Baseball America article on Yonder Alonso

[OnBaseMachine]

Baseball America has a nice article up on Yonder Alonso today. I can't post it since it's premium material, but I recommend those of you who subscribe to BA to read it. It's not hard to see why the Reds like this guy. There's a nice little story about him and Votto during spring training.

During spring training, the Reds had Alonso locker next to Votto, and the two ended up having a friendly competition to see who could show up the earliest to camp each morning. The first day Alonso showed up at 6:45 A.M. but Votto arrived at 6:30, the next day Alonso showed up earlier to beat that, and this continued until the Reds finally told them to stop showing up so early. We've heard all about how hard of a worker Votto is and it sounds like he's got some competition now. Along with his strong workmanship, the Reds love his patience at the plate.

The Sarasota manager Joe Ayrault says Alonso could be hitting .350 right now. He says Alonso has been hitting rocket line drives and deep flyouts right at the defenders. His .257 BABIP backs that up. Ayrault also praised Alonso's work ethic and his dedication on becoming a better defensive first baseman. He says the Reds can build championship-caliber teams around Alonso. He says Alonso has some of the best plate discipline he's ever seen out of a Single-A hitter and he's great at making adjustments at the plate from atbat to atbat.

I really hope the Reds hang on to Alonso and move Votto to left field. Alonso/Bruce/Votto is championship-caliber 3-4-5 punch.

[HokieRed]

Agree completely on Alonso. He should be regarded untouchable.

[Kingspoint]

Agree completely about Alonso.

I keep thinking about the 3-4-5, though.

No one will put them left-left-left in order. It will have to be a 2-3-5 punch, with probably Bruce the #5 hitter. I personally don't care if three left-handers hit in a row. When you have two guys like Votto and Alonso who hit lefties or righties equally, it shouldn't matter.

[BRM]

I really hope the Reds hang on to Alonso and move Votto to left field. Alonso/Bruce/Votto is championship-caliber 3-4-5 punch.

You must be assuming Dusty won't be managing the Reds when Alonso arrives. There is no way he'd bat three lefties in a row like that.

[GIDP]

Bruce 1, Votto 3, Yonder 5

I dont know if Bruce will be as comfortable moving back to CF but he will just have to get used to it.

[HokieRed]

My own dream is that we'll see at least a year of Juan Duran and Yorman R. used to split up our three great lefties. I'm calling this BRM II. A couple of years of that will bring a lot of peace to us older RZers.

[LoganBuck]

My own dream is that we'll see at least a year of Juan Duran and Yorman R. used to split up our three great lefties. I'm calling this BRM II. A couple of years of that will bring a lot of peace to us older RZers.

So Juan Duran and Yorman R play where? Is baseball going to allow the Reds to use a rover? :D

[HokieRed]

We'll work that out later. I wasn't thinking about it as a concrete possibility.

[Homer Bailey]

Agree completely about Alonso.

I keep thinking about the 3-4-5, though.

No one will put them left-left-left in order. It will have to be a 2-3-5 punch, with probably Bruce the #5 hitter. I personally don't care if three left-handers hit in a row. When you have two guys like Votto and Alonso who hit lefties or righties equally, it shouldn't matter.

Alonso had a pretty poor college career against lefties.

[Grande Donkey]

Alonso had a pretty poor college career against lefties.
Got any stats on that? I always heard he was average to slightly above average against lefties in college.

[Homer Bailey]

Got any stats on that? I always heard he was average to slightly above average against lefties in college.

Not at the moment, but I remember reading on here that he hit .227 against them. That is, if I remember correctly.

[Homer Bailey]

.227/.410/.467 in what I believe to be his senior year. Pretty small sample size though, but dramatic splits from .441/.602/.924.

http://www.collegesplits.com/draft/alonsyo42-b.html

[camisadelgolf]

Alonso's lefty/righty splits in the minors:

Split AB H 2B 3B HR W IW HP K SH SF GDP AVG OBP SLG OPS BABIP GB% LD% FB% IF/F
vs. LH 25 4 1 0 0 5 0 0 7 0 1 0 0.160 0.290 0.200 0.490 0.222 42.1% 21.1% 36.8% 18.2%
vs. RH 88 26 7 0 5 10 0 0 13 0 2 5 0.295 0.360 0.545 0.905 0.300 33.8% 26.0% 40.3% 13.7%

[Grande Donkey]

Not at the moment, but I remember reading on here that he hit .227 against them. That is, if I remember correctly.

