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Thread: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

  1. #1
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    Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    The Bats look to be absolutely stacked.

    Starters
    Justin Lehr
    Sam LaCure
    Matt Maloney/ Micah Owings
    Travis Wood
    Matt Klinker
    Comment: Wood's the ace, Lehr the saavy veteran, and both LeCure and Maloney (or Owings) have had their moments, but Matt Klinker could really explode as a prospect this year if he continues to pitch like last season. He has the best stuff on the staff. None of them have a ton of upside, but all five could be either fine relievers or BOR starters. Maloney/Owings and Lehr are really good sixth and seventh starters and both Wood and Klinker could be ready by the ASB.

    Relievers
    Enerio Del Rosario
    Logan Ondrusek
    Jordan Smith
    Chad Reineke
    Pedro Viola
    Carlos Fisher
    Comment: This could be a truly dominant bullpen. There are no weak sister arms here-- all throw smoke. Of course, all but one of them are RH, so that's not good. Still, Fisher has options and, with everyone healthy, he's probably the odd man out at the major league level, as DRH outproduced him last season and Baker loves the little guy. All six relievers could be useful (and above replacement level) arms in a major league pen. That's a ridiculously talented bullpen. Sean Watson could bump someone should he ever find control and Jordan Smith may start the season in the AA pen. (If Reynolds sticks to his own guns and keeps the hard thrower out of the rotation.)

    Batting Order
    1. Chris Heisey CF/LF/RF
    2. Zach Cozart SS
    3. Yonder Alonso 1B/LF?
    4. Juan Francisco 3B/LF/DH
    5. Todd Frazier 2B/LF/IF
    6. Danny Dorn DH/1B/OF
    7. Chris Valaika 2B/SS
    8. Josh Anderson CF
    9. Corky Miller C
    Comment: Solid prospects everywhere. The quintet of Heisey, Cozart, Alonso, Francisco, and Frazier could all help within the year. Any or all of them could be starters in the Queen City by the All Star break. Valaika could, too, as just last year, he was considered by many (ahem... me) to be a darkhorse 775 OPS bat at SS. Anderson and Miller have already been to the big show and provide solid options as bench depth.

    Back-ups
    Wilkin Castillo C
    Sean Henry OF
    Eric Eymann IF

    Comments?


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  3. #2
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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    If Maloney claims the #5 starter spot, I wouldn't be surprised to see Owings kept in Cinti. and moved to the pen. Maybe Smith would be in the rotation at L'ville then. Also, any place here for James Avery? or does anybody know anything about his health status?

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    I'm guessing Avery will stay in AA for a couple months. I also think both Owings and Maloney have great chances at staying in Cincinnati. If that happens, I'm hoping Jocketty can turn two or three relievers and a prospect or two for an above average SS with the bat and the glove. (Though those are difficult to find and almost impossible to pry away from their parent clubs.)

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    I see Owings as the long man on the Reds staff with Maloney or Wood (my roster surprise pick) in the Reds rotation. I look for a leftover FA (Lowrie?) or AAAA starter or two to be signed before ST and to at least start the year rounding out the Louisville rotation.

    I could see Jordan Smith in the rotation and with a hot start in AA I could see Avery, Horst or Leake in the AAA rotation by june if needed. I think they push leake toward Cincy if his perfomance is strong enough. If he struggles he'll spend the year at AA.
    Last edited by corkedbat; 01-09-2010 at 11:31 PM.

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    Quote Originally Posted by corkedbat View Post
    I see Owings as the long man on the Reds staff with Maloney or Wood (my roster surprise pick) in the Reds rotation. I look for a leftover FA (Lowrie?) or AAAA starter or two to be signed before ST and to at least start the year rounding out the Louisville rotation.

    I could see Jordan Smith in the rotation and with a hot start in AA I could see Avery, Horst or Leake in the AAA rotation by june if needed. I think they push leake toward Cincy if his perfomance is strong enough. If he struggles he'll spend the year at AA.
    I agree with all of this. I personally would like to see the Reds leave Smith a starter unless they just don't think his arm can handle a starter's workload.

    Maloney is the 5th starter, Owings is in the pen (and a sleeper for a more important relief role IMO). AAA rotation will be Wood, Lehr, Klinker and Lecure. The 5th guy could be Buck if he's healthy. Chad Reineke was signed as a Minor League FA and had 22 mediocre starts in AAA for the A's and he's probably the most likely. Less desirable options would include Cochran, Gil or Ward who I think are all still in the organization. Other possibilities: Luis Montano? Alex Smit? Scott Carroll? Ezequial Infante? Mark Pawelek?
    Last edited by mth123; 01-10-2010 at 12:37 AM.
    All my posts are my opinion - just like yours are. If I forget to state it and you're too dense to see the obvious, look here!

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    Kinda/sorta off-topic, but does Volquez have ab option left? I'd like to see them be very cautious with him. I want a full rehab stint with affiliates that are home with relief stints or one-inning starts and then at least a month or so in the minors starting with 40 or 50-pitch starts and building up and then mayve some September mop up work or a couple of late season starts in Cincy.

    I think the goal should be to have him ready by 2011.

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    You may want that, cb (as do most of us), but I'm guessing he gets a couple rehab starts, pitches well, then becomes the Red fifth starter. Baker will say he can watch Volquez's workload better than minor league managers and, besides, the Reds will "need him".

    Sigh.

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    Don't see Fisher competing with DRH for a major league spot. Right now, they both have major league spots.

    Pen is 7 deep in 12 man pitching staff which Reds have now used for several consecutive years.

