Better Know Your Minor League Affiliates: Carolina Mudcats

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 2:00 PM EDT in Farmers only

A double dip today, as we'll also take a look at the AA affiliate of the Reds. This team was loaded last year, but it looks like most of those have moved on to Louisville by now. Take it away, Muddy!

Carolina Mudcats

City: Zebulon, NC
League Affiliation: Southern League (AA)
2009 Record: 1st half: 37-32 (.536), 2nd half: 28-42 (.400)
Best Hitter Last Year (min 100 AB): Chris Heisey (.347 BA)
Best Pitcher Last Year (min 50 IP): Travis Wood (1.21 ERA)
Most Home Runs Last Year: Juan Francisco (22 HR)
Most Strikeouts Last Year: Travis Wood (103 K)

Projections for 2010 and promotions after the jump.

Stadium:

The Mudcats play at Five County Stadium, which was opened in 1991. The stadium has a capacity of 6,500, and is located in the suburbs of Raleigh, NC.

Promotions for the Upcoming Season:

Giveaways: 5/8 vs. Chattanooga (fleece blanket), 5/15 vs. Jacksonville (t-shirt), 6/12 vs. Huntsville (mini Muddy bobblehead), 7/31 vs. Jacksonville (Budweiser pint glass),
8/7 vs. Chattanooga: Appearance by THIS GUY.

Projected Starting Lineup for 2010:

C: Jason Bour/Brandon Yarbrough
1B: Logan Parker
2B: Jake Kahaulelio
SS: Kris Negron
3B: Jose Castro
LF: Sean Henry
CF: Stephen Chapman
RF: Denis Phipps
DH: Carson Kainer

Projected Starting Rotation:

RHP Matt Klinker
RHP Daryl Thompson
LHP Alexander Smit
RHP Jordan Smith
RHP Dallas Buck

Bullpen Pitchers:

RHP Sean Watson (closer)
LHP Phillipe-Alexandre Valiquette
RHP Derrik Lutz
RHP James Avery

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Comments

So pretty much after our current crop of AAAers, there's...

Duran and Rodriguez and not much else?

by jsl413 on Apr 6, 2010 2:33 PM EDT reply actions

There's a lot of interesting talent in the lower minors

But Carolina is clearly the weak link in the system this year.

"aaron harnann is so aweseom" - justin

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Duran and Rodriguez and a bunch of people I've never heard of?

I loved our farm system last year, but this year it seems depleted. Stubbs is at the MLB level, by the end of the year it seems like Frazier, Heisey, Alonso, and Francisco will be too. Probably also, at points or for the long haul, Chapman and Wood.

With so much young talent, a firesale is a pretty definite possibility at the trade deadline if the Reds aren’t contending, just to make room for all these guys. Rolen, Gomes/Nix/Dickerson(?), Cabrera obviously/probably aren’t the future.

But there’s clearly not enough room for all the Bats bats at the MLB level. Who’s the odd guy out? You figure Stubbs, Bruce, Phillips, Votto, Hanigan are around next year. That leaves only LF, 3B, and SS to fill.

IMO if Francisco can’t figure out how to take a pitch, deal him eventually.

Why does it already feel like mid-season? I’m sad.

by jsl413 on Apr 6, 2010 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think Rolen's going anywhere

He asked to be traded to the Reds, because his family lives in Indiana, or some such place.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Apr 6, 2010 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions

We can trade him to Cleveland for Grady Sizemore of 3 years ago.

Or to the Cubs or White Sox for Ken Griffey Jr.

by jsl413 on Apr 6, 2010 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

let's trade him to Arizona

for Larry Fitzgerald

by jacob brumfield on Apr 6, 2010 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Jasper, IN

by ChiDa on Apr 6, 2010 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions

buck up... there's lots of baseball to be played.

Running out to frontyard laughing! -Fat Vegas Alan

by GrooveLeg on Apr 6, 2010 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Sweet Jesus man

We’ve only played one freakin’ game….At least wait until 1/4 or 1/3 of the season is gone before you go into the ‘doom and gloom’ phase

by ChiDa on Apr 6, 2010 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

This isn't doom and gloom!

I’m still moderately hopeful for the season, but as I try to predict where these guys will end up, since they’re probably going to be better than our current options at SS and LF, I struggle!

by jsl413 on Apr 6, 2010 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Not hardly

Guys like Mesoraco and Soto are still in the picture, and recently drafted guys like Brad Boxberger, J.C. Sulbaran, Billy Hamilton, Donnie Joseph, and Mark Serrano could be making their way through the system this year. Plenty of exciting high school arms with upside (Jacob Johnson and Daniel Tuttle come to mind here), and lesser known international guys like Rojas, Gregorius, and Oliveras all played well last year too. Unless they’re still teenagers like Duran and Y-Rod, blue chippers don’t stay in the low minors for long. There’s still plenty of talent development happening, and the coaching staff is the best it’s been down there since I’ve been following it (Griffey, Soto, Davis, Browning, etc.).

The most important thing to remember is that there’s more than 500 games to develop minor league players this year. How many of us knew who Chris Heisey was at this time last year? We’re going to see standout performances, and names you don’t recognize yet are going to break out. Back away from the ledge, let’s see where we are in a few months and judge it from there.

"aaron harnann is so aweseom" - justin

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I didn't realize I was giving off such a negative vibe.

I was more trying to think about the farm system and the future, as I’m apt to do. Also, I’m confused by the mix of youth and bad veterans.

by jsl413 on Apr 6, 2010 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions

It'll work itself out eventually, it's tough to predict what will happen

If they need to trade pieces to build a contender, they have assets in AAA that realistically can not all fit on one big league roster. We’re bound to see a mixture of that, and a veteran or two having to leave, but who knows what injuries and stuff will bring.

