PROSPECT: Carlos Guevara - RHP [AA] 2003 draft (RD 7) DOB: 3-18-82

[Edd Roush]

Ladies and Gentleman,

With Guevara, could we be looking at a Chad Bradford type? After reading Moneyball in all of two days, I can't help but to make the comparison along the lines of amazing stats but doesn't exactly have a dominant closer's body?

As for the worries about the status of the current Reds' bullpen, I say we just all shake it off. I am a major fan of Todd Coffey and I believe the rest of the guys in the bullpen could do an average job. If we are still within two games of the division lead in late June, then we can worry about our bullpen seriously.

Right now, the backend of our rotation is what scares me. The lineup is solid but as we have learned through very tough lessons, that doesn't mean anything without performance from our pitching staff.

Haha, another random note, but I am very, very pleasantly surprised with the play thus far of one Scott Hatteburg. How great is it to recieve a .417 OBP from a position that was percieved to be a weakness? I have definately become enamoured with Billy Beane's 'Picking Machine.' But seriously, the Reds are making me feel very good as of this second. I guess comeback wins do that.

[Marc D]

As for the worries about the status of the current Reds' bullpen, I say we just all shake it off. I am a major fan of Todd Coffey and I believe the rest of the guys in the bullpen could do an average job. If we are still within two games of the division lead in late June, then we can worry about our bullpen seriously.

Right now, the backend of our rotation is what scares me. The lineup is solid but as we have learned through very tough lessons, that doesn't mean anything without performance from our pitching staff.

Not to get off the topic of carlos Guevara but its roughly 1/2 the staff that concerns me.

Harang, Claussen and Arroyo are average ML pitchers. Weathers, Mercker, and Coffey(so far) are the decent ML bullpen types. Thats 6 out of 12 who are legit ML pitchers and who could play for just about anyone.

That means you have 4-6 others, depending on your opinion of Williams and Milton, who range from either very bad to non-ML caliber.

We need as many Guevara's as possible to come up and fill those 4-6 spots with true ML talent/production before we can even dream of being a legit team.

[Edd Roush]

Yea, I follow you Marc. But does any one want WayneO to trade away what little minor league talent we have for formidable bullpenners? If we could sell Ross's and Phillips' stocks high, I could see us pulling in a couple of bullpenners. However, if we do it the old-fashion way and unload prospects, I think that would be a detrimental proposition considering this Reds' team will find it hard to legitamitely compete this year.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

2006 numbers so far (thru 6-14):

37.1 IP
30 H
13 BB
47 K
1.15 WHIP
2.65 ERA