Brad Hawpe
Full Name: Bradley Bonte Hawpe
Born: June 22,1979 Place: Fort Worth, Texas
Position: RF
Height: 6'3" Weight: 210
Bats: L Throws: L
High School: -
College: Louisiana State University
Drafted: Selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 46th round (1344th overall) of the 1997 amateur entry draft. (June-Reg phase)....Selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 11st round (317th overall) of the 2000 amateur entry draft. (June-Reg phase)
Born: June 22,1979 Place: Fort Worth, Texas
Position: RF
Height: 6'3" Weight: 210
Bats: L Throws: L
High School: -
College: Louisiana State University
Drafted: Selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 46th round (1344th overall) of the 1997 amateur entry draft. (June-Reg phase)....Selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 11st round (317th overall) of the 2000 amateur entry draft. (June-Reg phase)
Brad Hawpe continued his growth as a major leaguer in 2006 albeit a bit slower than we here at RoxHead thought it should be. He clearly has some problems handling lefties, which isn't a huge surprise since most left handed hitters do, however, his talent should help him overcome this. Now all he has to do is convince the Rockie front office that he can and the only way to do that is to show it on the field. The inside scoop is that they don't belive he can and that is why we might see a lot of Jeff Baker in right.
The word is that management will also give Hawpe an opportunity to try out in center. We believe he can pull this off. Will he be a gold glove candidate out there? Nope, no way.. however, his bat should make up for some of his mistakes so things will more than even out.
YEAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG
2004 42 105 12 26 3 2 3 9 42 11 34 1 1 .322 .400 .248
2005 101 305 38 80 10 3 9 47 123 43 70 2 2 .350 .403 .262
2006 150 499 67 146 33 6 22 84 257 74 123 5 5 .383 .515 .293
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Career 293 909 117 252 46 11 34 140 422 128 227 8 8 .365 .464 .277
2006 Salary $335,000. One-year contract. Incentives: None
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2006
Brad Hawpe is the future when one is talking about the rightfield spot for the Colorado Rockies. He has the best shot of all the new players coming up from the minors lately of becoming a bona fide star. He has a beautiful swing from the left side. He can drive the ball to all parts of the ball park and will hit for average. He also has a gun attached to his left shoulder which is what you want to see in RF for a team that plays its home games in Coors. He has that confidence you like to see in a major leaguer and he has the size to handle the rigorous 6 month MLB schedule.
He will probably slot in the number 4, 5 or 6 spot for the Rockies depending on how well Matt Holliday develops. Even Hawpe believes he has the tools to hit a high number of homers by a quote by him found on denverpost.com about the power potential and needs of his club:
I think (Matt) Holliday is a guy who can hit 30 home runs. I know that I can do that.
(Garrett) Atkins, I've seen that kind of power in him. If we get five or six guys who can
hit 20 home runs, we're fine. We don't need someone to hit 50.
Rox Head could gush on about this guy but we won't too much however hard that may be but even outfield coach Dave Collins can't hold back when chatting about Hawpe, "He will put it all together. This kid is legit. He's going to be a stud."
The future for Hawpe will depend directly on how many at bats the front office can get for him over the next few years. There should be orders given, with capital punishment the result, if he isn't swinging from the heels 4 or 5 times every game. The reason is that he is the only true potential future Blake Street Bomber Rox Head sees in the system now besides Ian Stewart. Success at altitude depends directly and indirectly on the ability of the team to smash homers... and Hawpe needs to be one of those members.
But Hawpe needs to continue his improvement as a major leaguer in a quickened pace because of his age. He turns 27 during the season and his offensive numbers must make a major leap in order to justify his extended experience. Sometimes players who are drafted out of college don't have the time to develop in the minors because before you know it they have hit 25 or 26 years of age and are just now getting some time in the big leagues. Hawpe falls into that category.
With that in mind, we must insist that Brad hit over 20 homers and drive in 80-100 runs in 2006 or he'll have to watch his back. There's talk that Ian Stewart might be moved from 3rd base to the outfield because Garrett Atkins is going to be hard to knock out of that spot in Denver.
The word is that management will also give Hawpe an opportunity to try out in center. We believe he can pull this off. Will he be a gold glove candidate out there? Nope, no way.. however, his bat should make up for some of his mistakes so things will more than even out.
