Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: The Most Dangerous Division in Sports

Farmers Only: 10 Burning Questions for 2011, Part 2

You saw nyc's recap of the first five Burning Questions this morning, and I'm here to present Part 2.  In this section, we'll deal with questions relating to the organization as a whole, instead of looking at individual players.  Let's recap what we were talking about last year real quick, continuing the discussion from earlier:

6. Will a catcher of the future emerge this season?
7. Will the large pool of international players start yielding some legitimate top prospects?
8. Will prospects be promoted aggressively or will the organization maintain a conservative approach?
9. Will the Reds be aggressive with the draft, or continue being major players in the international market? What can they afford to do? Can they do both?
10. What positions will the Reds target in the draft and international market this year? Will they draft/sign based on need or get the best players they can?

Question 1 was mainly aimed at Devin Mesoraco, and he delivered in a big way.  I still think question 2 is up in the air, and that 3 and 5 are kind of left unanswered.  Question 4 was answered with kind of a "none of the above" response, with a cautious draft strategy and no big international signings.

What about this year?

Star-divide

Grandal1_medium


 

With Devin Mesoraco on the fast track, what happens to all of these backstops?

I don't think anyone could have predicted the monster year that Mesoraco had last year and that a polished prospect like Grandal would be on the board by draft time, but now the Reds have two catchers that they have a lot of money invested in who are both close to contributing on the big league level.  Throw in Ryan Hanigan into that mix and there's potentially three quality catchers under team control in a few years, not to mention who steps up in that time.  This year will be another year of seeing how things shake out.

 

Tjxuxmqo_medium

Guess the Bat!

Where are all of these pitchers going to go?

With the logjam of guys at the top, it's inevitable that a few of these guys are going to fall to AAA.  That leaves all kinds of pitchers like Justin Lehr, Sam LeCure, Matt Maloney, Chad Reineke, and Matt Klinker battling for spots in the Bats rotation, along with whoever falls down from the big league camp, but there's still not going to be room for everybody right away.  Will we see names go to the bullpen at some point, like Jordan Smith did last year?

 

Fvzbgal3_medium

 

Will any of the international middle infielders have success in the higher levels?

All of a sudden, there are tons of middle infielders in the low minors.  Didi Gregorius, Miguel Rojas, Henry Rodriguez, Junior Arias, Ronald Torreyes... and the list goes on.  How many of these guys are ready to make the leap?

 

Zmfeaa66_medium

The Reds last high school draftee.

 

 

With young talent seemingly at every stop in the system, will the organization try a riskier approach in the draft?

Even with a relatively deep system, the Reds still haven't taken a high schooler in the first round in the Walt Jocketty era.  The team made up for that caution in the later rounds by going with riskier picks, but now that the Reds can afford to take risks earlier in the draft, will they continue to play it safe?

 

Ismael_guillon_medium

 

After a quiet year in 2010, will the Reds make a splash in the international market?

After landing players like Yorman Rodriguez and Juan Duran, the Reds didn't do much at all last year in the realm of big-money internationals.  Will that change this year?


What do you guys think?

Reds Fan Confidence Poll

Last tallied on 02/16.

21|1:|0|100&chxt=x,y&chco=5098c7&chd=t:74

Comment 19 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

I'm confused

wasn’t Chapman a “big money international” last year?

by kcgard2 on Feb 15, 2011 4:00 PM EST reply actions  

I was thinking the same thing.

They didn’t make a ton of international signings last year, but they did make one of the biggest and most hyped international signings in a long time.

"I bet that sex Bengals fan is really pissed now." -DT3428

by sexsalad on Feb 15, 2011 4:04 PM EST up reply actions  

To be fair

These were written last year after the Chapman signing, and more referred to the typical 16-17 y.o. signings.

see what I did there with uzr? it’s like a LOL cats saber-pun combo.--Verka Serduchka

by nycredsfan on Feb 15, 2011 4:55 PM EST via mobile up reply actions  

To be fair

These were written last year after the Chapman signing, and more referred to the typical 16-17 y.o. signings.

see what I did there with uzr? it’s like a LOL cats saber-pun combo.--Verka Serduchka

by nycredsfan on Feb 15, 2011 4:55 PM EST via mobile up reply actions  

Made me read it twice!

Not fair!

Set the gearshift to the high gear of your soul.

by Kevin Mitchell is Batman on Feb 15, 2011 5:45 PM EST up reply actions  

An embarrassment of riches

1. Obviously, either Mesoraco or Grandal will be moved at some point. With Hanigan being one of the best backups in the league, there’s no reason to keep two blue chip catching prospects. I have no idea which one will be better. I wonder who the org likes better long-term.

2. We’ve never had this problem before. You can never have too much pitching, but you also don’t want to piss off guys who belong in the bigs by holding on to them in AAA as insurance. So, the answer to this one is I don’t know.

3. Probably not. Signing a 16-year old Dominican kid who projects as toolsy is even more hit-or-miss than signing an American kid just out of high school. It’s impossible to tell if they’re the real deal until they’ve been in the system for a few years.

4. I could see them going after a top prospect with signability issues.

5. They’ll keep being aggressive internationally.

by GlennBraggsSwingAndMissBrokenBat on Feb 15, 2011 4:03 PM EST reply actions  

re: #4

I’d bet they do that only if they think they can sign him without giving him a 40-man spot.

