Nick Travieso promoted to Dayton

[Blitz Dorsey]

Uh, I know it's early, small sample size, playing at a tough level for a player his age, yadda yadda ... but I'm concerned.

Not ready to pull the plug. Please don't get "concerned" confused with "he's terrible." I'm still glad he's in the organization. I like his arm and his array of pitches. But I'm concerned.

[Blitz Dorsey]

The previous three guys were also much more experienced pitchers coming out of high school too. Homer Bailey led his team to the Texas state title as a starting pitcher as a freshman in high school. Nick Travieso didn't start until he was a senior. Bailey was throwing 60-80 innings in high school, then probably 40 more for travel ball each year. So that is what, 300 innings or so head start on a guy like Travieso as a starting pitcher? That is rather significant.

He is going to take time. He is not your normal high school first round pitcher. Maybe think of him like Devin Mesoraco. The tools were there, but the production wasn't for a while. Then it all clicked and he blew up. We don't know whether or not Travieso will blow up like Mesoraco did. But the tools are there for it. The key will be refining them.

Isn't Mesoraco more like Jeremy Kivel? Meaning, the tools were always there, even the production. However, an injury in high school briefly derailed them. Fortunately for Mes he was able to play his senior year and still be a first-round pick (but he was held back a year and was a year older than the rest of his graduating class due to the injury). Unfortunately for Kivel, his senior year was wiped out and was a 10th round pick, but got second/third-round pick money for his signing bonus ($500K).

[dougdirt]

Isn't Mesoraco more like Jeremy Kivel? Meaning, the tools were always there, even the production. However, an injury in high school briefly derailed them. Fortunately for Mes he was able to play his senior year and still be a first-round pick (but he was held back a year and was a year older than the rest of his graduating class due to the injury). Unfortunately for Kivel, his senior year was wiped out and was a 10th round pick, but got second/third-round pick money for his signing bonus ($500K).

I was going more with the point where a lot of people had flat out given up on Mesoraco. After his season in Dayton some were already calling him a bust. After the 2009 season Baseball America ranked him as the 30th best prospect in the system. Scouting reports on him after that season basically sounded like only the Reds liked him at that point. I personally saw the tools all being there still, but the production just wasn't. Same thing with Travieso. The tools are there. He just isn't consistent with most of them.

[Blitz Dorsey]

I was going more with the point where a lot of people had flat out given up on Mesoraco. After his season in Dayton some were already calling him a bust. After the 2009 season Baseball America ranked him as the 30th best prospect in the system. Scouting reports on him after that season basically sounded like only the Reds liked him at that point. I personally saw the tools all being there still, but the production just wasn't. Same thing with Travieso. The tools are there. He just isn't consistent with most of them.

I hear you. Good comparison. I was certainly one that was very concerned with Mesoraco early in his minor league career. Then he suddenly took off. Hopefully the same thing happens with Travieso. Good to know all the tools are there.