Baseball Prospectus on Chris Valaika

[OnBaseMachine]

Premium stuff so I'll just summarize:

A scout recently watched Valaika play and come away very impressed. Says Valaika reminds him of Eric Byrnes the way he goes about his business. Says he can really hit and controls the plate. Calls his plate approach fearless. His power is legit - his balls travel quick and far. The scout shares the same concerns about Valaika being able to stay in the middle of the diamond but says his bat is good enough for any position on the field, including corner infield and outfield spots.

That is all.

[redhawk61]

We are going to have some serious versatile guys ready very soon with Valaika and Frazier. They both can play many different posistions and be an everydayer at w/e the posistion may be. Either, if they continue to progress could take over LF from Dunn, perferably Todd, while Chris could move over the 3B and allow us to trade EE for something.

[Kc61]

They may play many different positions, but do they play any well?

Reds keeping Valaika at short and moving Frazier all over the field. Would like to see each settle in at a realistic position.

[Scrap Irony]

I would love to see either (or both) Valaika or Frazier learn to patrol CF. Both have, IMO, the athelticism to play it well. And, if Stubbs can't hit well enough to move up, both of these guys certainly should be able to. Plus, this should fast track both, allowing them to go as far as their gloves will take them.

[lollipopcurve]

Versatility is good -- it gives the team the option of acquiring impact players at more positions if they can move a homegrown guy around.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

I would love to see either (or both) Valaika or Frazier learn to patrol CF. Both have, IMO, the athelticism to play it well. And, if Stubbs can't hit well enough to move up, both of these guys certainly should be able to. Plus, this should fast track both, allowing them to go as far as their gloves will take them.

If we are going to play anyone in CF because of their bat, its going to be Jay Bruce. He can play CF better than either of those two could.

[OnBaseMachine]

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

I would love to see either (or both) Valaika or Frazier learn to patrol CF. Both have, IMO, the athelticism to play it well. And, if Stubbs can't hit well enough to move up, both of these guys certainly should be able to. Plus, this should fast track both, allowing them to go as far as their gloves will take them.

If it were up to me, Todd Frazier would drop the infield glove in favor of an outfield glove. Dunn most likely won't be re-signed, so I'd move Frazier to left field and work him in as the left fielder of the future. He's got the bat to play any where on the field and with his athleticism he could develop into an average-to-above average fielder out there.

[crazyredfan40]

What about Bruce in CF, Frazier and Valaika in RF and LF...

I know many don't want to see Bruce in CF, but a lineup of

Votto
Phillips
Kepp
EE
Frazier
Valaika
Bruce
Catcher

That is a tough lineup top to bottom...Everyone with power, a couple high strikeout guys, but you have OBP with quite a few, some free swingers, some walkers...

The only thing you really lack is a true leadoff hitter...Defense at SS, and a true defender in CF that can cover a ton of ground...

[OnBaseMachine]

Bruce is not a true defender in CF. If Bruce plays CF on a consistent basis in the majors then it will hold back some of his development with the bat. Why? Well, if Bruce shifts to RF it will allow him to continue to bulk up and add more muscle and power. He can't do that if he stays in CF. The best thing to do, IMO, is move Bruce to RF, Frazier to LF and acquire a stud CFer who can cover a ton of ground, or hope like heck that Stubbs pans out.

[camisadelgolf]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

Bruce is not a true defender in CF. If Bruce plays CF on a consistent basis in the majors then it will hold back some of his development with the bat. Why? Well, if Bruce shifts to RF it will allow him to continue to bulk up and add more muscle and power. He can't do that if he stays in CF. The best thing to do, IMO, is move Bruce to RF, Frazier to LF and acquire a stud CFer who can cover a ton of ground, or hope like heck that Stubbs pans out.

I don't get to say this often about anyone, but I think I agree with you completely on this topic.

[11larkin11]

Having a guy like him in left and Bruce in right would allow us to put a high walk, low average, gold glove fielder in CF, like some guy name Stubbs.

[redhawk61]

Originally Posted by 11larkin11

Having a guy like him in left and Bruce in right would allow us to put a high walk, low average, gold glove fielder in CF, like some guy name Stubbs.

So a slightly better Correy Patterson, with the more walks and slight better Defense

[mlbfan30]

Originally Posted by redhawk61

So a slightly better Correy Patterson, with the more walks and slight better Defense

How is that slightly better?

A Patterson with more walks to probably around a .340-.350 OBP is a very valuable MLB player, especially if it's a GG centerfielder.

Almost everyone here loves Willits, and Stubbs could be pretty much the same player while replacing some AVG for power. Along with playing better defense.

Sure, he might not be that All-Star type player, but he'll be helpful to a team.

[redhawk61]

Originally Posted by mlbfan30

How is that slightly better?

A Patterson with more walks to probably around a .340-.350 OBP is a very valuable MLB player, especially if it's a GG centerfielder.

Almost everyone here loves Willits, and Stubbs could be pretty much the same player while replacing some AVG for power. Along with playing better defense.

Sure, he might not be that All-Star type player, but he'll be helpful to a team.

Touche

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

Bruce is not a true defender in CF. If Bruce plays CF on a consistent basis in the majors then it will hold back some of his development with the bat. Why? Well, if Bruce shifts to RF it will allow him to continue to bulk up and add more muscle and power. He can't do that if he stays in CF. The best thing to do, IMO, is move Bruce to RF, Frazier to LF and acquire a stud CFer who can cover a ton of ground, or hope like heck that Stubbs pans out.

Not that I agree or disagree with you assesment but Berkman played CF his first few years in Houston and it really didn't hurt him that much.