I wanted the Braves to give the first crack at left field to Gregor Blanco. This is ironic in a way because Harris’ career demonstrates why one should be suspicious of players who, like Blanco, have speed and on-base skills but no power. This combination often works in the minors, but rarely in the majors, as Harris can testify.
Harris is from Cairo and was drafted out of Kennesaw State in 1999. He fittingly flew through the minors, earning his first major league trial in September of 2001 after hitting .305/.364/.423 with 54 stolen bases at AAA.
And he bombed, hitting a Langerhansian .125/.125/.167 in 24 AB. The Orioles traded him to the White Sox for Chris Singleton, apparently on the theory that when they had been good, during the Chalcolithic Era, they’d had Ken Singleton, and it wasn’t like anything else was working. Once again, Harris hit in AAA, at least for average and OBP, .283/.345/.397, and once again he completely failed in the majors. In 2003 he destroyed the International League and was destroyed by the American.
He managed to hang around all of 2004 as the Sox’s most-regular second baseman and was almost useful with his best major league season, .262/.343/.323. It was back to normal in 2005 and the team cut him loose. He signed with the Red Sox and couldn’t even cut it in Pawtucket in 2006. He played well this spring and was hitting well in AAA, but we’re talking about a man with a career major league line of .238/.306/.294 entering the season, versus .281/.362/.410 in the minors. Big league pitchers knock the bat out of his hands.
Seems to pull the ball a lot, at least in his first games in a Braves uniform, which is not ideal for a fast, lefthanded hitter with no power… Can play second, center, or left, and even has a few games at short and right, though he really doesn’t have the arm for either. Can fly, a career 55/15 basestealer in the majors, 172/64 in the minors. Basically, he’s suited for Pete Orr’s job, but not to be playing every day.
Just curious as hell why the Braves just don’t give Diaz the chance to fail in LF as the everyday player. Now he doesn’t make that diving catch that Harris did in our last game. A crucial defensive play but what the heck? Do the Braves have stats that say bad defensive left fielders lead to more losses than normal?
And even if Diaz starts in left every day, when it’s 4-3 in the 9th, that’s when Harris can come in and make the diving catches.
What’s the story on Matt Esquivel? He’s 26-27 (not getting any younger) and tearing up MIssissippi. That trouble he had in Rome still following him?
He had a bad year last year, some injuries and didn’t hit. I’ve mentioned before that I expect him to have a Geronimo Berroa-like career, emerge somewhere else in a couple of years and have a 4-5 year career as a productive hitter.