Smiling Joe Hesketh said:
He's 24 and without major injury and can reasonably be expected to improve.
Yet, he had a back issue this year too. Could this be the start of something?
And no one is saying he can't improve with other quality third basemen on the team. For example, similar to the Drew/Iglesias situation now.
I really think you are arguing a point that I'm not making. You think I wasn't excited about Middlebrooks progressing in AAA last year? You think I didn't see that Youks is getting older and more injury prone? OK, Youks gets injured, in steps Middlebrooks.
Or maybe, since Middlebrooks could easily morph into Jeff Francoeur, especially with that ridiculous K/BB rate, it could have been better for his development to ease him in a-la Iglesias. Example: favorable match-ups, less pressure, etc.
EDIT: Or basically I guess I'm repeating my previous post you responded to. So, I've beat this dead horse!
Oh, and now that he's Yankee scum - back surgery? That may have him miss the whole season (maybe he comes back in mid-Sept)? HA!!