Who are the flame throwers?

[icehole3]

Has Ondrusek ever started, if so, how did he do?

[Scrap Irony]

Lousy. But he didn'y have the cutter. (Or any third pitch, for that matter.)

[redsof72]

With the year that Ondrusek had, if he is touching 97, I would be very curious to know where he is generally pitching in terms of velocity. 92-94 maybe? If he is throwing any harder than that, with the numbers he put up, he should be a lot higher on the prospect list than most have him, like in the top 15 for sure. Maybe higher.

[dougdirt]

With the year that Ondrusek had, if he is touching 97, I would be very curious to know where he is generally pitching in terms of velocity. 92-94 maybe? If he is throwing any harder than that, with the numbers he put up, he should be a lot higher on the prospect list than most have him, like in the top 15 for sure. Maybe higher.

92-94 is about where he sits at. But from what I saw this year, and what keeps him a little lower than that, is his reliance on the fastball/cutter and very little else. He throws it about 85-90% of the time.

[redsof72]

It would be interesting to hear a good interview that really focuses on what led to his success in 2009. The Reds put him on the 40-man and that says something. I heard that Tom Brown, who I believe the Reds are lucky to have, taught him the cutter. If all he had before was a fastball, it is easy to see why he was not effective as a starter. The thing I like is that he was able to go all the way to Triple-A and still use that cutter effectively against experienced hitters. Sounds like a Steve Bedrosian type pitcher.

The Reds are getting to a point, hopefully, where instead of having to spend a bunch of money on ancient middle relievers just to keep from blowing games in the seventh inning, ala Chris Hammond, Mike Stanton, Kent Mercker, Arthur Rhodes, David Weathers, Rheal Cormier, etc., they can develop those kind of guys themselves and use that money elsewhere. Those guys are not super expensive ($2-3 million a year), but that is money you would like to have for something else. Other than Todd Coffey, I can't think of too many guys that they have drafted and developed who have filled that role. And even Coffey was really a 1-2 year wonder with the Reds.

I definitely like Carlos Fisher and Ondrusek should be there in 2010 at some point.

[dougdirt]

It would be interesting to hear a good interview that really focuses on what led to his success in 2009. The Reds put him on the 40-man and that says something. I heard that Tom Brown, who I believe the Reds are lucky to have, taught him the cutter. If all he had before was a fastball, it is easy to see why he was not effective as a starter. The thing I like is that he was able to go all the way to Triple-A and still use that cutter effectively against experienced hitters. Sounds like a Steve Bedrosian type pitcher.

The Reds are getting to a point, hopefully, where instead of having to spend a bunch of money on ancient middle relievers just to keep from blowing games in the seventh inning, ala Chris Hammond, Mike Stanton, Kent Mercker, Arthur Rhodes, David Weathers, Rheal Cormier, etc., they can develop those kind of guys themselves and use that money elsewhere. Those guys are not super expensive ($2-3 million a year), but that is money you would like to have for something else. Other than Todd Coffey, I can't think of too many guys that they have drafted and developed who have filled that role. And even Coffey was really a 1-2 year wonder with the Reds.

I definitely like Carlos Fisher and Ondrusek should be there in 2010 at some point.

I am with you for the most part there. Though if they can get an Arthur Rhodes type for $2M a year I am all for that. Its when they start handing out $4M+ its a problem, or even $2M for 4.00 ERA guys because they didn't have the minor leagues to dip into. It could save a ton of money if they do things right.

[redsof72]

Yes, Rhodes had an excellent year for $2 million.

[icehole3]

I thought Lehr was instrumental in teaching guys the cutter or maybe Im thinking of a different pitch Lehr taught guys

[Mario-Rijo]

I thought Lehr was instrumental in teaching guys the cutter or maybe Im thinking of a different pitch Lehr taught guys

Lehr = Splitter

[icehole3]

thx

[redsmetz]

Perhaps later today we can add Aroldis Chapman, no? Fingers crossed!

[REDblooded]

Perhaps later today we can add Aroldis Chapman, no? Fingers crossed!

YES!