YEAR G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG
2004 42 105 12 26 3 2 3 9 42 11 34 1 1 .322 .400 .248
2005 101 305 38 80 10 3 9 47 123 43 70 2 2 .350 .403 .262
2006 150 499 67 146 33 6 22 84 257 74 123 5 5 .383 .515 .293
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 293 909 117 252 46 11 34 140 422 128 227 8 8 .365 .464 .277
2006 Salary $335,000. One-year contract. Incentives: None
---------------------------
2006
Brad Hawpe is the future when one is talking about the rightfield spot for the Colorado Rockies. He has the best shot of all the new players coming up from the minors lately of becoming a bona fide star. He has a beautiful swing from the left side. He can drive the ball to all parts of the ball park and will hit for average. He also has a gun attached to his left shoulder which is what you want to see in RF for a team that plays its home games in Coors. He has that confidence you like to see in a major leaguer and he has the size to handle the rigorous 6 month MLB schedule.
He will probably slot in the number 4, 5 or 6 spot for the Rockies depending on how well Matt Holliday develops. Even Hawpe believes he has the tools to hit a high number of homers by a quote by him found on denverpost.com about the power potential and needs of his club:
I think (Matt) Holliday is a guy who can hit 30 home runs. I know that I can do that.
(Garrett) Atkins, I've seen that kind of power in him. If we get five or six guys who can
hit 20 home runs, we're fine. We don't need someone to hit 50.
Rox Head could gush on about this guy but we won't too much however hard that may be but even outfield coach Dave Collins can't hold back when chatting about Hawpe, "He will put it all together. This kid is legit. He's going to be a stud."
The future for Hawpe will depend directly on how many at bats the front office can get for him over the next few years. There should be orders given, with capital punishment the result, if he isn't swinging from the heels 4 or 5 times every game. The reason is that he is the only true potential future Blake Street Bomber Rox Head sees in the system now besides Ian Stewart. Success at altitude depends directly and indirectly on the ability of the team to smash homers... and Hawpe needs to be one of those members.
But Hawpe needs to continue his improvement as a major leaguer in a quickened pace because of his age. He turns 27 during the season and his offensive numbers must make a major leap in order to justify his extended experience. Sometimes players who are drafted out of college don't have the time to develop in the minors because before you know it they have hit 25 or 26 years of age and are just now getting some time in the big leagues. Hawpe falls into that category.
With that in mind, we must insist that Brad hit over 20 homers and drive in 80-100 runs in 2006 or he'll have to watch his back. There's talk that Ian Stewart might be moved from 3rd base to the outfield because Garrett Atkins is going to be hard to knock out of that spot in Denver.
Brad Hawpe Bio:
More Bio's:
In the News
11/29/06.. addition.. Post
Rockies right fielder Brad Hawpe isn't going anywhere. After receiving inquiries from the Cardinals, Phillies and Pirates, the Rockies assured Hawpe's agent Tuesday that they have no plans to trade the 27-year-old slugger.
9/12/06.. addition.. MLB.com.. Hurdle talking about Hawpe's swing. A swing that RoxHead reported as being perfect last year but has gone whacky this season. The reason why it is now messed up is because some stupid coach got into Brad's head and changed it. Something we here at the Head begged them not to do.
"It's a swing that a lot of things have to happen right. It's a top-end swing. It's a high-risk swing. It's a fly-ball swing. His raw power is eye-opening. To make some adjustments in certain situations and counts I think would be a step in the right direction."
5/19/06.. addition.. Post
Hawpe's accelerated learning curve can be traced to his arm slot. As a first baseman, he threw sidearm with maximum effort. As an outfielder, he began throwing over the top, using his body's momentum to increase velocity.
"I stopped trying to throw hard and started focusing on where I was throwing it. That really helped," said Hawpe, who has four outfield assists after posting 10 a year ago. "I am having fun out there, just like when I played first, and that's the whole trick."
4/3/06.. addition.. MLB.com
The Rockies gave right fielder Brad Hawpe extra at-bats in Minor League games to straighten out some flaws in his swing. The Rockies want Hawpe, a pull hitter who displayed power in the Minors, to concentrate on the opposite-field gap. After spending the early part of the spring watching pitches a little longer, Hawpe worked on getting the fat part of the bat into the strike zone quicker.
"I feel real good right now, not just with the swing or playing outfield or throwing," Hawpe said. "I feel good physically. I'm healthy. My legs feel good from my feet all the way up through my back."
3/24/06.. addition.. MLB.com
The Rockies are banking on Hawpe driving the ball to left-center with power. Hitting coach Duane Espy has tried to simplify the motion Hawpe uses to get his bat into position by drawing it back like a bow with no looping motion.
"The reality of Brad's swing is he can hit the ball out of the ballpark anywhere," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "But if he gets hook-happy and pull-happy, that's when he gives up too many other parts of the plate and his swing becomes kind of one-sided. He's a much more dangerous hitter than that."
2/21/06.. addition .. Post
"He gets out of whack, when he gets in a hurry," hitting instructor Duane Espy said. "When you're big and strong like him, the power will come. But the more you force it, the more problems you have."
