[REDREAD]

Originally Posted by redsof72

.

Lets not change who Stewart was on the day they traded him. He was the Reds top prospect and one of the better arms they had drafted/developed in years. .

Let's see what the experts rated him going into 2009: (these are all Reds' top prospect rankings)


Sickles rated him a weak B-

Zach Stewart, RHP, Grade B-: Strong arm, command issues, could move fast in the pen. Maybe a C+?

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2008/...eds-top-20-pro

He didn't make Goldstein's top 11.. was under "just missed"
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...articleid=8304

Didn't make Baseball America top 10, or get in any of the best tools list
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today...09/267416.html

Was #8 on Baseball Intellect's list, behind Lotzar and Darell Thompson.

Those were the first four ranking lists I could find for 2009.. In other words, it seems like only Redszone was really enamored with him, at least going into the 2009 season. No one rated him that highly. He seemed to be consistently behind at least Lotzar in every list.

I think we have to at least acknowledge the possiblity that maybe the Reds knew he was chaff, promoted him to AAA, and put him in relief to build up some gaudy stats? I said this at the time of the trade.. if the Reds thought so highly of Stewart, why did they promote him to the AAA bullpen. Contrast that to how Cingrani has been groomed, for example.