Rick Sweet on Francisco, Frazier and Valaika

[OnBaseMachine]

Sweet on Franicsco, Frazier and Valaika
Posted by jfay September 26th, 2009, 5:52 pm

Louisville manager Rick Sweet is with the Reds for this series, I talked to him about Juan Francisco, Todd Frazier and Chris Valaika:

–Francisco: Fans are getting a look at Francisco at the plate. He’s looked good so far. He’s hitting ht, hitting .462 with a home run and four RBI in 13 at-bats. Francisco combined to hit .295 with 27 homers and 93 RBI at Double-A and Triple-A this year.

But Francisco plays third base. The Reds have Scott Rolen there. Francisco did play some left field for Sweet.

“He was all right,” Sweet said. “To be quite honest, I was surprised. I don’t know it but we had worked him out there before. So he had some experience. He made all the plays. In fact, he made a couple of plays where he had to run a long way. His routes were good to the ball, which is an instinctual thing. I put guys out and you’d see them go for balls and say: This ain’t going to work. You didn’t say that with him.”

Francisco will go to the Instructional League to work on his outfield skills.

–Frazier: The Reds moved him to second base midway through this year. He’s played first, shortstop third and outfield as well. The transition to second hasn’t been easy.

“He’s rough,” Sweet said. “I think that’s the best word. In fact, he’s in Instructional League right now. He’s rough.

“But if you understand what kind of player he’s going to be, you can smooth that out. I think the biggest thing is he can hit. What we’re trying to do is figure out where he’ll fit best. I don’t think he’s a utility guy. He’s young enough that we’re going to have to sit down and make the decision. He’s good enough that he could play if that’s what we decide to do.”

Frazier combined to hit .292 with 45 doubles, 16 home runs and 77 RBI at Double-A and Triple-A this year.

–Valaika: Valaika started off terribly. He hit .161 in April and May. He then missed time with a broken hand – the result of hitting a water cooler in frustration.

“The time off helped him,” Sweet said. “He was really struggling – big time. He had never struggled in his life. I think when he got hurt he stepped back and said: This isn’t me. When he came back, he hit and had good at-bats.”

Valaika finished up by hitting .299 in August and September.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/

[princeton]

they've really screwed up the Frazier thing. three years to think about it and they still can't do it.

ol' princeton saw this a long while back, and at least had a plan. the Reds seem to go it month by month.

[RED VAN HOT]

they've really screwed up the Frazier thing. three years to think about it and they still can't do it.

ol' princeton saw this a long while back, and at least had a plan. the Reds seem to go it month by month.

I can't recall your plan. Was it to attempt a move to catcher?

[Mario-Rijo]

I gotta chuckle everytime I hear a deabte on Frazier at this point. He's a starter and one who would likely have 3rd base down right now if he was just allowed to play there. Terry Reynolds and company have really flubbed up his development moving him around everywhere. And yet the fans knowing this still wanting to play him at 2nd or as a supersub, all this conjecture without even 1 report of him not being capable of holding down 3rd base. And if someone suggested it I'd have to laugh, I see no good reason why he couldnt.

[dougdirt]

I gotta chuckle everytime I hear a deabte on Frazier at this point. He's a starter and one who would likely have 3rd base down right now if he was just allowed to play there. Terry Reynolds and company have really flubbed up his development moving him around everywhere. And yet the fans knowing this still wanting to play him at 2nd or as a supersub, all this conjecture without even 1 report of him not being capable of holding down 3rd base. And if someone suggested it I'd have to laugh, I see no good reason why he couldnt.

Reynolds has even said that they know Frazier can play 3B, which is why they have gotten him time just about everywhere else.

[mth123]

I gotta chuckle everytime I hear a deabte on Frazier at this point. He's a starter and one who would likely have 3rd base down right now if he was just allowed to play there. Terry Reynolds and company have really flubbed up his development moving him around everywhere. And yet the fans knowing this still wanting to play him at 2nd or as a supersub, all this conjecture without even 1 report of him not being capable of holding down 3rd base. And if someone suggested it I'd have to laugh, I see no good reason why he couldnt.

I'm not convinced. I don't see enough bat to hold down LF or 1B and my take on the Reds actions is that they seem to have questions whether he has enough glove to be worthy of anywhere else on a daily basis. If Francsico converts to the OF in the offseason, then Frazier likely plays 3B at AAA in 2010. If the Reds don't re-sign Rolen (or Rolen retires) I'd guess that Frazier gets first shot. But if Rolen comes back, Frazier's bat could be pretty darn valuable in 400 ABs while moving around to back-up as many as 7 positions. People act like that is some type of horrible fate for the guy. Good teams have good players for roles like that.

