Philadelphia Phillies Trade Shortstop Brian Bocock to Pirates

Shortstop Brian Bocock is no longer in the Phillies organization—surely no Philadelphia fans are crying—as the infielder was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations. He has reported to the Pirates’ Triple-A team, the Indianapolis Indians.

The 26-year-old, who had not appeared at the major league level for the Phillies this season, was hitting .226 in the minor leagues at the time of the transaction.

Bocock last played for the Phillies in 2010, after he was claimed off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays in February of that year. He appeared in six games and collected zero hits in five at-bats, spending most of that season in the minor leagues as well.

He has also spent time with the San Francisco Giants. The team’s Opening Day starting shortstop in 2008 due to an injury to team regular Omar Vizquel, he hit .143 in 32 major league games before being sent to Triple-A.

Well, those are the facts—pretty mundane stuff. Now for some editorializing.

Bocock is one of those players that makes you wonder how he has lasted so long in professional baseball—let alone reached the majors—because ostensibly, he’s just not that good.

In the minor leagues, the Harrisonburg, Va. native has never hit above .243 in a season. He has also never hit more than five home runs, slugged better than .344, or walked more than 51 times. He strikes out too much (his career-high is 124) and his on-base percentage is too low.

Well then, he must be a stud defensively—offense doesn’t mean everything, just look at Mark Belanger—right? That is true, to a degree, as he does have, “ … solid defensive skills and enough arm to play shortstop,” according to The Sports Network, but he has also committed as many as 31 errors in a season.

Though his defense may be adequate, it does not make up for his very poor hitting—which, I imagine, is why he has not spent more time at the major league level. 

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