06-04-2013, 05:18 PM
Quote:Vitters is now in his 24 yo season and we can't say what he has looked like this year because he has only had 70 PA. What we have been able to see has been fine, but a wRC+ 105 is nothing to brag about. It's not *bad*, but it's also not screaming "I'm ready to be called up". Even if it were over 300 PA, his numbers say average in a hitter friendly league. I haven't written him off yet, but I'm also not holding my breath.
The thing about Vitters is, when he was initially drafted, expectations for a 3B prospect were through the roof. You were hoping for a .900 OPS player that could hit 35-40 dingers a year. That expectation has deflated big time to the point where our very own Luis Valbuena is a top 10 3B in all of MLB in terms of WAR.
The biggest assets Vitters has ever had were his bat speed and his contact ability. If he can pair that with a decent approach (which he's displayed this year albeit in a small sample size), I think he can be a successful starter still. Not to the scope we all hope for, but still an asset.
I personally have higher hopes for Junior Lake, but Vitters is not a closed book.