Saturday April 12th minor league updates

[OnBaseMachine]

Louisville plays at 2:15 with RHP Justin Lehr making his second start. His last start he retired the first 22 batters in the game before losing the perfect game on a homerun.

Chattanooga plays at 7:15 with lefty Ben Jukich making his secon start.

Sarasota starts at 7:00 with LHP Travis Wood on the hill for his second start. He threw 4.2 innings of shutout ball with seven strikeouts.

Dayton was scheduled to play a doubleheader today but both games have already been postponed due to snow.

[OnBaseMachine]

No perfect game for Lehr today. Joe Thurston leads off with a single off Lehr.

[dougdirt]

Louisville is about to get underway, here is the lineup

Green 2B
Hairston SS
Bruce RF
Cabrera 1B
Ross C
Rosales 3B
Gil DH
Dickerson CF
Anderson, Drew T. LF
Lehr P

[OnBaseMachine]

Lehr: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

[OnBaseMachine]

Bruce singles in his first atbat. 2-0 Louisville after 1.

[OnBaseMachine]

Lehr: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

[OnBaseMachine]

Lehr: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K

[dougdirt]

Bruce gets the green light on a 3-0 pitch and grounds into a DP.

[OnBaseMachine]

Bruce got ahead in the count 3-0 in his second atbat and grounded into a doubleplay on 3-0.

[mth123]

Lehr: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K

If the Reds need a starter beyond the current 5 and Belisle, I think Lehr should be the first choice. I want the Reds to purge some of the vets clogging the minors, but I think having Lehr in AAA is pretty good depth for the Reds. It would allow them to leave Bailey and Maloney on their development paths and allows Affeldt to stay in the pen where he belongs. Lehr, Bailey and Maloney make the rotation 9 deep IMO. It also means that a Maloney or a Belisle (or better yet Fogg once its legal) could be dealt for other needs.

[Caveat Emperor]

Bruce got ahead in the count 3-0 in his second atbat and grounded into a doubleplay on 3-0.

At what point do we get concerned that he's never going to learn how to work a count?

[Sabo Fan]

At what point do we get concerned that he's never going to learn how to work a count?

Probably around the same time we stop nit-picking the guy.

[dougdirt]

At what point do we get concerned that he's never going to learn how to work a count?

When he is 24 or so. For the record though, he worked the count to 3-0 and got the green light on 3-0. He just missed the ball a little bit. It happens. If he were constantly getting behind 0-1, 0-2, 1-2, then there would be more concern, but thats not really happening.

[Kingspoint]

Justin Lehr now has 6 shutout innings (Ross just picked off a runner off of 1st) after his 1-hit 8-Inning performance last game.

If he keeps this up at Louisville, does he just sit there and enjoy it? Fogg threw great his last start. Arroyo is the only one that's been ineffective and how does management justify sitting Arroyo?

[Kingspoint]

And Jolbert Cabrera is that right-handed 1B w/ Power they're screaming about. He's batting .423.

I've got to think Castro's days in the Majors are numbered. Cabrera seems like a much better bench player to have. Freel or Phillips could play SS in an emergency, and it's not like they'd suffer with Phillips.

[Kingspoint]

At what point do we get concerned that he's never going to learn how to work a count?

On this next at-bat, three straight pitches were right down the middle.


And it wasn't a problem for him last year. Why would you think he has trouble working the count? How do you think you get to 3-0 and have an OBP of .370 while at 3 levels in the minor leagues last year?

[OnBaseMachine]

I've only seen Bruce hit a handful of times but I've never seen him swing at bad pitches. I think he just puts the bat on the ball when he gets a good pitch. IIRC Baseball America rated him as having the second best plate discipline in his draft class in 2005. He's only 21 years old, I'm not too worried about it. The walks will come when pitchers begin to pitch around him.

[dougdirt]

On this next at-bat, three straight pitches were right down the middle.

Not quite right down the middle. first pitch was on the inside corner, FB. Just missed it. Third pitch was a curve on the outside corner that he also just missed. He wasn't fooled on the timing of it, just swung over it a little bit.

[Kingspoint]

If the Reds need a starter beyond the current 5 and Belisle, I think Lehr should be the first choice. I want the Reds to purge some of the vets clogging the minors, but I think having Lehr in AAA is pretty good depth for the Reds. It would allow them to leave Bailey and Maloney on their development paths and allows Affeldt to stay in the pen where he belongs. Lehr, Bailey and Maloney make the rotation 9 deep IMO. It also means that a Maloney or a Belisle (or better yet Fogg once its legal) could be dealt for other needs.


