This overview of another Tiger prospect, one that hasn’t been making the top prospect lists, comes at a good time. The Detroit News (Lynn Henning) had an article today on some of the challenges facing Dave Dombrowski in keeping key Tiger Carlos Guillen. I would love nothing more than to see him stay here beyond the 2007 season but, as I’ve covered before, long contracts can come at an extremely hefty price.
Even if Dombrowski can keep Carlos in Detroit the chances of his future at SS are still in question. He’s already started showing signs of his aging committing a career high 28 errors in 2006. So I continue my look, within the Detroit organization, for a replacement at shortstop. So today I’ll go over Michael Hollimon.
Baseball Prospectus’s Nate Silver had an article today that showed PECOTA’s view on shortstop prospects. Two Tigers were on the list: Michael Hollimon (15), Tony Giarratano (16). I already took a look at Tony Giarratano, which actually did cause quite a few to respond with highly doubtful views of Tony. But it now looks as if he will be sitting out most, if not all, of the 2007 season.
Hollimon spent the ‘06 season with the West Michigan Whitecaps along with Tiger top prospect Cameron Maybin. Hollimon had a pretty good season in his own right too. Michael Hollimon was the 480th pick in the ‘05 draft after spending most of his collage career at Texas and ending at Oral Roberts. The ‘06 season was his first full season as a professional and he ended with pretty good stats: .278/.386/.501. It wasn’t all go as he also had a pretty high K rate with 124 strikeouts in 449 ABs.
MLive did a mid-year story on Hollimon as well that highlights the first half of the year for him.
When it comes down to the Guillen situation Hollimon isn’t the answer and likely never will be. He is at least a couple of years away from any big league playing time at that and the Tigers might need for a shortstop in pretty short order. The only reasonable solution is free-agency, where Carlos Guillen will be. The Tigers aren’t in too tough of a spot though as they can stomach it more than many organizations especially with all the arms they have.
D-Town Baseball
3 Comments
Wrong. Hollimon plays with what most Big Leaguers can’t find time to play with anymore: heart. He loves the game, works his butt off, and is a natural leader. From both sides of the plate he will find a way to produce, and brings that old school passion to the game that has been missing for so long.
I’m failing to see what you think is wrong? I’m a Hollimon fan, but the minor leagues are filled with players willing to do anything to produce. Just not all of them have the talent to do so. Michael Hollimon does have the talent.
Right, I agree that he does, so what’s your point? Wrong is that he is a couple of years away from any time, which is already proven. Wrong is that he is not an answer to the Tigers’ middle infield problems and never will be. There are tons of players who are willing to do anything to produce for their own sakes, but Hollimon will produce because he wants to win, he cares about the game and the organization, not just his stats.
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