Yorman Rodriguez impressing in Spring Training

[OnBaseMachine]

Reds pitching prospect Matt Klinker sent this email to RedlegNation:

“First day went great today. Passed my arm strength test (only took 30 minutes, compared to 3 hours last year), which is required to start throwing, threw a great bullpen, and knocked the two mile out in 13.35.

I haven’t seen it with my own two eyes yet, but seems like everyone was raving about Yorman Rodriguez yesterday. He apparently ran a 6.3 60-yard dash a few days ago and is dropping bombs in BP.”

http://redlegnation.com/2009/03/03/first-st-update/

That's nice to hear. This kid (along with Duran) is going to be fun to follow.

[corkedbat]

With the young positions players and pitching staff shaping up, this team would really be loaded in three of four years if Rodriguez and Duran are for real

[icehole3]

how old is Yorman?

[JaxRed]

16.5

[lollipopcurve]

knocked the two mile out in 13.35

Lot faster than I could do. But he'd lose by 3-4 minutes to my two kids.

everyone was raving about Yorman Rodriguez yesterday. He apparently ran a 6.3 60-yard dash a few days ago and is dropping bombs in BP

Tools. 6.3 is ridiculously fast. If he's got instincts in center (we've heard he's got a great arm), we're talking about an elite defensive prospect.

[OnBaseMachine]

I'll just post this in here.

Bert Blyleven impressed with Juan Carlos Sulbaran.

I talked to friend and Twins pitching great and broadcaster Bert Blyleven, who is the pitching coach for the Netherlands World Baseball Classic team. The Dutch squad features Reds Minor League pitchers Alexander Smit and Juan Carlos Sulbaran -- both will benefit from working with Blyleven, who had one of the best curveballs ever and 3,701 career strikeouts.

"He's got a good arm, a live arm," Blyleven said about Sulbaran, a 30th round pick in last year's Draft. "He's young though. He's just 19."

Sulbaran also pitched for the Dutch National team in the 2008 Olympics.

http://marksheldon.mlblogs.com/

[Superdude]

What's a good time for the 60?

[OnBaseMachine]

What's a good time for the 60?

IIRC the world record is 5.99. A 6.3 60-yard dash is FAST. That probably makes Yorman one of top 3-5 fastest players in the minors. Maybe the fastest.

[Mario-Rijo]

What's a good time for the 60?

A 6.3 60 yard dash is a tad bit more impressive than a 4.2 40 yard dash which is Joey Galloway, Deion Sanders fast.

[jesusfan]

So would you compare Yorman to Carl Crawford maybe... Or Willy Taveras fast?? lol

[NorrisHopper30]

Fast for a 16 year old. 6.3 60 are you kidding me?!

[DannyB]

Where will he play this year?

[bucksfan2]

IIRC the world record is 5.99. A 6.3 60-yard dash is FAST. That probably makes Yorman one of top 3-5 fastest players in the minors. Maybe the fastest.

I don't really think a 60 yard dash means much in baseball terms. Fast is fast but so much in baseball is quick reflexes, reaction time, jumps on the ball, etc. Ryan Freel was much faster than Jay Bruce but Bruce probably played better defensive center field than Freel. Fast helps but it is only one small thing in making a complete ball player.

[princeton]

I don't really think a 60 yard dash means much in baseball terms.

batters box to second base is a 60 yard dash.

[lollipopcurve]

batters box to second base is a 60 yard dash.

and 1st to 3rd, and 2nd to home