Adam Pettyjohn is the #1 Left-handed starter in the organization. They have to keep him.

[OnBaseMachine]

Lehr: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K

[mth123]

Adam Pettyjohn is the #1 Left-handed starter in the organization. They have to keep him.

I'm for keeping Pettyjohn too. Its Majewski, Stone, Adkins, Brower and Sauerbeck clogging the system. Somebody should go when Belisle's DL stint ends, and Danny Herrera and Ramon Ramirez should be in the AAA bullpen. That would allow Camilo Vazquez and Robert Manual in AA (though those two are also clutter IMO but still young enough to surprise I guess) and Phil Valiquette to A+ and room for Travis Webb to come off the DL. The open spot in Dayton woud allow the Reds to float a few more guys in and out from extended spring. I'd like to see Kyle Lotzkar get a few starts in Dayton. Tzu Chiu, Jonathon Conaster and Josh Ravin should also get a look. Maybe Gressick and Rafael as well. Too many vets that the Reds will have no use for given the current depth in the pen. Bray, McBeth, Belisle or whoever he displaces, Pelland, Lehr, Pettyjohn, Maloney even Bailey and eventually Herrera, Ramirez, Fisher, Roenicke and Viola are in front of these guys. There would have to be an outbreak of Ebola in the Reds clubhouse for the team to get desperate enough to pitch Majewski, Brower or Stone again. Lets clean house at AAA and give some of those kids languishing away in extended spring a chance.

[Kingspoint]

I'd like to say I'm glad that Maj is failing miserably right now, but I don't. I'd like him to ptich great so we could trade him away for anything....anything.

As it is, he is failing miserably right now and may be cut before June 1st....heck, if he continues this bad, maybe before May 1st.


Why was Lehr taken out after 7 shutout innings and 89 pitches? He's 31 years old. Shouldn't a 31-year old be able to throw more pitches than that?

He only threw 119 Innings for Tacoma (Mariner's) last year starting in 17 of his 27 appearances. I guess that's reason enough to hold him at 89 pitches.

[Kingspoint]

How'd we get Lehr? He was a PCL All-Star last year.....starting the AAA All-Star Game.

[Kingspoint]

He pitched 72 innings in the Mexican League this winter, I see. Now I know why he was held to 89 pitches.

[mth123]

I'd like to say I'm glad that Maj is failing miserably right now, but I don't. I'd like him to ptich great so we could trade him away for anything....anything.

As it is, he is failing miserably right now and may be cut before June 1st....heck, if he continues this bad, maybe before May 1st.


Why was Lehr taken out after 7 shutout innings and 89 pitches? He's 31 years old. Shouldn't a 31-year old be able to throw more pitches than that?

He only threw 119 Innings for Tacoma (Mariner's) last year starting in 17 of his 27 appearances. I guess that's reason enough to hold him at 89 pitches.

When Belisle comes off the DL, my guess is Coffey goes to AAA. Majewski should be let go to make room. It would open a spot on the 40 man as well.

[Kingspoint]

Anybody know how we obtained the guy who started last year's AAA All-Star game?

[Kingspoint]

I see we signed him to a minor league contract on Dec. 5th, 2007, but had the Mariner's released him? Or was he in the minors so long that anyone could sign him every year? How does this work?

[mth123]

Anybody know how we obtained the guy who started last year's AAA All-Star game?

Signed as a minor league Free Agent.

[mth123]

I see we signed him to a minor league contract on Dec. 5th, 2007, but had the Mariner's released him? Or was he in the minors so long that anyone could sign him every year? How does this work?

Guys are eligible for free agency in the minor leagues after 6 years of minor league service I believe.

[Kingspoint]

Signed as a minor league Free Agent.

What a steal.

I looked up some information about him and found out that he's a groundball pitcher with the ability strike guys out, too, a rare combination. He lacks an out-pitch, but with the ability to constantly induce the groundball, he doesn't necessarily need one.

Add this pitcher as yet another one that can be called on to start for the REDS in 2008.


Fogg does not have a guaranteed spot, nor does Affeldt, on the roster.

[OnBaseMachine]

Louisville won 3-1.

[dougdirt]

Louisville Box Score


Player AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
Green 2B 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 .250
Hairston SS 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 .484
Bruce RF 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .317
Cabrera 1B 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 .407
Ross C 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000
Rosales 3B 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143
Gil DH 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .200
Dickerson CF 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .161
Anderson LF 3 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 .286

BATTING
2B: Green (1, Tejera), Hairston (4, Switzer).
HR: Anderson, Drew T. (1, 8th inning off Switzer, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Green 3; Hairston 2; Bruce; Cabrera 2; Anderson, Drew T. 4.
RBI: Cabrera (6), Ross (1), Anderson, Drew T. (2).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Bruce.
S: Hairston.
SF: Ross.
GIDP: Bruce; Cabrera.
Team LOB: 3.

