MILB.com rates Chattanooga bullpen as best in minors

[OnBaseMachine]

Bullpen: The Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds). You may not have heard of many of these guys, as is often the case with Minor League relief aces, but you probably will before long.

The anointed closer is right-hander Josh Roenicke, who has some nice big-league bloodlines in dad Gary and uncle Ron. A converted outfielder taken in the 10th round of 2006 out of UCLA, he boasts a mid-90s fastball and cutter that could help him move through the ranks in a hurry. In 2007, his first full season, he combined for 24 saves and a 2.31 ERA between Class A Advanced Sarasota and Chattanooga, including an 0.95 ERA and eight saves in 19 games with the Lookouts.

Setting him up are southpaws Pedro Viola and Danny Lee Herrera and right-handers Carlos Fisher and Derrik Lutz. Viola made his US debut last summer and combined for a 1.42 ERA between Class A Dayton, Sarasota and Chattanooga, striking out 94 in 82 innings. Herrera, acquired from Texas in the Josh Hamilton deal, stands a mere 5-foot-8 and tips the scales at 145 pounds but still has posted a 2.59 ERA over two seasons and had yet to allow an earned run after his first 10 2/3 innings of work. Fisher, with his devastating sinker and cutter, moved from the rotation to the 'pen, where he could be extremely effective. Lutz, a Georgia Bulldog, saved 23 games for Sarasota last year and posted a 1.13 ERA in seven games late in the season with the Lookouts.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/n...milb&fext=.jsp

Couple minor corrections: It's Danny Ray Herrera, not Lee. And Lutz went to George Washington, not Georgia.

[Benihana]

Bullpen: The Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds). You may not have heard of many of these guys, as is often the case with Minor League relief aces, but you probably will before long.

The anointed closer is right-hander Josh Roenicke, who has some nice big-league bloodlines in dad Gary and uncle Ron. A converted outfielder taken in the 10th round of 2006 out of UCLA, he boasts a mid-90s fastball and cutter that could help him move through the ranks in a hurry. In 2007, his first full season, he combined for 24 saves and a 2.31 ERA between Class A Advanced Sarasota and Chattanooga, including an 0.95 ERA and eight saves in 19 games with the Lookouts.

Setting him up are southpaws Pedro Viola and Danny Lee Herrera and right-handers Carlos Fisher and Derrik Lutz. Viola made his US debut last summer and combined for a 1.42 ERA between Class A Dayton, Sarasota and Chattanooga, striking out 94 in 82 innings. Herrera, acquired from Texas in the Josh Hamilton deal, stands a mere 5-foot-8 and tips the scales at 145 pounds but still has posted a 2.59 ERA over two seasons and had yet to allow an earned run after his first 10 2/3 innings of work. Fisher, with his devastating sinker and cutter, moved from the rotation to the 'pen, where he could be extremely effective. Lutz, a Georgia Bulldog, saved 23 games for Sarasota last year and posted a 1.13 ERA in seven games late in the season with the Lookouts.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/n...milb&fext=.jsp

Couple minor corrections: It's Danny Ray Herrera, not Lee. And Lutz went to George Washington, not Georgia.

I'd like to see a couple of these guys (Roenicke and Fisher particularly because of their age) in Louisville before long.

[Kc61]

I'd like to see a couple of these guys (Roenicke and Fisher particularly because of their age) in Louisville before long.

Fisher with a 6 plus ERA better hope he's not in Sarasota.

[OnBaseMachine]

Fisher got off to a great start, something like six shutout innings to begin the year but his last two or three appearances have been rough. Give him some time in Chattanooga but I believe Roenicke could pitch in the majors right now. He pitched very well in spring training.