I think the Reds will give the Cubs the most competition in the Central this year. As the season moves on, check out the progress of thes young guys. Bruce and Votto are monsters at the plate.

Jay Bruce
Joey Votto
Homer Bailey
Johnny Cuteto
Edinson Volquez

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

That's right, dude!

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"It's not exactly a rocket surgery." D.J.

edison volquez has been a "stud in waiting" for years, and he barely cracked the rangers' dismal rotation last season.

homer bailey has stuff and needs a lot of finishing. maybe the 200+ innings dusty will have him on the mound this year will help him along....

joey votto is the bigger of the bats, and even then, he's a guy who on any other team would see time in the minors to begin the season, but since the reds' only other choice at 1B would be adam dunn (who they're keeping in LF) or scott hatteberg (bad), he gets the start.

the reds will win 85 games if they play out of their minds, but i believe that's their ceiling. the cubs, brewers, and astros are the true contenders in the division.

BASEBALL AMERICA'S TOP 50 PROSPECTS
2008 Edition

1. Jay Bruce, of, Reds
2. Evan Longoria, 3b, Rays
3. Joba Chamberlain, rhp, Yankees
4. Clay Buchholz, rhp, Red Sox
5. Colby Rasmus, of, Cardinals
6. Cameron Maybin, of, Marlins
7. Clayton Kershaw, lhp, Dodgers
8. Franklin Morales, lhp, Rockies
9. Homer Bailey, rhp, Reds
10. David Price, lhp, Rays
11. Travis Snider, of, Blue Jays
12. Matt Wieters, c, Orioles
13. Jacoby Ellsbury, of, Red Sox
14. Andrew McCutchen, of, Pirates
15. Jake McGee, lhp, Rays
16. Brandon Wood, ss/3b, Angels
17. Wade Davis, rhp, Rays
18. Mike Moustakas, ss, Royals
19. Elvis Andrus, ss, Rangers
20. Fernando Martinez, of, Mets
21. Rick Porcello, rhp, Tigers
22. Carlos Gonzalez, of, Athletics
23. Matt LaPorta, of, Brewers
24. Nick Adenhart, rhp, Angels
25. Jordan Schafer, of, Braves
26. Gio Gonzalez, lhp, Athletics
27. Chris Marrero, 1b/of, Nationals
28. Jason Heyward, of, Braves
29. Adam Miller, rhp, Indians
30. Kosuke Fukudome, of, Cubs
31. Andy LaRoche, 3b, Dodgers
32. Chase Headley, 3b, Padres
33. Angel Villalona, 3b/1b, Giants
34. Johnny Cueto, rhp, Reds
35. Deolis Guerra, rhp, Twins
36. Brett Anderson, lhp, Athletics
37. Jose Tabata, of, Yankees
38. Ian Stewart, 3b, Rockies
39. Reid Brignac, ss, Rays
40. Lars Anderson, 1b, Red Sox
41. Austin Jackson, of, Yankees
42. Jeff Clement, c, Mariners
43. Josh Vitters, 3b, Cubs
44. Joey Votto, 1b/of, Reds
45. Ian Kennedy, rhp, Yankees
46. Jarrod Parker, rhp, Diamondbacks
47. Geovany Soto, c/1b, Cubs
48. Daric Barton, 1b, Athletics
49. Jair Jurrjens, rhp, Braves
50. Matt Antonelli, 2b, Padres

I read this wrong the first time.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Baseball America : Baseball :: U.S. News : News

alternately

Baseball America : baseball :: Huey Lewis & The News : news
Baseball America : baseball :: News Corp. : news

That's a strange list. Fukudome is a "prospect'? I understand that technically he can be considered as such, but I'm guessing not many prospects have ever been signed for $48 million+.

By the way - the White Sox future is looking BRIGHT according to that list. Aren't they counting on a couple of their "prospects" at the ML level this year? 68 wins....max.

_________________

Look again. Gio Gonzalez is #26.

Did Soto refuse an autograph for you, NSJ? Why can't he get bold font at #47?

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Baseball America lists imports as prospects. I know for sure Tadahito Iguchi was listed as a top prospect before his first year with the Sox, despite his age being the same as Fukodome's (not only do few prospects get paid that kind of money, never will you find the word prospect applied to someone breaking 30).

Thankfully, the White Sox don't have to count on any positional players as prospects (as there are none) with the Cabrera and Swisher signings, failing injury. The young pitchers they'll have in the rotation (Danks, Floyd) and the pen (Wasserman, Thornton) qualify as major leaguers at this point due to service time and projected placement, so you shouldn't find them on the list. Problem is, yeah, there's next to nothing behind those guys in the farm system.

For those who miss Dusty, Corey, Jerry OR who want to see stoneroses go down:

Reds/Yankees, 7:15, FSN Ohio

Jay Bruce CF
Scott Hatteberg DH
Ken Griffey Jr. RF
Brandon Phillips 2B
Adam Dunn LF
Edwin Encarnacion 3B
Joey Votto 1B
Javy Valentin C
Paul Janish SS

Homer Bailey P

Yankees are running out the A lineup:

Johnny Damon CF
Drek Jetrer SS
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jason Giambi 1B
Jorge Posada C
Hideki MatSui DH
Nick Green 2B
Brett Gardner LF

Joba Chamberlian P

all these guys are suspects not prospects. i vaguly remember brian anderson and mark sweeney being high on this list. same for cory patterson

I'm surprised you're surprised, KS.

From today's Tribune . . .

Pitchers young and old are shining in Cincinnati's camp. Lefty Kent Mercker, 40, is making a nice comeback after missing 2007 with Tommy John surgery. Edinson Volquez struck out eight Yankees in four innings, and one AL scout says Johnny Cueto has been the best pitcher in Florida. Cueto, who stands only 5 feet 10 inches, throws easy heat, running radar guns up to 97-98 this spring. …

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com ... 7206.story

In Florida?? I hope he made someone's fantasy team. It's confirmed. He's a starter.

there's a ton of legit dudes who are simply unavailable, either due to Nas's league settings or Yahoo not having an entry for them.

Let's see what the 20 year old does in his FIRST MLB game tomorrow for the 1-1 Reds.

Did anyone see the game against AZ tonight. A three run shot in the bottom of the ninth to win it. Classic Reds baseballl.

Are you Joe Morgan?

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Good catch, Frank, but no. Did you see the guy's comment in the Dawn Trice comments section on race relations? I spit out my coffee.

I liked him then, but think he's a prick now. I prefer Ron Oester and Brandon Phillips.

Ill be home tomorrow, and because I know I wont be the only one wanting to discuss Cueto, Ill try and catch the game tomorrow if its still on the free preview from DirecTV.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Perfect game with 7 strikeouts thru 4.

Perfect game with 8 strikeouts thru 5.

You're going to jinx him

Cueto's day is done.

7IP, 1H, 1ER, 10K, 0BB.

92 Pitches / 68 for Strikes.

Cuteto goes tonight against the Brew Crew. I'm sure there are Cub fans rooting for him tonight, not to mention a certain Fantasy player of the Italian persuasion.

Who's throwing for the Brewers? Suppan?

It'll be interested to see how he does against that line up in that ball park.

_________________
"Tubby? Oh yes, Tubby."

Yep. I wish I had the package. I may have to order one month of MLB on the internet.

mlb needs a network like NBATV or the NFL Network. How has this not happend yet?

_________________
"Tubby? Oh yes, Tubby."

Dusty left Cueto in too long. Patterson saved him with an RBI, but Cueto gives up his second ER in the 7th.

6.1 IP, 8K, 2 ER.