Exactly right.
I do appreciate the pics, Spec - they do a good job of illustrating how much smaller Franklin looks in that helmet rather than standing in the field.
It's because we're used to seeing MLB helmets, not those nerf-lego monstrosities.
You see him in the field and he's lanky but not tiny. He's the same size and current build as Dustin Ackley (though maybe a few pounds lighter).
But there's no reason he can't add a mere 10, 15 pounds as he matures, putting him in the same weight class as Derek Jeter, Pre-Roids Bonds, or any number of guys who could club decent numbers without being huge - and bigger than the aforementioned Robin Yount.
The idea that a 6'1 hitter can't get enough leverage on his swing to hit 15-20 HRs a year is ridiculous. Junior's the guy who never lifted a weight in his life and compared his swing to a golfer's. "It's all about bat-speed" he said.
Franklin doesn't have the greatest batspeed in the world (he's definitely NOT Junior), but it's good. He doesn't need to weigh 220 to get balls to leave the park. I comped Franklin's middle-outcome to Jay Bell the other day - same size (though other-handed), same position, hit 30 2B and 15 HRs a year. If he's Tulo instead, it's 40 and 25.
I don't see the outcome where he struggles to get it out of the park 10 times a year, not with that swing. He's not Ronny Cedeno. Though since a league average SS this year is ballparked at ~.263/.317/.375/.693, he wouldn't have to be much better than Ronny to get there.
Nick has a sneaky-fast bat, a willingness to wait at the plate (which should turn into more walks in the future), and the ability to absolutely destroy pitches he likes.
And since I haven't seen a reason for him not to stay at short, and this is not a Bloomquist-like sample (that still didn't include power, in a hitter's league)...feel free to call it legit.
Sometimes baseball rats *can* be blue-chippers. We have at least two such rats in the system.
~G
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