I’m Sorry. I really am. I didn’t mean to step away for so long, but I’ve stepped away for too long. Life happens and things kind of got a bit busy. Working more. Summer is here. Socializing a bit more. And I’m also in the process of searching for a new place to live in my spare time.
But I’ll be back. I promise. Goldschmidt!
Tito – Fantasy 40/40
There’s no doubt we’re seeing a new youth movement in Major League Baseball. I don’t know if it’s that players are getting better or stronger. Or if they’re better prepared these days. Or is it just job security and the pressure felt by front offices to get “their guys” up and prove they can produce. Either way, the pressure to perform seems to be greater than ever.
Every executive would love to find the Mike Piazza gem in the 62nd round, but for every great pick like Keith Hernandez (Rd. 42), there seems to be countless busts in early rounds as well.
The reality is that there is no bigger gamble than the Major League prospect. There’s no secret about my love of one Brandon Wood and his rapid accent to the majors and consequently, his even faster decent to obscurity. We were looking at a kid who hit .321 with 43 HRs & 115 RBI’s in his first year of pro ball. The hype was real and mostly warranted. Yet, after five years, Brandon has a career .177 avg in the Major Leagues and is a phone call away from finding himself coaching at his alma mater Horizon High School. There is no sure thing.
Moving on, it’s not like he’s alone by any means. Remember names like Sean Burroughs? Matt Bush? And Andy Marte just to name a few. These guys were touted as the “next big thing” and all are no doubt Andre Ware-type busts.
What does this mean for guys like Mike Trout & Bryce Harper? That may be the best part of how baseball works…we really have no clue? The consensus is that Harper will be rushed to the bigs like A-Rod was and find himself the savior of D.C. Strasburg was (and no doubt still may be) that guy, but he may just as easily find himself fishing with Mark Prior, talking about what “might have been?”
None of this truly means anything and is mostly just random ramblings. But, I just love a sport where guys can still produce well into their 40’s: Tim Wakefield, Vlad Guerrero, Miguel Tejada & Alfonso Soriano. Yet, guys in their 20’s can seem to be such an enigma.
Here’s to hoping that the likes of Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas & Anthony Rizzo don’t find their names with Brandon Wood and Andy Marte five years from now.
Contributed by: Kroochie