5/6/23 Saturdary Minor League Happenings..

[mth123]

The next defensive issue will be getting McLain into second base and finding a defensive home for India.

It may be Reds intend to trade India in a deal for a good young veteran SP (Mat Latos type deal). But JI is a good hitter, plays his butt off, leader, and I hope they keep him. Somewhere.

India should play 3B. Lets not be fooled by two hot weeks from Senzel with most of the damage against LHP. He's going into his second year of arb and is likely more in the Newman, Myers category than the India, Friedl category.

[membengal]

OnBaseMachine
@RedsFan_Brandon
·
18m
Since going 1-for-18 in the first four games back from a hamstring injury, Elly De La Cruz has gone 16-for-47 over the next 10 games for a .340/.367/.617 line.

Perhaps the most encouraging sign is only five K’s over his last 28 PAs.

It’s easy to forget he just turned 21. #Reds

[Kc61]

India should play 3B. Lets not be fooled by two hot weeks from Senzel with most of the damage against LHP. He's going into his second year of arb and is likely more in the Newman, Myers category than the India, Friedl category.

I’d agree on India, except Marte looks like the third baseman. Senzel does give the Reds a third baseman pending Marte sometime in 2024. Senzel could then be traded.

I’d like to see a more permanent home for India. Maybe a switch to LF over the winter.

I expect a response to this suggesting Marte in the outfield, but his move to third seems like a serious position switch.

[j.u.FAIRFIIELD]

EDLC has played both SS and 3B and, my eyeball test being as accurate as a dart thrown at the wall, he looks better at 3B than at SS. If the Reds plan a tandem upgrade with him and McLain, you might be seeing Matt at SS and Elly on the hot corner. That naturally leaves India alone and puts Steer at 1B.

CES just profiles like a DH. His instincts at 1B are quite wobbly and he's not going to save any errant throws, which is a way-way-way more important component at 1B than a lot of "facebooky" fans think.

If that is the 2024 model, CES may never learn to play defense and if you watch this guy hit, you probably will be just fine with that. The pitching he's been bashing is AAA quality, but there is a look to his swing that is fairly Pujolsian. At the moment, I am wondering if the robot umps in AAA are modifying some numbers. I don't think they have a data set on that yet.

Either way, there are conditions in AAA that don't apply in the majors. If you are a screamer instead of an observer, this won't matter to you. But MLB is watching the robot umps -- and the science is dang-near good enough. Expect it the next time they negotiate.

[RedTeamGo!]

OnBaseMachine
@RedsFan_Brandon
·
18m
Since going 1-for-18 in the first four games back from a hamstring injury, Elly De La Cruz has gone 16-for-47 over the next 10 games for a .340/.367/.617 line.

Perhaps the most encouraging sign is only five K’s over his last 28 PAs.

It’s easy to forget he just turned 21. #Reds

There are some on here that will not want EDLC called up until he is 25 years old a completely finished product.

- - - Updated - - -

Marte and McLain each made his sixth error of the season yesterday, each with 5 at shortstop.

So?

[JCM11]

I wonder if you could put CES in LF and have him not be a disaster? I'd hate to see him pigeonholed as a DH, but I agree that 1B defense is very important. Steer made a couple of scoops last night that if they don't get made the Reds likely lose that game. If Barrero steps up and the Reds are iffey on McLain at SS then I think you can give McLain a look in CF. If Marte keeps mashing I think you gotta give him a look in RF. I know they probably don't want to jerk him around too much, but some of these IF are going to have to move to the OF at some point in the not to distant future.

I hope Elly is the SS of the future, but if he ends up at third then the best defender should be playing SS even at the cost of offense. Once we get Elly, McLain, and CES in the Reds lineup I think you can go defense first at SS and not worry too much about offense.

[Bourgeois Zee]

De La Cruz has at least 70 speed, a 75 arm (conservatively), and the wingspan of an albatross.

If it comes down to tools, he's going to play SS.

IMO, having seen both he and McLain there this season and last, he makes the better plays while McLain makes more of the "typical" plays.

That said, it's not like McLain has been great there. He's a much, much better 2B. (To me, he looks like an upper echelon glove at the keyston position.) EDLC would be a Gold Glove candidate at 3B, fwiw. But he looks to me like the best SS in the upper minors.

Marte is a 3B. He reminds me a bit of former Pirate/ Cub/ Brewer 3B Aramis Ramirez.

[Mitri]

De La Cruz has at least 70 speed, a 75 arm (conservatively), and the wingspan of an albatross.

If it comes down to tools, he's going to play SS.

IMO, having seen both he and McLain there this season and last, he makes the better plays while McLain makes more of the "typical" plays.

That said, it's not like McLain has been great there. He's a much, much better 2B. (To me, he looks like an upper echelon glove at the keyston position.) EDLC would be a Gold Glove candidate at 3B, fwiw. But he looks to me like the best SS in the upper minors.

Marte is a 3B. He reminds me a bit of former Pirate/ Cub/ Brewer 3B Aramis Ramirez.

I agree with all of this. I like Marte’s potential quickness at the corner. But he is probably a couple of years away so I’d like to see India moved to 3B with Barrero/McLain getting SS but McLain settling as the primary 2B. Once Elly is ready he gets positional priority and Barrero becomes a super utility.

Steer, Senzel, Fraley, Friedl work the OF and CES holds down 1B. The system needs upgrades in OF and C but you have to like the direction this offense is headed in.

[Old school 1983]

De La Cruz has at least 70 speed, a 75 arm (conservatively), and the wingspan of an albatross.

If it comes down to tools, he's going to play SS.

IMO, having seen both he and McLain there this season and last, he makes the better plays while McLain makes more of the "typical" plays.

That said, it's not like McLain has been great there. He's a much, much better 2B. (To me, he looks like an upper echelon glove at the keyston position.) EDLC would be a Gold Glove candidate at 3B, fwiw. But he looks to me like the best SS in the upper minors.

Marte is a 3B. He reminds me a bit of former Pirate/ Cub/ Brewer 3B Aramis Ramirez.

Aramis Ramirez. Now there is a name I’ve not heard in awhile. But I think it’s a really good comp though.

[j.u.FAIRFIIELD]

I wonder if you could put CES in LF and have him not be a disaster? I'd hate to see him pigeonholed as a DH, but I agree that 1B defense is very important. Steer made a couple of scoops last night that if they don't get made the Reds likely lose that game. If Barrero steps up and the Reds are iffey on McLain at SS then I think you can give McLain a look in CF. If Marte keeps mashing I think you gotta give him a look in RF. I know they probably don't want to jerk him around too much, but some of these IF are going to have to move to the OF at some point in the not to distant future.

I hope Elly is the SS of the future, but if he ends up at third then the best defender should be playing SS even at the cost of offense. Once we get Elly, McLain, and CES in the Reds lineup I think you can go defense first at SS and not worry too much about offense.

Well, if he takes his bat with him, he can play LF ... the same way Yonder Alonso played it.