Homegrown talent

[Pony Boy]

Has there been a contending team in recent history with as much homegrown talent playing every day as the current Reds? It is really impressive. 7 out of the 8 fielding positions are manned by players that have only ever been Reds. Phillips being the one exception.

C. Hanigan & Mez
1B. Votto
3B. Frazier
SS. Cozart
RF. Bruce
CF. Stubbs
LF. Heisey

3 out of the 5 starters are homegrown. and about a third of the bullpen

SP. Bailey, Cueto, Leake
BP. Lecure, Ondrusek, Chapman

What makes this more impressive is that the Reds were never quite bad enough in recent years to get top-5 picks. The Rays were able to build a contender with homegrown talent because they picked in the top 5 every year, but one, from 1999 to 2008 and had the top pick 4 times. The Reds never had access to those super blue chip players through the draft.

[Captain13]

Wow. Maybe the front office does know what it is doing.

[krm1580]

I don't know the exact numbers but the Twins had a boatload of homegrown talent when they were winning the division 2008-2010. Off the top of my head there was Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer, Kubel, Span and a bunch of their pitchers. I don't know if it was as many, but it was a lot.

Its a similar market to the Reds so it makes sense.

[alett12]

I was going to say Tampa but you already mentioned them, but what about Colorado the year they made the world series?