Robert Stephenson being sent to Dayton

[corkedbat]

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp...vkey=news_milb

[MikeS21]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Cingrani can throw his fastball wherever he wants it.

Stephenson, despite the strikeouts, didn't really have good control of his fastball, much less command of it. Guys were just overmatched though because they don't see arms like that.

Stephenson may have to learn to pitch around 94-95 mph for control. Homer Bailey has learned to start at 91 mph, and by the 6th inning, he dials it up to 95-96 mph.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by MikeS21

Stephenson may have to learn to pitch around 94-95 mph for control. Homer Bailey has learned to start at 91 mph, and by the 6th inning, he dials it up to 95-96 mph.

Perhaps. Time will certainly tell.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by Tom Servo

What kind of trajectory would you guys expect for Stephenson? Is it an absolute given that all of his innings for the rest of the year will be at the low A level, or could he possibly get a High A start?

To quote a long time poster on these boards: "while you challenge thy hitters, you coddle thy pitchers" to which I add that when a pitcher is ready, he's ready.

Sounds like Stephenson isn't ready for anything above where he is. I'd say ETA mid-late 2015.

[Scrap Irony]

I'd argue that arrival time. I'd put Stephenson as ready somewhere between mid 2014 and the beginning of 2015:

-- The rest of this season at Dayton
-- Moving up to Bakersfield for 2013
-- Move to AA mid-season
-- Full season in AA
-- Half-season in AAA

Right now, Stephenson profiles as a TOR guy because he's got three pitches. In the one start I've seen, his fastball is more than acceptable, though he need to tighten his control/ command a bit. His curve flashes plus-plus, but is a bit inconsistent. (That puts him well ahead of the low A SP curve, btw. Most only show one or two really good off-speed pitches per game. Stephenson's showing much more consistency and bite.) His change needs some work, but flashes (rarely) as plus. It's more likely fringe-average, though the Reds have shown an affinity for teaching/ improving change-ups in the past few years.

For the rest of this year, I'd imagine his focus is to improve command of all his pitches, improve his change's arm action, and refine his curve. That puts him well ahead of most prospects in low A. He needs innings more than most, though, so that's one reason to keep him in the lower ranks.

Because he has electric stuff and two good pitches, Stephenson should be a fairly fast riser. In today's minor league system, pitchers tend to get moved quite a bit faster than in previous years. (Part of that, IMO, is the ability to develop and identify those pitchers ready for progressive levels. Part of it is technological.) Stephenson should be no different.

[redsof72]

You may be correct on your timetable as far as the way it eventually plays out. But there is no one in the Reds organization looking beyond the rest of this season. When it's time for him to move up, they will move him up. The concern is that he not try to do too much and suffer an injury. As you have probably heard, they are trying to settle him down. Word was, he was throwing as hard in the bullpen before the game as he threw in the first inning, so pumped up, something the Reds would be concerned with. The more you ask of him right now, the greater the risk that he is going to reach back and try to get more than what's there. I am sure there is some holding of breath that when he throws that first pitch Wednesday in front of 8,000, he will not try to throw it 102 mph.

This is a very special arm, the best the Reds have had in a long time. Reds are going to take it nice and easy, let him progress.

Those who want him fast tracked...be careful what you ask for. We have already had our Grulers, Howingtons. etc.

[jfleur87]

Does Robert pitch tomorrow for the Dragons? Can anyone confirm?

[Ohayou]

Originally Posted by jfleur87

Does Robert pitch tomorrow for the Dragons? Can anyone confirm?

Stephenson tomorrow, Mugarian on Thursday and Gerson on Friday.

[TOBTTReds]

Anyone going to the Dragons game tonight?

[Superdude]

Originally Posted by TOBTTReds

Anyone going to the Dragons game tonight?

This guy! I'll be sure to bring back a full report of the majestic stuff of Bob Stephenson.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by TOBTTReds

Anyone going to the Dragons game tonight?

I have video of every pitch he threw but 2 or 3.... He caught me off guard with quick work a few times as I checked the radar.

[btmreds]

I was at the game tonight and I was extremely impressed with Stephenson. Just some quick observations I had/saw:
- In the first inning he had his fastball topping out at 98 mph, the fastest I saw it clocked all game. More importantly, he threw that hard consistently in the first inning.
- As the game wore on, his velocity dropped a little by little every inning. His lowest fastball velocity was 94 mph.
- I was surprised with the amount of times he threw his change-up tonight (usually around 79-81 mph). He wasn't just a two pitch pitcher. In his last inning of work, he especially concentrated on his off-speed work. Another observation I had with his change-up was his arm action would slow down when throwing his change-up compared to his fastball, and it was fairly obvious.
- His breaking ball is really impressive, when it is on. There were a couple times it hung up there, but when it didn't hang it had a very nice downward action to it.
- The most impressive thing from Stephenson tonight was he didn't issue a walk. With that being said, there were times he fell behind in the count 2-0. Many times he started the AB with a ball as well.
- Final stat line: 5 ip, 5 K, 0 BB, 3 H 1 ER (a solo HR on a 97 mph fastball)

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by btmreds

I was at the game tonight and I was extremely impressed with Stephenson. Just some quick observations I had/saw:
- In the first inning he had his fastball topping out at 98 mph, the fastest I saw it clocked all game. More importantly, he threw that hard consistently in the first inning.
- As the game wore on, his velocity dropped a little by little every inning. His lowest fastball velocity was 94 mph.
- I was surprised with the amount of times he threw his change-up tonight (usually around 79-81 mph). He wasn't just a two pitch pitcher. In his last inning of work, he especially concentrated on his off-speed work. Another observation I had with his change-up was his arm action would slow down when throwing his change-up compared to his fastball, and it was fairly obvious.
- His breaking ball is really impressive, when it is on. There were a couple times it hung up there, but when it didn't hang it had a very nice downward action to it.
- The most impressive thing from Stephenson tonight was he didn't issue a walk. With that being said, there were times he fell behind in the count 2-0. Many times he started the AB with a ball as well.
- Final stat line: 5 ip, 5 K, 0 BB, 3 H 1 ER (a solo HR on a 97 mph fastball)

Stephenson's change up was the pitch that was 85-87, not the one that was 78-81. His velocity dropped off in either the 2nd or the third, but the 4th and 5th were 95-97 all inning.

[*BaseClogger*]

Dumb question, but IIRC wasn't Stephenson a guy who threw like 92 mph when we drafted him?

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by *BaseClogger*

Dumb question, but IIRC wasn't Stephenson a guy who threw like 92 mph when we drafted him?

No. He was a guy who was said to top out at 98 and worked 92-94.