Stubbs to begin season in Sarasota per Chattanooga paper

[OnBaseMachine]

I was hoping the Reds would have him skip Sarasota and begin in Chattanooga.

Stubbs is Reds’ Bruce for ’08

SARASOTA, Fla. — He’s an outfielder, he’s a Texan, and he’s among the top prospects in the Cincinnati Reds organization.

Jay Bruce? Correct.

Drew Stubbs? Right again.

A year after Bruce rocketed through Cincinnati’s farm system and became the top prospect in all of baseball according to Baseball America, Stubbs is ready to make his own upward surge. The 23-year-old center fielder from Texarkana will begin this season at high Single-A Sarasota but hopes to be in Chattanooga by June, which is when Bruce briefly arrived last summer before continuing on to Triple-A Louisville.

“I’ve had a pretty good spring, and if I can keep up the things I’ve been doing and build off that, I think I’ll be there before too long,” Stubbs said. “Being consistent in all phases of the game is the main thing. Rather than being great a few days of the week, I need to be good every day. That’s my goal.”

In 129 games last year in Single-A Dayton, Stubbs hit .270 with 29 doubles and 12 home runs, stole 23 bases and led the Midwest League with 93 runs scored. The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder batted .321 in August, and Baseball America listed him after the season as the best defensive outfielder among Reds minor leaguers.

Stubbs enters this season as the No. 5 prospect in Cincinnati’s organization and baseball’s No. 100 prospect overall.

“I’ve played a couple of intrasquad games against him, and he looked pretty good,” new Lookouts manager Mike Goff said. “He’s very talented physically, and he’s a guy I’m hoping before the year is over that we’ll see in Chattanooga.”

Because he’s an outfielder from Texas, comparisons to the 20-year-old Bruce are inevitable.

The Reds drafted Bruce straight out of high school in 2005 and signed him for $1.8 million. They drafted Stubbs, who chose to play three seasons for the Texas Longhorns, first in 2006 and signed him for $2 million.

“We’re both outfielders from Texas, but I think our style of play is different,” Stubbs said. “He’s left-handed and does some things I don’t do, and I do a few things he doesn’t do. I think it’s just more coincidence than anything else that we’re from the same state and in the same organization, but any time anybody does make a comparison, I take it as a compliment because of the success he’s had.

“Hopefully in a few years, we’ll both be in the same outfield.”

Stubbs said he met Bruce not long after the 2006 draft and they have been in close contact since.

Terry Reynolds, Cincinnati’s director of player development, agreed that Bruce and Stubbs are alike in some ways and different in others. Most of their similarities are positives, he added, but not all of them.

“Drew has things to work on just like Jay does,” Reynolds said. “Strikeouts are an issue for both of them. Jay has probably been a more consistent hitter and is a bigger and stronger guy who can play center or corner, but Drew is a pure center fielder. They are different breeds of cat, but there are also similarities.

“Both are first-round picks. Both have all sorts of tools. Both are good players and good kids, so you would hope they would be on similar tracks.”

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2...reds-bruce-08/

[LouisvilleCARDS]

I hope he does well and gets up to Triple A by the end of this year. As silly as it sounds, its like being 23 is old for a prospect anymore, and people just expect first round picks to mow through the minors in a year or two.

[Highlifeman21]

Originally Posted by LouisvilleCARDS

I hope he does well and gets up to Triple A by the end of this year. As silly as it sounds, its like being 23 is old for a prospect anymore, and people just expect first round picks to mow through the minors in a year or two.

When you play 3 years in the Big XII, you shouldn't start 2008 in A ball.

[icehole3]

Can Stubbs be the Johnny Cueto of 2008 and get on the same field with Bruce in 2008? Never say never.

[lollipopcurve]

When you play 3 years in the Big XII, you shouldn't start 2008 in A ball.

It's true that compared to other high first-round college players with his background Stubbs is on a slow developmental track.

But much as we like to find good comparisons in order to evaluate players, this particular comparision tells us very little about how Stubbs will turn out.

To an important extent, all players are unique. Stubbs has some very intriguing strengths, and some obvious weakness with the bat. Will his talent, combined with his ability/willingness to adapt and learn, allow him to overcome what's holding him back?

Stay tuned. The kid's got a chance to be an important player for the Reds -- forget about who he isn't.

[edabbs44]

I really hope that he starts to rip it up. I think the jeers from some on here (including me) have been completely warranted but he has a lot of time left to turn the corner. Here's to hoping that this is the year.

[Degenerate39]

God's speed Stubbs the Reds will need you soon enough.

[Highlifeman21]

2008 is a HUGE year for Drew Stubbs.

IMO, it's make or break.

[redhawk61]

If he has a huge year and makes it to AAA it will answer alot of questions for next years outfield and we could be looking at Dunn, Stubbs, Bruce

[GoReds33]

I think that Stubbs atleast has to make, and play significant time at Chatanooga this year for him to still keep his good prospect status. He killed the ball the last part of 2007, and if that translates he could very well find himself in AAA by the end of the year.

[RDriesenUD]

Originally Posted by GoReds33

I think that Stubbs atleast has to make, and play significant time at Chatanooga this year for him to still keep his good prospect status. He killed the ball the last part of 2007, and if that translates he could very well find himself in AAA by the end of the year.

i'd rather he just continue to improve and become as good as he can to help the Reds than keep his good prospect status. whether that means we see the results fully this year or next.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by RDriesenUD

i'd rather he just continue to improve and become as good as he can to help the Reds than keep his good prospect status. whether that means we see the results fully this year or next.

I am with you on that one, but I figure he is slated for A+/AA this year. He has all the tools, is finally healthy and like previously mentioned, he made strides at the plate big time in the second half of last year. I just hope he keeps his trend going in the right direction and that is up.

[RedsManRick]

Welcome to Florida, Drew. Learn to hit to gap to gap and run like the wind or you're going get eaten alive.

[WebScorpion]

Originally Posted by RedsManRick

Welcome to Florida, Drew. Learn to hit to gap to gap and run like the wind or you're going get eaten alive.

That's what he should be learning no matter where he is playing. In an ideal situation, they'd groom him to be a leadoff hitter. Somebody should be whispering in his ear now, "Get on base, just get on base." Take pitches, choke up after 2 strikes, bunt, use your legs...oh yeah, and wink at the pitcher.

[gonelong]

If this kid can put it together this year it makes the 2009-2010 timeframe look just that much better. I expect he will have a decent year this go around.

GL