Writer’s note: One Sixty-Two is a season-long series of blog posts connecting baseball’s major-league players to life’s universal themes. Just as there are 162 games in a season, so there will be 162 posts in this series. Let’s play some ball.
Day One Hundred-Eight: Brett Wallace, Houston Astros
Summer can make it tough to remember just what home feels like. Between vacations, weekends away and day trips, many of us spend more time outside our house this time of year than we do inside it. While this can be a lot of fun, it also can be a bit disorienting at times. As much as we might hate to admit it, there’s a part of us that looks forward to the return of September routines, and the comfort of our own bed.
Brett Wallace doesn’t care so much about summer versus September. He’s just looking for someplace to call home, period. Since he was selected with the 13th pick of the amateur draft two years ago, Wallace has done nothing but slug home runs in the minor leagues. And yet, he has been traded three times: from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Oakland Athletics, then from the A’s to the Toronto Blue Jays, and finally from Toronto to the Houston Astros just a few days ago. I haven’t followed Wallace’s minor-league career closely, but his stats show a corner infielder who makes some errors but hits a ton. Sounds like a solid prospect to me. Indeed, Baseball America rated Wallace the 27th-best prospect in baseball this spring.
So the Houston Astros, after acquiring a very talented 19-year-old center fielder from the Philadelphia Phillies last week, shipped this youngster off to Toronto in exchange for Wallace. After then trading first baseman Lance Berkman to the Yankees, the Astros gave Wallace the call he’d been waiting for: He was headed from Triple-A to the big leagues.
It’s only been a week, but Wallace has six hits so far, he’s driven in a few runs, and he hasn’t made any errors yet. Things are looking promising for the kid.
Most importantly, Brett Wallace seems to know where home is now. There are no rumors of impending trades, as the Astros are looking for solid young players to help them rebuild. If Wallace keeps hitting, the Astros will be happy to pencil him in as their starting first baseman next year. And that means he might even be able to sign a one-year lease on an apartment in Houston.
Stability, Mr. Wallace, may finally be arriving. And we’re not even in September.
Showing posts with label Brett Wallace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brett Wallace. Show all posts
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Wally, Willy & Lyle (One Sixty-Two: Day 72)
Writer’s note: One Sixty-Two is a season-long series of blog posts connecting baseball’s major-league players to life’s universal themes. Just as there are 162 games in a season, so there will be 162 posts in this series. Let’s play some ball.
Day Seventy-Two: Lyle Overbay, Toronto Blue Jays
This may be a Wally Pipp story, and it might be a Willy Loman Story. But it definitely is a Lyle Overbay story.
Lyle Overbay is 33 years old, and he’s in his eighth full season as a big-league first baseman. He was a rising star for the Milwaukee Brewers five years ago, he blossomed in 2006 after a trade to Toronto, and then, well, he kind of fizzled.
This is the fourth straight year in which Overbay has delivered mediocre numbers as the Blue Jays’ first baseman. He’s managed to hold onto his job in large part because of his ability to take walks and play a strong defensive first base. But this year, with his batting average down below .240, it may be time.
Just like Wally Pipp, who famously lost his New York Yankees first base job to the young Lou Gehrig in 1925, Overbay may lose his spot to a young lefty slugger biding his time in the minor leagues. The young kid’s name is Brett Wallace, and apparently he can hit the ball a mile. The 23-year-old is ready and waiting for the day when Toronto picks up the phone.
Just like Willy Loman, who decried the loss of his salesman skills in Arthur Miller’s classic play, Overbay may be in his final days as a starting position player. If the Blue Jays trade him, it will likely be to a team that needs a lefty off the bench for pinch-hitting and late-inning defense. Will Overbay go quietly into the role of bench player, or will he fight the inevitable by clamoring for one last chance?
If indeed the Blue Jays trade their first baseman, there’s another possible role Lyle Overbay might play in the future. Instead of becoming a Pipp- or Loman-like symbol of loss or regret, perhaps Overbay will become the next Lenny Harris. For a few years in the early 1990s, Harris was a regular for the Los Angeles Dodgers, playing a variety of infield and outfield positions. But then Harris was asked to pinch-hit. And by the time he retired after 18 seasons, Harris held the major league record for most pinch hits in a career.
With his selectivity at the plate and his ability to make contact, Overbay may have a long pinch-hitting career ahead of him. By looking at the opportunities gained rather than the opportunities lost, he could do quite well for himself. In fact, he might still be entering his prime.
Day Seventy-Two: Lyle Overbay, Toronto Blue Jays
This may be a Wally Pipp story, and it might be a Willy Loman Story. But it definitely is a Lyle Overbay story.
Lyle Overbay is 33 years old, and he’s in his eighth full season as a big-league first baseman. He was a rising star for the Milwaukee Brewers five years ago, he blossomed in 2006 after a trade to Toronto, and then, well, he kind of fizzled.
This is the fourth straight year in which Overbay has delivered mediocre numbers as the Blue Jays’ first baseman. He’s managed to hold onto his job in large part because of his ability to take walks and play a strong defensive first base. But this year, with his batting average down below .240, it may be time.
Just like Wally Pipp, who famously lost his New York Yankees first base job to the young Lou Gehrig in 1925, Overbay may lose his spot to a young lefty slugger biding his time in the minor leagues. The young kid’s name is Brett Wallace, and apparently he can hit the ball a mile. The 23-year-old is ready and waiting for the day when Toronto picks up the phone.
Just like Willy Loman, who decried the loss of his salesman skills in Arthur Miller’s classic play, Overbay may be in his final days as a starting position player. If the Blue Jays trade him, it will likely be to a team that needs a lefty off the bench for pinch-hitting and late-inning defense. Will Overbay go quietly into the role of bench player, or will he fight the inevitable by clamoring for one last chance?
If indeed the Blue Jays trade their first baseman, there’s another possible role Lyle Overbay might play in the future. Instead of becoming a Pipp- or Loman-like symbol of loss or regret, perhaps Overbay will become the next Lenny Harris. For a few years in the early 1990s, Harris was a regular for the Los Angeles Dodgers, playing a variety of infield and outfield positions. But then Harris was asked to pinch-hit. And by the time he retired after 18 seasons, Harris held the major league record for most pinch hits in a career.
With his selectivity at the plate and his ability to make contact, Overbay may have a long pinch-hitting career ahead of him. By looking at the opportunities gained rather than the opportunities lost, he could do quite well for himself. In fact, he might still be entering his prime.
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