Is Rickie's Production A Concern?

[afeter]

To me it is. Here is what he has done, current of 3-10-08

 

ab hits total bases walks k's

23 4 6 1 10

 

 

The strike out to walk/ab ratio is really scary. I understand you could use "sample size" or the "its spring training argument" to explain this production away. I guess my point is to solicit opinions on whether or not you think this is an indicator of what is to come this season.

[owbc]

The sample size is just too small at this point. 23 ABs is less than a week of games.

 

I'm not worried. All it takes is about 3 hits and he'll be back over .200.

[molitor fan]

Not a concern at all. Weeks was making a point to see tons of pitches, and always seemed to be at a 3-2 count. Weeks defense should be of primary concern, as his footwork has not improved at all from what I saw in Arizona.

[rluzinski]

This does not worry me one bit. In the same vein, when some 32 year old AAA lifer has a hot first week in Spring Training, I don't get excited. When a 3 for 4 performance can add 90 points to your BA it's just too early to even care, IMO. That said, I think people might be a little TOO optimistic about Weeks this year.

[brettac1]

So long as he's not hurt, I'm not worried at all. It's spring training.

[sbrylski]

I told some chick about Rickie's first 23 ABs:

 

 

Okay, so that was overly sarcastic. But I'm not worried either. He's going to zero in on the ball, this is what ST is for.

[afeter]

nice, I like the way that chick worked it please pm with her digits. Like i mentioned, i understand sample size is only 23. but he has struck out 10 times and walked once.

[sheetswannabe]

Put it this way....Ichiro is 0-17, is he a bad hitter?

[Big Reed]

then again, what are your expectations of Rickie? When we drafted him, I compared him to Roberto Alomar. But by his second and third year in the majors, Alomar was a bonified all star offensively and defensively. Rickie has not come close in either aspect of his game and has shown no evidence of ever doing so. I have lowered my expectations of rickie to be a .250 hitter with 20 homers and 15 steals. So his Spring numbers are not that far off from my expectations of him. This is rickie's make or break year. Prince is already complaining about certain brewers making more money than him and not producing. I have to believe he was refering to rickie's contract.

 

talking about second basemen who are hot, you should be talking about the stats of Marcus Giles. he is having a great Spring and you can't use Coors field as a factor. The Brewers could have signed Giles. I think I was the only person interested in him. Will Giles continue his torrid pace? it's doubtful. But it looks like he's made the team and sent super prospect Stewart back to the minors.

[sweepscc]

It's gotta be the wrist.

[sheetswannabe]

Rickie has not come close in either aspect of his game and has shown no evidence of ever doing so.

 

His performance after his call up last year begs to differ.

[owbc]

I have lowered my expectations of rickie to be a .250 hitter with 20 homers and 15 steals.

The thing about that is, Rickie is a .249 career hitter and he hit 16 HR and stole 25 bases last year--despite being injured and spending time in AAA. So don't give up on him as a 30/30 guy yet, he's still a few years away from his prime.

[brettac1]

But it looks like he's made the team and sent super prospect Stewart back to the minors.

 

It's March 10th! And I'm not sure what the Brewers' use for him would have been.

[TooLiveBrew]

he is having a great Spring and you can't use Coors field as a factor.

Arizona's dry air is notorious for aiding batters. So are small samples. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Ennder]

Alomar's first 2068 PA were all sub .800 OPS. He didn't break out until after that many PAs. Weeks has 1347 PAs and in fact his first 1347 PA were better than Alomar's offensively.

[razzzorsharp]

Is this because you drafted him way too high in fantasy baseball?

[TooLiveBrew]

Alomar's first 2068 PA were all sub .800 OPS. He didn't break out until after that many PAs. Weeks has 1347 PAs and in fact his first 1347 PA were better than Alomar's offensively.

And obviously Rickie's light-years ahead of what Alomar ever did defensively.

[JJHardy7]

I'm a little worried with the strikeouts, but it's not enough at bats or even the regular season to get too worried. It's the same as being really worried about a pitcher right now. Rickie could be working on specific things and is probably not over concerned about it. Pitchers "struggle" in spring training trying to get their arm ready and trying new things or changing aspects of their game.

 

His performance after his call up last year begs to differ.

 

I think this is part of the problem. Can Rickie put together a year close to his performance after he was called up? I sure hope so, but he was sent down to AAA to work on some bad habits. Hopefully those habits won't come back once the games count.

[apirk]

. But it looks like he's made the team and sent super prospect Stewart back to the minors.

Stewart is actually considered a disappointment and is likely a Four A ballplayer.

 

[dadofandrew]

Anything under 150-200 AB's is a tiny sample.

 

23? As meaningless as can be.

[afeter]

Anything under 150-200 AB's is a tiny sample.

 

23? As meaningless as can be.

sorry but i acknowledged this was a tiny sample. I know its statiscally meaningless. its 10 k's in 23 abs and i feel it is not the start rickie needs. I will be really scared if he starts this season with 23 meaningless abs posting 10 k's.

 

 

[logan82]

I seem to remember a rookie who went 0-17 to start. I think he had something like 10 K's also. I think he turned out ok.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Let's have some patience here. Rickie's going to be a nice leadoff hitter for this team. All he has to do is get on base to get that blazing speed on the bags and he will achieve his role on the team.

[TerraceReserved]

Anything under 150-200 AB's is a tiny sample.

 

23? As meaningless as can be.

sorry but i acknowledged this was a tiny sample. I know its statiscally meaningless. its 10 k's in 23 abs and i feel it is not the start rickie needs. I will be really scared if he starts this season with 23 meaningless abs posting 10 k's.

 

 

 

 

If it's meaningless, then why are you worried about it?

[Kurt]

Not worried at all. This is why we have spring training.

 

And the whole Alomar comparison doesn't really stack up offensively. Through their first 1100 or so MLB at bats, Weeks has over twice as many home runs with a higher OBP and SLG.

 

People seem to just look at Ricky's batting average from last year and immediately write him off. He had a really good year last year. His OBP last year was one of the highest any Brewer has had in the past ten years!