Kobe started a grand total of 7 games his first TWO seasons (combined).
The memory is a tricky thing -- forgetting things like Kobe averaging 7.6 points his first season.
Is it possible for a college grad to step right into the majors and hit? Yes. Bob Horner did so in 1978 at age 20 ... posting an .852 OPS as a rookie.
Ackley, at the moment, is posting a .751 OPS, in AA, and has a single HR in over 200 PAs. He's had a good couple of weeks. That's great. That don't mean he's ready for ANYTHING.
I think what amazes me the most about the recent push for bringing up AA guys to the big club is that I routinely see the arguments of why picking up National League talent is a bad idea, because the talent level in the NL is *SO* low, that it is ridiculous to think hitters or pitchers moving to the AL are going to continue producing at their NL levels.
Am I supposed to believe, moving from the NL to AL is going to snap off 10% of production for almost everyone -- but I'm supposed to expect stellar performance (or even improvement) in the AL from guys coming from the Southern League?!?
Most are petrified of Olson's return. But, he was doing in AAA very nearly the same thing Pineda is doing in AA.
Then again, Wlad posted an .871 OPS in AAA at age 22. Why didn't HE fix the offensive woes of the team when called up?
The West Tennesse *TEAM* currently has a .780 OPS (so Ackley is only 30 points BELOW what the rest of the DJaxx team is doing.) Should the entire team, (or at least everyone batting BETTER than Ackley be called up), and the current Mariners disbanded?
I saw B.J. Upton in his last season in AAA. I sang the national anthem at David Price's last AAA game. I saw Ackley play in Zebulon just last week. Ackley is *NOT EVEN CLOSE* to being ready for the majors just yet. He IS seeing the ball very well at the moment. He's got a great eye, and a solid swing. There is a REASON he has only one HR this season. There is a REASON why he only has a .750 OPS on the season. The REASON is that he is *NOT* (yet) attacking the ball. He is simply waiting for good pitches and making 'decent' contact.
IMO, at this instant, Pegeuro would be a far better callup than Ackley.
Ackley's ISO at the moment is 112. Rob Johnson currently has a 119 ISO against Major League pitching,
Of course, I could be wrong. But, based on what he's shown so far, if he were to come up tomorrow, the most likely outcome would be putting a line similar to Chone during April and May -- a .200/.300/.300 (ish) line.
Now, if you've cashed out on the Ms having a shot at the playoffs in 2010 -- and just want Ackley to be taught by your Major league coaches, while facing major league pitching - perhaps there is an argument to be made. But, I still wouldn't get why you'd jump him over Mangini (hitting .983 at Tacoma) or Halman (.855 at Tacoma). *HALMAN* was the uber-talented kid 12 and a half seconds ago, wasn't he? How come posting an ISO of 300 in Tacoma doesn't merit a promotion for either of those guys?
I mean - the club starts Ackley in AA -- which by itself is considered an "aggressive" development schedule - (and mandated by contract).
Griffey got 130 games in the minors and AROD 170. And BOTH of them were pounding out .900+ OPS scores from day one. Ackley has 48 games in AA, posting a .751 OPS.
In HIS first 200 PAs at AA, Jason Heyward posted a 1057 OPS.
Let Ackley raise his AA OPS over 1000 and we can talk. Until then, the concept of bringing up Ackley before September is, for me, a non-starter idea with a multitude of negative side effects and a near zero chance of doing anything good for either Seattle or Ackley.
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