Mike
first opened eyes during the 2000 Series at the Sac. His rookie
campaign that season was nothing to write home about, but he erupted
in the playoffs, carrying Joey Creighton to the title. Scott took
him in the 2001 draft and Mike kept the ball rolling, hitting .355
with 33 homeruns in only 186 ABs. His pitching was hit hard, but
no one really cared; this guy was dropping bombs on everyone. Season
9 (2002) saw a dramatic drop in ABs (only 23) thanks to injuries.
He's now healthy and is itching to return to form.
He has an open
stance at the plate, but don't be fooled. He can hit the outside
pitch, and almost seems to be baiting you to throw it there. As
noted, he's got power, but a good mix of pitches and location can
throw him off his game. Mix improperly though, and you're asking
for problems. He can hit to all parts of the field, but does seem
to prefer to pull the ball. Once in awhile you can get him to reach
for an outside pitch and hit a weak grounder to your fielder. But
then the next time he could very well take that outside pitch 100
feet to right-center.
His accuracy
from the mound is okay, but his "BP" speed and tendency
to leave the ball up have hurt him (averages giving up about a homerun
per inning pitched). He has a good curve, but the command of the
pitch is sporadic at best. He doesn't have the greatest stamina,
as he's often found hurting after only a couple innings. He's also
somewhat inconsistent, as he'll strike out the side two innings
in a row, then give up nine runs the next inning.
Mike's hand-eye
coordination is a benefit in the field, and he has solid range.
He makes few mistakes and leaves pitchers in good hands. Very sound
and athletic fielder who can make plays others can't. |
