Really a neat link, Doc. I had not thought of it.
Carew at age 19 hit .302-.402-.392 in A-Ball. At age 20, again in A-Ball, he hit .292-.392-.366. From there he went straight to the bigs, wehre he hit .292-.341-.409 in '67. He was good, but not quite great in A-ball. He did show a 123/153 eye.
At 19 in A-Ball, Marte was .304-.330-.370. At 20 he was in AA and hit .304-.335-.411. He hit and slugged just like Carew...but didn't have his eye. But someting has sure happened in Seattle. I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't a "terrific" eye but more a great ability to foul off good pitches and then he eventually gets a wild ball four. I think those were pitches he put into play in A-AA-AAA because the throwers were of lesser caliber.
Whatever.....I'm smiling over the Carew thing. Carew had an off year in '72, .318-.369-.379, with 21 doubles and 6 triples.
It's pretty easy to imagine Marte having a full year like that. Heck, he's doing it right now. The next step is a .330-.380-.450 season. That takes a leap of faith to see Marte duplicate.
No chance he isn't the starting SS in '16.