[Mario-Rijo]

I'm not convinced. I don't see enough bat to hold down LF or 1B and my take on the Reds actions is that they seem to have questions whether he has enough glove to be worthy of anywhere else on a daily basis. If Francsico converts to the OF in the offseason, then Frazier likely plays 3B at AAA in 2010. If the Reds don't re-sign Rolen (or Rolen retires) I'd guess that Frazier gets first shot. But if Rolen comes back, Frazier's bat could be pretty darn valuable in 400 ABs while moving around to back-up as many as 7 positions. People act like that is some type of horrible fate for the guy. Good teams have good players for roles like that.

Why do we keep pigeon holing a 1st rounder just because the franchise does? Every other good prospect has pie in the sky futures apparently but somehow we have managed to turn this kid into a super utility guy already based on practically nothing but the poor evaluation skills of the F.O.

For starters if a team has power at non traditional positions (2B) then he doesn't have to lug around a typical LF's bat while playing there. He just has to find a way to be productive offensively while playing good defense somewhere on the field. He brings something special to the table beyond his solid talent and that's intangibles and a lack of any major weaknesses I think he's undervalued.

[icehole3]

they have to make some key decisions in 2010, just like when they had the crown jewels, youve got to get rid of the right guys IMO.

[Kc61]

The whole Frazier thing makes little sense to me.

With Phillips on the Reds, why are they force feeding second base to Frazier?

Only possible answer I can think of is that they feel he won't be a good third baseman or shortstop, that he may not hit enough for left field, but he could be a top offensive second baseman. But it is confusing.

[mth123]

The whole Frazier thing makes little sense to me.

With Phillips on the Reds, why are they force feeding second base to Frazier?

Only possible answer I can think of is that they feel he won't be a good third baseman or shortstop, that he may not hit enough for left field, but he could be a top offensive second baseman. But it is confusing.

Sweet says he's not a utility guy, but Frazier seems like an ideal supersub. His bat is playable anywhere (though 1B and LF may be a little over his head). At 2B, 3B and even SS he could get occassional playing time. Its not a bad thing to have a good hitter that can play a bunch of spots on the bench and keeping guys fresh with frequent rest. He could back-up 6 spots and with Bruce ability to get by in CF, he could back-up that spot as well with Bruce sliding over for a day.

[Kc61]

Sweet says he's not a utility guy, but Frazier seems like an ideal supersub. His bat is playable anywhere (though 1B and LF may be a little over his head). At 2B, 3B and even SS he could get occassional playing time. Its not a bad thing to have a good hitter that can play a bunch of spots on the bench and keeping guys fresh with frequent rest. He could back-up 6 spots and with Bruce ability to get by in CF, he could back-up that spot as well with Bruce sliding over for a day.

Frazier had 45 doubles at two levels, 63 extra base hits altogether this year. I don't see him as a supersub, this guy should have a position.

Yes, for a year or two he could be on the Reds' bench, but you'd expect a team to be grooming Frazier to be a regular player. Maybe they see him as a supersub initially, then eventually, when Phillips gets too expensive, as a second baseman.

[mth123]

Frazier had 45 doubles at two levels, 63 extra base hits altogether this year. I don't see him as a supersub, this guy should have a position.

Yes, for a year or two he could be on the Reds' bench, but you'd expect a team to be grooming Frazier to be a regular player. Maybe they see him as a supersub initially, then eventually, when Phillips gets too expensive, as a second baseman.

Depends on his defense. As a supersub they can get the benefit of his bat without he cumulative damage that having a subpar defender at a spot day-in and day-out provides. Especially a spot like 2B (or SS or 3B).

[Team Clark]

Frazier had 45 doubles at two levels, 63 extra base hits altogether this year. I don't see him as a supersub, this guy should have a position.

Yes, for a year or two he could be on the Reds' bench, but you'd expect a team to be grooming Frazier to be a regular player. Maybe they see him as a supersub initially, then eventually, when Phillips gets too expensive, as a second baseman.

Ty Wigginton?

[GIDP]

If the Reds see him as a super sub we are looking at a dynasty in our future I guess.

[Degenerate39]

Frazier's got a lot of talent I think he really needs a set position and regular playing time. That's not something he'd get as a supersub.