Michael Choice has played in 48 games for the Oakland Athletics’ AAA team, the Sacramento River Cats, this season. In those 48 games, he is a respectable .287 with nine home runs, 38 RBIs and 36 runs scored. If that is not enough to make you believe in the A’s first pick in the 2010 draft (10th overall), then maybe the comparisons to current A’s star Yoenis Cespedes will make you realize just how good this kid has looked this year. Choice looks like he will be the future of the Athletics in centerfield, and it is only a matter of time before he is called up to take over for Coco Crisp in center, or moved to left when Cespedes takes over for Crisp in center. Should the A’s call the youngster up now, though? Absolutely not.
How can you say no when he’s hitting that well and drawing those comparisons? It’s easy, he needs the experience. Choice is in his fourth season in the minors, and in only one season has he played more than 100 games (118 in single A), and he is coming off of a season in AA where his season was ended after 91 games when he broke his hand. Just one year later, Choice needs to show he can play a full season before he’s brought up to the majors. With Cespedes, Crisp, Josh Reddick, Chris Young and Seth Smith all taking at bats at the major league level, there is no point in rushing him up this year before he proves he can play a longer season.
There is some talk that he should be called up if Crisp is traded at the trade deadline this year, but if that happens it would be wiser to put Young in center, his natural position. Even though Crisp is in the final year of his contract, it would be surprising if they trade him. Crisp is just way too valuable leading off for the A’s when he is healthy.
If you are a Choice fan and want to see him sooner, don’t hold your breath. He may get the September call up, but it is more likely that guys like Shane Peterson and Michael Taylor will come up instead.
Do not worry, though, it’s highly likely that Crisp is not back next season, and that means that Choice will have a great chance at making the big league roster out of spring training next season. So don’t go looking for your Choice jerseys quite yet, but you can find a Choice Stockton Ports bobblehead on eBay for $34.99.