Today, as I've been saying for several days, I feel that Dustin Ackley will be called up to the Mariners any day now. There were some whispers that he might even be coming up now after he was held out of the Rainiers lineup yesterday, but it seems he was held out because he was showing fatigue, which is reasonable given that he'd gone hitless in his previous three games. Boy might've needed some rest.
But while he isn't up yet, he will be up soon, with this Thursday and next Monday looking like strong possibilities. The M's are off both days, and though some have said it wouldn't be fair to promote Ackley just in time to face the Phillies, it looks like the M's will miss both Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, so the assignment wouldn't be impossible.
But anyway, this post isn't about when Ackley is coming up. I don't know when Ackley is coming up. It will happen shortly. With Anthony Rizzo and Mike Moustakas in the bigs, it's officially the season of prospect promotion. Rather, this post is about three improvements that Ackley has made since last year. Make no mistake: Dustin Ackley has gotten better, and he's made himself all the more exciting.
(1) Ackley's contact rate has improved
With Tacoma last season, Ackley posted a contact rate of 85%. With Tacoma this season, Ackley has posted a contact rate of 90%. Jumps in contact rate aren't always a good thing - Ichiro, Chone Figgins, and Franklin Gutierrez, for example, are all at or near career highs - but they're usually a good thing, and Ackley's BABIP isn't any worse. He has been hitting the ball hard more often.
(2) Ackley's groundball rate has improved
Ackley went from 56% groundballs with West Tenn last year, to 48% groundballs with Tacoma last year, to 43% groundballs with Tacoma this year. Ackley's getting more air under more of his hits, and it's increased both his power output now and his power potential later on. I admit that I was somewhat concerned about Ackley's power when he was hitting so many grounders in AA. Now, though, he's basically neutral, and he's nearly slugging .500. It's a big step in the right direction.
(3) Ackley's defense has seemingly improved
There's no confirming this - as much trouble as we have identifying good defenders in the Majors, it's even more difficult in the minors. But there is evidence. Mike Curto, for example, thinks that Ackley has gotten better by leaps and bounds, and Curto sees him every day. Ackley hasn't made an error in something like 33 consecutive games. Ackley was involved in 0.47 double plays/game with Tacoma last year, and he's up to 0.63 with Tacoma this year. Even if Ackley isn't great at second base - and I don't think anyone thinks he's great - he doesn't appear to be a liability, and he does appear to be getting better.
We all loved Dustin Ackley a year ago. This year, he seems to have taken steps forward in every facet of his game. The three facts above don't even mention that Ackley went from having 18 more strikeouts than walks with Tacoma in 2010 to having 16 more walks than strikeouts with Tacoma in 2011. Ackley has the PCL's biggest difference between walks and strikeouts this season, and he also has the PCL's seventh-best walk rate.
Dustin Ackley has gotten himself ready, and Dustin Ackley looks primed to have himself a hell of a Major League career. He may struggle when he first comes up, and that's fine, because a lot of prospects initially struggle with the adjustment. But he also may not struggle, and he may turn out to be just what this team needs to continue its charge. I can't wait to find out.