any thoughts he can start centerfield and lead off? what kind of potential do we see in him?

He's old enough to be considered, but he really needs to show us something in AAA. He had a monster year in AA after being asked to repeat the level, perhaps he will figure out AAA this year.

figuring,i want bourne,thats who i want in center for the next 5 years until nimmo is ready.but obviously it aint happening. I dont want them going after ellsbury after deciding bourne was too much. ellsbury gets hurt,bourne doesnt. and i DONT want bourjos at all.

so same money,give den dekker his shot.see what happens. my take on it

Let's hope. The last two years when got bumped up a level, his power increased but his average dipped. He had a .256 OBP in 317 plate appearances at AAA this year. Let's see how he fares for a little in AAA this year.

.256 obp...hmmmmmmm re thinking him leading off a bit.

In 2011 he succeeded at A+ so they promoted him to AA, where he played 72 games and struggled. In 2012, he hit .340/.397/.563 in AA and was promoted to AAA for 77 games where he struggled. Hopefully he follows that up by crushing AAA. He's ready in the field but his bat isn't.

I'll take a half season of dominance at AAA and a half season of struggling at the major league level if that means he'll light it up in the majors in 2014.

den Dekker needs to cut down his K's.

Great defensive CFer, but I don't see him as a leadoff hitter. Maybe a guy who bats 7th or 8th and has a little pop at the bottom of the lineup

I have a feeling that he or Gorski will be that lesser propsect.

i hope not.

He can barely hit triple A pitching.....

He's still a year away as he needs to cut his strikeouts.

It is to bad he is a lefty and not a righty.. Despite his flaws you could book he would be playing center field and hitting 8th opening day is he was a righty..

I would give up on Den Dekker just yet.

I meant I wouldn't give up on Dan Dekker just yet

<<"It is to bad he is a lefty and not a righty"

Unlike Nieuwenhuis, there isn't much of a difference between how he hits lefties and righties.

He does seem to adjust, but his K rate is atrocious no matter how you slice it. Even when he has adjusted from one level to the next his strikeouts are still sky high.

I agree.. But there is no guarantee that would translate up here..

I am just saying that if he was a righty he already would be up here..