Good memory right there... He had a .227 BA but had a .877 OPS. I guess that is what I was thinking of. Had a .410 OBP against lefties.

http://www.collegesplits.com/draft/alonsyo42-b.html

[OnBaseMachine]

Ben (Centerville, OH): What sticks out more about Reds top prospect Yonder Alonso in High A this year: That he is only hitting in the mid .200's (albeit with a very very low BABIP), or that he has a very high line drive rate and is driving in more than 1 rbi per game?

Ben Badler: His patience, his power, his balance at the plate and ability to hit to all fields is what stands out and should make him a high-OBP, power-hitting first baseman in the big leagues.

Josh (Indy): Where does Yonder Alonso fit when he gets to the majors? Do they move Votto to the outfield?

Ben Badler: If they keep both, I think Votto is more likely to move to the outfield.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/espn-chat/2009/268070.html

[HBP]

IMO, Votto could be a decent LF. He's got a good work ethic and will put in the time if it's best for the team. Bat Alonso after Bruce at #6 in '10.

[camisadelgolf]

I feel like a moron for even suggesting this, but I wonder if the Reds have considered moving Votto to third base. He's pretty athletic and has been phenomenal as a first baseman this season.

[Ga_Red]

I saw YA a cpl times early ST and thot he'd wind up in EST this year. SOOOOO delighted to have been wrong.

Still, long swings are worrisome by mlb standards......

[Bumstead]

7 for his last 13 with only 2 RBI's...is he even trying??? ;)

[Mario-Rijo]

I feel like a moron for even suggesting this, but I wonder if the Reds have considered moving Votto to third base. He's pretty athletic and has been phenomenal as a first baseman this season.

I don't believe he has the arm to do it, but I could be wrong. I actually haven't seen any reason to doubt his arm but I assume that was the impetus for moving him in the 1st place. He played 19 games there in the GCL in 2002 and had his lowest Fldg% of his career (8 errors in 47 chances .830%). Also had 7 games at catcher and IIRC came in as a 3rd bagger or Catcher. I assume they seen enough as he has never returned to either of them since.

[camisadelgolf]

Votto was drafted as a catcher, and I believe his arm had something to do with why he was moved. Still, if his arm's good enough for left field, I wonder if it's good enough ford third base. It'll never happen, and I'm just thinking aloud, but I wonder of the Reds have considered it recently.

[GIDP]

Votto has the arm for sure

[Kingspoint]

I saw YA a cpl times early ST and thot he'd wind up in EST this year. SOOOOO delighted to have been wrong.

Still, long swings are worrisome by mlb standards......

Being from Georgia, I imagined you were hoping we'd get Gordon Bekham. But, since he was taken the pick ahead of us, that decision was removed from the equation. I wanted Bekham myself, but I still think that Walt Jockety would have taken Alonso anyway.

[nmculbreth]

Being from Georgia, I imagined you were hoping we'd get Gordon Bekham. But, since he was taken the pick ahead of us, that decision was removed from the equation. I wanted Bekham myself, but I still think that Walt Jockety would have taken Alonso anyway.

Gordon Beckham went 8th overall to the White Sox, the Reds took Alonso at seven.

[membengal]

Alonso is up to:


.272/.330/.495 for a .826 OPS 5 homeruns 27 rbi 8 doubles

Yeah, first of June should be the sweet spot to bring him to AA.

[Kingspoint]

Alonso had a pretty poor college career against lefties.

While he's only about 2 for 17 against lefties right now, I don't care. I know what I know. I saw him hit against lefties in College, and I saw him do it last year at this time. It's not an issue for him. He doesn't have holes in his swing that's exposed by lefties. He doesn't back out against them. His patience is just as good with them. It's just a matter of seeing more of them as far as putting up good numbers against them.

[Kingspoint]

Gordon Beckham went 8th overall to the White Sox, the Reds took Alonso at seven.

Well, then I guess that says what I thought was true.....that Jockety was going to take Alonso given the choice of being able to take either of them.

