Gordon Beckham had 59 games in the minors before his callup to the Chi Sox last year. He's struggling this year, but last year posted a 108 OPS+...not exactly chump change. And it's not like his numbers in the minors were mind-blowing. His AA stint was good but not great, and he had like 30 ABs in AAA before the callup.
Calling up Ackley to replace Kotchman at 1B isn't a stretch - he's played 1B for years. We can always shift him over later, but that would give him a chance to get some ML at-bats under his belt.
I don't have a need to "rush" him, but he's solved AA. A move up to a higher league is coming this year, the only question is which one - and when.
As for Hensley...he's the Pineiro of our new Big Three minor league pitching prospects. Pineiro was on the same minor league squad as Ryan Anderson and Gil Meche. He was the afterthought who was also doing well. Nice kid. Not a front-liner.
But his big-league career has been at least the equal of Meche's and far greater than Anderson's.
Hensley's got good makeup and a good arm. There's nothing wrong with being a quality #4 arm for pennies on the dollar. Pineda's had forearm troubles, Robles has control issues. Don't count Stephen out.
He's another shot at a quality arm to help back Felix in our next pennant chase.
~G
Add new comment
1