9/25: Reds vs Astros

[Kc61]

I agree that Juan's looked good so far. But he's still VERY susceptible to the breaker. He looks VERY bad on the big curveball IMO.

He just turned 22. He adjusted to AA and then blew away both AA and AAA. He's hitting .500 with an .800 slugging pct in his major league start. I think he deserves a couple of months to adjust to big curveballs.

The Astros announcers said that strikeouts are his bugaboo. They couldn't be more wrong.

JF's special ability is to make contact -- for a power hitter. In the last two seasons, his strikeout percentage has been quite low for a power guy. He doesn't walk much, which is a deficiency, but he compensates by making contact frequently for a power hitter.

I think JF is going to be an all star player in the major leagues. I hope the Reds stick with him. He has fairly unusual abilities -- but as we saw in that last at bat, a two strike hit to knock in a run, he has the knack of hitting the baseball with authority, he does it often, and that's a great thing for a young player.

[_Sir_Charles_]

Man, what a nice change of pace. Berkman has really stuggled against us this year. It's really odd to see. But I'll take it. :O)

[_Sir_Charles_]

I like Juan's upside too. But I also think he could use a full season at AAA to work on that very thing.

[mth123]

No doubt about it. One of my all-time favorite players. We haven't had a pitcher like that since he left. When you look at that staff from 1961 to 1964, you had a knuckleballer (Purkey), a crafty lefty (O'Toole), a junkball pitcher (Jay) and Maloney. Maloney was the best of the bunch and has the no-hitters to prove it. I defy anyone to find anyone with Maloney's effectiveness in a similar period on the Reds.

Medicine in 1970 is a lot different than now. If his injury had occurred with today's technology, he'd have been patched up and pitched 10 more years and might be a HOFer. He would have been an ace on the Big Red Machine.

[_Sir_Charles_]

Francisco 'ole. Yuck.

Horrible fundamentals on that routine groundball.

[Tom Servo]

Man, what a nice change of pace. Berkman has really stuggled against us this year. It's really odd to see. But I'll take it. :O)

We should try and pick him up on the cheap.

[HeatherC1212]

Hmm, they better work on him in LF pretty hard this offseason. Maloney says 'No problem" about the error and gets the next guy to ground out.

[_Sir_Charles_]

We should try and pick him up on the cheap.

If by "on the cheap" you mean "half our payroll" then I'd agree. :O) That's about what it would take. Berkman's not going anywhere anytime soon. But it's nice to dream. *grin*

[Kc61]

I like Juan's upside too. But I also think he could use a full season at AAA to work on that very thing.

I agree and he needs to work in left field. He just made an error at third and he just seems too big to be a third baseman.

But I love this kid at the plate.

I see him playing six weeks at AAA and then joining the Reds as a backup at several positions. Then it will be up to him to prove himself a regular.

Astros announcers on the JF error say that Rolen makes that play if he leaves his glove in the dugout. They are right, of course.

[WVRedsFan]

Medicine in 1970 is a lot different than now. If his injury had occurred with today's technology, he'd have been patched up and pitched 10 more years and might be a HOFer. He would have been an ace on the Big Red Machine.

Absolutely. Wow, imagine a healthy Maloney on the BRM. They might have won 120 games and won multiple world titles.

[_Sir_Charles_]

I've seen Wright several times this year and this is the best I've seen him... BY FAR.

[Kc61]

It seems clear to me that Maloney is a major league pitcher. Cincy may not be the best fit, but this guy has graduated from AAA IMO.

He throws a lot of fly balls, but he has good control and is deceptive. He keeps the hitters off balance a lot of them get fooled.

Last off season I pulled Maloney off my top prospects list. I wasn't happy with him. He's back on.

[mth123]

Bruuuuuce.

[HeatherC1212]

BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE!!!!

I don't know for sure but I think Jay might be seeing the ball better?!

[_Sir_Charles_]

And the jinx works!!! BRUUUUUUUUCE!