Minor League Baseball is a Thing

Understandably lost in the Johnny Cueto madness was the season debut for many of the Reds top minor league prospects, most notably Jay Bruce, Homer Bailey, Josh Roenicke, Juan Francisco, Drew Stubbs, Sean Watson and Todd Frazier. Devin Mesoraco, last year's first round pick, stayed in Sarasota for extended spring training (I think). This is the list of humans that matter in the Reds' farm system. Everyone else--save for maybe a few, like Chris Valaika, or an intriguing out-of-nowhere prospect--isn't important to me. I'm guessing you share the same feelings. Anyway, I will update the progress of the aforementioned crew on a nightly basis. Nothing special, just links to box scores with a tidbit added when necessary. I hope I've made it easier to follow the Reds of the future.

(Again, from this day forward I will update this thing before bedtime. And you will never see me write the following line: Paul Janish had two hits and a run scored. He is irrelevant, like most of the players in the minors.)

From AAA Louisville: Homer Bailey (age 21) was impressive (7IP, 5H, 1BB, 2K, 1ER) in defeat. One walk...that's huge. I don't care about the low strikeout total or the loss. All Bailey has to do to find his way back to the bigs is throw strikes. The strikeouts will come, Ray. They will most definitely come.

Jay Bruce (age 21) went 1-4 and struck out twice. Clearly, he stinks.

AA Chattanooga: Josh Roenicke (age 25) saved his first game of the season. He struck out one and gave up a hit.

High A Sarasota: Drew Stubbs (age 23) showed the patience at the plate (1-2, 2BB, 3R) he needs in order to be a serviceable big league hitter. He's a Gold Glove caliber CF.

Juan Francisco's (age 20) OBP was putrid last season, but he did stroke 25 HRs and drive in 90. Last night he went 4-5 with three doubles.

(Important note: Much of the damage done by Stubbs and Francisco came off Francisco Liriano. This probably excites me more than it should.)

Sean Watson (age 22) pitched an inning of relief and gave up three runs. Watson dominated Low A Dayton as a starter in 2007 (85K, 13BB, 1.88 ERA) before getting roughed up a bit in Sarasota. Perhaps the Reds see Watson as a reliever, not a starter.

Low A Dayton: Todd Frazier (age 22) walked three times and scored a run. By all accounts, this dude can really hit. Most seem to think he projects to third base. The Reds like him at short.

Keep the change, you filthy animals.

-Brad Spieser (Brad@TwinKilling.com)
4/4/08