BASERUNNING
PO: Cabrera (2nd base by Tejera).

FIELDING
E: Hairston 2 (2, fielding, throw).
DP: 2 (Rosales-Green-Cabrera, Green-Hairston-Cabrera).
Pickoffs: Lehr (Thurston at 1st base), Ross (Van Every, J at 1st base).

Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Lehr (W, 2-0) 7.0 5 0 0 1 5 0 0.60
Adkins (S, 1) 2.0 3 1 1 0 2 0 1.23



Pitches-strikes: Tejera 79-48, Hull 14-11, Switzer 19-11, Lehr 89-63, Adkins 39-28.
Ground outs-fly outs: Tejera 6-4, Hull 3-2, Switzer 1-2, Lehr 8-6, Adkins 1-3.
Batters faced: Tejera 21, Hull 4, Switzer 5, Lehr 24, Adkins 9.

[AccordinglyReds]

Nice for the Bats to get the win for Thunder Over Louisville. :)

[Aronchis]

Bruce IMO is slumping to start the season. Granted, his slumps look different than mere mortal ballplayers but he isn't seeing things very well right now.

[jmac]

Nice for the Bats to get the win for Thunder Over Louisville. :)

Anyone hear the attendance ?

[reds44]

Bruce IMO is slumping to start the season. Granted, his slumps look different than mere mortal ballplayers but he isn't seeing things very well right now.
Dude's hitting .317.

Can we get Dunn and Edwin in those slumps?

[OnBaseMachine]

Bruce is OPSing over .900. I wish our current Reds hitters would slump like that.

[reds44]

And Jolbert Cabrera is that right-handed 1B w/ Power they're screaming about. He's batting .423.

I've got to think Castro's days in the Majors are numbered. Cabrera seems like a much better bench player to have. Freel or Phillips could play SS in an emergency, and it's not like they'd suffer with Phillips.
Jolbert Cabrera is 35 years old and hasn't played in the majors since 2004. His career line is .250/.305/.362. Just because he is lighting up AAA, does not make him a good choice for the Reds. It's no different than a pitcher like Ricky Stone or Chris Michalak tearing up AAA as 35 year old pitchers.

He's not anything that anyone is screaming about.

[OnBaseMachine]

3-0 Sarasota in the first inning.

Valaika hit a two single, Francisco singled, Stubbs singled and Heisey hit a 2-run double.

[Grande Donkey]

Stubbs doesn't have great numbers but I like what he's doing so far. It's a lot better start than he had last year.

[dougdirt]

Travis Wood with 2 strikeouts in the first inning.

[OnBaseMachine]

Wood throws a 1-2-3 1st inning with two strikeouts.

[dougdirt]

Stubbs doesn't have great numbers but I like what he's doing so far. It's a lot better start than he had last year.

He is hitting .303/.410/.394/.804 through his first at bat this year. He hasn't hit for much power yet, but he has less than 40 plate appearances.

[Grande Donkey]

He is hitting .303/.410/.394/.804 through his first at bat this year. He hasn't hit for much power yet, but he has less than 40 plate appearances.The power is what I was referring to. They are not bad numbers by any means but he should have a better slugging % than that. It will probably come as the season progresses though.

[dougdirt]

The power is what I was referring to. They are not bad numbers by any means but he should have a better slugging % than that. It will probably come as the season progresses though.

Yeah, its real early. Lets just say he hits a HR in his next at bat, it would push his slugging % to an even .500. Thats how you know its early, when 1 hit can push your slugging up over .100 points.

[OnBaseMachine]

Wood: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

[OnBaseMachine]

Jukich threw a 1-2-3 1st inning with a strikeout.

2-0 Chattanooga in the first.

[roborobj]

after one the Lookouts are 2-0

[OnBaseMachine]

Wood: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K

[OnBaseMachine]

Stubbs singles to leadoff the 4th and then steals 2nd base (6-for-6 in SB attempts) and scores.

4-0 Sarasota.

[dougdirt]

Stubbs is a machine. Travis Wood looking real good so far this year.

[OnBaseMachine]

Jukich: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

[OnBaseMachine]

Wood: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K

[Aronchis]

Going by the Stubbsian era, he should be hitting leadoff. Little power, alot of walks and suspect contact but hopefully improving.

