Chris Valaika tidbit from MiLB.com

[OnBaseMachine]

Chris Valaika, SS, Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A, Reds)
Valaika made a name for himself almost immediately after being taken in the third round of the 2006 Draft out of UC-Santa Barbara by the Reds. He set a Pioneer League record with a 32-game hitting streak, which also was the longest streak in all of the Minor Leagues in 2006. For his efforts, he was named the MiLB.com Short-Season Offensive Player of the Year.

He's kept on performing since. He was a Midwest League All-Star in 2007, then got promoted to the Class A Advanced Florida State League after hitting .307 with 10 homers in 79 games for Dayton. He began this season back with Sarasota, but again earned a midseason bump up after hitting a scorching .363 over 32 games. His overall Double-A numbers don't compare, but after a rougher May adjusting, he hit .303 in June, giving him a .312/.362/.491 line for the season.

Valaika, 22, is no stranger to wearing the USA jersey. He won gold medals with the U.S. National team at the Pan-Am Games in Santo Domingo and at the 2004 World University Championship in Taiwan. He took home a gold medal with the Under-16 squad in the World Games in Veracruz, Mexico and a sliver with the U-18 team in the 2003 Pan-Am Games in Curacao.

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

[Homer Bailey]

Is there any chance CV makes it as a SS?

[OnBaseMachine]

Maybe as a Jeff Keppinger type fielder, i.e. makes the plays at him but his range is probably average at best. He profiles better as a second baseman. I'd like to see Brandon Phillips moved to shortstop which would open up a spot for Valaika's bat at second base.

[dougdirt]

sure there is. If Jeff Keppinger can play SS in the majors, so can Chris Valaika.

[OnBaseMachine]

Hey Doug, we did it again. Even mentioned Jeff Keppinger at the same time.

[dougdirt]

Hey Doug, we did it again. Even mentioned Jeff Keppinger at the same time.

We really ought to stop that, although at 3:30 in the afternoon I can understand it.... when it was 1:30 in the morning it was just very weird.

[lollipopcurve]

don't forget Valaika missed a year of college ball with a knee injury -- he's a talented hitter

I think they'll try to keep him at SS for awhile yet

[OnBaseMachine]

Valaika really reminds me of Michael Young of the Rangers. Both are similar is size, both went to UC-Santa Barbara, both are similar line drive hitters with solid gap power, and both probably profile better as second baseman. Young hit .296/.367/.450 - .817 in 2,015 minor league atbats. Valaika has hit .306/.358/.473 - .831 OPS in 1,050 minor league atbats. Young reach the majors at 24 years old. Valaika doesn't turn 23 until August so there's a chance he'll reach the majors at a slightly younger age.

[Mario-Rijo]

Valaika really reminds me of Michael Young of the Rangers. Both are similar is size, both went to UC-Santa Barbara, both are similar line drive hitters with solid gap power, and both probably profile better as second baseman. Young hit .296/.367/.450 - .817 in 2,015 minor league atbats. Valaika has hit .306/.358/.473 - .831 OPS in 1,050 minor league atbats. Young reach the majors at 24 years old. Valaika doesn't turn 23 until August so there's a chance he'll reach the majors at a slightly younger age.

I agree, very good comp. Youngs slightly better defensively though but he would be a much better 2B than SS.

[OnBaseMachine]

And now a Juan Francisco Futures game tidbit:

Juan Francisco, Sarasota (Class A Advanced, Reds)

Since Juan Francisco signed with the Reds as an non-drafted free agent in 2004, he has continued to turn heads as he makes his way through the Minors.

In 2007 with Class A Dayton, the third baseman from the Dominican Republic hit .268 with 25 home runs, 90 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases. That mark led the Midwest League in home runs and his 247 total bases was good enough for second in the Minors. He also was second in the Minors in at-bats (534) and home run/at-bat ratio (1/21.36), third in hits (143), and fourth in RBIs (90).

This season with Sarasota, Francisco is hitting .270 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs, recording the same stellar numbers he has become accustomed to his entire professional career.

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

[gedred69]

Other than at ST, I've only seen Valaika play once at Dayton. He seems very serviceable at SS. He strikes me as the kind of guy who could play 2nd/3rd as well. I wonder how he'd do in the OF?

[Blitz Dorsey]

Man I'm hoping Valaika can be a solid defensive MLB SS. If he can, we're in business. This kid is going to be a .300 hitter in the Bigs. I don't want to hear any talk of moving him to another position unless you can tell me who the Reds' SS of the future is.

"It's business, it's business time!"

[camisadelgolf]

For shortstop, I'm on the Zack Cozart bandwagon.

[TheBigLebowski]

I'd like to see Francisco get that average up a bit (single A) but everything else looks very promising.

Very excited about Valaika as well. It's so much fun having a deep farm system.

[HBP]

I'd like to see Francisco get that average up a bit (single A) but everything else looks very promising.

Not to me. Francisco has a .294 OBP which is borderline atrocious. 32 walks in 219 games played the past two years. At least he's cut down on the K's this year.