I would like to prevent further evidence that Tristan Casas should never be traded.
We all remember how tremendously he struggled at the beginning of the year. At the beginning of the day on June 1st he was hitting .196, with a .310 OBP and a .673 OPS.
Since then he's hit
.310/.405/.578.
If this is more of a reflection of his skill set then over the course of a full season he would 38 HR's and drive in 98 RBIS. I'd expect those runs batted in to increase as he moves up in the lineup, as he should. Casas is still young, he's a rookie, he is still likely getting better, learning the league, and learning how to be a better hitter. The kid is a true student of the game, and of hitting, so I don't even think he's at his ceiling yet. He's going to be a true middle-of-the-order bat. A guy who hits for average, power, and takes walks. That's rare.
Casas is the type of player that a team like Atlanta locks up to long-term deals early in their careers. I hope the Sox start doing more of the same.