Early Thoughts & Notes

[WrongVerb]

Bryce Spalding
@bryce_spalding

So far, from what we have access to, Hector Rodriguez has;

104 mph out
102.3 mph HR
102.1 mph single
102 mph triple
102 mph HR
101 mph HR
101 mph out
100.5 mph out
97.2 mph out

Baseball America has a 60 grade hit tool on him as well.

His stock is going to shoot up. #RedsMiLB
11:37pm · 18 Apr 2023

[WrongVerb]

Hector Rodriguez: 19yo
Carlos Jorge: 19yo
Cam Collier: 18yo
Leonardo Balcazar: 19yo
Ariel Almonte: 19yo
Sal Stewart: 19yo
Edwin Arroyo: 19yo

[Tom Servo]

Lyon Richardson on the comeback trail is dominating A ball hitters in Daytona like he should be doing. I imagine he won't be there for long, very curious to see how he does in Chattanooga which seems like his ultimate likely spot for 2023.

[Old school 1983]

Hector Rodriguez: 19yo
Carlos Jorge: 19yo
Cam Collier: 18yo
Leonardo Balcazar: 19yo
Ariel Almonte: 19yo
Sal Stewart: 19yo
Edwin Arroyo: 19yo

That group could be scary good

[RED VAN HOT]

Lyon Richardson on the comeback trail is dominating A ball hitters in Daytona like he should be doing. I imagine he won't be there for long, very curious to see how he does in Chattanooga which seems like his ultimate likely spot for 2023.

Not only are the Reds having Richardson pitch in warm weather, they are also limiting his pitches, only 43 last outing.

[icehole3]

Quick clip of 97-99 mph FB by Lyon Richardson.

[icehole3]

11 strikeout outing for Reds No. 11 prospect Connor Phillips!

https://twitter.com/RedsOnTheRise/st...20178532524033

- - - Updated - - -

Matt McLain launched this baseball.

https://twitter.com/RedsOnTheRise/st...14104484171778

[icehole3]

First Triple-A hit for Elly De La Cruz is a hustle double

https://twitter.com/RedsOnTheRise/st...01904151326723

[JCM11]

Nice to see the good Connor Phillips show up. There's going to be ups and down with a 21 year old pitcher, but I think when/if he puts it together he has the stuff to be a top 3 in the rotation arm. McLain now ops'ing over 1.000 after an having an excellent ST. It's getting silly to leave him in AAA with the likes of Barrero, Newmman, Senzel, Vossler ect on the Reds roster.

[Reds Freak]

Nice to see the good Connor Phillips show up. There's going to be ups and down with a 21 year old pitcher, but I think when/if he puts it together he has the stuff to be a top 3 in the rotation arm. McLain now ops'ing over 1.000 after an having an excellent ST. It's getting silly to leave him in AAA with the likes of Barrero, Newmman, Senzel, Vossler ect on the Reds roster.

I watched most of Phillips' start last night. He was blowing guys away with a high fastball and his curve looked solid as well. I didn't notice a third pitch. Seems like the high-intensity, max effort type that ultimately is best suited for the bullpen, but I'm glad they are keeping him in the rotation for now.

Agreed on McLain. I'd send down Vosler. Let Myers/Steer/Stephenson cover first and slide Newman or Barrero over to third and let McLain play short. I know that leaves you short a LH bat, which I don't really care about, but you could swap Ramos and Fairchild if you had to.

[j.u.FAIRFIIELD]

I watched most of Phillip's start last night. He was blowing guys away with a high fastball and his curve looked solid as well. I didn't notice a third pitch. Seems like the high-intensity, max effort type that ultimately is best suited for the bullpen, but I'm glad they are keeping him in the rotation for now.

Agreed on McLain. I'd send down Vosler. Let Myers/Steer/Stephenson cover first and slide Newman or Barrero over to third and let McLain play short. I know that leaves you short a LH bat, which I don't really care about, but you could swap Ramos and Fairchild if you had to.

The Bats don't need McLain on their infield now. If they plan to use him in the outfield, he could possibly get a few more at-bats in Triple-A. To be brutally honest, if the Reds call up an infielder for any sort of short-term reason, Matt Reynolds, not Matt McLain, is probably who they will call. That may be just a wild guess, though. No logic attaches to that.

Anyone asked me, I'd stop (right now) using Stephenson as a DH. It's stupid to use your best catcher in a bat-only position. He either catches, comes off the bench, or plays 1st base. They don't need him at 1st base. Steer can play it. But as long as Senzel shows signs he's getting up to speed, then 3rd base is well covered.

