In the News
9/1/06.. addition.. Rocky
Baker was given a challenge during spring training to put a healthy season together. He has. And he has produced. Baker is hitting .302 for Triple-A Colorado Springs with 16 home runs and 101 RBI, third best in the Pacific Coast League.
Originally a third baseman, Baker has been playing right field for the Sky Sox and with the second-half struggles of Brad Hawpe, it would seem he will get an extended look in right field with the Rockies this month. Baker could win the right field job next season. He also could wind up being a bench player, sharing right field with Hawpe and backing up Todd Helton at first base and Garrett Atkins at third base.
6/11/06.. addition.. Post
You like to think the organization still has plans for you," Baker said. "I'm here doing what I have to do to help us win games."
Marc Gustafson, Rockies director of player development, said Baker hasn't been forgotten and is well up on the list of the organization's top prospects.
"We study his progress every day," Gustafson said. "If he keeps putting up the numbers, he'll force us to make a decision and make something happen for him."
5/16/06.. addition.. Rocky
Baker, who Sky Sox coach Alan Cockrell described as a gap-to-gap line-drive hitter, was the rare player who entered professional baseball able to drive the ball to the opposite field. Cockrell said Baker's "strength is the ability to stay on the ball away," but he is learning to turn on pitches.
" . . . A lot of times, pitchers come in and it's pretty much a show pitch," Baker said. "They'll show you in but go right back away. So I don't really get too caught up on trying to pull the ball, and that's really one of the last things I try to do. But that's one of the things me and (Cockrell) talk about having to do, especially when you get two strikes and that ball comes in, is be able to turn on the ball and hit it well."
5/08/06.. Purps 30 .. Purple Row.com
12. Jeff Baker - INF/OF
Another one of these prospects without a place, Baker is blocked in front and back at his natural third base position by Garrett Atkins and Ian Stewart. So they squeezed him to the outfield where Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe don't appear ready to give up their posts anytime soon, either. Unlike Shealy, I don't know for sure that Jeff's bat is MLB ready. I know it's pretty darn close, though. Baker feasts on weak pitching, but tends to look a bit foolish with your higher quality stuff. That said, there are a lot of weak pitchers out there and he's very quick to make any pitcher regret their mistakes. In the outfield I've heard he's done fairly well, certainly not as brutal as Shealy, but without the arm of Hawpe. He's got decent range, though, and with practice he would probably be at least as good a defender as Matt Holliday.
2/28/06.. analysis.. FOXSports.com
Baker has been rather successful at every level since being selected out of Clemson, but the Rockies can't count on him developing into an everyday player. It's because of the injuries. A wrist problem last year was originally expected to end his season, but he was able to return to Colorado Springs' lineup for the final five weeks. Still, the Rockies chose not to call him up in September. In three minor league seasons, Baker has 849 at-bats, plus the 38 he received in the majors filling in for Garrett Atkins last year. He has 25-homer power and he can also hit for average, so there is some hope. However, since he's below average defensively at third, the Rockies are considering a permanent move to right field. His performance and his health in Triple-A this year will determine whether he's a potential regular or just a part-time player.
