Pitchers and Catchers!

[redsrbetter]

Plus some vid of the new facility highlighted by a stud of a pitcher getting some of his first mound throws in this spring.



Spring training is underway! Watching this video made me want to go out and throw the ball around. Yet, snow is falling as I type this message. I envy these guys.

[redsrbetter]

Jon Fay interviews Dusty today:

I caught up with Dusty Baker for a few minutes after his meetings today. Here’s the highlights:
On the team in general: “I feel very good. I’m excited with personnel we have. I’m excited with the players and the quality of coaching we have here. We’re trying to get better. That’s the whole key.”
On adding Orlando Cabrera and Aaron Miles: “We’re trying to get better. Cabrera is our shortstop. Miles still has to make the team. We’ve still got competition in couple of spots. We’re not just set on who’s on the team. In the case of Miles, I think he understands that. He’s been in that situation before.”
Will Miles be in the mix for left field? “Probably not. We’ve got a enough dudes in left. There’s only so many games, so many innings. We’re already going to try to schedule some B games.”
Baker said Right-handers Mike Lincoln and Micah Owings will be in the competition for the fifth starter spot, along with right-handers Justin Lehr and Mike Leake and left-handers Matt Maloney, Travis Wood and Aroldis Chapman: “There are quite a few guys who we’re going to have to find innings for. I think the fact that we have Cleveland right next door and so convenient. I’m sure with their uncertainty, they might welcome B games as well. B games don’t count as far as stats. They count in our eyes.”
On the chances of Todd Frazier, Chris Heisey and Juan Francisco making the team: “I’ve seen guys force their way onto the team. Everybody wants answers for the future. These are questions I can’t answer or don’t want to answer. A lot is based on what guys did last year.”
Also, here’s one example of the difference between the old facility and new one: The Reds video operation in Sarasota was confined to a folding table, holding to laptops, set up in hall way that leads to showers. Here, there’s a 20-by-35-foot viedo room with eight desktop computers, two big screens TVs and four smaller screens with video feeds from the batting cages and main practice field.

[missionhockey21]

I'd be really surprised if we see Wood, Chapman or Leake make the team as the 5th man out of spring training. It's nice to say they are in the running, but hopefully development will take place over exciting the fans with a prospect name.

[redsrbetter]

You think it will be Maloney? Honestly, I really don't want it to be Chapman at this point. It is way too early for him to make his mark right now.

Also, I got some tweets about Volquez doing long toss. Sounds like he is coming along nicely. I can't wait for him to come back.

[redsrbetter]

C Trent:

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- I just got the full tour from Bob Miller of this place. I asked him if I could do it later with the video camera and he said yes, so that'll be great.

In a word, it's stunning. You may not understand it if you hadn't seen the behind-the-scenes in Sarasota.

The players keep coming in and are wowed.

Paul Janish walked in and said, "this is plus-plus" -- using the scout's lingo for extraordinary.

The players are going through physicals right now, but after that, we'll talk to Dusty and then there will be some workouts. I'll have my video camera and hope to get some video of Aroldis Chapman.

It would be awesome to see some Chapman video today! I will be looking for it all day, I guarantee it. Man, I want to be out there smelling teh grass and hearing the pop of the leather when ball hits glove and the crack of the bat when ball meets wood. The new facility looks insane as well. I'm excited just looking through a 19" box that contains a video here and there.

[redsrbetter]

New video! Gotta love it!

#

[redsrbetter]

Latest video from C Trent:

[redsrbetter]

These videos are keeping me hyped, I hope C Trent keeps them coming all spring. Anyhow, I think they are also brining in the good weather here in Tennessee. It is a beautiful day outside today. First time I have seen the sun in a very long time.

It's time to take my family to the park and enjoy the smell. Perhaps our baseball gloves will come with us!

[redsrbetter]

All Chappy!



They said he was working on things today. Trying to find a good release point, so he wasn't worried about his velocity so much in this workout. Once he finds his release point, he will start throwing harder I'm sure.

[redsrbetter]

One more Saturday video...

[redsrbetter]

Another rain day...
Little Yonder Alonso at the end. Frazier shows his stroke as well. One thing I want to say about bunting at the MLB level is that many players tend to hold their bottom hand all the way down at the knob of the bat. This makes the bat much harder to control and the ball to come off the bat much harder. If the player were to hold the bottom hand nearly as highas the top hand and allow the ball to hit the fat part of the bat, the ball would come off more dead and the direction could be controlled at an alarming difference.
I see it time and time again, nearly every MLB player holds that bottom hand all the way down by the knob.


I have read that Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto have also recently made their way to the new facility.

[redsrbetter]

Probably the best article on Homer Bailey in a long time.

I was glad to see Bailey show his own perspective on why he feels he struggled and where he believes he is at now. Seems to me that he still has an arrogance, but is far more humbled than he ever was as well. That usually bodes for a good combination of character. Hopefully he can keep a level head.