Minor League Discussion

[AdamDunn#44]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today...50415dish.html

• Louisville righthander Elizardo Ramirez owns Triple-A hitters through his first two starts. In 14 innings, Ramirez has yet to allow a run or a walk, given up 11 hits, and struck out nine. Though he pitched out of the bullpen in seven appearances for Philadelphia last season, Ramirez has never pitched in Triple-A before. The 22-year-old Dominican pounds the zone with three average pitches--86-92 mph fastball, average curveball and changeup. He came over to the Reds from the Phillies last season with outfielder Javon Moran and lefthander Joe Wilson to complete the Corey Lidle deal.


• Mixed news for the Reds' first two picks in last year's draft. First-round pick (7th overall) Homer Bailey, who missed his first outing of the year in order to ensure his surgically repaired knee is 100 percent, will be added to the Class A Dayton roster today and is expected to make his season debut in tonight's game against Ft. Wayne. Bailey is expected be limited to 50 pitches. Outfielder B.J. Szymanski, the team's second-round pick out of Princeton, was placed on Dayton's disabled list Thursday with a strained right knee. He was examined yesterday by Reds team doctor Tim Kremchek, with a long-term prognosis expected to be available later today.

[AdamDunn#44]

Louisville is winning 2-0 in the 6th

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/a...ouaaa_ricaaa_1

Bergolla is 2-3 with a double
EdE is 1-3 with a double

Steve Kelly 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K

[redsrbetter]

Man I really hope Bailey does well tonight! Also Go Louisville!

[AdamDunn#44]

Louisville won 5-2

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/a...ouaaa_ricaaa_1

Bergolla went 3-4 double, triple, single
EdE 1-4 double

Steve Kelly 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K...only allowed 1 run in 11 IP this year.

Coffey 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

[AdamDunn#44]

Homer Bailey gives up 5 runs in the first with 1 walk and 1 K. :rolleyes

[AdamDunn#44]

Only 3 of Bailey's runs were earned.

He struckout the side in the 2nd

4 K's in 2 IP

[Slyder]

Only 3 of Bailey's runs were earned.

He struckout the side in the 2nd

4 K's in 2 IP

Good to see him at least pitching again. Hopefully he doesnt have far to get his knee up to where it was last year and can pitch with the power he did before we drafted him.

[AdamDunn#44]

Chattanooga won 9-3
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/a...tdaax_cngaax_1

Denorfia 2-5...2 singles
Gutierrez 1-3 HR...walks

Gardner 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 5 K...allowed 3 runs on 4 hits in the 1st...0 runs on 2 hits with 5 K in final 4 innings.



Sarasota won 3-2
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/a...akafx_sarafx_1

Dickerson...0-2 2 walks
Votto...1-3 single, walk



Dayton won 8-6
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/a...twafx_dayafx_1

Mosby 2-3...2 doubles
Janish 2-3...double, 2 walks
Gutierrez 2-5...double

Bailey 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Stott 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Morenko 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

[AdamDunn#44]

Dayton won 2-0...Dayton allowed just 1 hit.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/a...twafx_dayafx_1

Janish 2-4

Ramon Ramirez 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K

Rafael Gonzalez 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Jared Sanders 1-2-3 9th



Louisville lost 6-1

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/a...ouaaa_ricaaa_1

EdE 1-4 double
Bergolla 2-4

Childress 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Alan Simpson 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

I'll post Sarssota and Chattanooga boxscores after the games are over

[AdamDunn#44]

Chattanooga lost 7-3
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/a...tdaax_cngaax_1

Denorfia 2-4...double, HR, walk

Valdez 6 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K


Sarasota lost 8-2
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/a...akafx_sarafx_1

Votto 0-3...walk

[AdamDunn#44]

Can you imagine how good the Reds pen is gonna be in the next couple years?

Ryan Wagner, Matt Belisle, and Joe Valentine are already with the Reds.

Todd Coffey and Alan Simpson are at AAA.

Bubba Nelson/Joel Barretto at AA.

Jose Guevara at High-A.

All of those guys are power pitchers with the exception of Nelson who is a sinkerball pitcher. Hopefully either Shackelford, Bong, or Keisler can fill the role of the lefthander. Kozlowski could be in the pen if he fails as a starter.

