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BP Annual Player Comments

Year		Comment
2010		Since being salvaged from the Cubs’ system prior to 2008, Dopirak has done nothing but rake across three levels of the Jays’ system over the last two years, and was rewarded with a spot on the 40-man roster in November. He could keep first base warm for Wallace if the Jays manage to flip Lyle Overbay, who is in the final year of his contract, but given that he's still just 26, Dopirak deserves a longer look from one organization or another.
2009		Dunedin High hero Brian Dopirak was released by the Cubs last year after having failed to establish himself above A-ball; signed by the Jays, the local kid thrived in front of his home crowd, but foundered again in Double-A.
2007		Dopirak`s lone home run last year was quite a letdown for a guy who hit 39 in the Midwest League two years ago and two in 30 at-bats during spring training. Dopirak broke his foot in the first game of the season, missed more than two months, and wasn`t right when he came back. Having made extensive changes to his swing, he now hits ground balls at a rate to rival Juan Pierre. It`s an approach ridiculously unsuited for someone with his power. At this point, his prospect status is about the same as Rick Santorum`s.
2006		The ill-starred point man in the Cubs` hugely overrated tandem of Dunedin High School sluggers--Ryan Harvey`s the other--Dopirak`s Double-A debut was an unmitigated disaster. Happily, he`s still very young, so he`ll almost certainly repeat the level and see if he learned anything about commanding the strike zone. His glove doesn`t get good marks, so if Harvey`s a Rob Deer wannabe, maybe Dopirak is like the legendary Joey Meyer, claimant to the title of longest home run ever hit.
2005		Power is the single most important skill that a positional prospect can possess. Dopirak hit 39 home runs as a 20-year-old in the Midwest League, and he does not have a particularly long swing, so his power should translate very well as he moves up the ladder. Still, there are not too many players who put together major league careers of any consequence based on power alone—Dave Kingman was the exception, and not the rule. PECOTA expects some near-term regression as Dopirak strives to improve the other aspects of his game. His athleticism and defense are probably lost causes, so the most obvious choice is his plate discipline; add 20 walks to that stat line and we have a much more attractive prospect.
2004		A year ago. Dopirak was tabbed by Baseball America as having the best power in the draft, which is a backhanded compliment if there ever was one. He's big, he's strong and he can't hit. The power numbers in Boise look good, but it's a wiffle bull park.

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