And yep, he was doin' work.
This was obviously a breakout season for Koby (I'm sorry. I just can't refer to him as "Clemens" yet), and writer Andrew Godfrey compares his numbers from 2008 to 2009. Let's take a look:
Doubles: 2008 - 29; 2009 - 45
Homers: 2008 - 7; 2009 - 22
RBI: 2008 - 52; 2009 - 123
Avg: 2008 - .268; 2009 - .341
OBP: 2008 - .369; 2009 - .415
SLG: 2008 - .423; 2009 - .620
OPS: 2008 - .792; 2009 - 1.036
Caught Stealing rate (as the one catching the stealing:
2008 - 35% (45/130); 2009 - 26% (25/96)
Unless he falters in 2010, he may be catching in Minute Maid Park sooner than anyone thought.
Godfrey puts him in Houston in 2011, but barring a catastrophic collapse by Castro (how's that for alliteration?), I don't see him as much higher than a C2. However, if his bat keeps him in the lineup, he could see time at 1B in 2011-2012. If this year was his Prove It year, next year in Corpus will be his Year of Establishment.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
