Jay Bruce's Ceiling

Dusty Baker was asked about Jay Bruce's potential.

"High, It's going to be real high," Baker said. "He's probably been our toughest luck guy without a doubt. He keeps playing; keeps working. He asks a lot of questions. He pays attention."

Baker was not effusive with praise that Bruce has played very good defense while sputtering along with a .188 batting average in spite of his youth at the age of 23.

"It's his job no matter what age," Baker said. "You can't struggle at the plate and struggle in the field both or you won't be playing. It takes a lot of pride to play good defense. He works at it everyday. I'm old school. If I'm not getting anything, you're going to get less."

He does give the young 2005 first rounder more leeway because of his youth.

"I realize he's still developing. It's why you stick with him longer than some of the others because he's the youngest. He has the ability, speed, power, arm strength. He's going to be around the longest."

Bruce has played 223 major league games before Wednesday's game.

He is hitting .237 with 45 home runs and 115 RBI. He has stuck out a whopping 196 times while drawing 76 walks.

But let's compare him to a pair of other players. Two players that started in the majors at around the same age. Bruce made his major league debut at 21. He has yet to play a full season. He was promoted in May 2008 and missed a quarter of last season with a broken wrist suffered just before the All-Star break.

Hank Aaron made his big league debut at 20 years of age in 1954. He reached the 223 game mark during his second season.
In his first 223 games, Aaron hit .293 with 35 home runs and 142 RBI. He struck out just 83 times but walked just 59 times.

Baker himself made his debut at 19 in September of 1968 but had just partial seasons in his youth. He didn't reach his 223rd game until 1973. His numbers for those games: .292 batting average, 23 home runs and 106 RBI. He struck out 106 times with 62 walks.