I could have titled this one "The Rise and Fall and Possible Rise Again of Bocock," but I'm a grown man, and this is a post about getting older and conducting oneself with dignity.
I'm talking about one-time hot prospects who fall from grace and somehow redeem themselves. The poster boy right now is Travis Ishikawa. He was definitely lost, and now he's Found with a capital F, thanks to his religious conversion. Whether his bat is divinely inspired enough to make him a viable major-league starting first baseman remains to be seen. The five prediction systems featured on Fangraphs won't get anyone excited. But just being part of the conversation at this point is redemption, given how far he fell, from a big-league call-up in 2006 all the way back down to single-A San Jose in 2007.
There are at least three others I can think of who might still prove the world wrong. The first, as hinted above, is Brian Bocock. Remember him? The Giants' opening day shortstop last year? As predicted he was more than adequate with the glove, by most observations. He made 4 errors in 227 innings, or more than 100 chances, but I think the sample is too small to draw statistical conclusions. Let's assume for now he's a major-league-ready defensive shortstop.
The stick, however, is not ready, which became grimly obvious after a couple weeks in the Giants lineup last April. That wasn't a fall from grace, as no one really expected otherwise. But after a demotion to AAA he fared no better, which didn't do him any favors. Though again, it wasn't unexpected. The guy couldn't hit A-ball pitching, so why would he suddenly thrive, or even survive, at higher levels?
Will he ever be a big-leaguer? There are two slight reasons for optimism. One: he just turned 24, so he can spend a few more years working to be at least an adequate hitter. Two: His defense. On a team packed with sluggers, probably in the AL, Bocock could justify his existence with his glove. But until he shows some signs of offensive life in the upper minors, I doubt he can start for the Giants or any other NL team.
Number two is Eddy Martinez-Esteve. Drafted out of college in 2004, he had a promising 2005 at San Jose, hitting 17 homers and walking more than he struck out with a triple slash line of .313 /.427/.524. It turned out to be a Cal League illusion, as he hasn't topped .800 in OPS since then, with injuries playing a part. One ray of hope is that last year at Connecticut, he regained his batting eye, drawing 53 walks to post a .387 OBP in 450 plate appearances. But the power hasn't returned. He's still relatively young, turning 26 this July, so if he puts up good numbers at Fresno, where he's supposed to start the year, we might see him in S.F. in September.
Number three is Jesse English, who was placed on the 40-man roster this winter. He's a big lefty who overcame a lot of health problems to record in 2008 his first full season since being drafted in 2002. It was a good one, too, although against Single-A competition. Quoth Baggs:
He was simply dominant in the Arizona League after the Giants took him in the sixth round of the 2002 draft. English even outshone the high school pitcher taken in the first round of that draft, a fellow by the name of Matt Cain. But English got sidetracked because of assorted injuries and a lack of commitment. He just needed a little more time to mature, personally and professionally.He's entering his seventh pro year but is only 24, so I assume the Giants will look for opportunities to have him climb the ladder. He was a full time starter last year, but he could be a candidate to switch to relief.
None of these three will make the Opening Day roster, and only EME has an outside shot at a cup of coffee, I venture. But the timelines in baseball, unlike most sports, are so much longer: games with no shot clock, no half time, no final buzzer; 162 games a year, plus spring training, plus playoffs; players spending 7, 8, 9 even 10 years in the minors as they patiently wait for a chance. Sometimes the best stories take the longest to unfold.
