He's got to get it going, as he's now 1 for his last 24.

 

He and Trayce are on the wrong drugs right now

Wilkins has hit 4 HR in 3 games, with the ASB in the middle. His hot streak has his wRC+ up to 110. Some peripherals still have to even out (K's a tad high, walks a tad low compared to career averages), but it looks like he is going to figure out AAA and take advantage of a small ballpark.

 

OPS vs L - .760

OPS vs R - .783

 

 

Wilkins has hit 4 HR in 3 games, with the ASB in the middle. His hot streak has his wRC+ up to 110. Some peripherals still have to even out (K's a tad high, walks a tad low compared to career averages), but it looks like he is going to figure out AAA and take advantage of a small ballpark.

 

OPS vs L - .760

OPS vs R - .783

 

 

Any chance Wilkins is a September call-up? Maybe PK goes to a contender in August and they call him up? Or should they just wait?

Any chance Wilkins is a September call-up? Maybe PK goes to a contender in August and they call him up? Or should they just wait?

If either Dunn or Konerko are moved I'd say yes. If they're not, I'd say no. No reason to burn a 40 man spot on him unless the spot actually opens up.

This is not a drill - ANOTHER bomb.

 

 

His splits at both levels now say he hits lefties better than righties. A nice little asset for a left-handed hitter - oh and he's 3 for 4 so far in Charlotte's game. Holy crap is he hot right now.

Edited July 22, 201312 yr by Jake

I think I said this earlier, but... would never have guessed during the offseason that Wilkins would be a guy being considered for a job in 2013 or 2014. Probably not Plan A, but, he's getting a look. That is something.

 

I think I said this earlier, but... would never have guessed during the offseason that Wilkins would be a guy being considered for a job in 2013 or 2014. Probably not Plan A, but, he's getting a look. That is something.

 

He has been a guy, since he was drafted, where nobody would be totally surprised if he succeeds at a given level...but nobody would ever bet on it, either. He doesn't have super impressive tools so with every new challenge, he will have to prove that he is talented enough to be there. Lots of guys can fly through systems putting up worse numbers than Andy and still get a big league look, but those guys have better tools. Andy is making the most of his tools at this point, which means he will rightfully get a look in the bigs (it seems) but he won't be given the benefit of the doubt given to a top prospect.

 

He's sort of like Phegley, where if he doesn't/didn't produce in AAA, nobody would think about him. Phegley produced and now he's here. If Andy continues to produce, he'll be in Chicago too. If he doesn't, we'll forget about him because his tools and draft status don't dictate that we should get disappointed if he fails.

Edited July 22, 201312 yr by Jake

I think he should be given a look in September. In a season where there's literally nothing to lose, his performance this year has been intriguing enough to see how he might handle ML pitching.

I think he should be given a look in September. In a season where there's literally nothing to lose, his performance this year has been intriguing enough to see how he might handle ML pitching.

Depends on the situation with Dunn and Konerko. If one of them is moved or on the DL, sure. Otherwise you start asking questions about roster spots.

 

Is Wilkins going to need to be protected from the Rule-5 this offseason? If so, then it makes more sense to add him to the 40 man and call him up. If not, then that roster spot could be useful.

I feel like after doing a bit of research, Andy could develop into a Lyle Overbay type of hitter with a bit more power(2-2.5WAR 3Career Year). Overbay was drafted out of the 18th round and Andy was a 5th rounder (not that it means a ton). Does anyone know how he rates on defense at 1B?

 

Lyle Overbay 25 years old in the PCL

.185 ISO

.378BABIP

14.8K% 7BB%

.343/.396/.528 19HR

 

Andy Wilkins 24 years old across AA-AAA

.193 ISO

.337BABIP

20.9K% 11.3BB%

.286/.370/.479 16HR with 32 games left to play.

 

Some things to consider the PCL is notorious as a hitter haven but on the flip side Charlotte does play similar to the cell. Andy is a year younger as well.

.297/.344/.501/.845 - Ross Gload at 25 years old at AAA.

.297/.344/.501/.845 - Ross Gload at 25 years old at AAA.

And he did have a major league career, even starting at a few stops along the way.

 

Gload also spent a bunch of years blocked and didn't get fully out of the minors until he was 30. In Wilkins' case, in 2014, there will be no one (currently under contract) in the 1B slot (dunn at DH) ahead of him, and the league is starving for young 1B players (which was decidedly not the case in the mid 2000's.

 

Just saying, not quite the same thing. Though there are some similarities there.

 

Brandon Allen sucked too.

.297/.344/.501/.845 - Ross Gload at 25 years old at AAA.

 

Ross Gload 25 years old in the IL

.204 ISO

.325BABIP

16.7K% 6BB%

.297/.344/.501 15HR

 

Gload's walk rate and place discipline were never as good as Wilkins at that level and he was a year older. Still, as a back up he had sustained success .5WAR worth about 2-3M in value on several occasions.

 

Brandon Allen sucked too.

 

Brandon Allen 24 years old in the PCL

.267 ISO

.281BABIP

20.3% 17.7BB%

.261/.405/.528 25 HR

 

Allen had a better power tool than Wilkins there is no denying that but his hit tool in general was weaker as evidenced by his BABIP and he had to make up for that with his plate discipline in the minors. When pitchers figured that out at the major league level his plate discipline eroded incredibly quick as seen by his 9.2BB% & 34.9K%.

 

I'm not saying Andy Wilkins will become a Lyle Overbay, I'm saying based off what I'm seeing in his stats age/level and everything else his ceiling could very well be a Lyle Overbay and his floor could very well be a Ross Gload both of those things have value at a major league minimum.

 

With where the sox are currently at, going into next year they would be better served letting Wilkins play it out at the major league level then waste $ on the likes of Corey Hart, that money would be better spent in other areas.

 

Brandon Allen sucked too.

 

Not that Soxtalk didn't enter full freakout mode after we traded him

And he did have a major league career, even starting at a few stops along the way.

 

Gload also spent a bunch of years blocked and didn't get fully out of the minors until he was 30. In Wilkins' case, in 2014, there will be no one (currently under contract) in the 1B slot (dunn at DH) ahead of him, and the league is starving for young 1B players (which was decidedly not the case in the mid 2000's.

 

Just saying, not quite the same thing. Though there are some similarities there.

 

They aren't the same thing, you're correct on that, and I think there's definitely a chance Wilkins gets a shot next year (if not this year). I'm saying I think Wilkins likely role at the MLB level will be as a bench player against RHP, and I think he will prove to be perfectly adequate.

They aren't the same thing, you're correct on that, and I think there's definitely a chance Wilkins gets a shot next year (if not this year). I'm saying I think Wilkins likely role at the MLB level will be as a bench player against RHP, and I think he will prove to be perfectly adequate.

It'll be really tough to justify having a rookie sitting on the bench as a backup 1b/DH from the LH side when Dunn is on the roster.

It'll be really tough to justify having a rookie sitting on the bench as a backup 1b/DH from the LH side when Dunn is on the roster.

 

If he is on the roster next year, he will be starting

If he is on the roster next year, he will be starting

And that makes some trouble, because I see us having 4 outfielders, 1 DH, and Wilkins if Wilkins is on the roster. (Rios, De Aza, Viciedo, Garcia OF, Dunn and Wilkins). We're overbooked if that's how it shakes out.

Wilkins' K rate is higher than Overbay and Gload so I'm not sure he will hit for average like either of those guys did.