Brett Lawrie’s Impressive Rookie Season Comes To An End
September 21st, 2011
Despite always being overshadowed in the American League East by the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox and recently the Tampa Bay Rays, the Toronto Blue Jays have done a lot of good things in 2011. The Jays will probably finish around the .500 mark this season, but more importantly, they have started to develop some young talent most of which was acquired via trades.
Lawrie's rookie season is finished in Toronto
One of the players they acquired in a trade was 3B Brett Lawrie. Lawrie came over to the Jays for Shaun Marcum and boy, does he look like a good one.
Lawrie, who’s season ended today because of a fractured right middle finger, will finish the 2011 season with a .293/.373/.580 slash line with nine home runs, four triples, and seven stolen bases in 171 plate appearances. He also played a solid third base, posting a 4.2 UZR in 380.1 innings at the position.
There are certain players who right off the bat look like they have the “it” factor. Buster Posey had in San Francisco. Derek Jeter had it in New York. Dustin Pedroia had in Boston.
These players carry themselves differently than everyone else. I think Lawrie is that guy for the Blue Jays. The guy’s a gamer. And a gamer who can player is a major player in the big leagues.
The Blue Jays have been lacking a player like Lawrie for quit some time now. Sure they have had some talented everyday players walk through the doors in the past 15 years like Jose Bautista, Carlos Delgado, Shawn Green, and Vernon Wells. But while all of those players were talented, none of them had that “it” factor.
I might be drinking the Cool Aid here, but I believe Lawrie can be for the Blue Jays for the next five-to-ten years what Paul Molitor was to the Blue Jays in 1993 and 1994. Molitor brought that 93′ team together and helped the Blue Jays win the World Series.
Clearly, Lawrie is going to need to some help if the Blue Jays are going to overrun the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays in the American League East. But Lawrie gives the Blue Jays an “it” guy, which is a good start for any team.
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