The Rickie Weeks Appreciation thread

[TooLiveBrew]

I can't speak for anything beyond 2007, since I don't have the time to crunch out any numbers, but here are some guys in the neighborhood of what you're asking, Kurt.

 

AL

.277 BA/.390 OBP (101 BB/155 K) - Grady Sizemore

.314/.422 (95/120) - Alex Rodriguez

.332/.445 (111/103) - David Ortiz

.266/.385 (102/115) - Travis Hafner

.262/.381 (100/131) - Nick Swisher

.265/.378 (84/71) - Gary Sheffield

.282/.411 (103/142) - Carlos Pena

.254/.365 (76/94) - Kevin Millar

.270/.373 (79/100) - J.D. Drew

.255/.367 (71/122) - Jason Varitek

.275/.410 (95/134) - Jim Thome

.236/.349 (72/77) - Dan Johnson

 

NL

.288/.395 (90/121) - Prince Fielder

.327/.429 (99/58) - Albert Pujols

.278/.386 (94/125) - Lance Berkman

.320/.434 (116/74) - Todd Helton

.268/.392 (107/199) - Ryan Howard

.264/.386 (101/165) - Adam Dunn

.256/.400 (114/120) - Pat Burrell

.235/.374 (78/116) - Rickie Weeks

 

That's pretty much the full list of guys with at least 400 ABs, and an OBP > .100 over their BA. It's interesting to me that there are so many more in the AL, though I suppose I should have expected that.

 

Rickie is in some seriously good company, and keep in mind that literally every other player tallied his OBP while being a huge power threat. Rickie's power really only showed toward the end of 2007, after his wrist was cleaned up. Wow. I'd mentioned before that I think Prince will draw north of 99 BBs in 2008, but Rickie might actually be the better bet. Holy cow.

 

Note that only Pat Burrell (.144) surpasses Rickie's differential. Jim Thome at .135 & Carlos Pena at .129 are both close.

 

(I boldfaced some numbers that really stood out to me... just for fun)

[ILuvDaBush]

Kind of crazy that the only two players on either list to play an up-the-middle position (sans the catcher) are the esteemed Grady Sizemore, and our lil' Rickie.

[Brewtacular]

I drool thinking of Rickie next year. A full season of Aug/Sept Rickie and the O gets a ton better. Heck a .400 OBP in front of the lineup would be good enough but the speed/power make his excitement factor huge.

 

Alas, potential has been the word on him for a few years..

[TooLiveBrew]

It's merely reasonable to expect his BB rate to - at worst - stay the same, but probably more likely that it'll increase, given the effect power has on OBP. Whatever the franchise record is for OBP, I'd expect Rickie to give it a run for its money.

[Baldkin]

Rickie is going to remind people of Rickey this year.

 

I just have a feeling...

[TooLiveBrew]

Rickie reminds Rickey of Rickey. Rickey think Rickie's a fine talent, but Rickie can't steal bases like Rickey - only Rickey steal bases like Rickey!

http://letsgometsgo.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/misturhenderson.jpg

[trwi7]

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/images/2005/07/03/fGS8KAfP.jpg

 

 

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41638000/jpg/_41638540_baseball_416.jpg

 

 

 

[cwolf2012]

The more I learn about baseball and how it really works, the more I like Rickie Weeks. The guy has amazing patience at the plate, is smart on the basepaths, and hits the ball hard. I am not a proponent of stolen bases unless you can get them at least 75% of the time, (one of the many reasons I think David Wright is the best, or maybe second best, player in the NL, and Jose Reyes is the most overrated) and Rickie is very good at only taking bases when he knows he can get them. The only thing about Rickie that's poor is his defense (-13 FRAA http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif ), which will cost us a game and a half a year, but his EqA was .292 on a year where he batted 235. His EqA has also gone up every year, too, and I expect that trend to continue as he matures and his wrist heals.

 

I <3 Rickie.

[TooLiveBrew]

http://www.oregonwild.org/images/Fish_Wildlife/Wolves/HowlingWolf.JimDutcher%20(Small).jpg/image_large

 

The wolfman! Nice to see ya.

 

The more I learn about baseball and how it really works, the more I like Rickie Weeks. The guy has amazing patience at the plate, is smart on the basepaths, and hits the ball hard. I am not a proponent of stolen bases unless you can get them at least 75% of the time, (one of the many reasons I think David Wright is the best, or maybe second best, player in the NL, and Jose Reyes is the most overrated) and Rickie is very good at only taking bases when he knows he can get them.

 

I feel the same way. He's built his game perfectly for the era in which he plays. I can't say enough how much I'm looking forward to his 2008.