Scout views: observations and opinions from major league scouts

Sporting News, The, July 15, 2005

Terry Crowley, the Orioles' hitting coach, says Sammy Sosa's bat speed is good, but Sosa is not as quick as he used to be. He's not able to get to the bali inside.... Rickie Weeks, the Brewers' rookie second baseman, has a way to go. I saw him fight a couple of balls hit to him. He's not a real smooth guy, but he has real good reactions, real good quickness and a plus arm.

If he can't play second, he might be a heck of a center fielder.... Kerry Wood had a very good tempo to his delivery in his first start back from shoulder trouble. He wasn't rushing, trying to overthrow. He was under control, getting to his balance point better, keeping his chin and front side on the plate longer. He kept his delivery together pretty good.... I made a mistake on Brandon Inge; I didn't think he was going to hit. He strikes out a lot; he drops his hands, starts his swing real low. You can bust him over the top of his hands. But he has loosened up, made adjustments.... The Braves' Jorge Sosa is more comfortable as a starter than he was as a reliever. He has more margin for error as a starter, and he's thriving on that.... Xavier Nady might be too inexperienced at third base to handle it in a pennant race for the Padres, but he can really hit a fastball. He turns on a fastball as well as anybody you're going to see.... Juan Uribe is so unorthodox, sometimes his bad habits put him in a rut. He'll never contend for a batting title, but he can hit .260 to .280, and he gives the White Sox good power out of the shortstop position.