Jocketty on September Call ups

[redhawk61]

Could Yonder be the lone player coming up?

CINCINNATI -- Tuesday means September callups can start arriving, but don't expect an army of fresh promotions from Louisville. No one will soon be rolling up Interstate 71 from Louisville to the tune of "The Ride of the Valkyries," by Richard Wagner.


Major League rosters are allowed to expand to up to 40 players. September callup time is often a chance for clubs to evaluate a prospect for potential use the next season. It's also a way to reward someone for a good season.
"We haven't really finalized it yet, but there won't really be that many," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. "We have most of them here. It's more a question of playing time. If you don't have playing time, there's no reason to bring them up."


The Reds already have 13 players on their active roster who spent time at Triple-A Louisville this season.


There is also the matter of the schedule. Louisville's season ends on Sept. 7. As West Division champions of the International League, the Bats will begin postseason play on Sept. 9.


Jocketty doesn't plan on tinkering with the Louisville roster until it is done playing playoff games.


"I think it's important," he said. "In most cases, you prefer to see them finish their season and go through the playoffs. The exposure to postseason play is very good."


The Reds have only five healthy players on the 40-man roster who aren't in the Majors. They are Double-A Carolina first baseman and 2008 first-round Draft pick Yonder Alonso and, from Louisville, pitchers Sam LeCure and Ramon Ramirez, third baseman Juan Francisco and first baseman Kevin Barker.


It will also be interesting to see if the Reds promote prospects not on the 40-man roster. Outfielder Chris Heisey, infielder Todd Frazier and left-handed starter Travis Wood already have been moved up one level from Double-A this season. Could they move up another? Louisville shortstop Chris Valaika, the organization's 2008 Minor League Player of the Year, had a tough start to the season offensively but has come on strong the past three weeks.


Jocketty said service time still counts for September callups but said he wasn't overly concerned about starting the clock on a player. It takes three seasons for a player to qualify for salary arbitration.


"It still adds up. It's not a big factor, but it is a factor," Jocketty said. "It depends on the player. Most cases, it's a guy you'll see next year, so starting the clock is not a big factor."

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/...=.jsp&c_id=cin

[Captain Hook]

I've never seen Francisco swing the bat but with his numbers this year he certainly deserves a chance.Since he has been getting time in the OF at AAA does anyone think the Reds are seriously considering him on option in LF and a backup for Rolen next season?It they aren't then what else does he have to prove?

[LoganBuck]

Originally Posted by Captain Hook

I've never seen Francisco swing the bat but with his numbers this year he certainly deserves a chance.Since he has been getting time in the OF at AAA does anyone think the Reds are seriously considering him on option in LF and a backup for Rolen next season?It they aren't then what else does he have to prove?

Francisco plays where? He is a disaster in the field. Leave him in the minors. Don't expose him to MLB scouts.

[11larkin11]

Yonder isn't coming up. Jocketty said earlier in the year he'd finish the year in AA.

[marcshoe]

I want to see Valaika for a bit. With his late-season improvement, it would be nice to gauge how far away he is. Bring up Heisey, too.

Making room on the forty shouldn't be that difficult, theoretically. Too bad the catching corps is so beat up that Corky has to take a spot.

[GOYA]

Ramirez and Barker for sure. It would be nice to see Valaika get a shot. LeCure needs to rest.

[HokieRed]

Originally Posted by GOYA

Ramirez and Barker for sure. It would be nice to see Valaika get a shot. LeCure needs to rest.

Agree. I think one thing they are going to want to get a read on is whether Ramirez might help in next year's pen. It would have been good to see LeCure get a couple starts but I think you're right about his needing rest.

[GIDP]

Techincally Yonder is finishing the year in AA.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Captain Hook

I've never seen Francisco swing the bat but with his numbers this year he certainly deserves a chance.Since he has been getting time in the OF at AAA does anyone think the Reds are seriously considering him on option in LF and a backup for Rolen next season?It they aren't then what else does he have to prove?

Francisco only played in LF when Rolen was on rehab.

[Mario-Rijo]

I doubt they call up a single position player until after the AAA playoffs, and maybe only an arm or 2 before then, if any at all.

[roborobj]

Originally Posted by GOYA

Ramirez and Barker for sure. It would be nice to see Valaika get a shot. LeCure needs to rest.

Is Lecure playing in the DWL again this year?

[Captain Hook]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Francisco only played in LF when Rolen was on rehab.

Too bad our minor league guy hitting the ball as good if not better then anyone else has no position.I still think that if they could get him a few AB this year it would be a good thing.Who knows, maybe watching Rolen play D every night could help him a bit also.

[Kingspoint]

Originally Posted by 11larkin11

Yonder isn't coming up. Jocketty said earlier in the year he'd finish the year in AA.

Which he should after he had his injury. After that, Major League at-bats became irrelevent. He needs to be working on his defense at AA anyway. That's why he's there...to learn baseball the professional way.