New generation of baseball stars emerging
From Hill to Greinke to Votto, a number of young players shine in 2009
 Nathan Denette / AP Aaron Hill is reminding Blue Jays fans of Roberto Alomar. |
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Maybe you haven't heard of Aaron Hill. You will, though. Trust us on this one. Likewise, you'll soon know all about Zack Greinke, Nyjer Morgan, Nelson Cruz, Joey Votto, Heath Bell and Brandon Inge.
This baseball season is interesting, not just because the Royals, Tigers, Mariners and Marlins are in first place, not just because the Pirates and Padres are hanging in there, but because all over baseball, a new generation of stars is emerging.
Sure, Albert Pujols is still doing amazing things. So is Kevin Youkilis and Johan Santana and Roy Halladay and a lot of familiar names. What would life be without a Red Sox-Yankees series meaning something?
Let's run down some of the people that are doing great things in the first month of a new season.
First, Aaron Hill. He does things at second base that will remind you of Roberto Alomar, meaning his glove work can occasionally take your breath away.
He also leads the major league in hits and is one of several reasons the Toronto Blue Jays are in first place in the American League East. Teammates Ricky Romero and Jason Frasor are on that list, too.
The Blue Jays were only going to go as far as their young pitchers took them, and so far, Romero and Frasor are a combined 5-0, but Romero was placed on the 15-day disabled list this week.
Hill was Toronto's first-round pick in 2003, was in the big leagues for good in 2005. He moved from short to second when Orlando Hudson was traded and has gotten better and better.
He missed 107 games last season after suffering a concussion in a collision with David Eckstein. He's back now. Boy is he back.
The Blue Jays are a model organization in some ways. That is, they're forced to build through player development because they don't have the resources to spring for the big-ticket free agents.
When teams do it this way, even when their scouts are making good decisions, there can be frustration among fans because fans want everything done yesterday.
Once the talent pipeline starts flowing, teams like the Blue Jays — and the Marlins — have a chance to remain in contention for a long time. Nice going, Blue Jays.
Now about Zack Greinke. You probably have a vague recollection of him somewhere in the back of your mind.
You remember he was a top prospect that couldn't cut it and briefly gave up on baseball.
Yes, it does seem like he has been around forever. He was the sixth pick of the 2002 draft and in the big leagues two years later at the ripe old age of 20. He was going to be the next great thing.
His story is really complicated. Somewhere on the road to Cooperstown, he came undone. He walked away, saying it was no longer fun.
He stayed gone only a few months, underwent treatment for depression and anxiety and eventually started enjoy life again.
He makes pitching look easy. He doesn't just have one great pitch. He has one of the best curveballs you've ever seen and one of the best sliders and some of the best control.
After all he has been through, he's still only 25 years old. He leads the majors with a 4-0 record and a 0.00 ERA and is second in strikeouts. That's right, in 29 innings, he hasn't allowed an earned run.
The Royals have built from the ground up as well and they're drawing big crowds at home and there's a feeling that a franchise has been reborn this season.
Joey Votto is also only 25 years old. He was also a high draft pick in 2002. He needed five years to get to the big leagues. He's a big, strapping kid that is hitting .358 and driving in runs.
When the Big Red Machine is fully back in business, he'll be a household name.
Nyjer Morgan plays center field for the Pirates. He's 28 years old, but playing regularly for the first time. He leads the NL in triples and stolen bases and is hitting .319.
He's one of those guys your kids will want to be like. To see him run the bases is to take a memory home from the ballpark.
Sometimes, you just have to give a guy a chance. That's the lesson of Heath Bell, who at 31 leads the major leagues with seven saves. He was drafted by the Mets, traded to the Padres and worked anonymously in both bullpens for most of the last five seasons.
The Padres bumped him from the eighth to the ninth inning after Trevor Hoffman's departure. He has been in eight games this season and has yet to allow a run.
Nelson Cruz was also seen as a guy not ready for primetime. He was a part-time player with both the Brewers and Rangers.
This season the Rangers have put him in right field and seen a very solid major league player emerge. He's hitting .277 with six home runs already on a team that believes it will contend in the American League West.
Haven't the Detroit Tigers tried to get rid of Brandon Inge about a dozen times the last few years? Don't they give his job to someone else. He has moved all over the field, too.
He's playing third base this year, playing it well and is helping the Tigers hang onto a share of first place in the American League Central. His .322 batting average is 84 points above his career average.
Maybe he won't stay at .322, but he has made April more interesting. April is for dreamers. Just ask the Royals and Mariners and Marlins.
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