05-24-2009, 03:38 PM
So, has anyone seen what Blake Lalli has quietly done the last two years? He's always been a good contact hitter, but since he was promoted to +A ball at the beginning of last year, he's put up a .513 slugging %. He seems to be a pretty good defender at 1B and the one negative I've always heard about him is he didn't drive the ball enough to be a legitimate first baseman and that's why they were trying him behind the plate.
I wonder if he's a legitimate option for a Derrek Lee successor? He just turned 26 so he's old for AA, but this is only his fourth year as a Cub and they've been trying to convert him to catcher in the lower minors. If he's adjusted his swing for power and can still hit for contact (hitting .355 in AA) I could see him being a surprise late bloomer much like Soto.
If Fox gets a call up to Chicago, I would expect Lalli to be called up to AAA. It'll be interesting to see what he does there.
I wonder if he's a legitimate option for a Derrek Lee successor? He just turned 26 so he's old for AA, but this is only his fourth year as a Cub and they've been trying to convert him to catcher in the lower minors. If he's adjusted his swing for power and can still hit for contact (hitting .355 in AA) I could see him being a surprise late bloomer much like Soto.
If Fox gets a call up to Chicago, I would expect Lalli to be called up to AAA. It'll be interesting to see what he does there.