Jim Callis on Homer Bailey, Zach Ward

[wheelonda]

From a chat with Jim Callis yeterday:

John Boy (Cincinnati): What are the chances the Reds bring up Homer Bailey this year and if not, will he be a starter in '07,'08?

Jim Callis: They've been hesitant to do so at this point, though he's arguably the minors' best pitching prospect and dominating older hitters most of the time. If he doesn't come up this year, I don't think they'll be able to hold Bailey off next year.

Aaron (Cincy): Homer Bailey or Phillip Hughes?

Jim Callis: Homer Bailey. But Hughes is right there.

Phil NJ: In order highest ceiling, Homer bailey, Philip Hughes or Matt Garza.

Jim Callis: That's the order, but all those ceilings are high.

Jared (Minneapolis): Jim, who is this Zach Ward kid the Twins got for Lohse at the trade deadline? His numbers in the minors look good. Does he have a shot a being a solid contributor to the big league club down the road? Also, do you see Matt Garza coming up to MN and effectively pitching down the homestretch?

Jim Callis: Nice grab for the Twins for a guy they probably would have non-tendered. Ward has some mechanical issues, but he has a hard fastball and a hard slider. With the way Garza is pitching, no reason he can't come up and make a contribution. Yesterday.

Dan (NY): When we look back on this trade deadline two years from now, which lower-profile deal is most likely to be considered highway robbery?

Jim Callis: I'll throw out a couple . . . Zach Ward for washed-up Kyle Lohse . . . Ryan Shealy for a couple of guys with big arms and no command . . . Hector Luna may turn out to be just as good as Ronnie Belliard . . . Tyler Lumsden for Mike MacDougal . . . Shairon Martis for Mike Stanton. I also think Craig Wilson will help the Yankees a lot more than Shawn Chacon will help the Pirates, but you knew that already. I think my golden retrievers knew that already.

[LincolnparkRed]

So if everyone knows that Lohse stinks and that the twins would ditch him the first chance that got why oh why would we give up any kind of prospect to get him? riddle me this Wayne?

[REDREAD]

So if everyone knows that Lohse stinks and that the twins would ditch him the first chance that got why oh why would we give up any kind of prospect to get him? riddle me this Wayne?

Desparation for a fifth starter. We overpaid out of desparation. I don't mind trading Ward but I wish Wayne could've gotten something better than Louse.

[Falls City Beer]

I imagine that when the smoke all clears on these trades, several years from now, the Zach Ward for Kyle Lohse deal will look like the biggest dud of all of Wayne's mid-summer panicking.

That trade quietly slipped by us in the uproar over MLB players Lopez and Kearns, but in terms of skill for skill, I think the Lohse/Ward deal represented the greatest talent disparity of all his trades. An absolute dog of a trade.

Lohse is completely irredeemable--Joe Mays irredeemable.

[redbuck]

It might have serious contention from trading a decent 23-year-old starting pitcher (Germano) for a 39-year-old reliever (Rheal Salt Lake)

[Superdude]

Desparation for a fifth starter. We overpaid out of desparation. I don't mind trading Ward but I wish Wayne could've gotten something better than Louse.

That seems to be the story quite a bit this season. I dont know if it's the pressure from Castellini, but that's the biggest flaw I can see in this new ownership and GM. They definitely need to take a deep breath, realize that this isn't the last season we'll be in contention, and quit trading valuable players for guys who "might" patch up the bullpen enough to hold onto the wildcard.

[Sea Ray]

I think it's too soon to call this deal a dud because no one knows how A ball pitchers turn out. Look at all the A ball pitching stars we've seen (Basham, Howington, Gardner) and they flame out before ever throwing a big league pitch.

However I do think WK panicked here. I don't see that Lohse is any better than what we already have, ditto for Cormier. I see Lohse as a younger Estiban Yan. I would have kept Ward and used Dumatrait if Claussen's not ready and waited for Matt Belisle's return.

[MaineRed]

I imagine that when the smoke all clears on these trades, several years from now, the Zach Ward for Kyle Lohse deal will look like the biggest dud of all of Wayne's mid-summer panicking.

That trade quietly slipped by us in the uproar over MLB players Lopez and Kearns, but in terms of skill for skill, I think the Lohse/Ward deal represented the greatest talent disparity of all his trades. An absolute dog of a trade.

You've obviously seen Ward pitch more than most. Could you elaborate further on why you think Ward will be so good?

I've been waiting to hear from someone who had seen Ward up close.

Thanks FCB.

