Projected Starters Debate

[mth123]

Rotations:

AAA - Cueto, Maloney, Shearn, Minor League FA, Minor League FA.

AA - Thompson, Fisher, Lecure, Avery, Jukich

A+ - Wood, Watson, Gonzalez, Smit, Ondrusek

A- - Guerrero, Carroll, Arneson, Smith, Del Rosario

Probably a lot of guys in and out at A-.

Not sure if Gardner or Vazquez fit anywhere but maybe keep Vazquez. You could make a case for both at AA. Ondrusek, Smit and Wood may have a shot at AA as well. There is a crowd of guys in that area - either repeating A+ or going to AA. There will be a lot of movement IMO. Depending on what he Reds do, you may see Bailey in AAA as well.

[icehole3]

Do you guys agree with my ACE's?

[mth123]

Comparing other prospects to Jay Bruce isn't really a good way to look at things. Since 2000 began Jay Bruce is just 1 of 2 guys 20 or younger to OPS over .900 in that league and no one was within 40 points of him.

I agree that he isn't Jay Bruce. He really doesn't have to be. Still, what possible reason could there be to skip this kid a level? He needs to start showing some dominance on the field. I know he had a good second half at A-. IMO a good half after such a poor start in a league that he's kind of advanced for isn't something that screams fast track. If he'd ripped the ball out of the gate, I'd be more inclined to say challenge him until he struggles. He's already struggled - a lot. Now he needs to prove it at each level IMO. I'd sooner start Frazier at AA.

[bucksfan2]

I think Shern may be the #5 starter for the reds when they break camp. He isn't going to set the world on fire but I wouldn't doubt if he gets the nod and Belisle ends up back in the pen. I want to see what Belisle can do when he focuses on one inning.

[mth123]

I think Shern may be the #5 starter for the reds when they break camp. He isn't going to set the world on fire but I wouldn't doubt if he gets the nod and Belisle ends up back in the pen. I want to see what Belisle can do when he focuses on one inning.

I doubt it. I think the Reds invested a year in Belisle to get his innings base under him and let him take his lumps (something almost all starters need to do - especially when coming off of a few years not working as a starter). Now is the time to really find out what he can do IMO. Shearn is rightfully viewed as an insurance policy to be stashed at AAA until he's needed when all the preferred options are unavailable.

[OnBaseMachine]

Travis Wood needs to be in Sarasota. If Sean Watson begins next season as a starter then I think he should get about 8-10 starts in Sarasota and then get a promotion to Chattanooga if he earns it. OTOH, he should begin the season in Chattanooga if he is converted back to a reliever.

[camisadelgolf]

Personally, I'd put Ondrusek, Vazquez, Avery, Gressick, Del Rosario, Drew Bowman, Brandon Rice, Steve Otterness, Luis Montano, etc. in the bullpen until the rookie leagues start up. I'm too lazy to try to project the lineups, but here is what I'd like to see for the starting rotations:

AAA
Johnny Cueto
Matt Maloney
Tom Shearn
Carlos Fisher
Sam LeCure

AA
Daryl Thompson
Sean Watson
Alex Smit
Ben Jukich
Travis Webb

A+
Travis Wood
Juan Rafael
Rafael Gonzalez
Jordan Smith
Jamie Arneson

A
Kyle Lotzkar
Evan Hildebrandt
Scott Carroll
Tzu-Kai Chiu
Josh Ravin/Harris Honeycutt

[icehole3]

Fisher at AAA? He got slammed to hard after a truly impressive start. I like him still as a huge prospect. What about him at AA with a quick advance? I also think that our young South American prospect pitchers are going to do some damage in Dayton

[camisadelgolf]

Fisher at AAA? He got slammed to hard after a truly impressive start. I like him still as a huge prospect. What about him at AA with a quick advance? I also think that our young South American prospect pitchers are going to do some damage in Dayton

I think that would be ideal, but I prefer letting young players who might actually have an impact on the Reds take up minor league roster spots over AAAA journeyman who are already way past their primes.

[Kc61]

Comparing other prospects to Jay Bruce isn't really a good way to look at things. Since 2000 began Jay Bruce is just 1 of 2 guys 20 or younger to OPS over .900 in that league and no one was within 40 points of him.

My point is that if all prospect hitters skip the FSL, what's the point of the Reds being in that league. High-A ball serves the purpose of giving a hitter some exposure to tougher pitching before the big jump to AA. Somebody like Stubbs should be able to benefit from that.

The reference to Bruce is just to show that it is possible to hit well in the FSL. A top prospect should be able to handle it.

[OnBaseMachine]

Stubbs is no spring chicken. Dude is 23 years old, he doesn't need to be babied.

[mth123]

Stubbs is no spring chicken. Dude is 23 years old, he doesn't need to be babied.

I don't want to hold him back to baby him. I want to make him earn his promotions. He hasn't really done much yet.

[Aronchis]

I would baby Lecure and move Fisher. Fish's late start in pitching cost him last year when he got exposed by the AA guys. Honing up his stuff may move him along faster. Lecure, on the otherhand needs to improve his fastball command more than Fisher.

[Mario-Rijo]

I'll give it a shot, although I am not the best on the pitchers mainly at the lower levels and especially in the pen. This is what I think will happen not necc. my preference. But I would agree with most of it.


Billings:
C - J. Bour
1B - E. Contreras
2B - K. Feiner
SS - N. Soto
3B - B. Bartles
OF - B. Menchacha
OF - J. Reed
OF - M. Jones

Dayton:
C - E. Rodriguez
1B - M. McKennon
2B - Z. Cozart
SS - T. Frazier (His bat plays at A+, but his Def. needs assessed)
3B - B. Waring
OF - K. Maunus
OF - K. Jones
OF - D. Phipps

Sarasota:
C - C. Kroski
1B - L. Parker
2B - J. Turner
SS - C. Valaika
3B - J. Francisco (Needs refinement but may advance)
OF - C. Heisey
OF - D. Stubbs
OF - C. Kainer

Chattanooga:
C - M. Perez (If Re-Signed, if not C. Tatum)
1B - T. Gutierrez
2B - D. Andersen
SS - Jo. Castro (Not Juan but should be)
3B - M. DeJesus (?)
OF - D. Dorn
OF - S. Henry
OF - S. Cumberland

Louisville:
C - R. Hanigan
1B - A. Rosales
2B - L. Bolivar
SS - P. Janish
3B - M. Griffin
OF - B. Coats
OF - C. Dickerson
OF - J. Bruce

[HokieRed]

Nobody's mentioning Bobby Livingston. What do we know about his condition? Is there any chance he's trying a rehab by spring? if so, seems to me you've got to figure him in somewhere.