[OnBaseMachine]

Valaika is 2-for-3 with two singles.

Stubbs is due to leadoff the 6th.

[dougdirt]

Going by the Stubbsian era, he should be hitting leadoff. Little power, alot of walks and suspect contact but hopefully improving.

I think getting out of the leadoff spot has improved his game. Guys with contact issues shouldn't take pitches and thats what most leadoff guys do and are expected to do.

[OnBaseMachine]

Wood: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K

[OnBaseMachine]

Stubbs singles again, steal 2nd again (7-for-7), and scores again.

He's 3-for-3 with 2 SB and three runs.

[dougdirt]

Stubbs singles again, steal 2nd again (7-for-7), and scores again.

He's 3-for-3 with 2 SB and three runs.

I predicted he would steal 40 bases this year, but if he keeps going at this rate, he might steal over 50.

[OnBaseMachine]

Wood's night is done after 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K.

His updated stats:

9.2 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 13 K.

[Aronchis]

I think getting out of the leadoff spot has improved his game. Guys with contact issues shouldn't take pitches and thats what most leadoff guys do and are expected to do.

Good point.

Wood had a lucky game tonight. He would have been beaten around in GAB.

[dougdirt]

Good point.

Wood had a lucky game tonight. He would have been beaten around in GAB.

Why do you say that?

[OnBaseMachine]

Good point.

Wood had a lucky game tonight. He would have been beaten around in GAB.

Were you in attendance?

[Aronchis]

Were you in attendance?

Nope. Just read alot of long flys.

[OnBaseMachine]

Nope. Just read alot of long flys.

The boxscore doesn't describe how deep flyballs are hit.

[dougdirt]

The boxscore doesn't describe how deep flyballs are hit.

Right. They could have been 200 foot pop ups for all we know.

[dougdirt]

Chattanooga is tied at 3-3 but the other team has two runners on.

[OnBaseMachine]

Stubbs singles again...4-for-4.

[dougdirt]

Stubbs singles again...4-for-4.

Not a bad game for a guy who sucks at hitting. :D

[OnBaseMachine]

Stubbs K's...4-for-5.

[OnBaseMachine]

Sarasota wins 10-0. Watson threw a scoreless 9th to end the game.

[dougdirt]

Derrik Lutz just hit 94 MPH on the gun down in Chattanooga. Impressive for a guy that gets a TON of ground balls.

[Aronchis]

Lutz's gotta power sinker. Watson should be promoted by June as well.

[Doc. Scott]

What a steal.

I looked up some information about him and found out that he's a groundball pitcher with the ability strike guys out, too, a rare combination. He lacks an out-pitch, but with the ability to constantly induce the groundball, he doesn't necessarily need one.

Add this pitcher as yet another one that can be called on to start for the REDS in 2008.


Fogg does not have a guaranteed spot, nor does Affeldt, on the roster.


Two things:

a) 6.7 K/9 in his entire minor-league career (lower in the bigs) doth not a bat-misser make.

b) no one has ever given Lehr the ball as a starter in the bigs. All sixty of his major-league appearances have been in relief. Most low-leverage.

That said, he is off to a very good start and wouldn't be bad fill-in fodder if so needed. Considerably younger than the (similar) Brower, better stuff than Pettyjohn (who would be Dave Williams-level dead in GABP).

[OnBaseMachine]

Chattanooga won 5-4 in 10 innings.

Mike Griffin: 3-for-6
Craig Tatum: 1-for-4 double, walk
Tonys Gutierrez: 2-for-2 three walks

Jukich: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Roenicke: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K

Herrera: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K...0 ER allowed in 10.2 innings.

[reds44]

Trent was blogging from Chatanooga today.

http://www.thelotd.com/ctrent/blog

[camisadelgolf]

Anybody know how we obtained the guy who started last year's AAA All-Star game?

He was a six-year minor league free agent. I have no idea how educated you are regarding free agent rules and so on, but if you'd like to be educated, I'd happily tell you what I know (or at least give some good links).

Apparently, the Reds saw Lehr in the offseason and really liked what they saw. I forget what it was that the Reds liked--maybe it was an extra tick or two on his fastball, or maybe he has a new pitch-- I don't know. Anyway, my impression is that the Reds were willing to offer him more than the other Major League teams to get him to come to Cincinnati.

[Benihana]

Wood's night is done after 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K.

His updated stats:

9.2 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 13 K.

Great to hear. Hopefully Wood, Watson and Stubbs will all be in Chattanooga by June.