Sign Weeks

[bjamesw22]

Does anyone know what Rickie Weeks was offered last weekend? When are we going to sign this guy? I thought the plan was to have him sign early and have him catch up to the Huntsville Crew by the end of the year. There has to come a point where we say screw waiting for Delmon Young to sign and just sign the guy, even if it costs us an extra 500k or so. I want to see this guy play! Any news?

[Member]

Anyone remember when Fielder signed last year? I don't think it was any earlier than this.

 

Anyways, from everything I have been hearing, Weeks won't make it to Huntsville this year. My best guess is he'll spend the year in Beloit, as he is a little rawer than most college players.

 

I think the best one could hope for is that he tears up Beloit and maybe gets a late season call up to High Desert, sort of like we saw from Fielder last year in Ogden and Beloit.

 

I'd much rather have him advance at his own pace and have Cruz and Ginter hold down second for an extra year than rush him.

 

As it is, Hardy and Krynzel may just be too far ahead of those in Huntsville to keep the entire group together.

[Danagger]

How is a three year veteran, a golden spikes/howser winner, a guy who hit over 470 twice a little rawer than other collegians?

 

His batting average was the highest in the history of DI baseball yet he is raw? What does that make Mark Texiera, JD Drew, etc...were they even rawer (is that a word?)

 

Defensively he seems a bit of a neophyte, but his defense won't get him to the bigs, it is his stick and that isn't raw. I don't care what league he played in his numbers are sick.

[MassBrew]

Anyone remember when Fielder signed last year? I don't think it was any earlier than this.

 

Prince was signed, sealed and delivered in time to open the Pionner League season on time with Ogden. He hit a game-winning grand slam in his first professional game, June 19, 2002.

[Member]

How is a three year veteran, a golden spikes/howser winner, a guy who hit over 470 twice a little rawer than other collegians?

 

That's not my word, as I have never seen him play. And, trust me, its nothing personal against Weeks or anyone posting here.

 

And, while his numbers are very good regardless of the league in which he played, that doesn't mean he isn't a bit raw offensively and hasn't been taking advantage of different talent than guys who play for USC or Texas or Miami. Cruise the message board and look at the reports that we have been getting.

 

Based upon everything we have heard, Weeks is going to start in Beloit. If he tears the league up, then he'll probably get promoted. If he doesn't, he spends the year with the Snappers.

 

That doesn't mean he won't make the jump to Huntsville next year. Its just plain too early to tell, and there is no need to rush him.

 

Just to do a bit of comparing:

 

Sheets appeared in two or three games of rookie ball before being moved to A+ his first season.

 

Jenkins, too, started with the advanced rookie league team before spending most of his first year with the high A team. Even tho he got a taste of AA that first year, he still split his second year between high A and AA.

 

Hammonds, another college guy, got to the majors his first year, if his stats are right.

 

He's not coming to Milwaukee, and he's not the savior. So lets relax and be patient and enjoy the climb.

[Danagger]

To imply or rehash someone else's inference that the most prolific hitter (avg. wise/obp?) in college baseball history is somehow raw is naive. It goes without saying that everyone not named Bonds or Pujols is somewhat "raw". But the implication has been made that for a third year collegian and top draft pick he is somehow more raw than his peers. What does he need to do hit .700 with an obp of 890?

[docduany]

I think the point that is trying to be made is that none of us have seen Weeks in person. Those in the "know" have said that Weeks isn't the most polished guy coming out of college. His defense is in question. Why not let him work on it in the lower minors rather than where the pressure is more intense at AA. I would rather not rush this guy, I think that's what others are trying to say as well. If Rickie lights up the A ball pitches like Rockefeller plaza, than just promote him. I don't think it's naive to listen to others opinions, I think that's why they're paid professionals and I'm some guy typing on a message board.

[colbyjack]

Does anyone know what Rickie Weeks was offered last weekend? When are we going to sign this guy? I thought the plan was to have him sign early and have him catch up to the Huntsville Crew by the end of the year. There has to come a point where we say screw waiting for Delmon Young to sign and just sign the guy, even if it costs us an extra 500k or so. I want to see this guy play! Any news?

