Prospect: NL Pitchers for 2008 - Cueto #1

[dougdirt]

And Homer Bailey is the opposite......

I bet Bailey has a good game tonight, regardless of his name.

[Superdude]

Anyway, would it be an exaggeration to say that the Reds have the top two P prospects in baseball? Who would the others be in the conversation? Chamberlain? Kennedy? Gio Gonazalez? Clay Bucholz?

Clayton Kershaw.

[Eric_Davis]

They suspect that he may have durability issues because he's listed at 5'10"? What a bonehead statement. I imagine that half of the Hall-of-Fame pitchers and 70% of the pitchers before 1940 were 5'10" or less.

Height has nothing to do with durability in any sport. I can't believe they said that.

What is encouraging is that we have a 21 year old at the AAA level who's threw for 170 innings last year and performed well, regardless of how many pitches he has.

The organization doesn't have many starters at the High-A Level and above that have thrown for a lot of innings and performed well. Cueto is a Diamond in this organization.

[edabbs44]

Yes, I agree. Cueto and Bruce will likely start next season in AAA but by the end of the year I can see all 4 of the Reds top prospects with the club. A 2009 rotation of...

Harang
Arroyo
Bailey
Cueto

would be very nice. Although, I could see Arroyo getting traded sometime next year, his salary increases significantly after next season.

Wayne is the one who signed him to that salary increase. I can't see him getting traded because of it.

[mlbfan30]

Considering how high the Free agent market is, I think we should do what the Tigers did. Let all the kids play whether they are good or not. Then next off season when some of the bigger FA's are out we can sign some of those and get a very competitive team for 2009.

2008 Rotation :
Harang
Arroyo
Bailey
Cueto
Malony

1B - Votto
2B - BP
SS - Keppinger (Trade Alex)
3B - EE
LF - Griffey
CF - Bruce
RF - Dunn
C - Ross

If we don't lock Dunn longterm we trade him mid season to allow Hamilton to play everyday. If Dunn is signed longterm then Hamilton is the 4th OF (he's never healthy anyway) and will start in 2009 when Jr's not here.

[EddieMilner]

If we don't lock Dunn longterm we trade him mid season to allow Hamilton to play everyday. If Dunn is signed longterm then Hamilton is the 4th OF (he's never healthy anyway) and will start in 2009 when Jr's not here.

I would rather have Hamilton down in Louisville if he isn't going to play everyday. It seems like he needs to get regular at bats with only 1 full season in the past 4 or 5 years. Can Hamilton play in Louisville next year since he was a Rule 5? I think the rule is that he only had to be on the Major League roster for the 2007 season.

[JaxRed]

Hamilton will be playing everyday.

[BEETTLEBUG]

That is True JAX RED he will play every day either in Cincy or Triple AAA. Rule 5 was just 2007.

[mlbfan30]

I wasn't sure whether he could play at AAA or not.
Bruce NEEDS to play everyday at the ML level.
Dunn is obviously not someone who should get benched.
Griffey is still productive and you can't sit him.
Hamilton has no starting spot for this year unless someone gets injured, but he will be starting in 2009.
Hamilton at SS? just a thought....
If he can go from A to ML after sitting for 4 years, then why not see if he can learn SS in 6 months?

[texasdave]

I wasn't sure whether he could play at AAA or not.
Bruce NEEDS to play everyday at the ML level.
Dunn is obviously not someone who should get benched.
Griffey is still productive and you can't sit him.
Hamilton has no starting spot for this year unless someone gets injured, but he will be starting in 2009.
Hamilton at SS? just a thought....
If he can go from A to ML after sitting for 4 years, then why not see if he can learn SS in 6 months?

Lefties don't play SS, do they? I can't recall ever seeing one.
Of course most days, by noon, I can't recall what I had for breakfast.

[nate]

Lefties don't play SS, do they? I can't recall ever seeing one.
Of course most days, by noon, I can't recall what I had for breakfast.

Only two southpaw-throwing players have ever done it...and for a combined 11 games.

  Cnt Player            Year Age Tm
+----+-----------------+----+---+---+
    1 Milo Netzel       1909  23 CLE 
    2 Russ Hall         1901  29 CLE

[kheidg-]

Hamilton will be starting in the outfield if healthy. Bruce will start the season in AAA.

[GoReds33]

I wasn't sure whether he could play at AAA or not.
Bruce NEEDS to play everyday at the ML level.
Dunn is obviously not someone who should get benched.
Griffey is still productive and you can't sit him.
Hamilton has no starting spot for this year unless someone gets injured, but he will be starting in 2009.
Hamilton at SS? just a thought....
If he can go from A to ML after sitting for 4 years, then why not see if he can learn SS in 6 months?

If the Reds have the faith that I do in Hamilton they will trade Junior. Then we would be much better defensivly, and not that much worse offensivly. 19 homers in 298 ABs isn't bad whatsoever. I understand his durability issues, but with a full offseason of training he should be much more durable. I could see him hitting .280 with 35 homers next year. If he did that he would be equal or better than Griffey offensivly too.

[kheidg-]

If the Reds have the faith that I do in Hamilton they will trade Junior. Then we would be much better defensivly, and not that much worse offensivly. 19 homers in 298 ABs isn't bad whatsoever. I understand his durability issues, but with a full offseason of training he should be much more durable. I could see him hitting .280 with 35 homers next year. If he did that he would be equal or better than Griffey offensivly too.

People, this thread was originally about Johnny Cueto. Bring the Junior talk to one of the other 100 threads dedicated to him.

This thread is about Johnny Cueto and his chances in 2008. Eeeeek.

[kheidg-]

I bet Bailey has a good game tonight, regardless of his name.

Good call. But I think I'd also have to say that Bailey will have a better career than Cueto. Yet, anything can happen and I haven't seen Cueto pitch much.