Reds ST thread

[redsrbetter]

9-2 loss yesterday. Lincoln got kicked around. Maloney pitched well. The sticks were pretty quite. Nothing incredible to report on for the spring opener.

[redsrbetter]

Leake and Wood had good outings today. This is very good news for fans who are excited about the future of this team. C Trent has notes...

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Nobody Tweeted a pitch-by-pitch account of the spring debut of Travis Wood or Mike Leake, but had they, the superlatives would have been tough to keep to 140 characters.
Overshadowed by the uproar over Aroldis Chapman have been the Reds' No. 1 pick from last season and last season's Minor League Pitcher of the Year. The hype around Chapman has been loud - and deservedly so, it should be noted by one of the hipsters - but Leake and Wood are as much a part of the Reds' promising pitching future. They may also be just as close to appearing at Great American Ball Park as Chapman.
Wood, 23, and Leake, 22, both made their spring debuts in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Indians at Goodyear Ballpark, and neither gave up as much as a hit.
"It was the first time I saw Wood in action and he threw it good," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "Leake, he threw the ball equally as good as Wood. He moved it around, changed speeds. He's got an idea of what he's doing for such a young pitcher. Both of those young guys threw the ball good today."
Wood entered the game in fifth inning, and while some Indian starters were out, he did face Shin-Soo Choo. After getting Luis Rodriguez to ground out weakly back to him to start the inning, the lefty Wood threw left-handed hitting Choo a cut fastball that fooled the Indians' outfielder and resulted in a check swing for strike one. Then on a 2-2 count, Choo grounded out harmlessly to second base. He then struck out Lonnie Chisenhall on three straight pitches.
He walked the first batter he faced in the sixth inning, but got the next batter, Shelly Duncan to ground into a double play and then a fly ball to right to end his day.
There were no fireworks or desperate looks at radar guns, but it was an effective and impressive performance. It's pretty much what Wood had been looking for.
"I went into last year with a brand-new mindset, I'm not going to give in, I'm not going to give the hitters too much credit. I'm going to go right after them, let my guys behind me do their work and we're going to win ballgames," Wood said before Saturday's game.
That was new, said his catcher on Saturday and for most of his professional career, Chris Denove.
Denove said before last season, Wood threw everything off his changeup, but last year he changed his approach, got more aggressive and started everything off his fastball and cutter.
The results were staggering. In 2008, he went 4-9 with a 7.09 ERA for Class AA Chattanooga. In 2009, Wood was 9-3 with a Southern League-record 1.21 ERA in 19 starts for the Class AA Carolina Mudcats. He was named MiLB.com's Class AA Starter of the Year, the Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher and a Class AA All-Star by both Topps and Baseball America.
The results were pretty much the same in his first Cactus League start and his first-ever game against big leaguers.
"It's déjà vu," Denove said. "It was like every game last year. It's the way we work."
It's also the way Leake works - and worked on Saturday. Drafted with the No. 8 overall pick in last year's draft out of Arizona State, where he was named the 2009 National Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association, a unanimous All-American selection and a Golden Spikes Award finalist.
Leake debuted last season in the Arizona Fall League, starting five games and going 1-2 with a 1.37 ERA in six total appearances.
Still, Saturday was different, he admitted. It was his first start in a Reds uniform. His outing was just an inning, but it was eerily similar to Wood's first inning - a grounder back to the mound, a strikeout and a groundout to second.
"I want as quick as innings as you can get. I'm a ground-ball pitcher, that's how I stay in games," Leake said. "You'll know when I'm having a bad game because you'll see more fly balls and groundballs. When there's groundballs, it means I'm doing something right."
It's why Leake has been earmarked for the fast-track to the big leagues since being drafted.

Mike Leake fields a bouncing ground ball against the Indians in Goodyear Park. Photo by Brian Baker

