SB Nation User Blog: DITO

Jim Negrych

DITO — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:48:09 -0000

Is looking like a fairly legitimate prospect. He didn't show power in his first season, but hit a ton of doubles as a 23 year old this year at Lynchburg. Since his promotion to Altoona he hasn't kept the power, but he is still hitting and has a decent walk rate. He is on an eight game hitting streak while he is 13/29 (all singles) and three walks.

Basically, there are two questions I want to ask in this post: can he play second base and is his bat legit? He is playing third now, but WTM still has him listed as a second baseman--just didn't update this or is there something behind it? I know there has been a lot of worry about his defense, but qualitatively (with the exception of range, maybe), I feel second base is easier to play than third. His bat would be more valuable at second and he'd have an easier path to the majors.

Does he hit the ball hard? Is he athletic enough to possibly improve with the glove? I just haven't seen him play, and if I try to think about the 2010 roster I'd love to put him at 2B. Is this feasible?

Brant Colamarino

DITO — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:17:05 -0000

Looking for a little quick information on this Pittsburgh native and 2002 Billy Beane pick out of my alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh.

He was in the As system until last year, and the post gazette name-dropped him today and said he is a Blue Jays first baseman. He doesn't have any stats in 2008, at any level, and he is not on the Blue Jays 40 man roster.

Milb.com has him on the Blue Jays' AA affliliate in New Hampshire. Does anyone know if he is injured? A quick Google search didn't turn up anything for me in that regard.

What would you do?

DITO — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:03:11 -0000

So Nate McLouth is currently tearing up the MLB with the stick while playing good defense in center field. But there is a problem: the organization's best prospect is a center fielder, and nothing else.

Now there is plenty of time for management to evaluate both of these guys, or for one of them to make the decision easy--through injury, lack of production, or something else. But for purposes of this post, lets assume that they are both legit and will stay healthy.

Now for Nate, by legit I don't mean the .333/.414/.627 line he is currently posting. I was thinking a few prime seasons of .290/.385/.500 or so, with 20-35 steals depending where he hits in the order. I think he is entirely capable of this line, if you don't then say so, because it will probably affect your answer to the ultimate question.

Legit for Cutch, in my eyes, would be a June-July call up and demonstration that he is ready--so ready that there is not question he will be with the big club to start 2009 and that the organization is ready to commit to him as a major-leaguer. There is no need for a general stat line here, I think most will know if he is ready or not after seeing 3-4 months of him in '08.

Obviously McLouth's value would decrease if he was moved to left field permanently, but to keep him with the Bucs as one of the organizational building blocks, that seems to be the only option.

Given that McLouth is good for the rest of '08, and McCutchen is ready to take over as the centerfielder in 2009, I would be 100% in favor of making Nate McLouth our left fielder of the future. I think his bat is good enough, and I think it is worth it considering we don't really have any other options in left, at least none that are as good as Nate. We have enough other holes that need to be filled through other means--it just seems smart to let him take left.

So, what do you think?

I'd really like to hear what other people think about having a McLouth, McCutchen, Pearce outfield for a few years. Or, do you think the Bucs should trade one of them? Or, do you see McLouth as more of a fourth outfielder in the future, and we should look for other ways to fill left? Or is there something else to consider I am missing?