Ryan Goleski

Ryan Goleski - Outfield
Age: 26 Height: 6'3" Weight: 215 Bats: Right Throws: Right

	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	OBP	SLG	OPS
2007 Akron	.257	128	471	50	121	18	4	9	73	51	101	9	.332	.369	.701
Career	.271	569	2122	307	575	113	11	89	387	227	518	30	.345	.460	.805

History: The Indians selected Goleski in the 24^th round of the 2003 Draft out of Eastern Michigan University. Last year, Goleski was picked up by the Oakland A's in the Rule 5 Draft, but he ended up being returned to the Indians when he did not make their opening day roster.

Strengths & Opportunities: Goleski's poor season in 2007 may have been a byproduct of the disappointment from not making the Oakland A's opening day roster and returning to the Indians where he was essentially being buried in a system deep with outfielders. He was pretty vocal about his displeasure of having to come back to the Indians, and according to sources who watched Goleski most of last season, he showed a lack of passion that seemed to carry over into his performance on the field and at the plate for most of the season.

To be fair to Goleski, it is only human nature to be disappointed in not seeing your major league dream realized and instead having to go back to the daily grind in the minors. On top of that, he also had injured his wrist during the offseason and it was not 100% healthy when the season started. The wrist injury would help explain the evaporation of his power in the early part of the season as he struggled to find his power stroke hitting only hit one home run with a .312 slugging percentage in April and May. But, from June through the end of the season, Goleski did manage to put up a slugging percentage almost 100 points higher (.405) and the last four months he had a .744 OPS.

By the end of the season Goleski was reportedly 100% healthy, but because he was trying to compensate for the injury he fell into some bad habits with his swing mechanics. As a result, for most of the last few months of the season the Indians worked with him to get rid of those bad habits. Still, even with the issues from last season, Goleski is a prototypical right-fielder in that he brings power to the plate and has a cannon for an arm.

Outlook: The question with Goleski is whether he can stay consistent, as he put up great numbers in 2004 (28 HR, .895 OPS) and 2006 (27 HR, .948 OPS), but fell off in 2005 (17 HR, .658 OPS) and 2007 (9 HR, .701 OPS). He needs to overcome the bad habits that plagued him in 2007, but if his power returns because of a healthy wrist and his two strike approach gets back to where it was in 2006, he should have a good year. If past history is any indication, this being an even numbered year and him likely to repeat at Akron to start 2008, look for him to have a great start in Akron where he eventually moves to Buffalo by mid-season.

Video: Goleski at the plate

Posted in: Ryan Goleski