Friday 5/1/09 Minor League Updates

[GOYA]

Louisville will play a doubleheader at Buffalo starting at 5:30

Gm 1 Maloney 2-0 1.86
Gm 2 TBA (probably LeCure 1-1 3.57)

Carolina will host Chattanooga, 7:15

Sarasota @ St. Lucie, 7:00

Dayton @ Beloit, 7:30 PM

[OnBaseMachine]

Travis Wood is starting for Carolina.

Travis Webb starts for Sarasota. Is it just me or has Travis Wood and Travis Webb started on the same day every time this season?

Juan Carlos Sulbaran makes his professional debut tonight for Dayton.

[OnBaseMachine]

The Dragons meet Beloit at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in the finale of the three game set. J.C. Sulbaran, a highly-regarded prospect who pitched for Team Netherlands in the 2009 World Baseball Classic as a 19-year-old, will start for Dayton and make his professional baseball debut. The Dragons next home game is May 5th against the Clinton Lumber Kings at Fifth Third Field.

Notes: The Dragons activated outfielder Tony Brown from the disabled list prior to the game. Outfielder Brandon Menchaca was removed from the roster. His assignment will be determined. The Dragons will have to make another roster move prior to Friday’s game to create a spot for Sulbaran.

http://daytondragons.com/pressbox/pr...article_id=750

[redsof72]

The much-awaited bebut of Sulbaran. I will post some impressions tonight and some radar speeds.

[OnBaseMachine]

I'm looking forward to it, 72.

[dougdirt]

The much-awaited bebut of Sulbaran. I will post some impressions tonight and some radar speeds.

How often do you travel to road games?

[mace]

redsof72, do you have any idea if/when Evan Hildenbrandt might be joining the Dragons? Or perhaps Shea Snowden, or even Kyle Lotzkar?

[dougdirt]

redsof72, do you have any idea if/when Evan Hildenbrandt might be joining the Dragons? Or perhaps Shea Snowden, or even Kyle Lotzkar?

Snowden appears that he is facing a suspension right now. So at the soonest it would be before June before he gets anywhere. Lotzkar is throwing again in Ext ST, so I guess it comes down to when he is ready and how the other guys are doing when he is ready. Not sure with Hildenbrandt.

[redsof72]

Have heard mid-May on Lotzkar. Not much talk about Hildenbrandt. Have not heard of any plans to get him to Dayton this season. If he pitches well in Billings, that obviously could change.

[mace]

Thanks Doug. I'd heard of Snowden's suspension last year but didn't know if it extended to this season or what it was for. Any particulars that you can speak to? I wonder if it's a circumstance similar to Scott Carroll's. Speaking of whom . . . any idea when he'll get back or where he might go?

[dougdirt]

Thanks Doug. I'd heard of Snowden's suspension last year but didn't know if it extended to this season or what it was for. Any particulars that you can speak to? I wonder if it's a circumstance similar to Scott Carroll's. Speaking of whom . . . any idea when he'll get back or where he might go?

Not sure on Snowdens issues. Scott is eligible to come back May 31st and is still fighting, along with the Reds, his suspension to Milb/MLB. I would imagine he heads to Sarasota when he gets back.

[OnBaseMachine]

Reds related questions from a Baseball America chat.

Keith (Cincy): Adam Rosales tore up AAA in April. Does he have a good chance to replace Encarnacion?

J.J. Cooper: He could give the Reds some decent at-bats at third in Encarnacion's absence--he gives them a better backup plan than they have had in the past if EE went down, but long term his best fit still seems to be as a useful and versatile utility man. He hasn't had a batting average above .300 in full-season minor league ball, so the .400+ batting average in Triple-A was more a matter of a hot streak and a small sample size.


PT (NH): After pitching in the WBC I thought JC Sulbaren would head to full season ball. Are the Reds holding him back because they don't think he's ready or are they trying to curtail his innings for this year?

J.J. Cooper: He had blister problems when he got back which have slowed down stretching him out. Expect to see him in Dayton before too long.


Tyler (Harrodsburg KY): People in the Cincy area gave the Reds front office a lot of flack for taking Alonso and not Smoak. However I'm not so sure that Smoak is that much better than Alonso, regardless of what the statistics say at this point. What are your thoughts?

J.J. Cooper: I think they will both be very solid big leaguers. The Reds liked Alonso's patience at the plate because of their lack of patient hitters at the big league level. He doesn't chase much, although Smoak also has good patience. The knock on Alonso is whether he will hit lefties, but it's worth noting that Smoak also is much better against righthanders. Add it up and both teams should end up happy.


Brandon (Charleston, WV): Hey, J.J, just to give an update on Sulbaran, he's scheduled to make his pro debut tonight for Dayton.

J.J. Cooper: Thanks for the update. He immediately becomes the best prospect on that Dayton squad.


Brandon (Charleston, WV): Zach Cozart and Chris Heisey are both crushing the ball with Double-A Carolina. What are your thoughts on those two?

J.J. Cooper: Heisey is just doing what he's done everywhere he's gone. The man can hit while also stealing bases at an excellent percentage and playing solid defense in center. For Cozart, a solid offensive year in Double-A would make him a very interesting prospect. The question about him has always been how much would he hit--he's got a big league caliber glove at shortstop. If he can hit in Double-A after skipping high Class A, that would go a long way to answering his biggest question.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/?1241192659

[OnBaseMachine]

Wes Bankston is playing third base tonight in place of Rosales.

[dougdirt]

Wily Mo Pena playing 1st base for Buffalo.

[GIDP]

For nights like this I wish Dayton had MILB.com video. I really want to see JCS pitch some more.

Anyways I guess I could listen to it.