Dave Sappelt
 

What's everybody think about this kid.I don't know minors as well as some or prospect evaluation.He just looked to me as someone that might be a good option for LF at some point ,hopefully earlier than later.

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

I started a similar thread awhile back asking for input from those who have seen him play. Several posters who have seen him often seemed to think there is a significant upside, maybe a future .300 lead-off, great but un-disciplined speed, and very good in the field.

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

2010 really treated him well at the plate...BA of .282 @ A+ ball...361 @ AA ball in 89 games and .324 @ AAA in 25 games. Hovered around .300 previous 2 years in minors. Seems consistant and progressing well. Could see a jump to the bigs as early as this year under the right circumstances or could make interesting trade bate.

The Farm system with this club is really full of promise IMO.

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

Sappelt showed a lot of power in 2010 (he slugged .507 combined over 3 levels in 2010), but he doesnt seem to project as much of a power hitter at the MLB level. Did he typically bat in the 1 hole last season with the Bats? It seems like he has a chance of being a decent leadoff guy.

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

Between Sappelt and Billy Hamilton, hopefully we have a good shot at finding a top notch leadoff hitter. It may be why Fred Lewis only signed a 1-year contract (unless I missed something).

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

I would imagine they only signed a 1 year contract because they have 3 years of control of him anyways so no reason to risk multiple years since you will have him if you really want him.

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

This logic make good sense. If Lewis shines then the Reds have the option of keeping him. If not, well, there may already be young players in the system to take a shot with. Remember Taveris and Patterson? When they were signed most fans thought they might be the lead-off key, but turned out to be waste. In general the outfield is starting to get crowded when considering players already in the system who just might be able to carve a niche. Sappelt as a lead-off speed guy, Dorn as a big LH bat, Frazier looking for a place to play. Then add in Lewis and Hermida....

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

Baseball transactions rules are confusing, but I believe once Lewis was non-tendered by Toronto he became a free agent. Hence the term non-tender free agent. The Reds, I don't believe, have any control of Lewis beyond 2011. I could be mistaken.

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

According to this, it's a one year deal for $900,000.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/pla...rt=mlb&id=1216

Unless the Reds hold some kind of option for another year, it's only a one year deal. Not sure where people are getting the Reds have control of Lewis for 3 years. :confused:

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

I agree with the above posts. I think the "control" over a player only applies once a player hits free agency because they weren't tendered from the original team.

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/0...red-lewis.html
I've read it at a lot of other places as well, this was just the first one I found with a quick search. Also, Cot's Baseball Contracts has him with 2 more arbitration years under reds control on their contract spreadsheet.

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

I stand corrected. I just found this. It seems odd that a player would be a free agent and then go back under the control of a team for several more years. But that seems to be the case.

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

Wow,age 30 and still two more arbitration years,bummer for Lewis. 900,000,maybe not........:D

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

Yeah, I didn't check his years of major league service. Oops.

Now it makes sense. But you just don't see that very often.

Kind of a good thing though. He's got incentive to produce for arbitration next year. If he has a big year, the Reds probably do too.

But the Reds can also hope Sappelt and Hamilton develop quickly into a leadoff guy too.

Gotta hand it to Walt...........nice pickup for the money considering we might have his replacement in the wings too.

Re: Dave Sappelt
 

Sappelt could be what Farney and Ryan Freel wanted to be. A line of 300/350/425 would be outstanding for a cheap LF that also provides plus defense and speed on top of it.

The question is whether he can learn how to steal effectively (a SB% of 75 or so) and often, rather than just often.

If Sappelt again pulls an 850 OPS out of AAA, he has to be considered the odds-on favorite to lead off for the Reds in 2012. That would put Lewis and Gomes out of the picture and save Cincinnati around $3 million.

Add to that the probable jettisoning of Hernandez and another $3 million in favor of Mesoraco and you've got a nice start in making the team less reliant on older veterans and more reliant on simply good, experienced players.

(None of this mentions possible AAA help for closer [Joseph], 2B [Valaika, Janish, Negron, or others], and back-up corner infielder [Frazier]. These additions in place of older, more expensive veterans could save the team well over $30 million, a monster amount for a team, like the Reds, who have almost everything they need covered. That should allow for a major acquisition or perhaps another LTC. (Of course, many of the younger Reds are enterting arbitration and much of that money may be needed to retain players who've parlayed early playing time and success into larger contracts.)