GCL Reds and Billings

[reds44]

Fraizer doesn't surprise me, Mesoraco surprise me alot. Out of high school, I figure he was a lock for Billings. Fraizer's too advanced of a hitter to be going Billings, IMO. It wpuld be a waste.

When does Billings and GCL start?

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by reds44

Fraizer doesn't surprise me, Mesoraco surprise me alot. Out of high school, I figure he was a lock for Billings. Fraizer's too advanced of a hitter to be going Billings, IMO. It wpuld be a waste.

When does Billings and GCL start?

No high school player ever starts anywhere but the GCL in the Reds system. Jay Bruce, Travis Wood, Homer Bailey etc.... all started in the GCL with the Reds.

[HBP]

If Fraizer goes to Dayton were would he play? I assume Francisco will stay with the Dragons for the rest of the year, but Valaika will probably go to Sarasota soon.

Has there been any word on Justin Reed?

[Doc. Scott]

Originally Posted by HBP

If Fraizer goes to Dayton were would he play? I assume Francisco will stay with the Dragons for the rest of the year, but Valaika will probably go to Sarasota soon.

Has there been any word on Justin Reed?

I bet you they'll leave Reed in the GCL, actually. He hasn't put up very good numbers yet.

It's the good thing about high school picks: they have at least two and often three seasons to put up decent enough numbers to move up before it's time to figure out whether or not they stay. College seniors have to do well from the second they put on the uniform.

[RedLegsToday]

Justin Reed is now showing up on the GCL Reds roster:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/m...=t_ros&cid=472

[oneupper]

What happened to Rick Burleson? Wasn't he the Billings manager?

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by oneupper

What happened to Rick Burleson? Wasn't he the Billings manager?

From the Billings website from last November:

BILLINGS, Mont. - The Cincinnati Reds have formally announced the Billings Mustangs coaching staff for the 2007 Pioneer League season. The Mustangs will be led by field manager Joe Kruzel, who spent the 2006 season as the hitting coach for the Gulf Coast League Reds, the Reds rookie affiliate.

Kruzel's staff will include pitching coach Pete Magre, who pitched for the Mustangs in 1993, and hitting coach Aaron Holbert, who played in the Major Leagues for the Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals. Rex De La Nuez will serve as the Mustangs bench coach. De La Nuez served as a scouting supervisor for the Reds last season and previously played in the Minnesota Twins organization.

Kruzel replaces Rick Burleson, who guided the Mustangs in five of the last six seasons. Burleson has accepted a roving minor league instructor position with the Reds.

"We are looking forward to the upcoming 2007 season and having Joe and his staff here in Billings," said Mustangs General Manager Gary Roller. "Joe's resume is impressive and we're confident in his abilities to provide the younger players with a professional approach to the game, both on and off the field."

Kruzel, 41, is entering his second season with the Reds. The veteran college coach spent 2005 as the assistant baseball coach at Miami University. Prior to that, he spent 15 seasons (1989-2003) at The University of Toledo, where he served as the assistant baseball coach (1989-92) and then head baseball coach (1993-2003). In addition to his coaching career, Kruzel played second base at Toledo from 1985-1988.

"I'm excited about the opportunity that the Reds have given me to begin my managerial career in Billings," Kruzel said. "We will work very hard to put a product on the field that the community can be proud of."

Terry Reynolds, the Reds director of player development, said the Reds are excited to have Kruzel at the manager of the Billings Mustangs.

"Joe has an extensive background in working with young players and this understanding should make him a very good fit in the Pioneer League," Reynolds said.

Magre, 36, pitched five years in professional baseball, four of those with the Reds organization. After pitching for the 1993 Pioneer League championship team in Billings, he went on to pitch for Class-A Charleston, Class-A Winston-Salem and Class-AA Chattanooga.

Before joining the Reds as pitching coach in Class-A Dayton in 2006, Magre was the pitching coach for the University of Incarnate Word in the Heartland Conference.

Holbert enters his first year of coaching after a 16-year minor league baseball career. The former infielder was the St. Louis Cardinals first-round pick in the June 1990 Draft. Holbert, 33, played for eight different organizations and spent the majority of his career at the Triple-A level.

Holbert hit .271 in his minor league career and stole 310 bases. He played in one game with the Cardinals in 1996 and played in 22 Big League games for the Reds in 2005 before retiring in 2006.

The Mustangs open the 2007 season on Tuesday, June 19 when they travel to Great Falls to take on the White Sox in a season-opening, three-game series.

[JaxRed]

At this point, that is still LAST years GCL roster.

[fargo55]

Because of the unique living arrangements in Billings, the Reds and many other Pioneer League teams, send the college draftees and older players out west. Living with host families can be a bit delicate and they have had fewer problems with the older guys. Plus, I think the Reds like having their younger guys around Sarasota where there are more coaches, a central area for housing and a little more oversight. The players who are in the process of mastering English, also tend to stay in Florida.

[JaxRed]

The GCL roster is now offically 2007 !!

[JaxRed]

Holy crap. 2 17 year old's.....

[reds44]

Originally Posted by JaxRed

Holy crap. 2 17 year old's.....

And I'm older then one of them.

I feel old.

[OnBaseMachine]

I'm pretty pumped about Tzu-Kai Chiu and Thomas Fiebig. We all know about Chiu, but Fiebig is another guy to watch out for. Only 18 years old, he was signed out of Australia. He's got an ideal pitcher's frame at 6'3" and 200 pounds. Victor Navarro, the 17-year old will be interesting to watch also.

[OnBaseMachine]

BTW, who is Ricky Rhodes? He's 18 years old and listed at 6'7" and 205 pounds. Where did he come from?

[dougdirt]

There are lots of guys I am excited about on the GCL Roster, maybe just because of age and the fact that we know absolutely nothing about them, but regardless I am excited to have 50 or so new guys to follow.