Change that to “too early to say he’s a major leaguer or AAAA guy” and we’ll have the starting point for a discussion. He’s two months into his AA career. It’s too early to anoint him as a future league-average first basemen, just as it’s too early to announce Ryan Jackson as St. Louis’ future defensive glove at short. Both have major though opposite issues (Ryan’s offense, Matt’s defense) that make them promising but flawed prospects that have potential.

The whole “he won’t walk” criticism comes from his entire pro career–a 7.6% walk rate is fact and what he has done as a professional player in more than 800 ABs. If he continues that, it will be something that can be exploited and affect his offense, which is what has to carry him to the majors since he defense won’t. It is a legit concern, because it is a potential weakness to his main strength. The best power hitters are able to pick their pitches because they can force pitchers to throw strikes. A power hitter who habitually chases balls to stay alive is a hitter who allows the pitcher to dictate what he throws.

That body does not suggest any semblance of hard work to me; he’s out of shape.

He needs to get in better shape and work hard on his defence to progress to the next level, hopefully he’ll do that, though, but I do worry that he’s in AA and only 21 yet he’s still pretty fat. Fielder’s about the only guy of that size to have done much recently in the majors, and I’d suggest he is and was a better hitter than Adams is ever going to be.

All that said, I don’t think Richard was being particularly down on Adams at all, and you’ll see that sort of view on Adams anywhere you look online wrt scouting reports etc.

And Chitown calling him a child molester was totally out of line.

Of course he needs to progress. That’s not insight it’s proforma. Dunn was a horrible fielder when he arrived in the minors and that continued a couple years into the majors. As he’s progressed, he’s improved but will never be mistaken for a GG. The same is likely true of Adams.

Albert has no more than a 50-50 chance of being a Cardinal next year. If he’s gone, Adams won’t be “the guy” but even if Berkman signs another one year contract, we’ll need someone ready to step up. By 2013, I see no reason that Adams can’t be the guy. No, he’s no Albert. So what! They don’t come around very often. But, if we’re looking for a guy who can mash Adams looks like a viable candidate.

He’s also known as a worker. With the right coaching, he can learn to play a decent first base….just like Wallace, only with more power.

Also, Huge, you’re looking at 10 games and making a complete judgment on a player’s ability to walk, which he hasn’t shown in his entire career. If you go back and look at my comments about Adams, you’ll see that the overall thing I’m saying is that it’s too early to make any real judgments on Adams–the AA and AAA levels are progressively far more difficult than Single A, and Adams has only a couple months. He’s also playing in a hitter-friendly league, so his stats, while encouraging, also need a bit of salt as seasoning. It’s way too early to proclaim Adams as “for real” or “AAAA material.”

I don’t believe in ignoring things to improve in a prospect’s development, just because his other stats are excellent. His inability to walk *is* and issue, and if his recent upswing in taking walks is a sign that he’s working on his plate discipline, then I’m all for it. Because in the long run, that will make him a better player.

And isn’t that the point of all this?

Scouts don’t go out on a limb with their assessments or they might have gotten a whole lot more excited about Albert that first year.

In any event, if Adams is to get recognition it’ll be after this year in AA. He’s still young for the league and beating the pitching up. I don’t think you have much to crow about, if that’s what you’re doing, yet.

Its cool you’re a big Adams fan but there is seriously something wrong with his game in the all the scouts eyes and not just the fans. Those guys you list all made the Top 100 after their first full years while Adams ran over the MWL and didn’t even get in their Top 20 prospects for the league.