Here are stats on those guys:

Wagner-6 IP, 5 H, 0 BB, 5 K, 1.50 ERA w/Reds
Valentine-4 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA w/Reds
Belisle-7.2 IP, 7 H, 3 BB, 9 K, 3.52 ERA w/Reds

Coffey-6.1 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K, 2.84 ERA w/AAA
Simpson-3 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 0.00 ERA w/AAA

Nelson-5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 0.00 ERA w/AA
Barrett-5 IP, 5 H, 4 BB, 3 K, 3.60 ERA w/AA

Guevara-3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 2.45 ERA/A+(finished 4th in all of minors last year with 14.57 K/9).

Daylan Childress is also a power righty at AAA. He had a rough outing earlier this year, but has good stuff and could us the Reds later this year.

[AdamDunn#44]

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs...170368/0/CINCI

Reds insider
Quality pitchers rising up in 2005?
By John Fay
Enquirer staff writer

The Reds have been saying for years that they have good pitching in the minor leagues, but it's at the lower levels.

Eventually, you'd expect those good, young pitchers to matriculate to Double-A and Triple-A.

This might be the year.

Elizardo Ramirez and Steve Kelly have been outstanding for Triple-A Louisville. Last year's minor-league player of the year, Richie Gardner, is at Double-A.

But the real key to the Reds' depth is at Single-A Sarasota, where Bobby Basham, Phil Dumatrait and Josh Hall are. All three will be ready for higher competition when they are recovered fully from their arm surgeries.

"If we can get them back in the fold, it would really help our depth," director of player development Tim Naehring said.

"Our depth has improved without question," general manager Dan O'Brien said. "It's not where we want it to be or where we need it to be, but it's better."

Ramirez, a right-hander, is only 22. The Reds got him in the trade for Cory Lidle last year.

He was rated the Phillies' eighth-best prospect by Baseball America. He went 22-4 with a 1.36 ERA in his first three years as a professional. He made it to the big leagues briefly last year - going 0-0 with a 4.80 ERA in seven games with the Phillies.

He has pitched seven shutout innings in both his starts at Louisville. He has allowed 11 hits and hasn't walked a batter.

"He's been in command of both games," O'Brien said. "He's made it look easy. He's always had good stuff, but he's added a two-seam fastball. That almost gives him another pitch."

Ramirez isn't likely to be up with the big club any time soon, perhaps not at all this season.

"Anything is possible," O'Brien said. "But you've got to remember he's only 22 and he's handling the challenge of Triple-A for the first time."

Kelly, a 25-year-old right-hander, was the Reds' fourth-round choice in the 2001 draft. He's quietly put up good numbers at every minor-league stop. In his four years as a pro, he's 38-20 with a 3.20 ERA.

"He's had to prove himself at every level," O'Brien said. "He's the kind of player who surprises people."

Kelly, a Fairfield graduate, is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA. He has allowed only five hits.

Gardner, a 23-year-old right-hander, has been so-so in two starts for Chattanooga. But he went a combined 13-5 with a 2.53 ERA last year in stops at Single-A Potomac and Chattanooga.

Hall and Basham are coming off shoulder surgery; Dumatrait had elbow ligament replacement surgery.

Hall, a 24-year-old, already pitched in the big leagues briefly - making five starts for the Reds in 2003. Basham, a 25-year-old right-hander, was the No. 2 ranked prospect in the organization in 2003.

Dumatrait, a 23-year-old left-hander, was obtained in the Scott Williamson trade with the Boston Red Sox in 2003. He impressed the Reds' brass in spring training. His career numbers in the minors - 23-15 with a 2.92 ERA - have been good.

HOW HURT: Ty Howington, the oft-injured No. 1 pick, had surgery last week to loosen a shoulder capsule.

Howington was having recurring tightness in his left shoulder as he tried to come back from May shoulder surgery.

"We're hoping this is the last little tweak to get him back on his rehab," O'Brien said.

MORE NO. 1s: Last year's No. 1 pick, Homer Bailey, made his season debut Friday night at Dayton.

He allowed five runs in the first inning.

But it wasn't as bad as it sounds. Assistant player development director Grant Griesser saw the outing. He said a misplayed fly ball and error allowed the first two runs to reach. Bailey, an 18-year-old right-hander, came back to strike out the side in the second.

"He was throwing 91 to 94," Griesser said. "Whenever he wanted to throw 94, he did."

Chris Gruler, the No. 1 pick in 2002, will join Bailey at Dayton as soon as he completes his rehab. Gruler, who is coming off shoulder surgery, is at extended spring training in Sarasota, Fla.

