Jemile Weeks visits with Sacramento River Cats

Sounds fans who miss the days when current Brewers star Rickie Weeks was manning second base in Nashville have gotten the next best thing lately.

Jemile Weeks, Rickie's younger brother, also plays second base, bats leadoff and fashions his hair similarly with dreadlocks.

The prized Oakland Athletics prospect, making his Greer Stadium debut with the Sacramento River Rats this week, appears on his way to a promising career. He holds a .313 average even after going 0-for-5 in the River Cats' 3-2 win over the Sounds on Monday night.

Jemile said his brother's success at the same position seems only to boost his own confidence.

Rickie led all major league leadoff hitters with 29 home runs last season and started the 2005 season in Nashville as the Brewers' top prospect. He was promoted to Milwaukee in June.

"I think it's more of an inspiration for me. It's not weird at all," Jemile said. "It's showing if he can do it, I'm coming from the same type of atmosphere, being a first-round pick and playing second base, so it shows that those things are attainable for me, also."

Four years younger than Rickie and nearly 50 pounds lighter, Jemile said his approach at the plate is different from his brother's.

"I pretty much try to use all fields when I can. He's going to play his game, which is a power game. My game is a little mix of everything with some speed involved."

He gets regular baseball advice from Rickie, but equally important, Jemile said, he can take the credit for steering his brother to wearing the dreads he is now known for.

"I actually started this in college and then I cut my hair," he said. "Then he started his so I came back around and started mine after him again."



(tennessean.com)