Vosler will keep his Reds roster spot until maybe CE-Strand is ready. I hear he's available next week.

It's time to make a call, though. McLain or Newman. Those are the options there. This franchise needs to hobble with guys who need the chance to fail.

That doesn't necessarily include pitchers. Innings are innings.

[Sea Ray]

The Bats don't need McLain on their infield now. If they plan to use him in the outfield, he could possibly get a few more at-bats in Triple-A. To be brutally honest, if the Reds call up an infielder for any sort of short-term reason, Matt Reynolds, not Matt McLain, is probably who they will call. That may be just a wild guess, though. No logic attaches to that.

Anyone asked me, I'd stop (right now) using Stephenson as a DH. It's stupid to use your best catcher in a bat-only position. He either catches, comes off the bench, or plays 1st base. They don't need him at 1st base. Steer can play it. But as long as Senzel shows signs he's getting up to speed, then 3rd base is well covered.

Vosler will keep his Reds roster spot until maybe CE-Strand is ready. I hear he's available next week.

It's time to make a call, though. McLain or Newman. Those are the options there. This franchise needs to hobble with guys who need the chance to fail.

That doesn't necessarily include pitchers. Innings are innings.

Most of the starts at SS have gone to Barrero. If McLain is brought up, he should get regular playing time at SS. Both Barrero and Newman are worse than replacement players right now.

[JCM11]

My ideal IF for opening day 2024 is India at third, Elly at SS, McLain at 2B, Steer and CES for first/DH. You can give India some time at DH with Steer at third as well. That should be a studly group of offensive players with good athletes up the middle and one of the better hitting catchers in baseball behind the plate. If we go out and get a good OF via FA or trade that could be an outstanding lineup.

[Bourgeois Zee]

My ideal IF for opening day 2024 is India at third, Elly at SS, McLain at 2B, Steer and CES for first/DH. You can give India some time at DH with Steer at third as well. That should be a studly group of offensive players with good athletes up the middle and one of the better hitting catchers in baseball behind the plate. If we go out and get a good OF via FA or trade that could be an outstanding lineup.

I really like that lineup. Steer could play the Ben Zobrist everybody-gets--one-day-per-week role plus DH one time. That gives him a full-time spot as well.

They could even put Votto in there as a semi-platoon DH/ 1B role.

They'd need to acquire a good RF or LF in free agency. (Think Conforto, Gallo, and the like.)

Senzel could stick as an infield backup who also plays some CF. That gives them room for one of Fairchild, Siani, Hopkins, or Benson.

On the pitching side, they'd still need a free agent starter, but should have at least a dozen options in front of Diaz. (Gibaut, Young, Cruz, Law, Santillan, Antone, Herget, and Legumina will all get a shot this season and are all still a couple of seasons at least from free agency. Add in Stoudt and Williamson, who profile as relievers. Include Lyon Richardson, Sam Benschoter, and Christian Roa as well, due to age or roster implications. That's 13 guys-- most of whom still have options-- for seven spots.)

[j.u.FAIRFIIELD]

I really like that lineup. Steer could play the Ben Zobrist everybody-gets--one-day-per-week role plus DH one time. That gives him a full-time spot as well.

They could even put Votto in there as a semi-platoon DH/ 1B role.

They'd need to acquire a good RF or LF in free agency. (Think Conforto, Gallo, and the like.)

Senzel could stick as an infield backup who also plays some CF. That gives them room for one of Fairchild, Siani, Hopkins, or Benson.

On the pitching side, they'd still need a free agent starter, but should have at least a dozen options in front of Diaz. (Gibaut, Young, Cruz, Law, Santillan, Antone, Herget, and Legumina will all get a shot this season and are all still a couple of seasons at least from free agency. Add in Stoudt and Williamson, who profile as relievers. Include Lyon Richardson, Sam Benschoter, and Christian Roa as well, due to age or roster implications. That's 13 guys-- most of whom still have options-- for seven spots.)

They need to be selective buyers at the deadline, which ought to give them some options on a power bat for right field. I'd also go after another contract-controlled pitcher in the Wade Miley mode. If they wait until the Salvation Army Dumpster sale in December to find somebody better than Wil Myers, they will end up with Wil Myers.
I tend to be a bit obsessed with home runs because, cheep cheep cheep is a lot of what GABP offers. These guys could be positioning themselves for a mid-2024 revival that leads them into the following year. But that means being a buyer and not just a team willing to dump players in exchange for Nick Martini.