I don’t know what to make of Kirk Nieuwenhuis

by Matthew Cerrone on February 23rd, 2011 at 4:20 pm

Kirk Nieuwenhuis is a big kid. There is no getting around it.

Frankly, he looks like an actor playing baseball.

In talking to people around the team, I can’t get a read on how they view him. There are people who like his potential, others who are not quite sure yet.

He hit .274 with 18 HR and 43 doubles in 124 games between Double- and Triple-A last year. He hits the ball well in the gaps, and he shows average power. In the field, though, he just doesn’t move like a center fielder. I’m not sure how else to say that. It could be his jump on the ball, or just his general instincts, but he glides after it and seems sluggish. You have to see it to know what I mean, I think. However, when moved to a corner, where he looks more comfortable in the field, his offensive stats might not be enough (especially in the context of the organization’s other outfielders).

I don’t know what any of this means, other than I’m glad I got to see him in action – and I look forward to watching how he develops through the coming season.

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