Jemile Weeks the second baseman of the present

OAKLAND -- When the A's traded Mark Ellis -- the longest-tenured player on the team -- to the Rockies on Thursday, they made it clear that rookie Jemile Weeks is not only the future at second base, but the present, too.

With Weeks' development coming along quicker than many expected, his performance on the field has come as a pleasant surprise to manager Bob Melvin.

"He's been very consistent, which to an extent has surprised me," Melvin said. "Younger players have a tough time staying consistent. They'll go through hot streaks, cold streaks and then they'll have to deal with the fact that the first time in their career they're struggling some."

But that hasn't been the case with Weeks through his first 21 Major League games. The rookie, who has worked his way into the A's leadoff role as of late, was hitting .309 and reaching base at a .349 clip entering Friday's series opener against the D-backs. He has also swiped as many bags (six) as he has RBIs, and has seven multiple-hit games through his first three and a half weeks in the big leagues.

He has also flashed his glove countless time on defense, sporting a .973 fielding percentage while helping turn 15 double plays.

And Melvin believes Weeks is just scratching the surface of his capabilities, saying the switch-hitting rookie will only continue to grow as he learns pitchers and gets more reps.

"Certainly the numbers he's putting up right now and what he's doing for us energy-wise and so forth, he's certainly forecast that throughout his whole career," Melvin said. "He's only going to get better."


(mlb.com)