"I haven't caught Leake in a game yet, but from what I've seen in bullpen sessions, he's real good with what he's got. That's all you can ask for from a baseball player, you're given your ability, what can you do with it," Denove said. "Leake is as polished I've seen coming out of college. He commands both side of the plate with most of his pitches and that's going to get a lot of hitters out. He knows how to set up hitters, and that's a real big deal."
New Reds pitching coach Bryan Price has liked what he's seen from the duo so far. Price, an Arizona resident, watched Leake in the Arizona Fall League and has watched Wood closely since he reported to Goodyear early.
"I haven't had a great taste of exactly what they're capable of doing, so I'd rather not say, but from what they've accomplished, what Wood was able to do over the course of last season and what Mike was able to do over the course of his college career and Arizona Fall League, these guys are going to challenge soon," Price said. "I'm not going to say anything about this year's club, there's nobody in this room that already has no chance at making the club -- not that it's my decision -- but I'm not thinking about whether either of these guys are going to start in the minor leagues. That's not in my mind. My interest is to decide and come to my own conclusion if that I could stand up and say this guy could help us at the big league level now.
"We'll have to see what Dusty and Walt and the rest of the coaching staff say. I just want to see them pitch, I'd like to have them as long as possible and really make a push for a shot on our roster. I'd like all our guys to do that, but they have to get a result, but these two came out and set a real high bar for themselves in their first game."
That bar is as high as anyone's now. Both pitcher do it differently than the sexy fireballer, but that doesn't mean either have mediocre stuff, Price said.
"I think both of them have plenty of fastball. When you put them up against Cueto or Chapman or Cordero, guys that power the ball, the similarities aren't there," Price said. "However, they both have plenty enough fastball. Neither one has to apologize for their velocity for any means. They can sink it or cut it and add or subtract velocity from their fastball and they both have outstanding changeups. And then you just pitch. What they do is they execute pitches. From their bullpen routines through their first games, they've done just that. They've been really clean with their deliveries and made a lot of good pitches over the course of the early part of the spring. They've impressed everybody."

[missionhockey21]

It's good to hear that Price isn't just looking for the hard throwers. I was concerned that he might go overboard with it as it is many pitching coach's dream.

[redsrbetter]

Chapman threw yesterday for two innings. I read that it was two socreless innings, but I stopped reading from there. I didn't want to spoil it. I think I am going to listened to the archive of it on mlb.com. I am glad he got his feet wet and was at least scoreless for now.

I am still on the fence with the guy though. My brain tells me that it may be better for him to start in the minor leagues. But that is just how I see every young pitcher. They have to take their lumps at a lower level and adjust from their. Chapman does have MLB stuff, and is likely overhyped when they talk about his makeup. But is he really ready? Sounds to me like the Reds are selling it as if he were. He is going to have to absolutely dominate this spring in order to get the 5th spot in this rotation, at least that is how it would be for me.

[redsrbetter]

Chapman went 2 IP 3 K 0 ER 1 BB and they say he hit 102 mph!

[missionhockey21]

Chapman, in uniform, and throwing heat is a thing of beauty. I read all about his 102, but hearing the ball smack the glove puts it into a whole new perspective. Thanks for sharing the vid redsr!

[redsrbetter]

I have to admit that I am getting pretty hyped over Chapman. I just hope that the right people look at the whole picture and make the correct decision concerning where he begins the season. I am not quite sure where he should land right now, but I would like to have confidence in Jocketty and others advising him.

Then again, if he dominates in Arizona, it would be unexpected. They are playing in a place where the ball flies off the bat compared to their last home in Florida. Arizona ERAs are normally sky high.

Speaking of which, Harang had a tough outing again yesterday. His ERA is over 20.00. I'm not worried though. But what has me interested, he is said to be adjusting his windup. I guess he wants to use his legs more. So he is likely tinkering with it and getting his work in. I will look for him to get get back on track, but perhaps not as soon as we all would want.

Bruce and Hanigan homered yesterday as well.

[missionhockey21]

Harang and horrid spring outings are pretty common. He isn't using it as a proving ground but a testing ground for when real games begin.

[Kingdom]

Sabathia was murdered, by the AAA pirates no less. Hard to place a lot of value on performances of veterans in the spring, despite what some people might say. Harang being healthy vs. posting a sub 2 ERA or something is more important.

[redsrbetter]

The Reds reassigned five players to minor league camp on Wednesday: catcher Chris Denove and Brandon Yarbrough, outfielder/first baseman Danny Dorn, pitchers Alexander Smit and Jose Arredondo.

I take it Arredondo is on the DL or at least will be. No surprises here at all. We knew none of these guys were contending for jobs.

Baker was impressed with Dorn and said a few things on his departure...

"It was a matter of how much playing time he was going to get, I think he recognized pitches as quick as any of the young players we had here," Baker said. "He big-time got better at first base over there too, he told me he'd never played over that."

