Jemile Weeks making most of his chance with Boston Red Sox

Back in 2011, Jemile Weeks was one of the most promising young players in baseball.

As a 24-year old second baseman for the Oakland Athletics, Weeks played in 96 games in 2011, hitting for a .303 batting average (.340 on-base percentage), with 26 doubles, eight triples, and two home runs, while stealing 22 bases.

However, 2012 was a different story for Weeks.

Following his amazing rookie season, Weeks hit just .221 (.305 OBP), with 15 doubles and 16 steals in 118 games.

Flash forward to 2015, Weeks has played just 25 games in the Majors since 2012, and is hitting a meager .207 for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox.

On July 26, the Boston Red Sox 40-man roster included Dustin Pedroia, Brock Holt, Xander Bogaerts, Garin Cecchini, Deven Marrero, Sean Coyle, and Travis Shaw.

To put it simply, Weeks’ chances of getting back to the Majors looked bleak.

However, an injury to Pedroia landed him on the disabled list and Red Sox manager, John Farrell, elected to recall a struggling Weeks from Triple-A.

Despite being called-up, there was no reason for fans to expect to see much of Weeks in Boston. The Pedroia injury meant that super-utility man, Holt, would assume the second base role until Pedroia came back.

However, during Sunday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers, Holt injured his left knee after a first-inning single. Holt ended up leaving the game in the sixth.
The same day that Weeks was called-up, he was called into action. Weeks took advantage, putting together two solid at-bats and collecting a single, going 1-for-2 in the Red Sox 11-1 dismantling of the Tigers.

As a precautionary measure, Holt was kept out of the Red Sox lineup against the Chicago White Sox on Monday night as well.

Weeks was getting his first Major League start of 2015.

Despite the Red Sox 10-8 defeat, the blame cannot be put on Weeks.

Weeks went 2-for-4 and drove in a run at the plate while playing spectacular defense at second base, even making a sparkling play to steal a base hit away from Melky Cabrera in the top of the eighth inning.

Will Weeks hit .500 all year long?

No.

Will Weeks see a majority of the second base duties for Boston for the remainder of 2015?

Most likely not.

However, Weeks should get some playing time with Pedroia on the DL and Holt nursing a sore left knee.

Look at this as Weeks’ audition. Not only for the Red Sox, but for the entire MLB.

Weeks is still only 28-years old, and the speed that made him such a threat to steal bases in 2011 hasn’t left him.

A solid showing during his stint in the Majors, however long it may be, could help turn Weeks’ career around.


(outsidepitchmlb.com)