Edwin Encarnacion....thoughts?

[reiser]

Now, I like Encarnacion better than Zimmerman for this year, but I can't see him cracking the top 10 over the next two years. I would pass for now and try and pick him up cheaply next season after he disappoints. Cincy re-signed Aurila, cus they were worried about Encarnacion for this season.

that could just mean Cincy are idiots

I don't expect the moon from Encarnacion, but the speed he offers is pretty rare at that position. .270-60-10-55-10 seems likely.

[stumpak]

He is my minors in my keeper league, so I have been followng him for 18 months or so. Initially, he is one of those guys who is very attractive in the sense that he has strong 20/20 potential, at 3B nonetheless. But if you look beyond this, you see an undisciplined guy whose own organization is not very high on him.

Long-term, I see him as a guy who will have trouble maintaining a good BA and while good enough to probably bum around as starter for very bad teams, he will never be worth much from a fantasy perspective. Think Joe Randa or Jose Offerman. I don't think that Encarnacion has to potential to ever acheive much more than .260 15/15 on a sustained basis.

[reiser]

He is my minors in my keeper league, so I have been followng him for 18 months or so. Initially, he is one of those guys who is very attractive in the sense that he has strong 20/20 potential, at 3B nonetheless. But if you look beyond this, you see an undisciplined guy whose own organization is not very high on him.

well, here's BA's take from last year:
Q: Greg Pirkl from Seattle, WA asks:
Do you think Edwin Encarnacion has ability to be a top line 3B? Who would you compare his skill set to at the major league level?
A: John Manuel: I do. Scouts from other organizations who saw Encarnacion in winter ball consider him a .280-.340-.480 type of hitter, and the Reds of coure like him quite a bit, maybe better than that. That's above-average for a big league 3b, and he certainly has the tools to be a good defender at the position. That kind of production is hard to find at 3B these days. Sounds like an Aaron Boone-type.

[slomo007]

Maybe I've missed some interviews or something, but where is this idea that Cincy is down on him coming from?

He's a 23 year old starter in the Majors, right? If they were down on him I don't think he'd be starting.

[stumpak]

I am too lazy to dig up the references, but trust me, there was press that management was down on him around July of last year. It was in the context of not wanting to give him an opportunity.

[hybrid]

He is my minors in my keeper league, so I have been followng him for 18 months or so. Initially, he is one of those guys who is very attractive in the sense that he has strong 20/20 potential, at 3B nonetheless. But if you look beyond this, you see an undisciplined guy whose own organization is not very high on him.

Long-term, I see him as a guy who will have trouble maintaining a good BA and while good enough to probably bum around as starter for very bad teams, he will never be worth much from a fantasy perspective. Think Joe Randa or Jose Offerman. I don't think that Encarnacion has to potential to ever acheive much more than .260 15/15 on a sustained basis.

I think I can safely disagree with everything you just said.

How is he exactly undisciplined, just because he didn't look good in his first call up? That isn't a really good way to judge a prospect, from AA to AAA he has had good plate discipline. I also see an organization that traded Randa and let Edwin have the 3B position mostly to himself at 22.

Encarnacion has a career minor league avg. of .290 and he has been at a good age at every level. He also has improved his power, hitting 24 HR's combined last year, 9 of which in 211 AB's on the Reds. He basically has 20 HR power right now and likely will be more of a .270-.280 hitter or higher after making adjustments. Your selling him short IMO obviously.