Bill Rhinehart wins MILB hitter of the week for the South Atlantic League

[daveb32]

Bill Rhinehart, Hagerstown
.474 (9-19), 5 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 3 BB, 1 SO, 0 SB, .895 SLG
Drafted in the 11th round out of the University of Arizona last June, Rhinehart is enjoying a fantastic debut so far in full-season ball. The first baseman has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games, collecting multiple hits in seven of them. Rhinehart slugged .400 in each of his four seasons at Arizona, so the recent resurgence of power in his game comes as no surprise. A week's worth of home games may have helped Rhinehart claim this honor as the 23-year-old has been fantastic at Municipal Stadium all season, hitting .405. Rhinehart has been one of the best in the Minor with runners on base as he's now 16-for-29 (.552) with ducks on the pond.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080505&content_id=394804&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

We've got oodles of first base prospects.

[sportsfan882]

He is awesome and would be playing for Potomac right now but Marrero is stuck there right now until he starts doing better. 

[daveb32]

But the questions is, when Marrero does start hitting, does he get promoted to AAA to replace Broadway (cause frankly, Broadway stinks) or does he go to AA to replace both Andrew Lefave and Luis Jimenez? If so, does Lefave get promoted or does Jimenez?

[sportsfan882]

I doubt Marrero will get promoted for a while but when he does he'll go to AA and Jimenez will probably move up to AAA. I wouldn't be surprised if the organization just outright releases Broadway at that point.  LeFave is starting to really hit the ball after a slow start and could be in AAA by the start of next season. 

[heatchucker]

Broadway hit a gamewinning 3run homer tonight for the Clips

[daveb32]

Broadway hit a gamewinning 3run homer tonight for the Clips

He must feel the heat.

[Skinz72]

Finally a post about Rhinehart, my favorite 1st base prospect, and frankly my favorite non-pitching prospect.  I think this guy is great!!  I hope he doesn't get traded because I think, so far, he is the real deal.  I have no idea about his defense, as these stats are not as in the forefront.  Anyone know about what kind of glove he has?

I think that right now Bill is a better prospect than Marrero as he is more consistent over the season.  He is hitting better - and I bet he's a better 1st baseman, too.  Both are transfers to 1st - both are coming from OF.  I hear CM was having adjustment issues at 1st - but that was a little while ago.

I think age has something to do with it.  Bill is 23 while Chris is 19.  Four years really makes a difference.  I say trade Broadway for a Short Season A ball prospect, put Luis Jimenez in AAA, Bill in AA, and everyone else stays put.  Bill is better than low A right now, and the FO knows it.

[sportsfan882]

Rhinehart crushed another HR today in Hagerstown's 8-3 loss to Greensboro. 

His numbers: .345 AVG .406 OBP 5 HR 31 RBI 13 BB 13 SO

[Skinz72]

Rhinehart crushed another HR today in Hagerstown's 8-3 loss to Greensboro. 

His numbers: .345 AVG .406 OBP 5 HR 31 RBI 13 BB 13 SO

He clearly does not belong in Hagerstown.

[daveb32]

Finally a post about Rhinehart, my favorite 1st base prospect, and frankly my favorite non-pitching prospect.  I think this guy is great!!  I hope he doesn't get traded because I think, so far, he is the real deal.  I have no idea about his defense, as these stats are not as in the forefront.  Anyone know about what kind of glove he has?

I think that right now Bill is a better prospect than Marrero as he is more consistent over the season.  He is hitting better - and I bet he's a better 1st baseman, too.  Both are transfers to 1st - both are coming from OF.  I hear CM was having adjustment issues at 1st - but that was a little while ago.

I think age has something to do with it.  Bill is 23 while Chris is 19.  Four years really makes a difference.  I say trade Broadway for a Short Season A ball prospect, put Luis Jimenez in AAA, Bill in AA, and everyone else stays put.  Bill is better than low A right now, and the FO knows it.

I agree that Rhinehart should be in AA, but I think Jimenez should stay in AA as DH and they should promote Lefave to AA because he is the much better defensive first baseman. Broadway is now 28 years old and it's clear that the power numbers aren't going to get better. The Broadway ship has sailed, and he is just in the way of our younger first base prospects.

[Senators2005]

[Skinz72]

Kind of reminds me of another power hitting 1st baseman:

[daveb32]

(Image removed from quote.)

Sweet shades .

[Senators2005]

Looks like he forgot the sunblock...he's got a spiderman sunburn.   

