page_title: Rickie Weeks Jr.
section_title: 2003–2009
hierarchical_section_title: Rickie Weeks Jr. / Professional career / Milwaukee Brewers / 2003–2009
caption_attribution_description: Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks at Spring Training, Maryville, AZ -- March 2005
context_page_description: Rickie Darnell Weeks Jr. is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays. He was named an MLB All-Star in 2011.
  Weeks bats and throws right-handed. Until the 2009 season, Weeks had a distinctive batting stance similar to that of Gary Sheffield, waggling his bat heavily before swinging. The waggle is still present, but noticeably less aggressive. Weeks pointed to this change when asked about his improved presence at the plate in 2009. While primarily a second baseman throughout his career, Weeks transitioned to left field in 2015 and played first base in his final season.
context_section_description: Weeks signed a contract with a $3.6 million signing bonus. He made his major league debut on September 15, 2003.
  Weeks did not become a full-time player for the Brewers until June 2005, when he was recalled from the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, despite playing much of the 2005 season with a thumb injury.  In his first full MLB season in 2005, Weeks had a batting average of .239 to go with 13 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 96 games.  These HR/SB number are consistent with his minor league totals (playing in 209 games) of 21 home runs and 24 stolen bases.  In 2006, Weeks hit .279 with 8 home runs, 34 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases in 95 games.
  Weeks returned to the Nashville Sounds on July 31, 2007, since he was batting below .200 after returning from a wrist injury.
  In 2008, he had the lowest fielding percentage (.975) and the most errors (15) of all NL second basemen.  On offense, however, Weeks scored 46.6% of the time he reached base, second-best in the NL.
  In Game 1 of the 2008 NL Division Series, Weeks made a key error in the third inning that led to three unearned runs scored by the Phillies in Philadelphia's 3–1 victory.  In Game 3, Weeks injured his knee while trying to beat out a throw at first base.  He underwent surgery the next day to remove torn cartilage from his left knee.
  On February 3, 2009, Weeks and the Brewers reached a one-year deal worth $2.45 million, thereby avoiding salary arbitration. Weeks could have earned an additional $100,000 in performance bonuses based on plate appearances from 575 to 650.
  In early 2009, sabermetrician Bill James wrote in John Dewan's "The Fielding Bible Volume II," that Weeks should be moved to a position other than second base, as he had 44 defensive misplays that season. Dewan ranked Weeks the worst starting second baseman in the majors. Advanced metrics in 2008 however saw him as being only slightly below average.
  Back atop the lineup to begin the 2009 season, Weeks had a .281/.333/.486 start with five home runs in April. On May 18, 2009, Weeks was diagnosed with a torn muscle in his left wrist, and missed the remainder of the 2009 season. At the time of his injury, Weeks was tied with Prince Fielder for the team lead in home runs.
caption: Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder at Brewers spring training in 2005
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