Joey Votto on Colin Cowherd: "I don’t know who he is"

by UncleWeez on Feb 15, 2011 6:07 PM EST up reply actions  

no way they go for a guy with signability issues

they simply dont have the dollars to sign him, and the picks we’ve seen from slots where a team wasn’t able to sign a guy have been pretty mediocre picks the next year. Expect them to stay the course with college guys, but I could see them going for a signable high schooler. look for them to be risky in the second or third rounds, a la hamilton.

by pack_fan on Feb 16, 2011 4:33 AM EST up reply actions  

the draft

I think this is the year that the Reds HAVE to take a shot on a high-upside, young pitcher in the draft. Bubba Starling, Archie Bradley, Henry Owens, Michael Kelly… any of these guys would qualify. We all understand that high school pitchers are the biggest risk in the draft but that’s where you find the biggest upside players.

by quiksand on Feb 15, 2011 4:48 PM EST reply actions  

Crap.... I hate when Red Reporter makes me do math

Number 1 is really number 6 and number 3 is really number 8 and number 5 is really number 10. I wish there was some simple …. formula…. or something that allowed me to figure that out more quickly.

The season doesn't start until the Cincinnati Reds take the field! Reclaim The Opener!!

by TheC on Feb 15, 2011 5:15 PM EST reply actions  

hmm...

Set the gearshift to the high gear of your soul.

by Kevin Mitchell is Batman on Feb 15, 2011 5:48 PM EST up reply actions  

-5

Joey Votto on Colin Cowherd: "I don’t know who he is"

by UncleWeez on Feb 15, 2011 6:08 PM EST up reply actions  

heres how it goes.

or at least should.
1. Both Mesoraco and Grandal will get a shot at proving themselves in the big leagues in the next 2-3 yrs Mesoraco obviously reaching it first. However with Grandal sounding like having the higher ceiling, Devin will be traded for some high upside talent in the future.
2. Lehr and Maloney will be traded to a team like the Pirates that need pitching badly. They will be traded for a bench bat or to fill depth due to injury.
3. Unless someone has a Billy Hamilton type year (Henry Rodriguez is my guess to do so) the club will be very conservative promoting player even if they have a solid year so the question is somewhat moot in my opinion,
4. The Reds will make one or two aggresive picks in the draft, however we wont see a high schooler. Overall they will continue with high floor guys so as to continue with having a crowded farm system.
5. If the club has a legitimate shot at a bigtime international prospect they will make an offer. I dont know who is out there but if Walt and the owners see more fans in the seats I believe they will take a shot.

He called me a baboon, he thinks I'm his wife.

by ThreeofSpades on Feb 15, 2011 5:26 PM EST reply actions  

International kids

My hunch is that Walt will continue to nurture his connections in the DR and, as such, will probably give some leverage to prospects from there. Ya kinda need to keep saying yes if you want the kids to come to your side.

I still stand on the side of the line that says I don’t trade prime-cut catchers.
So the debate rages about whether Mesoraco or Grandal are prime cut or just fresh hamburger.
You can be only one Jason LaRue away from being mediocre behind the plate if your catcher gets run down by Pete Rose.

As for the Pirates, I think they might not be as inclined to pick up scraps as we believe. They seem to have some young hosses in the minors. Now, how that pans out, another yarn.
They may sign a guy cheap, but they won’t trade for Lehr or Maloney.

Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

by johnu1 on Feb 16, 2011 1:06 AM EST up reply actions  

lehr has zero trade value

older guy with limited stuff theres no chance you see anyone trading for him. Maloney maybe, but his trade value is pretty much nothing too. much better stuff than lehr and left-handed but getting older and there’s no real indicator on what he’ll provide you in the bigs. I’d love to see him get a shot somewhere though.

by pack_fan on Feb 16, 2011 5:25 AM EST up reply actions  

Because shut up

"Aroldis Chapman is a seven course meal followed by four hours of sex on the table with a nymphomaniac model heiress who owns her own brewery." - jch24

by BK on Feb 18, 2011 5:55 PM EST up reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about Cincinnati Reds. Community Guidlines

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Long-hair-baseball-player_small
Red Reporter Field Trip: Taking in BP at GABP, but not with BP
Turtle17_small
The Draft: Reds all-time best, 1 through 40.
Anime_small
The Ranch (Bailey vs. Sale)
Anime_small
Rainy Sunday (Leake vs. Skaggs)
Mister_redlegs_hasaposse1_small
Requiem For Riverfront

Recent FanPosts

Jcueto_lol_small
MLB 12: The Show - Custom Chapman Cover
500x_custom_1271135923567_jaybruce_small
2012 Depth Concerns
1295279046-zack-morris-phone_small
Why Is Ryan Hanigan's Bat Wasted?
Herve_small
From The Opponent's Feed™: Not-a-Homer Simpson
Turtle17_small
The Draft: Richie Shaffer-3B-Clemson.
Rorschach_small_small
Sunday's Rockies game - Anyone here going?
1310_small
Pls Help Me Figure Out Who Signed This Ball
Anime_small
A Salami For Soto (Villareal vs. Cloyd)

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

FanShots

Yahoo_full_count

Bench Coaches

How-thomas-the-tank-engine-works-11_small BK

Ken_fish_called_wanda_small ken

Zombie-mlb_small Charlie Scrabbles

340x_charliesheen_small Kevin Mitchell is Batman

5851799_small FordhamRam

Lurch_small UncleWeez

Long-hair-baseball-player_small -ManBearPig

Nyc_small AC Slider

Beat Reporters

Jinaz-reds-avatar_small JinAZ

Turtle17_small Thundering Turtle

Small riverfront76

Piñata_small kcgard2