This seems like a good time to introduce a new feature where we take a bit of a closer look at a relatively unknown current member of the Denver Brewers team who is emerging as someone we might be hearing more from in the future.
Today we will look at corner infielder/outfielder
Russell Fleming, who has not only done very well for the Brewers in a backup role (roles?) this season but has been a big part of the team's September surge.
For instance, here is what he did yesterday:
For the month of September
Fleming has hit .500/.536/.792. Okay, sure, this is in just 28 plate appearances. Still, it's a good time to go on a hot streak and twice this month he has been named the Player of the Game.
And check out some of his splits, particularly his runners in scoring position stats, his close/late stats, his gaudy bases loaded numbers (yes, yes, very small sample size).
So, let's actually get a look at the young man and his skills:
And that doesn't capture his defensive versatility completely:
Or his solid makeup:
Fleming was the Brewers 2nd round draft pick (#57 overall) in the 1978 draft and while his minor league numbers have at times been pretty good since then, it can't be said that he has torn it up in his professional career at any level. And he's never come close to sniffing a place on the top 100 prospects list. And yes, his BABIP this year has been an unsustainable .371. But it can't be denied that he has performed well for the team this year, with very nearly a 2 WAR season in spite of only collecting 232 plate appearances. He was on the team part of the time last season too and in 1981 had a slash line of .298/.326/.440 in 178 plate appearances. His WAR was just 0.3, but that likely has a great deal to do with some very poor fielding at third base (-5.2 ZR). He has improved a bit in that category this year (-3.8, though admittedly in few games at this position) but more importantly he is a pretty decent right fielder and has been getting more innings there as the season wears on.
How sustainable these numbers are is debatable (and surely there will be regression next season) but what isn't debatable is whether he has earned playing time and the right to at least make a case for an increased role in 1983.
Fleming is no star in the making, surely, but as a multi-positional role player, he should have a place on the roster for at least the next few seasons if not longer.