Lady’s Choice: Player Pick for May

June 1st, 2008

June 01, 2008 — Baseball is a game of numbers the pundits proclaim. Those mystical numbers are like a magical crystal ball which somehow reveals its secrets to those who study long enough and hard enough. And to those diehard SABRmetrics geeks, I say, “Ho hum, zzzz.” OK, truth be told, I’ve been lousy at statistics since college. Nonetheless, I don’t think that my enjoyment of the game is in the least bit compromised by my math impairment. It’s the intangible qualities that get my notice. Often my favorite players are pleasant surprises, guys who’ve flown under the radar until earning some attention through sweat, moxie and a little luck. These are the kinds of players you root for, for reasons that aren’t necessarily evident in the numbers.

For example, here’s my report on Salt Lake Bees catcher Bobby Wilson. Despite the dearth of stats, I think it presents a pretty good picture of an up-and-coming ballplayer. I also should point out here Bobby is more legitimate prospect than suspect, nonetheless his rating adds up to more than the mere sum of his 5-tool scores.

Bobby has a terrific eye at the plate and great patience. More than once he has flat-out worn down the opposing pitcher–hitting foul balls and letting pitches out of the strike zone go by until he would draw a walk or get a base hit. During his first at-bat in the major leagues, Bobby produced a carbon-copy performance of what he does at the AAA level. He worked the count full on 8 pitches, a mix of low-70s changeups and high-80s fastballs, then stroked a clean single to right center. There’s a video replay at the Angels website. Look for the link under Multimedia: “Wilson’s first career hit.”

Bobby’s defense is likewise awesome. He’s got a cannon for an arm and according to local broadcaster Steve Klauke BeesWax Blog, May 15, he is leading all Pacific Coast League catchers in throwing out baserunners trying to steal. Bobby has great mobility side-to-side as well as straight up, blocking errant benders and snagging flyaway fastballs. In fact, the Bees have been playing him at 1st base this season where I believe his fielding percentage is perfect; not a single fielding error.

OK, so those are the physical tools. What I really like about this quiet 25-year-old is his business-like approach to his profession. Emotionally, he doesn’t seem to get too high or too low. As mentioned, he’s got nerves of steel at the plate. Best of all, he doesn’t take for granted what Mother Nature gave him at birth. He works hard to improve his craft, both offense and defense. Last season when the team had a day off, he drove out for extra hitting practice with the single-A affiliate team. Likewise, after a spell of shaky throws to second he spent extra time with coaches working on his footwork and release. This April Bobby showed up in Salt Lake City looking trim and fit, like he’d shed some extra pounds over the winter. Again, it would seem to indicate he’d been thinking proactively about reducing the wear and tear on those precious legs over a long summer, not to mention sustaining his mobility.

Anyway, that’s my $0.02. Bye for now!

Entry Filed under: Lady's Choice,Minor Leagues,Salt Lake Bees