    Cordero, Rhodes, Massett, Burton, Herrera, Fisher, Owings should be the bullpen. Agree that Fisher's spot is up for grabs, but he's the favorite since he was there last season.

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kc61 View Post
    Don't see Fisher competing with DRH for a major league spot. Right now, they both have major league spots.

    Pen is 7 deep in 12 man pitching staff which Reds have now used for several consecutive years.

    Cordero, Rhodes, Massett, Burton, Herrera, Fisher, Owings should be the bullpen. Agree that Fisher's spot is up for grabs, but he's the favorite since he was there last season.
    I think a healthy Bray pushes Fisher to AAA. The Reds have some major league tealent in the AAA pen with Ondrusek, Fisher, Viola, Del Rosario and eventually Valiquette, Thurman, Joseph and if Smith makes the move to the pen, he may end up being the best of the bunch (and only potential major league closer IMO). Its an area where the Reds shoud package a few guys to fill other needs. I think teams would give up a middling middle infield prospect or two to get a Burton/Ondrusek/Viola package for instance. You won't get anyone named Andrus or Escobar for them, but some one with more promise than Janish ought to be out there. Hard throwers who don't make a lot of money still should be in demand.
    All my posts are my opinion - just like yours are. If I forget to state it and you're too dense to see the obvious, look here!

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kc61 View Post
    Cordero, Rhodes, Massett, Burton, Herrera, Fisher, Owings should be the bullpen. Agree that Fisher's spot is up for grabs, but he's the favorite since he was there last season.
    Both Bray and Lincoln make quite a but of money and the fact the Reds tendered Bray indicates they're learning toward keeping him long-term. Lincoln, too, is likely to be paid and play for it at the major league level.

    That's two spots, Kc. Fisher and DRH have the least amount of experience and options.

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    Quote Originally Posted by Scrap Irony View Post
    Both Bray and Lincoln make quite a but of money and the fact the Reds tendered Bray indicates they're learning toward keeping him long-term. Lincoln, too, is likely to be paid and play for it at the major league level.

    That's two spots, Kc. Fisher and DRH have the least amount of experience and options.
    Agree that ultimately Bray and Lincoln will get in there. Out of spring traning, my guess is that they will go to AAA, essentially for rehab, to make sure they are ok.

    DRH is on the team, won't be sent down under almost any circumstances out of spring training IMO. I think Fisher is the favorite to hold a spot out of spring training.

    One of Burton, Lincoln, or Bray needs to come through big time this season because the Reds are short on late inning relief. Last year, once Weathers left, Coco, Rhodes and Massett were way overused.
    Last edited by Kc61; 01-10-2010 at 11:57 AM.

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    My humble opinion: Can't imagine any scenario where DRH would not make the big league club out of spring training if healthy. There should be five locks in the pen with Cordero, Rhodes, Massett, Burton, and Herrera. Fisher, Owings, and Viola would compete for the other two spots along with others. Lincoln and Bray have to show they are not only healthy but throwing well. Lets see if anyone else emerges to join the fight from among the group of Ondrusek, Del Rosario, Lecure, and any other last minute signing. Remember, up until the last couple of weeks last year, Fisher was pretty darn good.

    Owings is the only true long man out of the bunch but he is also the guy who was least effective in 2009 (other than Lincoln of course). If they needed a spot starter, it would be nice to have the long man there, all things being equal. The other spot starter option would be calling up Lehr, but then you would have to create a spot on the 40-man.

    I think the fifth starter job is Maloney's to lose.

    I expect Volquez to go on the 60 day DL and then around mid-season, make a start or two in Dayton, then finish out the 30 day rehab in Louisville. Important thing is not what they get out of him in 2010, but what they get from him starting in 2011.

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    Sorry we got off the track of the Louisville club. This is the most prospect-laden Reds Triple-A team in 30 years.

    Fans over 40 will remember the Indianapolis teams of 1980-81 that featured a true prospect at virtually every position. There was Paul Householder, Eddie Milner, Gary Redus, and Duane Walker in the outfield. Infield had Nick Esasky at third, Tom Foley at short, Tom Lawless at second. Dave Van Gorder was behind the plate. Every one of those guys was home grown and young. Most of them never lived up to expectations however, at least not with the Reds. Reds have not had anything like that since, until now.

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    Quote Originally Posted by Scrap Irony View Post
    You may want that, cb (as do most of us), but I'm guessing he gets a couple rehab starts, pitches well, then becomes the Red fifth starter. Baker will say he can watch Volquez's workload better than minor league managers and, besides, the Reds will "need him".

    Sigh.
    Yeah SI, I know, but a guy can hope. God forbid they activate him and Duhsty is faced with a 16-18 inning game.

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    Re: Louisville Starting Lineup & Roster?

    Quote Originally Posted by redsof72 View Post
    Owings is the only true long man out of the bunch but he is also the guy who was least effective in 2009 (other than Lincoln of course). If they needed a spot starter, it would be nice to have the long man there, all things being equal. The other spot starter option would be calling up Lehr, but then you would have to create a spot on the 40-man.

    The nice thing about Owings in the long role is his versatility. If you use him early, he can hit for himself a time or two and not have to use a couple of more relevers in the middle innings if Owings is pitching well.

    The manager just has to push the right buttons and use him wisely.

    If you haven't used him by the 5th or 6th inning he goes into pinch-hitting mode. If the game goes extra innings and he's still available, you again can use him for multiple innings and let him hit for himself instead of using other relievers.
    Last edited by corkedbat; 01-10-2010 at 01:30 PM.


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