[MaineRed]

quit trading valuable players for guys who "might" patch up the bullpen enough to hold onto the wildcard.

So the guy we got is a, "might", while the guy we traded, an A ball pitcher is valuable?

OK.

[Falls City Beer]

You've obviously seen Ward pitch more than most. Could you elaborate further on why you think Ward will be so good?

I've been waiting to hear from someone who had seen Ward up close.

Thanks FCB.

Nope. Never seen him pitch. But he's got some nice numbers and he's a ground ball pitcher deluxe. He's not someone I would have chucked for Lohse.

On another note, I agree about Germano, Superdude. I think Germano could be a nice Jim Brower-esque long man. But he's a pitcher I'm willing to sacrifice for a contending piece.

[Johnny Footstool]

I generally don't have a problem with trading A-ball pitchers. It's better than trading major league regulars.

[BRM]

So the guy we got is a, "might", while the guy we traded, an A ball pitcher is valuable?

OK.

I think valuable trading chip would have been a better way to phrase it.

[MaineRed]

Nope. Never seen him pitch.

Really? But you know for sure that you wouldn't trade him?

Quite telling.

[Falls City Beer]

Really? But you know for sure that you wouldn't trade him?

Quite telling.

Yep. Not for Lohse I wouldn't. For a pitcher that would help I would.

Would you trade Ward for Joe Mays? Because that's basically what you're getting in Lohse.

[EddieMilner]

You've obviously seen Ward pitch more than most. Could you elaborate further on why you think Ward will be so good?

I've been waiting to hear from someone who had seen Ward up close.

Thanks FCB.

funniest thing i've read all day. NICELY DONE, SIR.

[BRM]

I guess I don't understand the ripping on FCB here. All he said was that he wouldn't have traded Zach Ward, a prospect, for Kyle Lohse. He never claimed Zach Ward was going to be a stud pitcher down the road. It appeared to me that his angst over the trade was more because of the return.

[dougdirt]

I have seen Zach Ward pitch. He sits 89-92 MPH with his fastball that has some movement on it. His fastball can go higher, but often sits in that range. He has a hard power slider that is absolutely nasty. His change up is not so good. Its a pitch in the works. I do know that there is no way I would trade that for a guy like Kyle Lohse.

[snowstorm]

That seems to be the story quite a bit this season. I dont know if it's the pressure from Castellini, but that's the biggest flaw I can see in this new ownership and GM. They definitely need to take a deep breath, realize that this isn't the last season we'll be in contention, and quit trading valuable players for guys who "might" patch up the bullpen enough to hold onto the wildcard.

Good observation. The last couple of trades that Wayne has made have made no sense. It's almost like he's trading under pressure.

[Superdude]

I have seen Zach Ward pitch. He sits 89-92 MPH with his fastball that has some movement on it. His fastball can go higher, but often sits in that range.

I have a stupid question and I apologize beforehand. When people talk about a sinkerballer's velocity, do they throw a fastball too or are they talking about the velocity of the sinker?

[RedEye]

Desparation for a fifth starter. We overpaid out of desparation. I don't mind trading Ward but I wish Wayne could've gotten something better than Louse.

This seems to be the freakin' theme of the season Reds' season: overpaying out of desperation. Makes me want to puke.

And you know what? I have NO evidence that the team is any better right now than it was before the Kearns-Lopez debacle. NONE. 55-53 is downright mediocre... and I'm sure we'd still be mediocre with Kearns and Lopez, but at least the team would be fun to watch. Now I've got to sit and endure Royce Clayton, Juan Castro, and Rich Aurilia kicking the ball around the infield.

Sorry for the vent session, people, but I'm thoroughly depressed about this team right now. I feel like the team is now a lot less interesting to watch and not really much better than they were before. Maybe I need to take a shower and go to bed.

[Sea Ray]

Yep. Not for Lohse I wouldn't. For a pitcher that would help I would.

Would you trade Ward for Joe Mays? Because that's basically what you're getting in Lohse.

Show me Joe Mays throwing 94-95 MPH and I'll buy that comparison

[Falls City Beer]

Show me Joe Mays throwing 94-95 MPH and I'll buy that comparison

Different speeds, same results.

[dougdirt]

I have a stupid question and I apologize beforehand. When people talk about a sinkerballer's velocity, do they throw a fastball too or are they talking about the velocity of the sinker?
I am not sure of your question exactly. Ward throws his fastball between 89-92, but can get it a little higher at times. I have seen it up to 95, heard of it touching 97. His slider sits about 87MPH and is quite nasty.
I honestly have no idea if I answered your question or not.