Weeks weakness---The side-arm sling

[joepepsi]

Was Post #19 By FVBrewerFan really made at 2:40 PM on February 25, 1937? If so, that's awesome!

[RobDeer 45]

Side arm from second or even short stop is not a negative. You can't take the time to throw over the top on a lot of throws from 2nd. Sidearm is quicker. I think his problem is aiming and or letting up on his throws. That causes you to let go of the ball in different spots because you're timing is off and you're thinking about it. He just needs to let it rip.

[jhart05]

Weeks just needs to start breathing thru his eyelids, then he would be the All-Star people thought he would become when he was drafted.

[Flood Pants]

Yes, that's a weakness...along with his low OBP.

Are we talking about the same Rickie Weeks? OBP has probably been his most consistently good skill.

 

2006 - .363

2007 - .374

2008 - .342

2009 - .340

Career - .351

 

Those are some very solid numbers.

[Ennder]

Weeks just needs to start breathing thru his eyelids, then he would be the All-Star people thought he would become when he was drafted.

All he really needs is to not get hurt and he becomes one of the top 2 or 3 players at 2B in the NL.

[theavrock]

Yes, that's a weakness...along with his low OBP.

Are we talking about the same Rickie Weeks? OBP has probably been his most consistently good skill.

 

2006 - .363

2007 - .374

2008 - .342

2009 - .340

Career - .351

 

Those are some very solid numbers.

er I mean he strikes out too much

er I mean he is a terrible base runner

er I mean I think his dreads weigh him down

Because Weeks came up with so many expectations and has been hurt a lot people just like to pick on him. Like Ennder said if he stays healthy he becomes one of the best 2b in the NL. His problem is he hasn't been able to stay healthy.

 

[RockCoCougars]

Now that Sheets is gone, Weeks had better not get hurt. Hart has assumed Hardy's role as the underachiever scapegoat, and I can see Weeks taking over as the undependable scapegoat.

[Ennder]

Now that Sheets is gone, Weeks had better not get hurt. Hart has assumed Hardy's role as the underachiever scapegoat, and I can see Weeks taking over as the undependable scapegoat.

Hart has underachieved way longer than Hardy has, this seemed like a really odd comment to me.

[RobDeer 45]

How has Hart underachieved except for last year and the last month of the previous year? I think he's been an over achiever. He was never supposed to be a "stud" was he?

[mletto157]

How has Hart underachieved except for last year and the last month of the previous year? I think he's been an over achiever. He was never supposed to be a "stud" was he?

I would say it's more like all of last year and at least half of the year before... probably more like everything except the first month. Hardy's only under-achieving year was last year (his 1st year wasn't under-achieving to me since he shouldn't have been up that early anyway) and the rest he finished as one of the top 5 at his position.

[logan82]

It was pretty much one bad month for Hart in 2008. His OBP sucked pretty much all of the 2nd half but without his absolutely horrible September things probably still look somewhat respectable.

 

March .250/.250/.500/.750

April .295/.358/.421/.779

May .306/.342 .519/.861

June .265/.292/.588/.880

July .265/.301/.439/.740

August .299/.310/.523/.833

September.173/.192/.245/.437

[TooLiveBrew]

FWIW, Haudricourt said on the D-List this afternoon that ... Rickie Weeks looks great, which has to be reassuring.

That's from the McGehee thread. I can't quite put into words how excited I am for Weeks this season. Although I'm not sure the context of TH's quote -- did he mean Rickie looks good physically (which is apparent from pictures), or that he's looked good in terms of performance/workouts/BP?

[Invader3K]

I think he was talking in terms of physical appearance. Probably too early to judge performance I'd guess.

[HiAndTight]

Side arm from second or even short stop is not a negative. You can't take the time to throw over the top on a lot of throws from 2nd. Sidearm is quicker. I think his problem is aiming and or letting up on his throws. That causes you to let go of the ball in different spots because you're timing is off and you're thinking about it. He just needs to let it rip.

 

Exactly. A lot of infielders come from that sidearm angle in order to get the ball out quickly. You don't see many 3rd basemen who charge a slow roller or a bunt who gather themselves and throw over the top like a RF'er very often because the extra time is bad.

 

As for Weeks "flat footed and stiffed leg side arm throws to first", I don't think some people realize that you have guys coming in hard trying to break up a play. I understand they teach you to throw over the top and step into every throw in little league and when you start playing baseball, but as you move up, different techniques are used in order to keep up.

 

I think you're exactly right in that his problem is him aiming the ball rather than how he throws it.

