Bruce Almighty

Jim Carrey may have been Bruce Almighty in the movie. But Jay Bruce is Bruce Almighty in baseball. This 2005 first-round draft pick by the Reds was named Baseball America's 2007 Minor League Player of the Year - and its hard to argue.

According to BBA, Bruce started the '07 campaign in high Class A Sarasota, where hit .325 with 11 homers and 49 RBIs in 286 ABs. He then got promoted to Double-A Chattanooga. For the Lookouts, the 20-year old left-handed hitter played in 16 games, and hit four home runs. Bruce's final destination was Triple-A Louisville. In 187 at-bats for the Bats, Bruce did a fine job, hitting a nifty .305 in what was supposed to be a short-term call up.

Bruce has played all over the outfield in his young minor league career, and looks to be a promising part of the Reds in the future. But that future may still be a couple of years away, as Reds GM Wayne Krivsky has said it is unlikely that Bruce will be up with the Reds next season as a 21-year old. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see a September 2008 call-up, because it looks like this kid from Texas has the makeup to be a true professional, and a great ball player.

Other baseball news and notes:

• Congratulations to the Cleveland Indians and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for clinching their respective divisions Sunday. Both teams are the first to clinch a division this season. The Indians beat the A's 6-2, while the Angels took care of the Mariners 7-4 on Sunday.


• Kudos to White Sox slugger Jim Thome for becoming the 24th member (and third this season) of the 500-home run club. The historic home run came off of Angels' pitcher Dustin Mosley, as the White Sox went on to win 9-7, last Sunday. But this home run wasn't historic just because it was number 500 for Thome. It marks the first time in MLB history that a player it his 500th home run as walk-off, game-winning home run. Conrgats to a potential Hall-of-Famer, and a great ball player and human being!


• Cincinnati Reds' slugger Ken Griffey Jr. will miss the rest of the 2007 season with a high groin strain, suffered in a game on Wednesday. While Griffey has played the majority of the season, and managed to hit 30 home runs, Jr. has not been able to play an entire season while wearing a Reds uniform. Griffey stands seven homers shy of 600 career.