[First Base Lady]

No sunburn there.  His cheeks are always rosy!  Just saw Marrero and LeFave over the weekend.  And you are right - Rhinehart is the real prospect at 1st base.  I just saw him play two games in Hagerstown Monday and Tuesday. 

[Burgess]

The guy is 23 years old and him doing so well at Low class A shouldnt be so overly impressive. He doesnt belong in Hagerstown though, he should be playing with either potomac or harrisburg. He knows how to swing the bat (i cant deny it.)

[sportsfan882]

The guy is 23 years old and him doing so well at Low class A shouldnt be so overly impressive. He doesnt belong in Hagerstown though, he should be playing with either potomac or harrisburg. He knows how to swing the bat (i cant deny it.)

QFT.  They are wasting his time in Low-A ball. 

[GMUTrkstar]

While I agree that he doesn't belong in low class A. The organizagtion is odviously commited to the development of Marrero and Rhinehart moving up to Potomac would only impeed that progress. This way both of them get AB's.

That being said Rhinehart is in the top 10 slugging, HR, BA, and OPS in the SAL and I don't know how much longer they can keep him down there. Eventually his bat will speak for itself and he might get bumped a level to AA. This would still cause a problem though because when Bowden feels Marrero's ready to move best believe he will be the everyday starter at AA. Once again hurting Rhinehart.

So it's prolly best to wait till Marrero breaks out this funk so he can move up to AA and Rhinehart can be in Potomac.

[tomterp]

They need to move Broadway to make room for the other guys.

First Base Lady, did you catch any games last weekend in DC?

[Burgess]

Finally a post about Rhinehart, my favorite 1st base prospect, and frankly my favorite non-pitching prospect.  I think this guy is great!!  I hope he doesn't get traded because I think, so far, he is the real deal.  I have no idea about his defense, as these stats are not as in the forefront.  Anyone know about what kind of glove he has?

I think that right now Bill is a better prospect than Marrero as he is more consistent over the season.  He is hitting better - and I bet he's a better 1st baseman, too.  Both are transfers to 1st - both are coming from OF.  I hear CM was having adjustment issues at 1st - but that was a little while ago.

I think age has something to do with it.  Bill is 23 while Chris is 19.  Four years really makes a difference.  I say trade Broadway for a Short Season A ball prospect, put Luis Jimenez in AAA, Bill in AA, and everyone else stays put.  Bill is better than low A right now, and the FO knows it.

Moving broadway looks like a solid solution but still, if Marrero starts catching fire in A advanced, they wouldnt be able to move him to AA because of Bill.

[blue911]

Rhinehart looks like Drew Carey.

[First Base Lady]

First Base Lady, did you catch any games last weekend in DC?

Yes.  We were at the game on Sunday.  We had absolutely wonderful seats in Row A of the PNC Diamond Club.  The stadium was amazing.  I have to admit (on the chance of embarrassing myself) that I cried when I came up out of the Metro station and saw the park.  After following the team from Olympic Stadium, to RFK and now to the new park, it was quite overwhelming. 

[tomterp]

After following the team from Olympic Stadium, to RFK and now to the new park, it was quite overwhelming. 

Not unlike how I felt when, 34 years after last seeing my team on the field at RFK (last game ever, 1971) I watched them take the field at RFK again, proudly sporting the Curly W's.  I just couldn't believe it was really happening.   Sometimes I still think this is all a dream, albeit a fairly detailed one.

[daveb32]

Yes.  We were at the game on Sunday.  We had absolutely wonderful seats in Row A of the PNC Diamond Club.  The stadium was amazing.  I have to admit (on the chance of embarrassing myself) that I cried when I came up out of the Metro station and saw the park.  After following the team from Olympic Stadium, to RFK and now to the new park, it was quite overwhelming. 

Nationals Park is a pretty big upgrade from the Olympic Stadium isn't it?

I remember in 2004 against the Mets, one of the last games played at "The Big O", walking down the halls on the bottom floor smelling the stench of urination among other things. It was pretty poorly kept for a Major League stadium. Now I haven't been to Nationals Park yet, (August of 08 ) but I'm sure it is safe to say that it is lightyears ahead of the Olympic Stadium.

FYI: The Expos won that one 19-10 and Todd Zeile pitched the 9th inning.

[Skinz72]

As of 5/30 -

Bill Rhinehart
Stats (team rank)
.333 AVG (100+At Bats - 1ST)
49 RBI (1st)
34 RUNS (1st)
67 HITS (1st)
19 2B (1st)
7 HR (2nd)
28 SO (100+At Bats -6th)
.542 SLG (1st)
109 Total Bases (1st)

C'MON!!!!!!!  What does this guy need to do?