[RobDeer 45]

Preesh (as in appreciate it) I believe Turnbow would say that back in the day http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[JJHardy7]

I know I have been the biggest Weeks fan, but I really hope he has a good season. The question I do have...what impact will last year's injury have on him this year? Will he be 100% like he was last year or will it take time for scar tissue to 'loosen' up or whatever.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'd think the scar tissue will have to break up this time, just like last time. I just hope fans don't jump all over him if he is struggling early on. The timetable for his procedure last time was one year, and his performance really reflected that. He had his surgery last year on May 19th, which should mean he'll be fully recovered come this June. I wonder if he'll need to have a procedure again to remove scar tissue.

[TooLiveBrew]

From the JSOnline's Brewers Blog today:

 

The early Weeks: There's always the caveat of it still being early, but second baseman Rickie Weeks has looked sharp with the bat and defensively.

 

Weeks is 3 of 6 in three games and has made solid contact even on outs. Most important, he isn't reporting any pain in his surgically repaired left wrist on any of his swings.

 

Weeks has made a couple of nice plays in the hole and has stolen two bases, although he's made a couple of outs on the bases, as well.

 

"I'm very pleased with his defensive work and his hand seems OK," said Macha. "There's been a lot of good from Rickie."

The Weeks segment is at the bottom of the article. This is really good to hear, especially the defense imo. If his progress in the field last season wasn't fluky and/or small-sample related, we could have an incredibly valuable player on our hands.

[Invader3K]

Yeah, sounds very promising. Let's all just hope he stays healthy, obviously.

[rickh150]

A second baseman's defense is highly under-rated. Turning Two is huge. Repeat. Turning Two is HUGE. It gets you out of innings with one pitch, it strands runners, and it usually is a gigantic swing of momentum. With Weeks, I cringed on dp grounders when he was the one making the turn. With Lopez and Counsell, no. You look at Weeks defensive stats, and they look rather good last year. Yet, there were a handful of plays, like many in prior years, when he couldn't make the turn or slung the ball in the dirt off his backfoot. Even turns he does make, the throw is rarely chest high at the letters. This is a problem until evidence shows it's fixed. Games, key games, are won and lost by second basemen's defense.

That being said, I still am glad we have Weeks. He still could be a star in the making. His offense could shine for years and outweigh his defensive short-comings. I hope his defense does improve, and maybe it has. His range and fielding skills have, no doubt, improved over the last four years. However, if he still has problems early with turning two, I'd prefer to see Counsell in the late innings with a lead. It gives us the best shot to win. Sorry Ned, but it's true.

[3Putt]

Weeks is never going to be a Gold Glove fielder because he's so stiff but he is a great illustration of how much a player can improve if he continues to do the work. He's shown glimpses of being a terrific offensive player so hopefully he can stay healthy for a full season and show us what we have. As previous posters pointed out, if we're debating his ability to turn two then he must be doing a decent job on the routine plays.

[HiAndTight]

A second baseman's defense is highly under-rated. Turning Two is huge. Repeat. Turning Two is HUGE. It gets you out of innings with one pitch, it strands runners, and it usually is a gigantic swing of momentum. With Weeks, I cringed on dp grounders when he was the one making the turn. With Lopez and Counsell, no. You look at Weeks defensive stats, and they look rather good last year. Yet, there were a handful of plays, like many in prior years, when he couldn't make the turn or slung the ball in the dirt off his backfoot. Even turns he does make, the throw is rarely chest high at the letters. This is a problem until evidence shows it's fixed. Games, key games, are won and lost by second basemen's defense.

 

That being said, I still am glad we have Weeks. He still could be a star in the making. His offense could shine for years and outweigh his defensive short-comings. I hope his defense does improve, and maybe it has. His range and fielding skills have, no doubt, improved over the last four years. However, if he still has problems early with turning two, I'd prefer to see Counsell in the late innings with a lead. It gives us the best shot to win. Sorry Ned, but it's true.

 

I think everyone rates 2nd base defense very high and I think we all have a pretty damn good idea that a double play is important. A single out is rather important as well.

 

What's more, again, I think every 2nd basemen throws the ball off his back foot. Otherwise, you're going to go all Jim Gantner circa 1989 and blow out a knee something ugly.

[topper09er]

Opening day another example of Weeks with absolutely horrible fundamentals with his terrible back hand flip to Escobar when he had enough time to make a proper feed. Luckily Escobar makes a great play and throws the ball with both legs in the air to save a Weeks error. Why is Willie Randolph on our coaching staff.

[TooLiveBrew]

And of course you omit the very nice play Weeks made on the ball that took the bad hop at him earlier in the game. Randolph is on the staff because he's a good tutor on infield defense, & has helped Weeks improve a lot, and I'd guess also for his knowledge of the NL given his time with the Mets.

[endaround]

That was Escobar who screwed up by not clearing the bag and throwing over the top of it. Escobar took an easy feed and screwed it up by not getting in the right place and then almost jump throwing the ball into the stands.