Rick Sweet on Francisco, Frazier and Valaika

[OnBaseMachine]

Sweet on Franicsco, Frazier and Valaika
Posted by jfay September 26th, 2009, 5:52 pm

Louisville manager Rick Sweet is with the Reds for this series, I talked to him about Juan Francisco, Todd Frazier and Chris Valaika:

–Francisco: Fans are getting a look at Francisco at the plate. He’s looked good so far. He’s hitting ht, hitting .462 with a home run and four RBI in 13 at-bats. Francisco combined to hit .295 with 27 homers and 93 RBI at Double-A and Triple-A this year.

But Francisco plays third base. The Reds have Scott Rolen there. Francisco did play some left field for Sweet.

“He was all right,” Sweet said. “To be quite honest, I was surprised. I don’t know it but we had worked him out there before. So he had some experience. He made all the plays. In fact, he made a couple of plays where he had to run a long way. His routes were good to the ball, which is an instinctual thing. I put guys out and you’d see them go for balls and say: This ain’t going to work. You didn’t say that with him.”

Francisco will go to the Instructional League to work on his outfield skills.

–Frazier: The Reds moved him to second base midway through this year. He’s played first, shortstop third and outfield as well. The transition to second hasn’t been easy.

“He’s rough,” Sweet said. “I think that’s the best word. In fact, he’s in Instructional League right now. He’s rough.

“But if you understand what kind of player he’s going to be, you can smooth that out. I think the biggest thing is he can hit. What we’re trying to do is figure out where he’ll fit best. I don’t think he’s a utility guy. He’s young enough that we’re going to have to sit down and make the decision. He’s good enough that he could play if that’s what we decide to do.”

Frazier combined to hit .292 with 45 doubles, 16 home runs and 77 RBI at Double-A and Triple-A this year.

–Valaika: Valaika started off terribly. He hit .161 in April and May. He then missed time with a broken hand – the result of hitting a water cooler in frustration.

“The time off helped him,” Sweet said. “He was really struggling – big time. He had never struggled in his life. I think when he got hurt he stepped back and said: This isn’t me. When he came back, he hit and had good at-bats.”

Valaika finished up by hitting .299 in August and September.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/

[princeton]

they've really screwed up the Frazier thing. three years to think about it and they still can't do it.

ol' princeton saw this a long while back, and at least had a plan. the Reds seem to go it month by month.

[icehole3]

they have to make some key decisions in 2010, just like when they had the crown jewels, youve got to get rid of the right guys IMO.

[Kc61]

The whole Frazier thing makes little sense to me.

With Phillips on the Reds, why are they force feeding second base to Frazier?

Only possible answer I can think of is that they feel he won't be a good third baseman or shortstop, that he may not hit enough for left field, but he could be a top offensive second baseman. But it is confusing.

[mth123]

Originally Posted by Kc61

The whole Frazier thing makes little sense to me.

With Phillips on the Reds, why are they force feeding second base to Frazier?

Only possible answer I can think of is that they feel he won't be a good third baseman or shortstop, that he may not hit enough for left field, but he could be a top offensive second baseman. But it is confusing.

Sweet says he's not a utility guy, but Frazier seems like an ideal supersub. His bat is playable anywhere (though 1B and LF may be a little over his head). At 2B, 3B and even SS he could get occassional playing time. Its not a bad thing to have a good hitter that can play a bunch of spots on the bench and keeping guys fresh with frequent rest. He could back-up 6 spots and with Bruce ability to get by in CF, he could back-up that spot as well with Bruce sliding over for a day.

[Kc61]

Originally Posted by mth123

Sweet says he's not a utility guy, but Frazier seems like an ideal supersub. His bat is playable anywhere (though 1B and LF may be a little over his head). At 2B, 3B and even SS he could get occassional playing time. Its not a bad thing to have a good hitter that can play a bunch of spots on the bench and keeping guys fresh with frequent rest. He could back-up 6 spots and with Bruce ability to get by in CF, he could back-up that spot as well with Bruce sliding over for a day.

Frazier had 45 doubles at two levels, 63 extra base hits altogether this year. I don't see him as a supersub, this guy should have a position.