2/3/06... addition... MLB.com
Hawpe is working out with Texas Christian University's nationally ranked track and field squad in his hometown of Fort Worth to develop speed and explosiveness.
"I'd say I've lost five to eight pounds this winter, and I'm planning to come in at 205," Hawpe said. "I've always come into Spring Training trying to be bigger and stronger, but I don't think that's the most beneficial approach. I'm pretty strong and can be a power hitter, so I don't need to worry about being bigger and stronger. I need to spend time on being a better athlete."
---------------------------
12/02/05.. addition.. Baseball Prospectus.com
Hawpe's season as the primary right fielder was a big letdown. PECOTA saw abundant power in Hawpe last winter, but it never came--his isolated power was just .141, far below even the 10th percentile forecast. The Rockies even stuck with a rigid platoon for the lefty-hitting Hawpe, but to no avail.
9/30/05.. addition..
Don't get to upset about his late season troubles in 2005. He was pressing there at the end trying to do too many things in a short period of time and as a result, he has screwed up his swing a little. Some time off in the winter should be just what the Doctor ordered and he will be back to the type of prospect we here at Rox Head.com expect in no time.
Rockies right fielder Brad Hawpe isn't going anywhere. After receiving inquiries from the Cardinals, Phillies and Pirates, the Rockies assured Hawpe's agent Tuesday that they have no plans to trade the 27-year-old slugger.
9/12/06.. addition.. MLB.com.. Hurdle talking about Hawpe's swing. A swing that RoxHead reported as being perfect last year but has gone whacky this season. The reason why it is now messed up is because some stupid coach got into Brad's head and changed it. Something we here at the Head begged them not to do.
"It's a swing that a lot of things have to happen right. It's a top-end swing. It's a high-risk swing. It's a fly-ball swing. His raw power is eye-opening. To make some adjustments in certain situations and counts I think would be a step in the right direction."
5/19/06.. addition.. Post
Hawpe's accelerated learning curve can be traced to his arm slot. As a first baseman, he threw sidearm with maximum effort. As an outfielder, he began throwing over the top, using his body's momentum to increase velocity.
"I stopped trying to throw hard and started focusing on where I was throwing it. That really helped," said Hawpe, who has four outfield assists after posting 10 a year ago. "I am having fun out there, just like when I played first, and that's the whole trick."
4/3/06.. addition.. MLB.com
The Rockies gave right fielder Brad Hawpe extra at-bats in Minor League games to straighten out some flaws in his swing. The Rockies want Hawpe, a pull hitter who displayed power in the Minors, to concentrate on the opposite-field gap. After spending the early part of the spring watching pitches a little longer, Hawpe worked on getting the fat part of the bat into the strike zone quicker.
"I feel real good right now, not just with the swing or playing outfield or throwing," Hawpe said. "I feel good physically. I'm healthy. My legs feel good from my feet all the way up through my back."
3/24/06.. addition.. MLB.com
The Rockies are banking on Hawpe driving the ball to left-center with power. Hitting coach Duane Espy has tried to simplify the motion Hawpe uses to get his bat into position by drawing it back like a bow with no looping motion.
"The reality of Brad's swing is he can hit the ball out of the ballpark anywhere," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "But if he gets hook-happy and pull-happy, that's when he gives up too many other parts of the plate and his swing becomes kind of one-sided. He's a much more dangerous hitter than that."
2/21/06.. addition .. Post
"He gets out of whack, when he gets in a hurry," hitting instructor Duane Espy said. "When you're big and strong like him, the power will come. But the more you force it, the more problems you have."
2/3/06... addition... MLB.com
Hawpe is working out with Texas Christian University's nationally ranked track and field squad in his hometown of Fort Worth to develop speed and explosiveness.
"I'd say I've lost five to eight pounds this winter, and I'm planning to come in at 205," Hawpe said. "I've always come into Spring Training trying to be bigger and stronger, but I don't think that's the most beneficial approach. I'm pretty strong and can be a power hitter, so I don't need to worry about being bigger and stronger. I need to spend time on being a better athlete."
---------------------------
12/02/05.. addition.. Baseball Prospectus.com
Hawpe's season as the primary right fielder was a big letdown. PECOTA saw abundant power in Hawpe last winter, but it never came--his isolated power was just .141, far below even the 10th percentile forecast. The Rockies even stuck with a rigid platoon for the lefty-hitting Hawpe, but to no avail.
9/30/05.. addition..
Don't get to upset about his late season troubles in 2005. He was pressing there at the end trying to do too many things in a short period of time and as a result, he has screwed up his swing a little. Some time off in the winter should be just what the Doctor ordered and he will be back to the type of prospect we here at Rox Head.com expect in no time.