Alex Liddi came over from Italy at 17 to play professional baseball. He showed some promise in rookie ball before struggling through two sub-.700 OPS seasons at Wisconsin at 18 and 19.
Last year, he busted out at High Desert at 20, racking up 23 HR, 72 XBH and 53 walks. But guys like Carlos Pegeuro, not as highly regarded, were also running up huge XBH numbers, so it's always hard to judge the full effect of High Desert.
The AA transition would be important, and his initial adjustment period wasn't too hot: 16 K in his first 16 games vs. 2 walks. Since then, however, he's been on a tear at the plate.
In the last 10 games, he's 16-for-38, with a 4-hit game, a 3-hit game and three 2-hit games. Moreover, he has 4 walks vs. 6 K during that stretch and only 1 K during the last 5 games (in which he's had 9 hits). Even during the slow start, he was showing some pop, and he has 12 XBH for the year (7 dbl, 2 tpl, 3 HR). His overall line is:
.309/.356/.515/.871
Thanks to the proballnw.com video page:
Offense: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MPLW5j8MSY
Defense: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG7gbPVa5WM
Here the interesting thing is the K/H ratio. Imagine the pitch-to-pitch domination -- 9 hits per strikeout is like a college-scholarship high school player going against schlub pitchers.
And right as he adjusts to a league full of new pitchers.
Looks like Alex Liddi steps up several notches with his impressive splash in AA. The scouts had this one pegged -- Liddi wasn't just one more High Desert mirage, but a hitter of special talent.
No. :)
Or perhaps...IBIWISI.