Pardon my ignorance, does the organization benefit in anyway from not calling him up this season in regards to contract/clock running on his eventual free agency?
Once they passed the super 2 deadline (late May/early June), the last financial incentive for not calling him up this season passed. Though from a max-benefit type perspective, they should have called him up the day after the super 2 deadline because the math at that point is 6 seasons of control plus whatever portion of the season is left after the super two deadline. I.e. whether they call him up today or two months from now it'll still be 6 seasons of control on top of whatever is left in this season.
What impressed me the most was his ability to hyperfocus. There were a few ABs where he would get behind after appearing wild, missing up and in mostly. 2-0, 3-0. Then, without fail, he would zip two heaters on the bottom corners, then finish with a wipeout change... also in the zone. It was a 20 y/o manchild against "boys".
I cannot count how many times the scouts were left shaking their heads in utter adulation. All while videoing every delivery. The one thing I couldn't ascertain was whom they were employed by. They had rings on, but not gaudy championship rings. I suppose it wouldn't be uncommon to have opposing teams scouting his games for future reference.
Nolan called it. He was there 2 of the 3 times I saw him his Sr. year, so we got to talk a good bit. So were a few, but not many other guys. How he lasted until our draft pick I'll never know, kind of like Berkman.
We could call him up this season, just in time to qualify for the postseason (end of August) and then start him in the minors next year to offset the difference under the guise of building up arm strength or whatever.
