Marlins' Stanton a "one in a million" talent

ESPN ^ | 6-10-10 | Jerry Crasnick

[FlJoePa]

Florida Marlins outfielder Mike Stanton generates the inevitable Dave Winfield comparisons because he's a 6-foot-5, 240-pound right-handed slugger with a multisport background. His Double-A hitting coach called him "Paul Bunyan," and one opposing manager said he looks like a "15-year-old playing on an 8-year-old Little League team." Hello, Danny Almonte.

Still, it's only when Stanton starts eliciting classic 1960s sitcom references that you realize how extraordinary he can be.

Former big leaguer John Vander Wal, now a San Diego Padres scout, was at the baseball draft Monday when he recalled watching Stanton take batting practice earlier this spring for Jacksonville in the Southern League.

Vander Wal's mind flashed back to Frank Thomas as he saw Stanton hit absurdly long home runs to all fields. Then another behemoth sprang to mind.

"The kid was hitting balls so far, it reminded me of that 'Munsters' episode where Herman tried out for the Dodgers," Vander Wal said.

In case you missed it, that's the one in which Herman Munster rips a hole through the third baseman's glove and launches balls so far into orbit, a stunned Leo Durocher observes, "I don't know whether to sign him with the Dodgers or send him to Vietnam."

[FlJoePa]

I had my doubts about some of the claims of this kid's talent....after only 3 games, I don't anymore. I think he is going to be a special player. He hit two balls in the gap last night that were hit so hard, the outfielders could have been 15 feet apart and they still wouldn't have gotten to them.

[Dengar01]

He's the real deal. This is the Year of the Rookie. Jason Heyward ATL, Ike Davis NYM, Mike Leake, CIN, Stephen Strasburg WAS, Starlin Castro CUBS, Austin Jackson DET.

I apologize to FReepers if I am leaving your favorite rookie off the list, these are the ones that came to my head besides Mike Stanton. I am sure I am leaving some hot propsects off the list.

Either way I think this is good for baseball. I like watching these new guys come in a dominate, sure as hell makes the game more exciting.

[FlJoePa]

Like the article says, the Fish passed on Heyward in the same draft or they could have both of them in the outfield right now.

[cripplecreek]

Lets not forget Brennan Boesch, also with the Tigers. He’s a home run hitting rookie machine.