[Kingspoint]

Alonso is up to:



Yeah, first of June should be the sweet spot to bring him to AA.

What are you going to do with Logan Parker? He's played nothing but 1st Base his entire career.

He might have to skip AA and go to AAA is what I'm thinking. I wouldn't promote Logan Parker. I wouldn't move down Logan Parker. I wouldn't play Logan Parker anywhere else other than 1B. I suppose they could take turns playing 1B and DH'ing at AA, though. If he was promoted to AAA, Danny Dorn could play LF, as he's done plenty of in the minors.

[ChatterRed]

Why hasn't Alonso been moved up yet?

[membengal]

Kinspoint: No offense to Logan Parker, but I don't really care what they do with him. The only organizational thought at 1b in the minors ought to be how best to nurture and accomodate Yonder Alonso.

[Kingspoint]

Kinspoint: No offense to Logan Parker, but I don't really care what they do with him. The only organizational thought at 1b in the minors ought to be how best to nurture and accomodate Yonder Alonso.

True. Unless he's traded, it's likely that he just plays some DH while Alonso takes over 1B at Chattanooga.

[kpresidente]

Being from Georgia, I imagined you were hoping we'd get Gordon Bekham. But, since he was taken the pick ahead of us, that decision was removed from the equation. I wanted Bekham myself, but I still think that Walt Jockety would have taken Alonso anyway.

Well, since you brought it up, we might as well play the game.

Beckham so far: .303/.381/.505 in AA
Alonso so far: .282/.363/.487 in A+

Yikes!!

[dougdirt]

Well, since you brought it up, we might as well play the game.

Beckham so far: .303/.381/.505 in AA
Alonso so far: .282/.363/.487 in A+

Yikes!!

Stats that project forward


Player PA BB% K% IsoP
Alonso 135 11.9% 14.8% .205
Beckham 114 10.5% 16.7% .202


Not to sure anything worth 'yikes!' is in those numbers. One interesting thing about Beckham is that he plays his home games in a pitchers park, but has hit better there than on the road where there are more friendly hitters parks.

[kpresidente]

Not to sure anything worth 'yikes!' is in those numbers.I guess what's yikes about it is we have plenty of 1B but only one SS and he's got a questionable bat.

[dougdirt]

I guess what's yikes about it is we have plenty of 1B but only one SS and he's got a questionable bat.

Well if we took Beckham we would still only have one SS with a questionable bat in your mind because Beckham is a 2B/3B that plays SS currently.

[Bumstead]

And it is questionable that Beckham will ever play SS in the majors...which would put him in the glut of 3B/OF's that we already have. There are only 2 legitimate 1B on the Red's radar: Votto and Alonso. Who are the other 1B that are legitimate IMPACT players at the major league level?

Jeff

[Bumstead]

ahhhhh...Doug beat me to it...sorry for the redundant post.

Bum

[fearofpopvol1]

Well if we took Beckham we would still only have one SS with a questionable bat in your mind because Beckham is a 2B/3B that plays SS currently.

I think beckham will be fine at SS. Not Rollins, but not Keppinger either.

[dougdirt]

I think beckham will be fine at SS. Not Rollins, but not Keppinger either.

Well sure, if Keppinger is your bottom level then sure. But Beckham isn't going to be an average defender at SS in the major leagues from what I have seen and heard.

[Mario-Rijo]

And it is questionable that Beckham will ever play SS in the majors...which would put him in the glut of 3B/OF's that we already have. There are only 2 legitimate 1B on the Red's radar: Votto and Alonso. Who are the other 1B that are legitimate IMPACT players at the major league level?

Jeff

How many legit IMPACT 1B can you field? Logan Parker could turn out to be a decent major league 1B btw. If the Reds were convinced he couldn't play SS fine don't select him, take Alonso. But if their bat's turn out similiar I'd rather have a guy who can actually play more than one position 2B/3B/OF. We all presume that won't be the case as Alonso seems to have a big edge in that respect but it's yet to be determined. Although to be fair Alonso's skill set suggests it already is determined, we'll see but I suspect it's true.

[fearofpopvol1]

Well sure, if Keppinger is your bottom level then sure. But Beckham isn't going to be an average defender at SS in the major leagues from what I have seen and heard.

I think he can be at least average at SS.