AAA
30 year-old Joe Mays made his Red’s system debut by throwing 6 solid innings, 5 H, 4 BB, and 2 ER. Mays, drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 1994 and then ended up in the Twins organization, had a fairly mediocre minor league career. Over 6 years he had a respectable 3.43 ERA, but with only 419 Ks, in 470 IP. For the last 3 years in the Majors he has stunk with ERA’s of 5.65, 6.30, and 5.38. He had one good year in 6 years in the majors. In 2001 he went 233 IP with only 123 Ks, and a 3.16 ERA.
AA
Chattanooga 9, Tennessee 5 in 16 innings
25 year-old Anderson Machado, who has struggled his whole professional career hit a Grand Slam in the 16th inning to give the Lookouts a 9-5 win. Anderson is now hitting .196/.289/.243. Boy I don’t know what to say about this guy. Click on his link above and look at how crappy he has hit his whole career, then somebody explain to me why he keeps getting called up to the majors.
Seven members of the Lookout bullpen did a great job holding Tennessee scoreless for 10 innings. However the best looking prospect of the bunch appears to be 25 year-old Jon Coutlangus, who pitched 2 innings giving up a BB while striking out 2. For the season he has a 1.80 ERA with 25 Ks in 25 IP. Coutlangus who was drafted by San Francisco for his offense is now pitching in his 2nd year. Last year he had a 3.04 ERA in 77 IP with 79 Ks, in High A California.
HIGH A
Sarasota 7, Palm Beach 6 in 11 innings
Speedster Brandon Roberts’ 3rd RBI of the evening came on a walk off single to right field in the 11th inning. For the season Roberts is hitting just .283/.323/.315.
LOW A
Dayton 5, Southwest Michigan 4
22 year-old Zach Ward pitched 7 incredible innings giving up only 3 H, and a BB, while striking out 9. On the season he now has a 3.24 ERA with 36 Ks in 41 IP.
You can call me crazy, but I think in the next couple years the Reds are going to have more good pitching prospects than they’ll know what to do with. Homer Bailey, Travis Chick, Travis Wood, Zach Ward, and Johnny Cueto. All of these guys are young (Ward being the oldest at 22 years) and all have good stuff that will allow them put up good K numbers.
You can call me crazy, but I think in the next couple years the Reds are going to have more good pitching prospects than they’ll know what to do with. Homer Bailey, Travis Chick, Travis Wood, Zach Ward, and Johnny Cueto. All of these guys are young (Ward being the oldest at 22 years) and all have good stuff that will allow them put up good K numbers.
Comment by Blue  5/24/2006 @ 2:24 pm
I won’t call you crazy — I just do not in any stretch of my imagination see where the Reds will soon be in a position of having more good arms than they know what to do with. I just don’t see it.
It’s easier to write these youngsters names down and say they’ll be great major leaguers someday — but very few make it.