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Where Are You Brett Wallace?
It seems like a Galaxy Far, Far Away and/or A Long Time Ago that Brett Wallace was a headlining name in a trade that featured Cy Young Award Winners Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee that found the first baseman prospect in Oakland. After a flip with Toronto (who originally drafted Wallace in 2005) for outfielder Michael Taylor, the Blue Jays too sent him packing again, this tme to Houston for outfielder Anthony Gose.
So in 2010 it was the popular thought that Brett Wallace was the Astrois future first baseman. Before the season began, Baseball America had him ranked as the 27th best prospect in all of baseball.
Under four years later, after being given chance after chance after somewhat of a chance after a trial at frikkin’ shortstop (9 games, 3 errors) after one final go around to cap off 2013, the Astros cut ties with the 26-year old top prospect turned failed utility project.
#HashtagWhoops
Photo Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
The next wave of talent in Houston was approaching, but first a stopgap in the form of Jesus Guzman and the shape of Marc Krauss would take over at first base. That these two temporary players prevailed over giving Wallace another chance spoke volumes to how low the stock had fallen for the former 13th overall pick of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Brett Wallace’s final attempt to secure a potential future in the Astros plans didn’t go terribly…but to say it went well would be to say cutting J.D. Martinez went well.
Wallace’s 2013 numbers are highlighted by a career high 13 home runs and 36 RBI in 79 games. The last of those numbers the most telling –his time in Houston was all but over as the season went onward.
As for his MLB career totals over four seasons, all with us, Brett Wallace amassed a futile .242/.313/.391 line, struck out 318 times to 80 walks, never displayed the power that he was supposedly capable of (29 HR) and certainly never became a contact hitter that he was also said to have a chance to supposed to maybe turn out to possible be.
Potentially.
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It just never worked for Brett Wallace, and a chance of scenery didn’t do him any good like the aforementioned and personal favorite of mine, J.D. Martinez, who has cemented himself as the capper of the Detroit Tigers heart of the order, hitting 5th for a World Series contender and manning left field.
As for Wallace, he signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles on March 23, 2014, eleven days after being released from the Astros. The Orioles obviously were hoping to find a revival in Wallace’s downward spiraling professional career.
Hitting Minor League pitching has never been Wallace’s problem, but that’s not a career path for a top prospect just four years removed.
However a career .300+ hitter in the minors couldn’t find his stride in Baltimore, hitting .265 and striking out 98 times in 90 games for AAA Norfolk.
The Orioles trial was error and they traded Brett Wallace for cash considerations on July 14. To where? Well, the same team that originally drafted him in the 42nd round back in 2005. The team that re-acquired him in 2009 and after a four year gap and now a five year span the Toronto Blue Jays once again acquired Brett Wallace.
Toronto is Everywhere.
Photo Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
He’s played 38 games for AAA Buffalo and fared quite well. His miserable K:BB ratio is down to a workable 33:15 and nobody will ever complain about a .323 batting average. He’s fielding first base good but not great, however at a newly christened but certainly not shiny presentable 27 years old, the best hope for former top prospect and Houston Astro Brett Wallace is a spot on a bench in the Major Leagues.
Houston Astros fans will always remember Brett Wallace, but Batman fans will always remember what Director Joel Schumacher did to the illustrious cabinet of villains going toe to toe with Batman.
Maybe it can be better to be forgotten. Clint Barmes? He’s fading just fine into oblivion. (I liked Clint Barmes)