Yes, for a year or two he could be on the Reds' bench, but you'd expect a team to be grooming Frazier to be a regular player. Maybe they see him as a supersub initially, then eventually, when Phillips gets too expensive, as a second baseman.

[GIDP]

If the Reds see him as a super sub we are looking at a dynasty in our future I guess.

[mth123]

Originally Posted by Kc61

Frazier had 45 doubles at two levels, 63 extra base hits altogether this year. I don't see him as a supersub, this guy should have a position.

Yes, for a year or two he could be on the Reds' bench, but you'd expect a team to be grooming Frazier to be a regular player. Maybe they see him as a supersub initially, then eventually, when Phillips gets too expensive, as a second baseman.

Depends on his defense. As a supersub they can get the benefit of his bat without he cumulative damage that having a subpar defender at a spot day-in and day-out provides. Especially a spot like 2B (or SS or 3B).

[Degenerate39]

Frazier's got a lot of talent I think he really needs a set position and regular playing time. That's not something he'd get as a supersub.

[vottofan4life]

which trade sounds better and more realistic?

Frazier and Valaika for Dan Uggla
Frazier and valaika for Yunel Escobar
Paul Janish and Matt Maloney for JJ Hardy
Frazier, Taveras, Lincoln for Johnny Peralta and Asdrubal Cabrera

[Slyder]

Originally Posted by vottofan4life

which trade sounds better and more realistic?

Frazier and Valaika for Dan Uggla
Frazier and valaika for Yunel Escobar
Paul Janish and Matt Maloney for JJ Hardy
Frazier, Taveras, Lincoln for Johnny Peralta and Asdrubal Cabrera

How would Peralta AND Cabrera fit with the team? Cause we'd still have Rolen, Phillips, and Votto as locks? Could one play LF?

If those are the options...
1 Escobar after an inteview would be prefered, he's shown a bit more to fit what we need as long as Duhhhsty Baker is the manager (top of the order bat and good glove)
2 Im not sure how BOTH Peralta and Cabrera fit (may just be financial) but Peralta could really be helped by GABP, hit 20 hrs a couple times. Cabrera is a Switch hitter could help "balance" the lineup.
3 Buying "Low" on Hardy would come next, but I worry if he wouldnt be AGon part duex.
4 Which Uggla is the real Uggla? I can't see him succeeding in Cincy for the same reason Dunn was dispised by SOME. My valuation would increase if we were CERTAIN that Phillips could play SS at an above average level. It would be an expensive mistake to make this deal to find out that Phillips can't play SS well enough.

[HokieRed]

I think the thread itself indicates what the Reds are up against in trying Frazier out here and there. His bat's too good for that of a supersub yet he has no clear position and so they've been trying to find him one, one that fits not only him but the configuration of people they have around him. He's not going to play SS, C, CF, or, with Jay Bruce, RF. A move to 2b might make sense, if he's good enough defensively to move Phillips to SS in order to get his bat into the lineup. We now have a future Hall of Famer playing third, one whose coming off the DL is at least perfectly correlated chronologically with a 23-10 run by the team. And surely it must be in the FO's mind that our absolutely best offensive group for 2011 includes Alonso at 1b, Votto in LF, Francisco at 3b. And if Francisco can't play 3b, he's likely to go to LF, leaving Votto or Alonso to be traded (or maybe Francisco), with the return probably being a very good position player at one of the available spots. So 2b's probably what's left for Frazier if he's to be an everyday guy on this team.

[fearofpopvol1]

i think Frazier either gets traded or Phillips gets traded.

[HokieRed]

I don't think Phillips gets traded and I don't think he gets moved to SS unless we have a really good glove to play 2b. I think that's what the Rolen for Encarnacion move was in large part about at 3b: the pitching staff deserves people who can catch the ball.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by HokieRed

I don't think Phillips gets traded and I don't think he gets moved to SS unless we have a really good glove to play 2b. I think that's what the Rolen for Encarnacion move was in large part about at 3b: the pitching staff deserves people who can catch the ball.

Edwin never had a problem catching the ball. It was the throwing part that he didn't get.