Nate and I wax poetic about Elly De La Cruz and his buddies Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and DEMAND that the Reds bring these guys up to the big leagues! We also discussed the ups and downs of another interesting week as a Reds fan, with the club only 4.5 games out of first…and with the Cardinals in last place.
Plus, I got a little emotional about fathers and sons and baseball…and replayed my favorite interview in the history of the show.
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I was just checking the stats for Anthony Volpe through 130 AB’s and it isn’t pretty. He was a highly ranked prospect as well and is having a difficult time. It reminds me that Barrero is still young and needs time to develop. I would hate to see the Reds give up on him too soon or bring the other guys up too soon.
I’m not saying they shouldn’t come up but that it’s rarely easy for prospects to shine immediately. Jared Kelenik in Seattle is another uber prospect that struggled
In short terms MLB is a different league its tough, especially with video everyone knows your weaknesses. Anthony Volpe also is overatted because he is a Yankee prospect. Volpe and Perez both had mediocre minor league stats, glad we traded with seattle, looks like we found guys for the future, Marte seems to be the main prize and Arroyo the late diamond in the rough.
Elly de La Cruz this week seems like he broke the world. I have no dought he could become an all-star for the next 10 years if he stays healthy. Everyone believes he needs to move to CF, maybe… I rather just keep friedel, move fraley to RF.
Its hard to judge what the reds should do because Senzel is actually playing pretty decent. I don’t like rewarding good hitting and good defense with something a player isn’t confortable with.
This is what I would do before the trade deadlinb (the earlier the better(exept india))
1. Trade Newman and Myers for whatever you can get (not much but maybe depth)
2. what to do with senzel and barrero (talent YES, senzel showing more of late.) My suggestion trade senzel while he has some decent value, barrero needs an organization who can give barrero at-bats and figure it out. The reds have Elly and McLain just WAITING TO PLAY.
4. Trade Myers
Overall the reds have to many filller players and even though I do believe Barrero and Senzel have lots of talent. Value wise I rather have McLain > Senzel and Elly > Barrero as well as in general steer seems like a better player long term than barrero or Senzel.
IMO in the next month-3 months I want my team to be….
2B India
CF Friedel
SS McLain
3B Elly
1B CES
LF Fraley
RF Fairchild/Ramos
DH Steer (notice steer will play some 2B/1B/3B and swap DH roles maybe steer 7 in lineup)
C whoever it may be that day, maybe have stephonson a little higher but not much.
I just don’t understand David Bell and Management you are 4.5 GB in the division. Even with injured bullpen members you are tied BEST in the NL, really can’t complain about the bullpen some diamond in the rough type players in Wood and Sims regaining form.
Starting pitching has shown signs of brilliance and extreme failure. If ashcraft, lodolo, and greene can hit their stride, weaver does an okay 4 or 5 guy impression. My guess is Stoudi, Lively, Willamson gets the next start…its okay, we our young and only getting better, much better than overton or cessa.
Production wise I am happy, a little powerless but I think the enforcements will help that department. Also most disappointed in SS overall, Barrero and Newman both stink, Barrero I have already said is talented but its hard to justify playing time if you are hitting only 220…
Overall Ranking (compared to record and NL)
Bullpen A- (extremely good Law, and Bell costed us 5 games)
Rotation C- (talanted, young, poor management (cessa, overton really?!?!) big 3 keep going it will improve)
Lineup C ( I would give it a B if Mclain alone was up SS is terrable production and defense, can’t complain overall nobody stands out as terrable other than SS and Ramos is falling off).
Have hope guys 4.5 GB out and we don’t look bad, REINFORCEMENTS ON THE WAY!!!
I’m pretty much with you, but I would ask Jon India to move back to his natural position, 3rd base, and put McClain at 2nd and Elly De La Cruz at SS.
The word is that McClain is a better 2nd baseman than SS. He should remind people of Dustin Pedroia, who also was not a “BIG” guy, but a pretty good player for the Red Sox.
I don’t expect McClain to continue to hit for this much power in the Majors, because he is not going to get as many “dead red” fastballs down the pipe as he does in AAA. But he will be good.
The Reds “Top Men” probably won’t do anything until July, and the Joey Votto drama has to be resolved. They will give Wil Myers some more time to get hot and hit. At this point, I don’t expect anything more from Myers than what we have seen.
Best movie about Royalty is obviously The Princess Bride.