NL Rookie Roundup

Jason Michael Barker

Not to be outdone by the American League edition, the National League roundup has added two players this month, one hitter and one pitcher. Of course, two pitchers who just weren't getting the job done have been dropped, so it all evens out in the end. Bonus points if you can name the two pitchers featured in May who didn't make the cut this month.

Alex Gonzalez, SS, Florida
Age	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
22	58	236	33	67	15	3	7	27	5	45	1	1	.284	.308	.462

Sure, that plate discipline sucks, but is this sort of production all that bad for a 22-year old shortstop who plays half of his games in a good pitcher's park? Of course not. His .770 OPS (on-base plus slugging) finds him eighth among regular shortstops, and his 109 total bases trail only Derek Jeter (143) and Nomar Garciaparra (113) at the position. In my book he's out-producing Edgar Renteria (.335/.405), the guy the Marlins traded to make room for Gonzalez.

He's hitting well enough now that a few walks would propel him from "good" to "great" in terms of shortstops, and given his age it isn't entirely unreasonable that he could improve his walk rate in the coming years.

Michael Barrett, 3B/C, Montreal
Age	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
22	51	173	22	51	15	0	3	21	12	14	0	1	.295	.342	.434

How often is your semi-regular third baseman also your backup catcher? Barrett continues to split time between third base and catcher as manager Felipe Alou tries to keep his bat in the lineup anyway he can. Of the Expos' 54 games, Chris Widger has started 35 behind the plate, Barrett 16 -- when Widger isn't playing, Barrett gets the nod, when Widger is playing, Barrett plays third. It's an unusual arrangement to say the least, but one that has worked well thus far.

There are presumably two reasons Alou isn't playing Barrett behind the dish more often. For one, it keeps his legs fresh, meaning he can play more often. For another, Widger is having a career year with the bat, hitting .333/.523 with eight homers.

J.D. Drew, OF, St. Louis
Age	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
23	25	74	16	17	5	3	2	9	11	23	1	0	.230	.337	.459

He hasn't played since May 15, having been placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 20 with the strained right quadriceps which has been bothering him all season. He reported to AAA Memphis for a rehab assignment in late May, but that started slowly as the injury persisted. No word on when he's expected back, at least not that I've seen.

Joe McEwing, 2B, St. Louis
Age	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
26	56	193	31	60	9	2	3	24	16	27	5	4	.311	.364	.425

Meanwhile, Drew's teammate has trailed off quite a bit after an unbelievable .442/.500 month of April. He slumped to .333/.419 in May, which leads to his present numbers. He's a better option at second base than say, Carlos Baerga (released by the club in March), but still the Cards would be better off with a long-term solution at second.

McEwing would make a great utility guy since he plays all over the field (everywhere but pitcher and catcher this season) and hits a little, but he really isn't cut out to be starting at second so often. Placido Polanco (.347/.361 and 23 years old) has been starting at second recently.

Ronnie Belliard, 2B, Milwaukee
Age	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
24	25	79	14	24	2	2	3	11	20	8	2	2	.304	.444	.494

The first of our two new players, Belliard has been awesome in limited at-bats so far this season. He always displayed above-average plate discipline in the minors, but 20 walks to eight strikeouts is simply incredible. Raffy's cousin first got a shot at starting while Fernando Vina was serving a suspension in early May, and the Brewers decided to keep him around as a utility guy when Vina came back -- he played second, short and even third, hitting well enough that the Brewers probably remembered why they were trying so desperately to trade Vina this winter.

With Vina on the disabled list, Belliard is the man at second for the time being. Milwaukee would no doubt love to unload Vina for some pitching help since Belliard is obviously ready for the majors, but the trick will be finding a team that needs an average second baseman on the wrong side of 30.

Odalis Perez, SP, Atlanta
Age	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	W	L	SV	OOBP	WHIP	ERA
20	11	10	60.1	56	31	30	5	26	47	4	2	0	.322	1.36	4.48

When fellow rookie phenom Bruce Chen was called up from AAA Richmond it appeared Perez might have lost his starting spot, but Chen was sent back down after two so-so starts and Perez will continue to get semi-regular work at the back end of the Braves' rotation. He's pitched very well in four of his last five starts, going 3-1 with a 3.62 ERA in 32.1 innings, and that includes a start in which he allowed five runs in six innings.

As with the aforementioned performance of Alex Gonzalez, Perez is doing great things considering his age and lack of experience. He's good enough to be in nearly any rotation in baseball right now, and he's only going to improve in the years to come.

Kris Benson, SP, Pittsburgh
Age	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	W	L	SV	OOBP	WHIP	ERA
24	10	10	62.1	59	33	30	4	36	39	4	4	0	.359	1.52	4.33

The number which really sticks out in the line above is 36, as in the number of walks he's allowed in just 62 innings. Benson's been surviving by not allowing too many hits, but as you can see by the .359 OBP against him and his 1.52 WHIP, his ERA is probably a bit low considering how he's been pitching.

As with most young pitchers, he's been plagued by inconsistency, unable to string together more than one or two good starts in succession, pitching very well against a good team like the Astros, but then getting shelled by the White Sox. At 24 he's still plenty young enough to have a very good career, but he's going to have to cut down on his walk rate to be successful. Otherwise, all the pieces are in place.

Scott Williamson, RP, Cincinnati
Age	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	W	L	SV	OOBP	WHIP	ERA
23	24	0	36.1	22	7	6	1	11	47	5	1	6	.252	0.91	1.49

New player number two, Williamson has been dominant as the Reds' closer this season after beginning his career as a starter. He blew through the minors in just two years: 86 awesome innings at rookie ball in 1997, then 23 starts split between AA and AAA last season. His best pitch is a splitter, which he compliments with an above-average fastball. Pitching in relief allows him to get by with just his best pitches, since he doesn't have to worry about fooling hitters the second time through the order.

As if his 47 strikeouts in 36.1 innings weren't impressive enough, he's also six for six on save chances and hasn't allowed a run in his last 14 outings, a span of 22.2 innings. He's only allowed one home run all season, and his control has been excellent as well. He would have made for a good steal in your fantasy league at the beginning of the season, don't you think?

about the author

Jason Michael Barker has been selected to perform the ceremonial opening of the roof at next year's opening day at Comerica Park. Don't snicker when you write him at jmb@strikethree.com.