Bear
06-18-2009, 12:31 PM
The Washington Post
6/17/09
The Emmanuel Burriss experiment in San Francisco is over ... for now. With the rookie second baseman -- a product of D.C.'s Wilson High -- struggling to hit with a greater average than some of the team's pitchers, San Francisco optioned Burriss back to AAA Fresno, where he's being told to work on the kind of skills he'll need to be better at as a lead off hitter, i.e.: bunting, hitting to all fields, etc.
San Francisco Manager Bruce Bochy called the demotion a, "little hiccup," in Burriss's career, though one always wonders about a young player's return when he's gifted a starting job in spring training and then is sent back down to the minor leagues before the All-Star break. Remember Tigers first baseman Chris Shelton? Anybody seen him in a major league uniform lately (here's a hint: you haven't).
That being said, there is some reason for optimism that Burriss will indeed be back. For one, the Giants don't want to have to deal with the PR mess of burning out another top prospect by promoting him too early. For another, the speedy rookie actually showed signs of turning it around in a streak in late April and early May, reaching above .277 at one point and racking up hits with such frequency that Bochy promoted him to the No. 2 hole in the Giants' anemic lineup.
Yet all optimism aside, this has to be a troubling move for Burriss and all the people who want to see him succeed, a group which includes both Giants fans and just about everyone in D.C. He's too important a figure in the re-development of baseball in the District to fail without a longer shot, so all anyone can do is hope that he gets another go-round at AT&T Park ... or somewhere else in the major leagues soon.
I find this of interest that this is such a big deal in DC. If a kid from San Francisco who played for another city was sent down I am not sure it would make it into the local press. However in DC it is a really big deal.:eek:
6/17/09
The Emmanuel Burriss experiment in San Francisco is over ... for now. With the rookie second baseman -- a product of D.C.'s Wilson High -- struggling to hit with a greater average than some of the team's pitchers, San Francisco optioned Burriss back to AAA Fresno, where he's being told to work on the kind of skills he'll need to be better at as a lead off hitter, i.e.: bunting, hitting to all fields, etc.
San Francisco Manager Bruce Bochy called the demotion a, "little hiccup," in Burriss's career, though one always wonders about a young player's return when he's gifted a starting job in spring training and then is sent back down to the minor leagues before the All-Star break. Remember Tigers first baseman Chris Shelton? Anybody seen him in a major league uniform lately (here's a hint: you haven't).
That being said, there is some reason for optimism that Burriss will indeed be back. For one, the Giants don't want to have to deal with the PR mess of burning out another top prospect by promoting him too early. For another, the speedy rookie actually showed signs of turning it around in a streak in late April and early May, reaching above .277 at one point and racking up hits with such frequency that Bochy promoted him to the No. 2 hole in the Giants' anemic lineup.
Yet all optimism aside, this has to be a troubling move for Burriss and all the people who want to see him succeed, a group which includes both Giants fans and just about everyone in D.C. He's too important a figure in the re-development of baseball in the District to fail without a longer shot, so all anyone can do is hope that he gets another go-round at AT&T Park ... or somewhere else in the major leagues soon.
I find this of interest that this is such a big deal in DC. If a kid from San Francisco who played for another city was sent down I am not sure it would make it into the local press. However in DC it is a really big deal.:eek: