It's hard to say he'd be a faster David Wright (even though I was guilty of it before) because even though foot-speed wise he's faster, Wright is a 78% base-stealer and has a shot at the 300-300 club. I'd say he's a better fielder but Wright's won 3 gold gloves. And Wright's power numbers are about what I think Rendon can put up.
David Wright is just a phenomenal baseball player. He makes me angry every time I see him, because the Mariners took Michael Garciaparra one pick before Wright was drafted. *laughs*
David might not be the first pick in that draft if there were a re-draft today - Mauer and Teixeira were both in it. But he'd be in the conversation. If someone wanted to take that draft and do it over there would be a huge debate on Wright at the hot corner versus Mauer's failing knees and Tex's slightly better bat at a non-glove position.
Wright is on track to be a hall of famer at one of the least-represented positions: 3B. Sayin someone should be "better" than that is a ludicrously high standard. What, being David Wright somehow isn't good enough now and he should be Mike Schmidt? Like I said, I've been guilty of hyperbole on Rendon, but I don't think the Mets hot-corner man is a bad comp.
I think Rendon is a David Wright - a heart of the order hitter, a gold glove defender, a good baserunner, a team leader...with maybe an extra tick of ability in a couple of those areas.
And unlike a Nick Franklin that we're hoping can contribute in a few years, I think he's on the Zimmerman/Longoria "500 plate appearances and put him in the bigs" timeframe.
Which is one of many reasons that I want to draft him. :) The shoulder doesn't take the shine off it at all for me. If he'd had a wrist destroyed on an inside pitch or something I might be concerned, but his shoulder issue isn't a thing. Bagwell had arthritis in his shoulder so bad he couldn't throw at the end of his career but he could still hit.
Rendon's a hitter, and hitters hit - and this injury isn't serious.
~G
Add new comment
1