Baseball in Fort Wayne

One of the Fort Wayne Wizards I always enjoyed watching was Will Venable. He’s an interesting storyline and put up a great performance while in the Midwest League.

Venable had less baseball experience that the rest of his class when he was drafted our of Princeton in 2005. While there, he did play baseball, but excelled as a member of the basketball team that went deep into the NCAA tournament. While with the Wizards, he was coached by his dad and former big leaguer, Max Veneble.

His year with the Wizards was by all accounts, very good. He hit .313 with 11 home runs and 92 runs batted in. At the conclusion of the season, he was named the Wizards Most Valuable Player.

Many pundits and observers will suggest that Will’s late start into baseball and his age skew his viability as a true baseball prospect. I think specifically of Geoff at Ducksnorts (whom I consider THE padres authority in the blog-o-sphere). In his Ducksnorts 2008 Baseball Annual (which I purchased today and will probably reference often from here on out unless he tells me not to do so), he states that:

Venable has the “good athlete” thing going for him, and some people offer his late start in baseball as a defense for the relative lack of production so far, but he looks like a ‘tweener to me.

I can’t really disagree with Geoff’s take, but I hold much hope that he will develop into a Major Leaguer and not settle for a mere cup of coffee. I want to see him develop into an every day player and perhaps an All-Star caliber player. I know it is a tall order, but I think back to another former Wizards outfielder who came into the game with considerably less background than his peers and developed into an outstanding All-Star; yes, I am thinking of Torii Hunter.

“We like Will … I like Will,” [Padres Manager Bud] Black said. “He’s an athlete. I think what we all like about him is this guy is very sharp, he understands what he needs to do as a player.” [source: MLB.com]

While it is likely that Venable will begin the year at Triple A Portland, his spring is off to a good start. He’s slugged two home runs and has eight RBIs in his first 12 at-bats.

Photograph by Chad Gramling.

[tags]prospects, Will Venable, Baseball in Fort Wayne, Wizards, Padres, MLB, MiLB[/tags]

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