like that,” Weeks said. “I was raised differently
I guess. The whole thing is to just go play ball. There are not too many
things you can say about yourself.”
Weeks, who prepped at Lake Brantley High in Altamonte Springs,
Fla., was snatched up with the second overall pick in the 2003 draft. A
couple months later, Weeks became the first Brewer draftee in franchise
history to ink a five-year big league contract, which included a $3.6
million signing bonus.
The humble Weeks,
who followed Rickey Henderson and the Oakland A’s in his younger years,
tabbed his family when citing who got him to where he is
today.
“The biggest influence in my
life probably would be my parents. They set me on the straight forward
path to try and get things done in the right
way.”
Weeks brought his talent with him
to the professional ranks as he batted .358 in 67 minor league at bats
before capping off the 2003 season with two hits in 12 at bats with
Milwaukee.
“It was just a great
experience for me,” Weeks said of his time in the majors. “Hopefully, I
can get back to the stadium. And, hopefully it will be
soon.”
There has been some talk of moving
Weeks to center field in the future. I personally think that simply
because you have a large frame and a big bat, it doesn’t mean that you
project better at a different position. Rickie backs up such claims as he
has just eight errors in his first 76 games in Double-A Huntsville this
season. On top of that, there is a logjam of talent in the Brewer outfield
as it is.
Milwaukee just extended Geoff
Jenkins’ contract. Scott Podsednik made a run at NL Rookie of the Year in
’03 and should easily swipe 50 bases this season. Dave Krynzel, Brad
Nelson, Corey Hart and Tony Gwynn Jr. all hope to prove something to men
like general manager Doug Melvin and manager Ned Yost in the spring of
’05.
There is always the age-old adage
that says that if you can hit, they will find a spot for you. If Junior
Spivey is still in Milwaukee when Rickie is ready, we may see Weeks take a
few balls at another position until second is vacated. You don’t keep
hitters as disciplined as Weeks in
Triple-A.
Talented players like
Wilson Betemit have proven that they can field, run and throw with the big
boys but striking out 180 times in a season is no longer acceptable with
on-base percentage being a driving force in the minds of many young GMs.
Rickie’s watchful eye projects to a .375 or better OBP in the majors.
Think bulkier Craig Biggio.
Until Weeks
gets his spot, he is adept at learning from the big boys whether it be
during infield practice in Arizona in March or at Miller Park during a
September call-up. “(Craig Counsell and Spivey) just try and make
everything easier than it seems. Take everything step-by-step. They are
great guys. They showed me bits and pieces of the game that hopefully I
might be using in the future.”
Rickie
Weeks future is undoubtedly bright. Just don’t expect him to tell you
about it.
Questions/Comments on this article?? Send them to Danny
Parker.
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