Thursday July 21st minor league updates

[princeton]

Devosaco is 20 years old and learning the most complicated position on the field. I'm not going to freak out about his defense for at least two more years.

if a bat's just way ahead of a glove, teams often make switches because it's important to challenge thy hitters. this happens more with shortstops, but has also happened for quite a few catchers

Reds moved Eric Davis and Reggie Sanders off of shortstop at around age 20, and Joey Votto away from catcher at around, what, 22?

FWIW, since Thumbs doesn't have stellar hitting numbers, I think that he'll stay at catcher in hopes that he figures it out. Learning to catch takes a long time, though.

[M2]

FWIW, since Thumbs doesn't have stellar hitting numbers, I think that he'll stay at catcher in hopes that he figures it out. Learning to catch takes a long time, though.

Totally agreed.

Votto got moved off catcher at age 19, after putting up an .873 OPS in the GCL.

[dougdirt]

Great, we took a DH in the first-round of the draft last year. Which wouldn't be so bad if we weren't an NL team.

I've defended the Mesoraco pick. But it looks like the reports that said he projects as a DH at the MLB level might have been correct. And it's not just this thread. Every time someone sees Mesoraco live, they talk about how his defense stinks. People also say he looks like he can hit. Alrighty then. Maybe we can use him as trade bait down the line. We need a real catcher, not a guy who has no clue behind the dish and can't throw.

Mesoraco has the tools to play catcher and to play it well. He just needs to work on some things, just like every other player in the minor leagues.

[mace]

I can't start threads, but does anybody know what the problem might be with Chattanooga? My goodness, the Lookouts got 17 hits in their 5-game series with Mississippi. They were shut out three times and one-hit twice in a row (last night and the night before). With Valaika, Dorn, Henry, Stubbs, Turner and Gutierrez, that should be a pretty good lineup. Are guys playing hurt, or being exposed, or what?

[dougdirt]

I can't start threads, but does anybody know what the problem might be with Chattanooga? My goodness, the Lookouts got 17 hits in their 5-game series with Mississippi. They were shut out three times and one-hit twice in a row (last night and the night before). With Valaika, Dorn, Henry, Stubbs, Turner and Gutierrez, that should be a pretty good lineup. Are guys playing hurt, or being exposed, or what?

It just happens sometimes.