[missionhockey21]

Speaking of firstbase, what's the latest with Alonso redsr? I know there was some talk of trying him at catcher, but I haven't heard anything lately.

[redsrbetter]

I think he has only gotten playing time at 1B. He and Votto have started off pretty slow with the bats, but its still early and they could be working on things. Although Votto did hit his first HR today.

I am interested to see if Alonso will get any paling time at another position. I know he was said to of been taking ground balls at third during player workouts and also sahgging flyballs in the outfield during bp with specifically trying to work on making good routes to the ball. He says he is willing to play wherever they want him to as well.

Here is the latest from him per C Trent:

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Yonder Alonso hears the talk, how could he not? Even without the talk, it makes sense. The Reds have a franchise first baseman who is young and getting better every season in Joey Votto, and Alonso plays the same position.
Picked by the Reds with the seventh overall selection in the 2008 draft, Alonso's bat is nearing big-league ready, but he just needs a place to play. That could come from a change of team or a change of position.
"I don't want to get traded, I really like it here," Alonso said.
Alonso played in Class A Sarasota last season and in Class AA Carolina before missing two months with a broken right hamate bone and then played in the Arizona Fall League. Baseball America rated him the Reds' second-best prospect coming into the 2010 season. Bottom line is, he's got to play. It just doesn't appear it'll be at first base.
So Alonso's trying his hand elsewhere. On his own, he's been working in the outfield. He's also gone back to work on third base, a position he played in college, and he even caught bullpens last season ("I sucked," he notes. "I was terrible.")
"I've got to make sure I prepare, look at all the field, right, left, third, first, anything. I can also catch and just hope for the best," Alonso said.
Reds manager Dusty Baker said he noticed Alonso working in left field on his own on Sunday.
"I know he can hit," Baker said.
Alonso will likely get his chance to show that in the exhibition games. He and Votto are the only players who are primarily first basemen in camp, although several others can and have played first. Danny Dorn plays first too, but is listed as an outfield. Baker also said the team would employ a designated hitter for much of spring in order to get more players at-bats.
Regardless, Alonso said he knows he'll get his chance and isn't frustrated at having to find a way around Votto, because Votto's not going anywhere. Votto's played six games in left field in 2007, but his days of being the piece moved are gone. "I can't imagine moving Joey," said Reds general manager Walt Jocketty, who said Alonso could play at third base and in left field in exhibition games.

"It's not frustrating, because I look at it as a challenge for me," Alonso said. "I look at (Votto) and try to learn as much as I can. I talk to Scott Rolen about what I can do. I talk to Jay Bruce. You'll see me talking to everyone, trying to learn. So far it's worked out good. I'm getting positive feedback. I'm happy. As long as I hit, I guess."
Because Alonso can hit, the Reds will find a place for him -- until then, he'll be saddled with the questions, which is the worst part.
"It comes with it," Alonso said. "We've got an All-Star at first base and you have someone coming up that's young, 22, and it's just part of it. I've got to make sure I'm prepared and do my part, and everyone's going to do their part and win."
Baker noted that it's hardly unprecedented, either.
"I remember coming up as a kid when they had Willie McCovy and Orlando Cepeda on the same team and they ended up moving one to the outfield. You remember when the Cincinnati Reds had Lee May and Tony Perez. They had a similar problem there, right?"
In the end, the Reds traded Lee May to Houston to alleviate that logjam and got a decent second baseman out of the deal.

What do you guys think? Should he get work at another position or not? Perhaps trade him? He likely would get more work in the minor leagues first, so there is time to make a decision. But as far as finding a position for him if he were to stay with the Reds; they may need to figure that out before the Bats regular season begins. He will need to get some playing time at whatever postion it is they want to try him at.

[missionhockey21]

I see Alonso as the blue chip prospect we trade to land the piece we need, if we compete. He is blocked, not only at 1st, but also 3B (and I would question if he could handle that position in the MLB.) I personally would like to keep him, if possible, and see if he couldn't end up a decent enough leftfielder given the bat he would bring. Stubbs has enough range where a defensively challenged LF could have some of his blemishes masked.

[redsrbetter]

Honestly, I think theReds are also looking at him as a tradable commodity. I hope he puts up big numbers this year in AAA because only good could come from it. This is going to be a fun situation to keep our eyes on.

[redsrbetter]

Chapman is about to come in and pitch on mlb.tv. This will be the first time I will see him pitch in a Reds uniform. I am pretty pumped!