 

Well, we can't just give Weeks whatever he wants. As much as I'd like to see this guy in the system right now, you have to realize that it may take a while to get the 2nd overall pick signed. Look how long it has taken to sign the top couple of picks in recent years. BJ Upton didn't sign until the end of last summer, and Bullington took the entire year. While Joe Mauer signed quickly, Mark Prior, Mark Teixeira, Dewon Brazelton & Gavin Floyd also took all summer to sign. So, don't be surprised if we don't even have him in our system until August. As much as I would hate to see that, it is a very realistic possibility.

 

And of course the idea is to get him in the system right away, and ideally he could prove to move up the ladder quickly, but again, that may not happen, and that part of it may be out of the Brewers hands. And I think it was stated that the Brewers would like to create a wave of prospects that would follow the current crop of talent youngsters at AA by a year or two, not necessarily catch up to the AA talent. That group may already be at Beloit.

 

How is a three year veteran, a golden spikes/howser winner, a guy who hit over 470 twice a little rawer than other collegians?

 

His batting average was the highest in the history of DI baseball yet he is raw? What does that make Mark Texiera, JD Drew, etc...were they even rawer (is that a word?)

 

Defensively he seems a bit of a neophyte, but his defense won't get him to the bigs, it is his stick and that isn't raw. I don't care what league he played in his numbers are sick...

 

To imply or rehash someone else's inference that the most prolific hitter (avg. wise/obp?) in college baseball history is somehow raw is naive. It goes without saying that everyone not named Bonds or Pujols is somewhat "raw". But the implication has been made that for a third year collegian and top draft pick he is somehow more raw than his peers. What does he need to do hit .700 with an obp of 890?

 

First of all, we really don't know if his statistics will mean anything at the pro level. Even if he was playing against the top D1 talent, which he certainly wasn't, you can't always rely on statistics to determine whether or not he's polished or raw. Pete Incaviglia & Brooks Kieschnick are prime examples of this. Both guys absolutely dominated at the college level, and while both have enjoyed varying levels of success as pros, neither one of them have come close to living up to their lofty billing.

 

And Weeks didn't face the level of competition those 2 guys did. He played in the SWAC, a very weak conference, and while all to most of the teams he faced were still D1 programs, there are plenty of D2, D3 & probably even high school teams that could beat many of the teams Weeks faced.

 

OhioScout has popped in several times to tell us that Weeks isn't as polished as most of us would think, particularly that he has problems hitting the breaking ball, which is a common problem for young hitters. We've even been told that we as fans should be patient with Weeks, who may need more time in the minors that what we would first guess by looking at his numbers & knowing that he's a college pick.

 

So, it really isn't all that naive. As noted, most of these observations come from people that actually have had the chance to see Weeks play.

[Al the Thinking Man]

Most good college players take 2-3 years to reach the bigs. It seems that despite excellent D1 stats, he'll take that long or longer to make it. I doubt if Weeks faced a pitcher all season, maybe all career, that could throw any of his pitches over the plate at any time, in any count. Now, few guys at A ball can do this either, so I feel Rickie will be fine until he reaches AA.

 

A decent comparison would be small college centers who have talent and are drafted by an NBA team...and then folks are surprised they struggle, especially on offense. Having never really played a man as tall as themselves or a fraction as strong as Shaq or Ben Wallace, it's tough to be the same player. But, eventually, many develop into good players.

 

It's hard to believe Weeks will get on base 50% the time in college and then suck in the pros. But I don't think many will be surprised by slower progress than the normal #2 college pick.

[BrewDude]

If Rickie works as hard as he does now he will adjust just fine to this level and beyond. Hard work does pay off and this guy just works his tail off. But like AL has said patience is needed with him and basically anyone that is drafted. If you rush that is when failure most often occurs.

[nikip43]

that was a good point about the kids work ethic

 

from the little Ive read, it seems the kid really wants to get to the show and succeed for as hard as they say he works

 

Weeks never really took a day off as he continued working in the weight room the same night after his team won a division title or something to that nature. Seasons over, but within a minute, the next season had started for Weeks

 

I think that strong willpower is going to take him further than good batspeed or nice defense

[BrewDude]

Like they say: Where there is a will, there is a way. That I think is the Rickie Weeks motto. He will find a way to be successful and we will be there to watch it happen. Just want him signed, sealed, and delivered to Beloit to be able to see the goods up close and personal.