The Weeks in Review

I watched A's first-round pick Jemile Weeks play in the College World Series yesterday. Weeks crushed the second pitch he saw from Georgia starter Trevor Holder into the right center field bleachers at Rosenblatt Stadium. It turned out to be the electric Weeks' only highlight from the game. Weeks is raw and will need some seasoning at Stockton, Midland and Sacramento (in that order, with no skipping) before he can be ready for prime time.

In the field, the 5'9" Weeks makes the routine plays, but a hard hit grounder that bounced high off P Chris Hernandez went over his head into the outfield. It was hard to tell whether a taller 2B (or even Jemile's brother Rickie), could have made that play. But it appeared as though Weeks adjusted and got in line with the ball, but wasn't tall enough to come up with it.

Weeks' defense at second is said to be flawed, and I can see why. Already scouts are talking about a possible move to CF for the youngster. Weeks' range and weak arm will play better in CF. Though Weeks smashed that Holder pitch, scouts say he is not going to be a power hitter in the pros, like Rickie. He projects as more of a CF anyway, which makes him an A-typical A's organization player. Of interest was the As' 11th round pick, Christopher Berroa, an outfielder from Chipola Junior College in Camden, NJ. Berroa also projects as and (unlike Jemile) plays CF. Could it be the A's see center as a weakness?

Of course, we're talking the Billy Beane Athletics here, so really OBP is the only thing that matters. Both Jemile Weeks and Berroa excel at getting on base, and for that reason alone, they fit in this organization.