A few things popped out tonight as I skimmed the minors. I don't keep a rigorous daily tab, but I like digging in at certain points to see what's developed. In no order of importance:

1) David Vidal - 3b for the Dragons - 80 games there - 21 years old - .832 OPS - 8th rounder in 2010 out of Miami Dade JC - Garnering some mention in the prestigious Redszone Midseason Top 20 thread.

2) Daniel Renken - 21 years old - Starting in Dayton - 25th rounder out of Cal St. Fullerton in 2010 - is he the next Fairel/Klinker/Maloney type we all love to love?

3) Domonic D'Anna - 22 years old - 1b for Dayton - 31st rounder also out of Cal St. Fullerton in 2010 - .778 OPS with 50 RBI's so far - not bad, eh?

4) Lamarre, Greene, Richburg, and Fellhauer have all disappointed in the explosive California league. Although, Fellhauer and Greene have shown a decent understanding of the strike zone. For a speedy guy like Lamarre, only 8 doubles, to go with a 68/27 K/BB rate tells me he has trouble squaring the ball very often.

5) I wonder what Ken Griffey's take on this year's A+ team is? Would be a good listen on some of these high rounders that are succeeding/failing out there.

6) Is Dayton really young or just the only "age appropriate" team in the system? Most of these squads from AAA-Rk are carrying guys that are a few, if not many, years behind the curve. Has the drafting approach become too conservative throughout the entire draft? Are the Reds taking enough young players with upside?

7) Overall, the 2010 draft from top to bottom seems to be filling up rosters in the system. Meanwhile, the 2009 draft is strong at the top half and weaker at the bottom. 2008 and 2007 have each left behind just a few players now, many of them I'd guess were paid pretty well to begin their careers. I always wonder how many throw in the towel and how many get nudged along their way unwillingly. It appears you're lucky to get more than 2 years of a shot. Or lucky to put an end to it so early if you're some.

8) 2008 was maybe the weakest draft of the Walt regime, so far. Still time to go though.

9) Junior Arias is off to a poor start - .190 / .261 / .286 after 63 ab's in Billings. Wasn't he a high paid international guy? I'm trying to recall. Juan Silva is another guy in Billings who's been talked up in the past, he's OPSing .800 right now.

10) Kristopher Negron - perhaps his struggles at the plate are related to playing 2b, SS, 3b, LF, RF, and CF this year? The guy's been a soldier.