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The 58th Annual Jake Wald Award for Irrational Optimism

Fan_truss_callahan_tiny by multiphasic on

The 58th Annual Jake Wald Award for Irrational Optimism (With Regards to a Not All That Impressive Prospect) has been given out by an illustrious committee consisting of cabalists, conspirators, and Art Bell listeners every offseason to the Giants prospect who you know will suck but still get a wildly inaccurate gut feeling about.

(for the record, I also had Taco Bell for breakfast, which gives me a slightly more accurate gut feeling)

My nominee for the 2008 season is...

Adam Witter!

Despite a fairly low average, a mediocre K/BB, and being old for A-ball, this San Jose sparklplug's beastly second half makes it seem, just for a moment, that he might have had a "click year," that will turn him into the next Piazza, minus the creepy fetishization of his hair.

Congratulations, Adam!  You could be the next Jake Wald!  You may claim your certificate of nomination and complimentary bag of Cheetos next time you're in Brooklyn.  By the Graham Ave. L stop, between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.  Come alone.

Any dissenters want to put up their own nominees?

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

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Jake Wald Award
Although my first thought was Matt Downs, I wanted to go slightly more irrational. So, my pick is our Garrett Baker, the perfect combination of two Rockies sluggers' names.

I'm currently considering Taco Bell for lunch, so my gut feeling on this may change by afternoon. If so, I'll post again.

"I think I'd trust Amy Winehouse to guard my bag of coke before I'd trust Sabes to build my offense." -Dan Szymborski, Baseball Think Factory

by Lyle @ McCovey Chronicles on Jan 24, 2008 8:49 AM PST reply actions  

Re: Jake Wald Award
Although my first thought was Matt Downs, I wanted to go slightly more irrational.

I view my support of Matt Downs as completely irrational. After all, a 24 year old former pitcher, converted to a utility/corner infielder has a great chance of succeeding at the MLB level, right ?

I also came across this nugget on the SJ Giants page. How many 2B do the Giants need ?

Giants Should Be Strong Up The Middle In 2008

One other name to watch is Matt Downs, an All-Star selection with the Northwest League champion Salem-Keizer Volcanoes last season. Downs, who split time between first base and second base with the Volcanoes, hit .338 last year in 73 games played. The versatile infielder finished with 33 doubles, eight home runs, 48 RBI, and 16 stolen bases as a key component in the middle of the Salem-Keizer lineup. It remains to be seen what position Downs will be playing next season (he can also play third base) and he may just move up one level to Augusta. But the 24-year old did impress a lot of people in Salem last year and depending on how the Giants decide to handle Burriss and Bocock, perhaps Downs could jump all the way to San Jose next season and see significant time at second base.
My adopted son Matt Downs. Because face it, everybody else was already taken by the time I got here.

by nvsfg on Jan 24, 2008 11:23 AM PST up reply actions  

Re: Jake Wald Award
Matt was also working on playing the outfield in the instructional league...funny, I was just having an email conversation about him.
SFDugout.com is BACK! Top 50 Prospects is starting...but, why are there two #50's?

by BruteSentiment on Jan 24, 2008 11:41 AM PST up reply actions  

Re: Jake Wald Award
Well....I guess the Giants do really need "bats", so more power to him. Whatever position moves him through.

2B and OF seem to be pretty deep at this point. Is this all part of Sabean's master plan to build an entire team out of 2B and CF ?

My adopted son Matt Downs. Because face it, everybody else was already taken by the time I got here.

by nvsfg on Jan 24, 2008 1:00 PM PST up reply actions  

Re: Jake Wald Award
Matt also played a couple of games at third and flashed some pretty impressive leather.  
Adopted father of Brian Bocock, Brad Boyer, Sharlon Schoop, Shane Jordan and Jeremiah Luster.

by RichH on Jan 24, 2008 2:37 PM PST up reply actions  

Re: Jake Wald Award
I'm hoping he's our 3B by 2011.
"I think I'd trust Amy Winehouse to guard my bag of coke before I'd trust Sabes to build my offense." -Dan Szymborski, Baseball Think Factory

by Lyle @ McCovey Chronicles on Jan 24, 2008 4:45 PM PST up reply actions  

Re: Jake Wald Award
In fact, more power to every hitter in the Giants farm! More power, more better!
He is Vengeance. He is the Knight. He is Dave Righetti. PRAY TO HIM!

by howtheyscored on Jan 24, 2008 6:47 PM PST up reply actions  

As a fellow Art Bell listener...
I happen to find myself above such things as canabalists.  Conspirators may be above though...
Coming to you from the Land of Many Beers

by WalrusMan on Jan 24, 2008 9:47 AM PST reply actions  

Re: The 58th Annual Jake Wald Award
Jake Wald?  I think Brian Dallimore would have been a better name, there were all these people clamoring to bring him up because he won the batting title and such.  Heh, good memories...
"I'm a Giant now... I like watching the ball get up there" - Wendell Fairley "I'm really proud to be on this team." - Nate Schierholtz

by obsessivegiantscompulsive on Jan 24, 2008 10:08 AM PST reply actions  

Re: The 58th Annual Jake Wald Award
I believe Brian Horwitz has the Brian Dallimore Award Presented by Toyota and Mike Cervenak locked up for the foreseeable future.
"When Jackson Williams thinks of how many times Madison Bumgarner has tried to kill Tyler Walker..."

by multiphasic on Jan 24, 2008 10:24 AM PST up reply actions  

Re: The 58th Annual Jake Wald Award for Irrational
I am actually naming Adam Witter my stealth prospect.  The home/road split is telling (see the new diary just up here, he's got legitimate power even with the contact issues, and survived especially well after skipping a level, even if he's a touch old.

I like Witter's future.  Can't stand the moustache, though.

SFDugout.com is BACK! Top 50 Prospects is starting...but, why are there two #50's?

by BruteSentiment on Jan 24, 2008 11:40 AM PST reply actions  

Re: The 58th Annual Jake Wald Award for Irrational
haha stealth prospect!

Adam Witter: He'll hit a homerun, throw you out at second and you'd never know he was there.

Metal Gear: Adam Witter.

Pedro Feliz: Marginally better this year.

by SloIsLonelyForTheOrange on Jan 24, 2008 1:48 PM PST up reply actions  

Re: The 58th Annual Jake Wald Award for Irrational
Skyler Stromsmoe...what? no really.
Uribe to Thompson to Clark: Don't tinker ever with chance

by tellusfrank on Jan 24, 2008 5:18 PM PST reply actions  

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