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| Friday, July 21 | |||||
| Change of scenery might just help Pickering Special to ESPN.com | |||||
| REPORT FILED: JULY 21
I get a lot of e-mail, and while I read every one, I don't always have time to respond to each message. With that in mind, here are some messages I've received lately and my response for public consumption. We will return to our regular prospect reports next week.
Brad G. writes: A couple years back Calvin Pickering had a good year in Double-A, 30 HR 100 RBI. I thought he was destined to be the DH in Baltimore by now. Since
then he has not hit much at all. Is it an attitude problem, a physical
ailment, or is he just not as good as that one year?
Good question Brad. After Pick's terrific 1998 season, I thought he was one of the best prospects in baseball. The Orioles apparently did not agree; they picked up guys like Will Clark and Harold Baines to play first base and DH, the only positions Pickering can handle, then sent the young slugger back to the minors to improve his defense and lose weight.
He was bothered by a sore shoulder much of last year, although he did hit well in the second half at Rochester. It wasn't enough to earn him a job this season apparently, and this year he is stinking up the joint, hitting a measly .218 with little power for the Red Wings. He's also made 12 errors in 60 games.
It's obvious that he needs a change of scenery if he is ever going to emerge in the majors.
What happened? Well, I think it's a combination of the first two factors you mentioned: attitude and the injury. It's not so much that Pickering is a bad guy; I think he's discouraged by his environment and lack of opportunity. The injury last year didn't help, and this year it looks like he's just given up. The onus is on him to produce, of course, but I think it's clear the Orioles didn't handle him very well. He is still just 23, and if he gets a chance somewhere else I think he can still be productive.
Fred T. writes: Who is this Tony Blanco guy in the Gulf Coast League? And why didn't you mention him in your "favorite players in rookie ball" articles?
I got several questions over the last week asking me about Blanco. I didn't write about him earlier because I didn't have much information about him, plus those articles were never intended as "top prospect" pieces.
For those of you who haven't looked at the Gulf Coast League stats yet, Blanco is a guy in the Red Sox system, currently hitting .427 with a .740 slugging percentage. His strike zone judgment is decent (11 walks, 15 strikeouts in 96 at-bats) and he can run a bit too, stealing four bases so far. He has good raw defensive skills at third base, although "raw" is an important word here: he's made 12 errors already.
Blanco is an 18-year-old Dominican, and this is his first year in North American baseball. Obviously he has talent, but it's never a good idea to get overly excited about 25 games in the Gulf Coast League. It's a small sample; if he goes through a slump those numbers will wash out fast. On the other hand, it's entirely possible that he will continue to hit like this, especially since his K/BB numbers are good.
Like all guys this low in the minors, wait and see is the best policy. We'll review the short-season leagues once the season is over and will get a better read on his status then.
L. Green writes: Are you still high on Jeremy Giambi or do you think Adam Piatt can/will pass him up?
Oakland really has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to hitters. I like both Giambi and Piatt, but I don't see them as competitors against each other.
Giambi is a lefty and can play the outfield and first base (sort of), while Piatt is a right-handed hitter who gets by at first, third, and left field.
The two guys who should be threatened are the injured John Jaha and the .215-hitting Matt Stairs. My guess is that neither will be wearing an Oakland uniform a year from now, with Giambi and Piatt taking their roster slots.
Steve B. writes: A quick question about an Astro farmhand who has caught my eye: Keith Ginter. Have not seen any info on this kid, but his numbers at Double-A Round Rock are impressive. Any thoughts?
Ginter was over .400 for part of the spring, but has cooled off lately and is now hitting "just" .345 ... with 20 homers and 20 steals. Not bad for a second baseman, even if it is the Texas League, which is good for hitting. Ginter also has a .464 on-base percentage thanks to 56 walks.
Who is this guy? He was a 10th-round pick out of Texas Tech in 1998. He isn't a terrific awe-inspiring athlete, but he knows how to play baseball, has some pop in his bat, and can run the bases. He hit .263 with 13 homers in the Florida State League last year, and has really come into his own this season.
A negative is his age: 24, which isn't ancient but isn't young either. Right now I think most people would peg him as a potential bench player, although if he keeps producing numbers like this he could get a regular shot eventually, especially if something happens with Craig Biggio. I like Ginter and he is now one of my favorite "unappreciated" prospects.
John Sickels is the author of the STATS 2000 Minor League Scouting Notebook. You can email your questions to him at JASickels@AOL.com.
| ALSO SEE Down on the Farm archive | ||||