Melvin on WSSP

[Mass Haas]

Doug Melvin WSSP Audio

Some Alcides Escobar love, among other things

[dadofandrew]

Recap up at Ramblings.

[joepepsi]

Escobar doesn't look like anything special to me....at least with the bat.

[sbrylski]

Doug pimped Escobar on the Winter Warmup broadcast as well. By the way they talk about him, he seems to be what the organization thinks is hitting prospect #3, behind LaPorta and Gamel.

[homer]

I wonder if they're pimping him in order to build value for a trade? Probably not likely but you never know.

[Ennder]

He is still only 20 years old so kind of hard to judge him but his bat sure does look pretty plain. Not nearly enough BB's.

[sbrylski]

He is still only 20 years old so kind of hard to judge him but his bat sure does look pretty plain. Not nearly enough BB's.

The reports I've heard say he has a very clean, smooth stroke and hits the ball hard and square... So who knows, if he can become a .310 line drive hitter with top of the league defense, that'd be quite stellar. But obviously the results haven't quite been there, so it makes you wonder why they've pushed him so much. Just to keep him with Iribarren is a silly reason.

[bullox]

I went to Huntsville and saw him play last year. I was almost shocked at how rail thin he was, Michael Brantley as well.

 

That said, it was plainly obvious that Escobar is an absolute stud with the glove, making plays that he had no business making. He also should be arrested for carrying a gun (his right arm).

[trwi7]

This is the best picture I could find of him. He is skinny, damn.

 

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w137/coleccionvenezuela/VENEZOLANOS/escanear0057.jpg

 

 

He did raise his walk rate up to 6% in AA this year (up from 2.5% in A+, 4.9% the year before and 3.6 in 2005) his GB% has also gone down at each stop while his LD% has risen at each stop.

[dadofandrew]

He's 20 and in AA, that alone speaks to huis star potential. The Latino kids are always skinny. He's never going to be pudgy, but he'll fill out.

[bullox]

"The Latino kids are always skinny."

 

Somewhere, Ruben Quevedo just ate another dozen donuts.

[Crew2323]

"The Latino kids are always skinny."

 

Somewhere, Ruben Quevedo just ate another dozen donuts.

Bartolo Colon with him...

[SoCalBrewfan]

Our own Ronnie Belliard weighs in as well...sorry.

[JohnBriggs12]

I think he could be really good. Hitting .283 at AA at the same age as a guy coming off his sophomore year in college?

[dadofandrew]

Average SS's only hit .330/.405, so if he can get up to that and be a plus defender, he'll be a very rich young man.

[GAME05]

if the Brewers wanted him to get bigger, wouldn't they just put him on a weight-gain and heavy lifting program?

[Tbadder]

I'd opt for human growth hormone.

[ELCABALLO45]

I agree ^

[SmartBall]

Talking to the guys I know in minor-league ball, I am shocked by how little the training staffs do when these guys are away from the park. They try to give advice on how to eat and work out, but most of the time there isn't a meal provided at the park, and these guys are just driving through McDonalds on their way to the game. I stayed with a friend of mine for a few days and was amazed at how he and all of his room mates ate. I guess I figured with all of the money that organizations invest in player development, a healthy post-game buffet would seem to make sense.

[Gopher74]

Escobar doesn't look like anything special to me....at least with the bat.

I just don't understand this opinion. The kid hits the ball hard. You have to be able to project what he's going to turn into. He's 6'1 and 20 years old. 3 years from now, he could easily have put on 30 pounds, and be hitting for a lot more power. I think of Yunel Escobar when I think of Alcides. Yunel's frame is what I think Alcides will eventually end up at, or at least near. Yunel is about 5 years old, but he really just squares up on the ball and smacks it.

 

And if he can become a .300/.350 10 HR, 35 DBL type hitter, it's going to help us out a great deal when Hardy's contract comes up. Not having to sign Hardy, and having Escobar coming into his own at that time, could save a lot of money to spend on Weeks, Braun, Hart or even the big dog.

 

Or hell, just have one of the best left sides of the IF in the game defensively with Hardy and Escobar. Either way, I really like Alcides.

 

[joepepsi]

Hardy was in AA at 20 also. He hit .279/.367/.428. Escobar at 20 hit this combined between A and AA: .306/.331/.366.

 

The 20 year old Hardy flashed good defense, very good on base skills, and solid power numbers. The 20 year old Escobar is a fantastic defender by all accounts who so far seems to hit like Alex Sanchez.

 

I'm not saying Escobar won't develop into a special player, but I suspect the minors are full of skinny fast ss with a good glove. If he adds 30 pounds and starts showing some power, then I'll believe he may be special. But, really, you say that about any minor leaguer.

[dadofandrew]

I don't think many folks see Escobar hitting like JJ, JJ is a well above average offensive SS. But, Escobar's defensive skills make him very good if he hits at all. Even if he doesn't hit, he still might start for a few years.