[AdamDunn#44]

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASAp...ives&fext=.jsp

Reds prospect makes debut at last
First-round pick making way back from injury

DAYTON, Ohio -- A first-round draft pick, particularly one who was taken in the top 10, should have a certain amount of confidence, almost arrogance that he knows what's best for him.

There does need, however, to be a balance between that edge and being a good soldier, doing the things the organization asks of you in order to move up the ladder.

Right now, it seems like Reds' 2004 top pick Homer Bailey is struggling to find that balance.

Bailey finally made his 2005 debut on Friday after having his initial outing pushed back as he dealt with a minor injury. Had it been up to him, he would have already made his first Midwest League appearance, but in this case he understands the need for caution.

"It's totally understandable," Bailey said. "Ask any player when put in that situation and they'd want to get out on the field. But you have to understand where the organization is coming from with this type of deal."

Where the organization is coming from is a large group of highly touted, top-round pitching draftees who haven't exactly panned out. Ty Howington was the Reds' top pick in 1999 and has suffered through a series of injuries that have kept him from getting past Double-A. Chris Gruler was taken as the third overall pick in 2002 and he'd thrown a total of 77 2/3 innings in his Minor League career through the 2004 season. Even later picks, like 2001 seventh-rounder Bobby Basham, have missed considerable time due to injury.

"I think that's why they took such extreme measures with a little injury like that," Bailey said.

While Bailey has gone along with the organization's cautious wishes, he hasn't seen eye to eye with their designs for his conditioning program. He's butted heads with folks in Dayton about what he'd like to do off the field. Bailey admits his regimen is a little unorthodox, including some weight lifting techniques that aren't seemingly baseball-minded. It's a system he feels got him to where he is now and built him into a first-round talent.

"I challenged our strength guy," Bailey said. "I told him give me one month, let me do my own thing. If you're not seeing results and I'm not getting stronger, then I'll do everything they say.

"Unfortunately, they didn't accept that challenge. I don't think it's reached anybody above him yet. I was willing to do that. I'm always ready for a challenge. If I believe in what I do, then why back down from it?"

Much of the battle about his workouts will likely die down once he can get into the routine of pitching for Dayton. Bailey's polish, power and maturity on the mound are all attributes that made the Reds comfortable in giving him the organization's second-largest signing bonus in history. Once he's able to show that regularly, arguments over what he should be lifting and when he should be running will become secondary.

Judging from that disagreement, it'd be easy to assume Bailey wouldn't be too thrilled with the pitching schedule he'll be on while he's with Dayton. The Reds use an eight-man tandem rotation for their Class A affiliate, meaning Bailey will pitch every four days on a very strict 75-pitch count. But Bailey merely shrugged, another example of him being willing to go along with what he's told.

"I know it's something [Reds general manager Dan] O'Brien has had success with and a lot of other clubs are going to it," Bailey said. "I'm not real familiar with it. I don't disagree with it. It's just something new, going every fourth day as opposed to throwing once a week, it's different. But if this is what they believe will work and will help me pursue my dream of getting to the big leagues, then I have to follow it."

That's the ultimate goal for everyone involved, of course. And there is a certain amount of pressure for first-rounders everywhere to perform up to expectations. Throw in the Reds' past misses and the spotlight might be shining even brighter on the 18-year-old from LaGrange, Texas. This is where the self-confidence comes in handy. Bailey likes to fancy himself just one of the guys, though he knows the eyes of people outside of the team will be on him more than others. He's prepared for it, though he may need a little work on his fan outreach skills.

"I feel like I'm just another member of the Dragons most of the time until I get to the field and you have all the autographs and stuff," Bailey said. "I try to avoid that when I can. I'd rather just come to the field, play the game, watch the game, do the jobs I have to do, then get out."

Bailey clearly feels that if he does those jobs well, he'll move up the Reds' ladder as quickly as everyone hopes. This is where his confidence/arrogance meets his willingness to put his career in other's hands head on. Remarkably, he seems to be able to live in both worlds comfortably as he begins his first full professional season.

"I want to put pressure on them to keep me down," Bailey said. "What I mean by that, I want to be so successful that they're keeping me down because of my age.

"I have to put my trust in them that when they say it's time for me to go up, it's time for me to go up. I want to go out there and be successful on the mound to put pressure on them to keep me down."

Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[AdamDunn#44]

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/a...ouaaa_ricaaa_1

EdE has hit his 2nd HR of the year today

[redsrbetter]

Awesome job EdE. Surprised I have not heard much of Stratton's bat the last few games.