大象樂園

Background:

Halman's father Eduardo played professionally in Holland into his mid-30s, and Greg knew from an early age that he wanted to pursue a career in baseball. He turned pro in 2003 at age 16, when he joined Hoofdklasse Honkbal, or the Dutch Major League. The Twins signed him that year, but the contract later was voided. As a 17-year-old first baseman in 2004, Halman earned MVP honors in the Dutch league while nearly winning its triple crown. He signed with the Mariners for $130,000 that June. After an encouraging U.S. debut in 2005, he played just 28 games in 2006 because he broke his right hand in an on-field brawl. He voiced his displeasure with a 2007 Opening Day assignment to low Class A Wisconsin, thinking he had played well enough in a few big league spring-training games to move further up the system. Instead of making a case for promotion, he sulked and hit just .182 before earning a demotion to short-season Everett in June. Humbled by experiencing failure for the first time, he led the short-season Northwest League in slugging (.597) while finishing second in homers (16)—and strikeouts (85). Halman started putting it all together in 2008, hitting .272/.326/.528 and advancing to Double-A West Tenn, where at age 20 he was the Southern League's youngest regular position player. Halman hit 29 home runs and stole 31 bases, narrowly missing becoming the minors' only 30-30 player since Terry Evans in 2006.

Halman is a physical specimen with the potential for five average or better tools. He has drawn comparisons to Andre Dawson and Alfonso Soriano because he's a long-limbed, high-waisted, quick-twitch athlete. Wiry strong, especially in the wrists and forearms, he figures to add strength as he physically matures. He already has the reflexes and whip-like bat speed to hit for plus-plus power. Seattle believes he has the confidence, hand-eye coordination and ability to make adjustments mid-swing that will enable him to be an above-average hitter in time. Though his speed is just a tick above-average, Halman covers swaths of center field with long, graceful strides. He also thrives as a basestealer because of his first-step quickness and acceleration. He has a plus arm.

Weaknesses:

For all his upside, Halman presents more risk than most No. 1 prospects. His pitch recognition is below-average, resulting in many swings and misses and mis-hits as he chases pitches out of the zone. He's too aggressive at the plate to execute much of a plan, and as a result he strikes out too much and walks too little. His plate coverage suffers because of his tendency to get pull-happy. Halman shows visible frustration on the field at times and has admitted to having a quick temper. He has improved his maturity by leaps and bounds, however, in part by working with Dr. Jack Curtis, who aids Mariners players with their mental approach.
The Future: Halman shows real passion for the game to go with his noteworthy toolset. Because he'll be 21 in 2009 and needs repetitions to get a handle on the strike zone, the new regime in Seattle may opt to slow down his timetable a bit by sending him back to Double-A. He could challenge for a big league job in 2010.