Good News: The Reds are going to make changes
Bad News: We’re talking about Jerry Hairston and Jolbert Cabrera.
The Cincinnati Reds currently have #6 prospect Jay Bruce and #40 prospect Homer Bailey rotting in AAA. Oh well, who can blame the Reds? They’re in a tough situation… after all, Jay Bruce is blocked by six-time all-star Corey Patterson while there’s certainly no room for Homer Bailey in a rotation that includes luminaries such as Edinson Volquez and Josh Fogg.
Josh Fogg.
Looking at that, it seems to be a miracle that fellow top-40 prospects Johnny Cueto and Joey Votto managed to win themselves a starting job.
It’s very possible that Bruce is being held back to avoid accruing service time, which is a very reasonable justification for leaving him in the minors. However, considering Homer Bailey has already seen time in the majors, leaving him in the minors for long enough to avoid Super 2 status may be a serious roadblock in his development, if it is even possible.
It is clear that, as in the case of Niemann and Longoria, leaving Bailey and Bruce in the minors does not appear to be a solid baseball decision.
Corey Patterson is a better defender than Jay Bruce. Bruce in fact may eventually be forced to move to the corners, but he is very athletic and has a plus arm. He would not be a butcher in centerfield. More importantly, the defensive advantage that Patterson holds does not come close to the offensive advantage of Bruce. Bruce, still only 21, holds a career minor league OPS of .906 including .962 last year. Patterson hasn’t had an above average OPS+ since 2003.
Homer Bailey struggled in both the majors and minors last year. However, he is one of the few pitchers in professional baseball who can boast two elite-level pitches. (Fastball and curveball). Considering his stuff, his youth (turns 22 on May 3), and his minor league record (27.5 K%, 8.8 BB% in 2006) I would call last year’s struggles a fluke. Edinson Volquez has fine stuff, but neither his repertoire nor his statistical history match up to Bailey. Josh Fogg just isn’t good.
It’s always possible that as soon as Bruce avoids Super 2 status and Fogg is ousted from his rotation spot then these two excellent prospects will see the light of day. However, considering Dusty Baker appears to be behind these decisions, I wouldn’t count on it.
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I was pretty surprised when they actually decided to bring Votto with them after spring training… I know he deserved it, but he was really on the cusp of not making it because of some twisted desire to play mediocre vets over amazing rookies…
Well, good for the boy from Etobicoke… I think he’s from Etobicoke… Well, somewhere in Ontario anyways…
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