Basic Info
Age (Opening Day 2011): 25
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 235 lbs
How Acquired: 2007 draft, 6th round
2010 Stats
Rizzotti challenged Dominic Brown for the best offensive numbers in the system last year. He absolutely destroyed AA pitching, hitting .361 with a .452 OBP. He struggled mightily after getting promoted to AAA (.200 BA), but had limited AB’s. He didn’t have quite as much power as you would want from a guy his size, but he made up for it with his excellent plate discipline.
Scouting Report
Despite his size, Rizzotti is a contact-based hitter with average power.
He clearly found something in his swing during the off-season as he had never hit above .278 at any point previously in his minor league career. His .361 average in AA took everyone by surprise and though everyone expected his average to drop as the season went on, it never did.
He could hit 20-25 HR’s a year, but is not a masher.
He has always had good plate discipline and a good eye at the plate. If he can show he can hit at AAA this year, he has a chance to be a major leaguer.
On the downside, he is a below-average runner and fielder.
What to Look For in 2011
Really just whether he can keep it up in AAA. He struggled to start last year, but didn’t get much time there. If he hits well enough, he could prove to be a Ross Gload/Greg Dobbs type player in 2012. If not, he’ll open 2012 as a 26-year old minor leaguer, which usually isn’t a good thing.
Grades (Out of 10)
Upside – 3
I personally doubt Rizzotti could be an every day player for us. There were some fluky aspects (a very high BABIP for instance) to his 2010 break-out. As I said, I think his upside is a someone who could pinch hit and spell Ryan Howard at 1B. However, if he blasts AAA pitching like he did AA that view could change.
Production – 8
Not many .343 hitters with some power walking around in our system.
Proximity to Majors – 8
At 25, and starting the year in AAA, he better be close to the majors.
Video
Opposite field HR at Reading, 2010
For all posts on Phillies’ Prospects, including the rest of the top-20, visit our Top Prospects Page
Thu, March 3
1 p.m.
Detroit vs. Atlanta
ESPN
Mon, March 14
7 p.m.
N.Y. Yankees vs. Boston
ESPN2^
Wed, March 16
1 p.m.
Boston vs. Atlanta
ESPN
Mon, March 21
1 p.m.
Boston vs. Philadelphia
ESPN
Tue, March 22
1 p.m.
N.Y. Yankees vs. Baltimore
ESPN
Wed, March 23
1 p.m.
N.Y. Mets vs. St. Louis
ESPN
Thu, March 24
5 p.m.
Chicago White Sox vs. Cubs
ESPN2
Fri, March 25
1 p.m.
Atlanta vs. Philadelphia
ESPN
Sat, March 26
4 p.m.
Chicago Cubs vs. Texas
ESPN2
Tue, March 29
1 p.m.
Detroit vs. N.Y. Yankees
ESPN
ESPN’s spring training tv sched
Thurs 3/3 Tigers Braves
Mon 3/14 Yanks BoSox 7PM ESPN 2
Wed 3/16 BoSox Braves
Mon 3/21 BoSox Phils
Tues 3/22 Yanks O’s
Wed 3/23 Mets Cards
Thurs 3/24 White Sox Cubs 5PM ESPN 2
Friday 3/25 Braves Phils
Sat 3/26 Cubs Rangers 4PM ESPN 2
Tues 3/29 Tigers Yanks
All games at 1PM Eastern on the Mothership unless deignated otherwise. They still play baseball on the West Coast despite this schedule.
let’s try that again. Above post is a mess.
ESPN’s spring training tv sched
Thurs 3/3 Tigers Braves
Mon 3/14 Yanks BoSox 7PM ESPN 2
Wed 3/16 BoSox Braves
Mon 3/21 BoSox PhilsTues 3/22 Yanks O’s
Wed 3/23 Mets Cards
Thurs 3/24 White Sox Cubs 5PM ESPN 2
Friday 3/25 Braves PhilsSat 3/26 Cubs Rangers 4PM ESPN 2
Tues 3/29 Tigers Yanks
All games at 1PM Eastern on the Mothership unless deignated otherwise. They still play baseball on the West Coast despite this schedule.
Okay, I’ve done 2 posts on this thread, neither of which transmitted in plain, simple English. Hat trick time.
The BBWAA had an awareds dinner in the Apple tonight, and some really cool stuff went down, so here’s the MLB PR staff twitter page with some of the action, including John Denny presenting Doc with the CY. If the link doesn’t workI believe we have a natural hat trick in place.
http://twitter.com/#!/MLB_PR
The long awaited what’s next for Mike Sweeney finally got some publicity today. MLBTR reporting that The Hugmaster has told friends he’d like to play again if he can nail a major league contract with a contender. Guess he liked playing on a contender last year. Imagine how his hugs would have tightened if Charliehad actually used him in the playoffs.
Stark suggested the Padres as a possibility. Stark knows more than me, but I thought of at least 1 other club that might be more interesting to Sweeney. The Dodgers. Their depth chart shows Jay Gibbons backing up Loney at first, and John Lindsey as 3rd string.
Thoght of the Blue Jays, too, just based on their supposed candidacy for Manny over the last couple months.
Don’t know how the baseball world perceives Mike’s skills at this point, but I get the impression he’s a guy worth hoping for in terms of things working out favorably.