- Rickie Weeks
Infobox MLB player
name=Rickie Weeks
width=300
position=Second base
team=Milwaukee Brewers
number=23
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1982|9|13
debutdate=September 15
debutyear=2003
debutteam=Milwaukee Brewers
statyear=June 29, 2008
stat3label=Runs Batted In
stat3value=144
stat2label=Home Runs
stat2value=46
stat1label=Batting Average
stat1value=.303
teams=
*Milwaukee Brewers (by|2003, by|2005-present)Rickie Darnell Weeks (born
September 13 ,1982 ) is aMajor League Baseball second baseman forMilwaukee Brewers .Weeks bats and throws
right-handed . A potentialfive-tool player , Weeks was considered a top prospect throughout college; his college career concluded with him being awarded theDick Howser Trophy as the national collegiate player of the year. InSpring 2003 atSouthern University he batted an astonishing .500; in theSummer of 2003 Weeks propelled himself through the Brewers farm system, quickly making his Major League debut on September 15th of 2003. He has shown promise in three of the five tools: speed, power, and throwing arm. Although Weeks has not yet shown he can consistently hit for average and field his position well, he played much of the 2005 season with a thumb injury. In his first full MLB season in 2005, Weeks had a batting average of .239 to go with 13 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 96 games. These HR/SB number are consistent with his minor league totals (playing in 209 games) of 21 home runs and 24 stolen bases. In 2006, Weeks hit .279 with 8 home runs, 34 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases in 95 games.Weeks has a distinctive batting stance that is similar to that of
Gary Sheffield , waggling his bat heavily before swinging.History
Weeks was born in
Daytona Beach ,Florida . He made his major league debut onSeptember 15 2003 , soon after inking a contract which included a $3.6 million signing bonus. Weeks did not become a full-time player for the Brewers until June 2005, when he was recalled fromNashville (AAA). Along withPrince Fielder andJ. J. Hardy , the Brewers hope to have an outstanding young infield for years to come. Rickie attendedSouthern University inBaton Rouge, LA where he was a finalist for the 2004James E. Sullivan Award as the United States top amateur athlete and was a two-timeAll-America n.Weeks was sent down to AAA Nashville on
July 31 ,2007 , since he was batting below .200 after returning from a wrist injury. [cite web
title = Weeks sent to minors
date = 8/1/07
url = http://www.piercecountyherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=17802§ion=Wisconsin%20Sports&property_id=13
accessdate = 2007-08-02 ]In 2007, he had the lowest fielding percentage of all NL second basemen (.976), and the lowest zone rating among all major league second basemen, .737. His target at first base was
Prince Fielder , who finished 2007 last of all eligible major league first basemen in range factor (8.49), and first in errors (14). [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/fielding?groupId=9&season=2007&seasonType=2&split=79&sortColumn=errors "MLB Player Fielding Stats: 2007," ESPN, accessed 10/18/07] ]In 2008, he had the lowest fielding percentage (.975) and the most errors (15) of all NL second basemen. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/fielding?groupId=8&season=2008&seasonType=2&split=80&sortColumn=zoneRating," ESPN, accessed 10/1/08] ]
In Game 1 of the 2008 NL Division Series, Weeks made a key error in the third inning that led to three unearned runs scored by the Phillies in Philadelphia's 3-1 victory.
In Game 3 of the 2008 NL Division Series, Weeks injured his knee while trying to beat out a throw at first base. He was immediately removed from the Brewers NLDS roster, and underwent surgery the following day.
It's been reported that Weeks is eligible for arbitration following the 2008 season, calling his future with Milwaukee into question.
3N2
In 2005, Rickie Weeks signed a sponsorship contract with
sportswear company 3N2, which designed a shoe for him.Family
Weeks's brother Jemile Weeks was drafted by the Brewers in 2005 out of high school, though Jemile chose to attend the
University of Miami instead of signing with the Brewers. TheOakland Athletics drafted Jemile in the first round of the2008 MLB Draft , twelfth overall. [ [http://cbs5.com/local/jemile.weeks.athletics.2.741819.html "A's Make Jemile Weeks Top Pick In Draft"] (June 5, 2008), AP. Accessed June 5, 2008.]Rickie is the son of Richard and Valeria Weeks and has an older sister named Kaisha. Kaisha was an NCAA Regional Finalist at Southern University in track. [ [http://hurricanesports.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/weeks_jemile00.html] (June 6, 2008).]
Awards
* Baseball America College Player of the Year - 2003
*Dick Howser Trophy - 2003
*Golden Spikes Award - 2003
*Rotary Smith Award - 2003
* Southwestern Athletic Conference's Most Outstanding Hitter - 2003
* Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year - 2003References
External links
*baseballstats |mlb=430001 |espn=5652 |br=w/weeksri01 |fangraphs=1849 |cube=W/Rickie-Weeks
* [http://www.baseballdigestdaily.com/bullpen/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=26 Rickie Weeks Interview at Baseball Digest Daily - April 2005]
* [http://rickieweeksjr.com/ Rickie Weeks Jr. Official Website]
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