Mark Ellis Trade Looks Like a Steal

With each at-bat the Rockies recent trade for Oakland Athletics Second Baseman Mark Ellis looks smarter and smarter. Maybe it’s the magic of Coors Field? Maybe it’s Ellis’ new black shoes? All that’s for sure is that Mark Ellis has been on a hot streak since his trade to Colorado. In his two games with the Rockies, all Ellis has done is hit .600 with a home run, 5 RBI’s and 4 runs scored.

[caption id="attachment_19" align="aligncenter" width="715" caption="Mark Ellis ; Photo by The Associated Press"][/caption]

Ellis, 34, was drafted by the Kansas City Royals out of the University of Florida, but played all of his career in Oakland before being acquired by Colorado on June 30^th.

The Rockies have tried many different players at second base, but none have shown enough consistency to stick. They’ve tried Jonathan Herrera, Chris Nelson, Jose Lopez, Eric Young Jr., and Ty Wigginton. Herrera initially looked to be the starter after flirting with a .400 batting average at the start of the season, but has since cooled off drastically.

With Eric Young Jr.’s strong play last year coupled with his incredible speed, I thought he

[caption id="attachment_20" align="alignright" width="350" caption="Eric Young Jr. ; Photo by The Associated Press"][/caption]

would be in good position to play the entire year. He is only 26 years old so he has time to keep refining his game.

Can the veteran Ellis fill Colorado’s gaping hole at second? You never want to judge someone by only a few games, but right now I wouldn’t bet against him.