Coming on

[RedlegJake]

I really like a couple pitchers at Arizona and expect them to open some eyes in 2014 - Ty Boyles and Jeremy Kivel. Boyles was very successful in 2013 at his "baseball age" 17 season. Almost ridiculously so for a kid that young. Kivel is 2 years older but he wasn't far behind - fanning 56 in 50 innings. Jeremy needs a bit better control but both these guys can pitch and have live arms.

In the higher leagues, I really like the possibility of the emergence of Carlos Contreras. This guy has a power arm and nasty sinking action - in fact, he may be tailor made for an environment like GABP if he reaches anything like his potential. By the end of next summer I could easily see the Reds with prospects for a great future staff - and all of them highly touted, from #1 Stephenson, #2 Contreras or Lorenzen, to excellent possible mid and back of rotation types like Lively, Holmberg, Rogers, Boyles, Kivel, Travieso, et al. Enough good solid Mid/BOR guys to deflect any failures. And enough potential in guys like Boyles, Travieso and Kivel to believe there is a good chance a #2 develops to complement Stephenson at the TOR. If the Reds keep these guys on track and are able to keep a couple of their current guys like Latos and Cueto around until they can mix-match and blend these guys into the staff, the starting pitching should be good for the foreseeable future.

[redsof72]

Kivel and Boyles along with Armstrong and Mahle will be interesting to watch at Billings (most likely). Also, Aybar is a kid with a chance.

I talked to Contreras at RedsFest and he sees himself as a closer in the big leagues. Has one of the better arms in the org.

[dougdirt]

I talked to Contreras at RedsFest and he sees himself as a closer in the big leagues. Has one of the better arms in the org.

Yeah, when I was in Pensacola and watching him that was basically the same story. He views himself as a reliever, and if you watch him you can tell. After the first inning of his starts he pitches from the stretch no matter what the scenario is. The Reds are ok with that. I think there is a chance he could actually work as a starter in the long run, but with him wanting to relieve, I don't see that happening. Really good arm though.

[RedlegJake]

reds and Doug, that is interesting to know about Contreras. Guess I'll have to rearrange my hopes for him from starter to closer. He can be downright filthy though, so I'd take a cheap dominant closer for a few years.

[RED VAN HOT]

Any news on Dan Langfield post shoulder surgery? I know that shoulder surgery outcomes are more difficult to predict than elbow, but the original injury reports made it sound like a minor twinge that simply did not improve with rest.

[redsof72]

I don't think you will hear much for a while. He will take it slow, I am sure, one step at a time. I do not know the timetable but he will be on a program. Maybe compare his 2014 season with what you saw with Nick Fleece in 2013. That is just a guess.

[OGB]

I love the idea of having as much good SP depth as possible, but given our current circumstances, Contreras seems far more valuable as a RP. He'd likely be the 4th or 5th minor league SP in line in case of big league injury, but might be ready mid year or by 2015 to be an impact bullpen arm.