My observations from spring training

[OnBaseMachine]

I had the privilege of going down to Florida for spring training this past week to see three Reds games. While I didn't get a chance to go over to the minor league field, I was lucky enough to see quite a few of the Reds prospects in action for the big league team.

Chris Valaika looked great. He hit the ball hard in every atbat (four atbats) that I saw, one of which was a grand slam. The ball really jumps off his bat. I can see why scouts like his bat. While playing second base he made a diving grab on a ball up the middle but was unable to get the runner at first.

Drew Stubbs is incredibly fast. In the four plate appearances I saw, he flied out to right field, walked twice, and he hit a groundball to shortstop that he nearly beat out. He went from first to third on a sharp single to RF off the bat of Valaika. He covers a ton of ground in center field. I'm impressed that a guy that big can run that fast.

I only saw Frazier hit once or twice but he was impressive during batting practice. He sprayed the ball all over the field and the ball carries well off his bat.

Devin Mesoraco looked good at the plate. He hit a frozen rope single to CF in one atbat and grounded out sharply in another. He looks to be in great shape.

Juan Francisco was very impressive. He had two atbats vs Cole Hamels - in the first atbat he hit what had to be a 450+ foot foul ball. It completely went out of the stadium but was foul by 25 feet. The next pitch he hit a bomb high off the right field fence for a triple. He grounded out in his next atbat. I was impressed by how good he looked against Hamels.

Yonder Alonso also looked good. He struckout on five or six pitches in his first AB (off Hamels) and then belted a long homer to dead center in his next atbat off a different pitcher.

Carlos Fisher looked very impressed. I think this guy could pitch well in the major leagues right now. Josh Roenicke also looked good.

Sam Lecure surprised me. He was popping the mitt with his fastball ... he had to be throwing 94-95. I didn't know he threw that hard.

I was very impressed with the young players. I was hoping I could see Juan Duran and Yorman Rodriguez and some of the other younger prospects take batting practice but I never got a chance to get over to the minor league field.

[lollipopcurve]

Nice, OBM -- thanks. It's appropriate you got to see some of the young guys shine.

Couple quick questions, of no huge importance...
Did Francisco strike you as really big?
How did Stubbs' swing look?

[dougdirt]

Lecure's velocity.... just a guess or a radar reading? He has never really thrown that hard before.

[OnBaseMachine]

Nice, OBM -- thanks. It's appropriate you got to see some of the young guys shine.

Couple quick questions, of no huge importance...
Did Francisco strike you as really big?
How did Stubbs' swing look?

I was kind of surprised by Francisco. I was expecting him to be huge but he's really not all that big. If I had to compare him physically to another player, I'd say his body type resembles Aramis Ramirez. He moves pretty well. I don't think he would have any problem handing left field if the Reds decide to move him out there.

As for Stubbs, he's got excellent bat speed but that's about all I could tell you about his swing.

[OnBaseMachine]

Lecure's velocity.... just a guess or a radar reading? He has never really thrown that hard before.

Just guessing, but you could tell he was throwing hard. My guess is it was in the 94-95 area. I was surprised by it.

[Kc61]

Sam Lecure surprised me. He was popping the mitt with his fastball ... he had to be throwing 94-95. I didn't know he threw that hard.

I was very impressed with the young players. I was hoping I could see Juan Duran and Yorman Rodriguez and some of the other younger prospects take batting practice but I never got a chance to get over to the minor league field.

Lecure was dominant at AA in two different stretches last year. In between, he had an injury.

He is underrated on all the prospects lists. Lecure, if healthy, should have another great year at AA or AAA and rocket up the prospect lists this season.

Lecure seems to be outperforming the projections which said he is a middle reliever/fifth starter. He is one to watch.

[redsmetz]

Lecure was dominant at AA in two different stretches last year. In between, he had an injury.

He is underrated on all the prospects lists. Lecure, if healthy, should have another great year at AA or AAA and rocket up the prospect lists this season.

Lecure seems to be outperforming the projections which said he is a middle reliever/fifth starter. He is one to watch.

We are pulling for Lecure to make it to Cincinnati. He will be the first alumnus of my wife's high school to make the big leagues (Helias High School, Jefferson City, MO). My brother in law, as I've said, plays golf with Lecure's uncle and he didn't think he threw that hard either.

[zipcurve]

Isn't it a little different when you come in for an inning or two later in the game? You can put it all out there because you don't have to save for later innings like the starter does. Sam had a 90's fastball at one time.

[dougdirt]

Isn't it a little different when you come in for an inning or two later in the game? You can put it all out there because you don't have to save for later innings like the starter does. Sam had a 90's fastball at one time.

Last year he would top out around 92 MPH as a starter, but worked in the 87-90 range for the most part.

[TRF]

The year LeCure was declared ineligible, he was to be the #1 starter for a longhorn team that won the national championship. His progress comes as no surprise to me.

[Roush's socks]

Thanks for the info. Valaika maybe has the best chance of anyone to break into the starting lineup at SS.