QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 20, 2007 -> 02:16 PM)
Unfortunately...Ryan Sweeney has simply shown that right now, he is not ready to be an everyday big league player with his performance this season. Between the recurrence of his wrist problems and the fact that he's actually performing significantly worse this year than last (802 OPS down to 735 this season) he just can't be looked at as ready.
If either he or Anderson go play winterball and have some success, go to ST and have success, and then have at least a month or two of success in AAA next year, and I'm talking real good success, high OPS, batting around .300, then maybe you consider giving them a shot if you still have an opening or you can create one (i.e. moving Fields from LF to 3rd if that's where he starts the season). But right now, we do not have another ML ready outfielder in our organization, and it's going to take significant improvement from one of those 2 guys for that to change.
I hear what you're saying, but Owens didn't look ready to make the jump either. I'm not saying he's going gang busters in the bigs, but he's definitely figuring it out. I guess I'd just like Ryan to get that same shot, despite his performance in AAA. But you're right, if he can bounce back and have a good spring, then he'll improve his chances.