Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce!
I’m not a Reds fan.
I don’t dislike them, per se, though I did root for the A’s in the 1990 World Series (note: damn you, Billy Hatcher). More accurately, I just don’t care for them one way or the other. I like Ken Griffey, Jr. and Brandon Phillips, but I dislike Adam Dunn and Geoff Jenkins…it’s a wash.
That’s why I can say with no worry of you calling me a “homer” that Jay Bruce is completely fucking amazing. Seriously, through 7 games (with the seventh still in progress), he has 3 HRs, 2 SBs, 7 RBIs, and is hitting .583. (I don’t have his updated SLB/OBP, but they are other-worldly, too.) He has also looked incredibly solid in CF and has shown a flair for the dramatic, scoring the winning run in extra innings one night and then hitting a walk-off HR the next.
Now, of course he’s not going to hit .500 for the season and, yes, pitchers will figure him out a bit the second time he faces each of them. But, that said, I don’t think it’s a stretch at all to project him for .320, 20 HR, 15 SB, and 80 RBIs. Oh, and a ROY trophy.
I think I have a mancrush.
Posted under 2008 Season, Jay Bruce, NL Central, Overachieving is better than not achieving, Predictions
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:35 am
Bruce’s start makes me wonder how much opposing teams pay attention to other team’s minor league hitters. Bruce has been struggling with breaking pitches at the minor league level. Is he getting a constant stream of fastballs?
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:59 am
I meant to comment on that in my post. I think the tales of his struggles with breaking pitches were overblown or were based on someone watching one or two games. Everything I’ve found says he hit will in the minors, regardless of the count, so you would assume that means he was hitting breaking balls as well.