"aaron harnann is so aweseom" - justin

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions

The Hanley dream will come true.

by jsl413 on Apr 6, 2010 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow

That lineup isn’t going to be very strong at all. The pitching staff, however, will be pretty good. This is going to be a case of, “don’t look at the W-L of the pitchers” because the lineup might not score enough runs for them to win very many games.

There is a time a place for everything, and it's called college.

by BJ Ruble on Apr 6, 2010 3:22 PM EDT reply actions

That pitching staff will be one of the best in the league, most likely

Everybody is repeating the level, and most of them pitched fairly well there last year. The only starter not repeating is Thompson, and he’s coming down from AAA.

"aaron harnann is so aweseom" - justin

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Does anybody have any information on the Buck?

I think I remember correctly that he got injured at some point last year. Is he fully recovered from that? If so, any chance he moves up to AAA any time soon?

Let me write out a formal proof for you.

by Gray on Apr 6, 2010 3:39 PM EDT reply actions

He was injured, and had a rehab start in the GCL in August

He hasn’t pitched in AA since June, so I’m not convinced he’s going to AAA soon, especially with the current logjam there of starters. Klinker is due for a promotion before Buck is anyway, IMO.

"aaron harnann is so aweseom" - justin

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Ah, thanks for the setup.

So you’re saying that at least for this season, Buck stops here?

Let me write out a formal proof for you.

by Gray on Apr 6, 2010 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs

/groan'd

"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."

by crolfer on Apr 6, 2010 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

For at least the first half of the season, I'd say.

But who knows, he might pull a Zach Stewart and be in AAA before we know it.

"aaron harnann is so aweseom" - justin

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

toronto'd

"Red Reporter - An elitist clique full of like-minded douchebags." - BK

by ZJiff30 on Apr 6, 2010 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Bubba-

when can we expect a fun filled photo post from Carolina?

by jacob brumfield on Apr 6, 2010 4:42 PM EDT reply actions

Carolina is a real schlepp for me

The Bats tour the northeast a couple of times a year, making it relatively easy for me catch them.

If I’m going to travel for Reds minor league baseball, I’d probably go to Louisville or Billings first. Just because I’ve never been there, and I used to live in NC.

I really loved that photo someone posted of the Billings ballpark, with the mountains in the background. It looked gorgeous.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Apr 6, 2010 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions

agreed, Billings>Carolina

plus a required Yellowstone photo op would be in order

by jacob brumfield on Apr 6, 2010 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Yarbrough got to AA quickly

ye olde Wanye days of one-level-at-a-time are long gone.

And wow, Daryl’s star has fallen pretty far. Klinker’s, too.

"And then there was the USAID guy in Kandahar who drove a giant pink Cadillac, which the locals set on fire one day. If you wanted to destroy something symbolic during a riot, you just could not do better than that. Good stuff." - Ghosts of Alexander

by Cy Schourek on Apr 6, 2010 4:44 PM EDT reply actions

Yarbrough was a 6-year minor league FA brought over from St. Louis

Who played well in AAA last year. Honestly, I think he’d go back this year and start if it wasn’t for the Corkster and Wilkin already there.

You’re right about Daryl, but Klinker’s just a victim of too many starters at one level. If he continues to be as good as he was last year, he won’t be in AA long.

"aaron harnann is so aweseom" - justin

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions

By the way too

These rosters are in no way official. Dayton and Lynchburg are the only teams to release rosters, so these are the best guesses we can do with what we’ve got.

"aaron harnann is so aweseom" - justin

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I was definitely thinking of Fleury

ummm, honest mistake, right?

by Cy Schourek on Apr 6, 2010 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes.

"aaron harnann is so aweseom" - justin

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Enerio Del Rosario

Is on both rosters, i hope it’s AAA.

by Eastwindquinn on Apr 6, 2010 5:38 PM EDT reply actions

That's my bad, he should be in AAA

"aaron harnann is so aweseom" - justin

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I think we may be in for solid bullpens for many years to come.

by Eastwindquinn on Apr 6, 2010 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Hooray for Lincoln!

Let me write out a formal proof for you.

by Gray on Apr 6, 2010 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Heard from nobody important that Alonso might go to AA...we'll see.

by mdccclxix on Apr 6, 2010 8:08 PM EDT reply actions

I've heard the same

He’d play LF there

"aaron harnann is so aweseom" - justin

by BK on Apr 6, 2010 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Because short people get no love.

"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."

by crolfer on Apr 6, 2010 8:42 PM EDT up reply actions

i like that possibility

no way Alonso plays 1B in Cincy.

I still think he’s gotta be trade bait at some point.

"then skip it"....

by obc2 on Apr 7, 2010 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Prospect for prospect trades are rare, but...

Minnesota has C Wilson Ramos (Keith Law’s #42 prospect) in the high minors. He’s not going anywhere with them since Mauer signed his deal. Maybe something could be worked out there.

When you come to the fork in the road, take it.

by poojols on Apr 7, 2010 2:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Lynchburg and Dayton holding back

The weakness of this Carolina bunch is also partially due to guys like Soto and Buchholz returning to High-A for a second season (now in Lynchburg). Pre-2009 prognostications would have had them in AA this year based on ‘08 performance. I hope the Carolina outfield proves me wrong but this outfield is all organizational filler. Phipps teases with some good stretches but he’s been sub-700 ops for 3 years running. I think some of our non roster invites will be sliding down to AA to round this bunch out. They are better but much older, and are not prospects either. Maybe the rotation will carry the team.

by Matt McWax on Apr 6, 2010 8:09 PM EDT reply actions