Organizational Depth

[757690]

A turnaround like the one the Reds are having this season, is the result of many factors. A big one has to be the addition of Scott Rolen. But I think that the biggest one has been the depth of talent that this organization has displayed.

Adversity happens to all teams, more so to one team than another, but it is something that all teams have to deal with. Most of the time, Championship teams are the ones that deal with adversity the best. The Reds certainly fit that bill this season.

The starting rotation has seen injuries from Harang, Bailey, and now Leake, and they have filled those holes with Wood, LeCure, Maloney and Volquez. All four have been effective, with Wood being very good.

The bullpen has seen injuries and/or ineffectiveness from Lincoln, Herrera, Owings, and at times, Masset, and Cordero. Ondrusek, Smith, Bray, and even Fisher and Del Rosario have done a solid, if not great job of filling in.

When Votto and Rolen needed time off, Cairo stepped in and was surprisingly heroic. When Gomes and Stubbs started to falter, Heisey filled in well. When Cabrera was hurt, Janish has actually been better. And now, Valaika has done an outstanding job filling in for Phillips.

That is a remarkable amount of depth to get from one's organization is one season.

Last season, the Reds had Rosales, Sutton, McDonald, Kip Wells and Justin Lehr to fill in when players got hurt. Enough said.

I think that’s the biggest difference between this year’s Reds and last year’s Reds, and Jocketty needs to be congratulated for stockpiling the team’s talent instead of trading it away in mid season trades the last few years to hopelessly chase a playoff birth.

[Kingspoint]

Yes.

O'Brien and Krivsky get to share in this season. They are as much, if not more, responsible for it as anyone.

Most importantly, Castellini gets the credit for working with all three G. M.'s.

[scott91575]

The draft has been really good to the Reds. You have to go back to 2003 to actually find a bust in the first round. I don't know how Grandal will work out, but Leake, Alonso, Mesoraco, Stubbs, Bruce, and Bailey all have major league potential or have actually made contributions on the major league level. First round picks have a success rate (success of creating 2 WAR in their first 6 mlb years, which is really low) of around 50%. I have no doubt that those players will exceed that (with only Grandal the question mark, and Bailey really needs 1 good year in the next 3). That is a 100% rate. Simply incredible, especially considering you have to go back to Kearns to find anyone close, then Dan Wilson, and then all the way back to Larkin to find another one (Jack Armstrong also barely qualifies the 2 WAR in 6 year requirement). Add in Votto and Wood as a second round players and Valaika in the third, and the Reds have done an incredible job at the top end of the draft.

Add in the international scouting like Cueto, Chapman, Francisco, and young guys like Duran and Rodriguez (huge unknowns). All that leads to a team with lots of depth.

[Vottomatic]

The story of how this team's 40-man roster was constructed is very interesting.

Drafted and developed:
Votto
Janish
Hanigan
Francisco
Valaika
Stubbs
Bruce
Heisey
Dickerson - trade that netted Jim Edmonds
Wood
Bailey
Cueto
Leake
Lecure
Ondrusek
Jordan Smith
Del Rosario
Fisher
Maloney?
Corky Miller - signed originally as a non-drafted free agent out of college; developed by the Reds. Has spent time with other clubs, but has spent most of his time with the Reds. Not on 40-man.
Edwin Encarnacion - trade that netted Scott Rolen
Jeff Stevens - trade that netted Brandon Phillips
Willy Mo Pena - trade that netted Bronson Arroyo
Austin Kearns - trade that netted Billy Bray
(I can't remember who we traded for Harang)
Adam Dunn - trade that netted Owings and Herrera?
Philip Valiquette - on 40 man but yet to see major league action
Ryan Freel (not sure if we developed him or not) - trade that netted Ramon Hernandez
Yasmani Grandal - 2010 #1 draft pick
Yonder Alonso - 2009 #1 draft pick
Devin Mesoraco - 2008 #1 draft pick

Signings:
Arthur Rhodes
Jose Arrendondo - TJ surgery reclamation project; could pan out; was awesome before surgery
Josh Hamilton - trade that netted Edison Volquez
Ken Griffey Junior - trade that netted Nick Masset (what a steal)
Jared Burton - rule VI draft
Aroldis Chapman
Cordero
Mike Lincoln
Orlando Cabrera
Miguel Cairo
Jonny Gomes
Laynce Nix

Not all are on 40-man roster, but in the wings:
Devin Mesoraco - I shouldn't have listed him above
Danny Dorn
Dave Sappelt
Todd Frazier
Wladimir Balentien
Zach Cozart
Chad Reineke
Donnie Joseph
Jordan Hotchkiss
Ryan Lamarre
Neftali Soto
Cody Puckett
Abel De Los Santos
Eliezer Beard
Jose Guzman
Ronald Torreyes
Alejandro Chacin
Orlando Chiquin
Dominic D'Anna
El'Hajj Muhammad
Ismael Guillon
Yorman Rodriguez
Juan Duran
Billy Hamilton (42 SB)
Henry Rodriguez

[CrosleyField]

I truly think Krivsky helped to jump start the organization but Jocketty took it to another level. I think Bowden had to have been one of the worse to get so many years.

[Captain13]

(I can't remember who we traded for Harang)

Jose Guillen.

[scott91575]

Vottomatic,

just to pick some nits....Corky is back on the 40 man.

[Vottomatic]

Vottomatic,

just to pick some nits....Corky is back on the 40 man.

He had to be so they could bring him up now.

[Eric the Red]

The organizational depth is outstanding. Let's not forget to give some credit to Chris Buckley and Terry Reynolds, who have been instrumental in the drafting and development of this wealth of talent.