Last week Glenn Yaeger, manager of the Brewers AAA affiliate Nashville Sounds, called Rickie Weeks a future 40 HR player. Right now Rickie’s biding his time in TN while the Brewers figure out a way to trade Junior Spivey. Some Milwaukee fans want Weeks to get the call-up, others want him spending the year in AAA. When Spivey’s gone the job goes to Bill Hall. He’ll either spend the rest of the year keeping 2B warm for Weeks, or resume his utility role. Which option would serve the Brewers best? Well let’s take a look:

Some differences between Hall and Weeks:

Weeks was the #2 overall pick in the 2003 draft; Hall was the 176th overall pick in the ‘98 draft.

Hall’s best offensive season in the pros came after he repeated A ball in 2001 (346 AB,.303/15/51). Weeks’ best pro. offensive season is happening right now (176 AB,.324/10/43). So Weeks, after basically skipping A, and posting mediocre stats in AA, is now dominating AAA. In half the ABs, and at a higher level of competition, Weeks has already matched Hall’s career year. Translated to a standard 550 AB season Rickie’s on pace to go roughly .324/30/130 with 30 SBs.

If Aaron Hill, who was taken 12 picks after Rickie in the same draft, can play 3B for Toronto and send Frank Catalanotto to the bench then Rickie can play 2B for the Brewers and send Hall to the bench.

He’s already honed his skills in the NCAA, the AFL, AA, and now AAA. I’d think he knows how to field a ground ball by now.

Rickie’s not the most polished defender, but if he keeps hitting he should be in Milwaukee by the 1st week of July. Hall isn’t the Brewers’ Chone Figgins, and he isn’t going to keep Rickie and his MLB contract from the bigs. Plus with JJ Hardy hitting .170 and Jeff Cirillo now the man at 3B there’s a very good chance Milwaukee is forced to call-up Weeks to plug some holes. They’re close enough to .500 that that right side of the infield won’t fly. Cirillo, Hardy, Spivey and Wes Helms in the infield? I don’t think so.

Expect Rickie to go .280/14/40 after the ASB.