Baseball America's Updated Reds Top 10

[Kc61]

What makes Rodriguez interesting is that he sounds like a very good fit for the Reds bench. Switch hitter, superior hitting skills, even if he lacks power and is only a passable fielder.

I could easily see him in the Cairo spot, second and third base backup who pinch hits and plays occasionally. Then, depending on how he does, maybe he gets a larger role.

I expect Frazier at third full time next year, but HRod on the bench sounds good to me.

[mace]

HRod needs to strike out a bit less and walk a bit more but his power numbers and everything else are very close. Of course you're talking minor league numbers to major league numbers. The K and BB numbers are not that far off either. I'm not talking a huge improvement. But shifting production to the majors IS a huge thing. But yes, his minors numbers and Madlocks major league numbers are very similar...

Actually, I was quoting minors to minors. I didn't take Madlock's major-league career into account--just comparing their ages and production at the minor-league level. It's very close. Rodriguez has actually hit for a higher average as a minor-leaguer, and of course Madlock ultimately made his reputation as a high-average guy--a four-time batting champion.

I suspect that their size was more comparable, as well, in their development years. Baseball Reference lists Madlock at 5-11, 180 as a major-leaguer. H-Rod is reported at 5-10, 150, but as 72 pointed out, he has gotten quite a bit stockier in the last couple years. Their body types seem very similar.

Good scouting report on Madlock.

[RedlegJake]

Actually, I was quoting minors to minors. ...I suspect that their size was more comparable, as well, in their development years. Baseball Reference lists Madlock at 5-11, 180 as a major-leaguer. H-Rod is reported at 5-10, 150, but as 72 pointed out, he has gotten quite a bit stockier in the last couple years. Their body types seem very similar.

I was working from memory but I thought Bill was 6' even and about 190.
Funny how you remember guys bigger in your memory - I checked HRod's numbers in FanGraphs but used memory for Mad dog's. He was one of my favorite non-Reds as a Marine because of his attitude. The guy just never seemed to strike out - I remember specifically watching a game where a young
Rawly Eastwick tried to pitch him outside on a full count, a non-intentional intentional kind of walk and Bill just reached out - the ball was a fastball 5 or 6" outside and flicked it into right for a hit knocking in a run. He got traded a lot though because of that temper. Kind of a corrosive personality.

[Vottomatic]

Bill Madlock was a very, very, very good hitter.