Real small ball

[Redsfan1507]

And one more tool our guys don't consider much. Further making scouting us just a little easier, and a lot more like scouting teams without much talent. One more component of "underperforming".

 

[JohnU]

The ONLY reason I don't like the stolen base with this Reds team is that I don't think they are very good at it. That isn't about speed, but getting a look, a lead, a break and a decent slide at 2nd base. There have been a few steal attempts that flopped this year for any or all of those reasons.

Given the nature of the rest of the way this team hits, losing a baserunner -- period -- and an out ... it's too easy to pitch around the hot hitter and wait for the next guy to hit a hard 1-hopper to the third baseman.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I don't like stealing 2b with a lefty hitter at the plate- reduces the likelihood of a pulled hit, and in from of Votto, makes it a no brainer to pitch around him. They never try to steal with BP at the plate though, a righty hitter miscast as a cleanup hitter because of his high ground ball pct and low flyball pct...and downstream results are a high DP rate. Go figure.

 

[Redsfan1507]

You don't have to scout much on our Reds. Arroyo throws the curveball, and doesn't have a plus fastball. There are no LHSP, so just plug in your lefty hitters until you fly home on Sunday. They don't steal, except in 2 strike scenarios. Only pitchers bunt , usually. Hitters usually try to pull the ball, even in front of forced hitters, on pitches away. You don't have to get early count strikes to get outs on Reds swingaholics. Dusty doesn't usually walk your 8 hitter to setup a DP or force, and he'll pull his D in to help your 8 hitter be a hero. Don't get beat by Choo ( doesn't hit lefties much), Votto, or Bruce. Phillips can hit too, but won't beat you with a homer much, and disappears after getting HBP. Frazier will swing on 55 ft. breaking balls. Cozart likes the inside fastball, even ones he fouls off a foot inside. Dusty will be out of pitchers by the 9th inning of every game. Simple.

 

[JohnU]

OK, a shutout tonight by our No. 2 starter.
RailCats on a 7-game win streak. It's nice to have alternatives.
Plus ... a real home run tonight and only 3 stolen bases.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Minor league baseball is a weird circus, at least at the lower levels. The MLB affiliate edicts that some of the players be "developed" for the next level in whatever capacity they need them for. The ownership wants to sell tickets, concessions and turn a profit, which doesn't necessarily have to involve winning. The dugout staff is usually trying to walk the fence between those two, and get the hell up out of there to a better job. Most of the roster is deemed "organizational depth", which means they just don't want to forfeit if they promote 2 guys in a month. Trainers and med staff are long on tape and short on MRI's, the bus smells like McDonalds and the rooms smell like hookers. Fans cheer for mascots and pitchers are as wild as mountain goats. They take half your salary to cover "expenses" which includes laundering the uni that doesn't really fit you. They advise you to get an agent, which leaves you with about a used car payment, 4 pizzas and half a six pack a month left over. Bar girls are easy, their boyfriends are always in drunken, bad attitude crowds that look like a Billy Bob family reunion, and something on your body hurts everyday, even without being the featured attraction in the "live entertainment" sign in the window. The game is fun, but the other 20 hours a day is tough.

 

[JohnU]

And those 8-game winning streaks (yes, that's another sweep) are fun.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Which MLB affiliation are they ?

 

[JohnU]

Which MLB affiliation are they ?

Indy leagues are not affiliated. If MLB wants an indy league player, they have to buy his contract. There isn't trading with the affiliated teams.

A lot of indy guys are players who were formerly in affiliated and were released. A few undrafted, but not many. It's tough for an indy guy to get back up the ladder, mainly because the affiliated teams seldom want to admit their scouts fucked up on somebody.

So a lot of indy guys get signed, mostly as fodder ... catchers usually get a better chance if they speak Spanish. They get spring training gigs. Catching at the indy level is real tough to find.

Currently, there are 4 stable indy leagues -- American Association, which Gary is a member; the Frontier, which is for younger guys and is mostly in the Illinois-Indy-Michigan area (Florence, KY), the Can-Am, which isn't doing real well ... and the Atlantic, which has a 140-game schedule and is considered the top indy league, equal to AAA. A few others have come and gone ... the United, in Texas, is kind of a sham.

The Amer. Assoc. stretches from Gary all the way to Winnipeg and south to Laredo and El Paso. Travel is a mother fucker.

The indy franchises are owned the same way as affiliated teams are but they function within league rules and not MiLB rules. The GMs are usually the field managers, effectively, and build their own rosters, don't depend on getting guys assigned to them. There are eligibility restrictions and salary caps. All that matters over the way the teams are built. Can't have, for example, more than 4 veterans ... and must have 4 rookies. Definitions are fairly distinct.

So Gary would not ever play a game against the Dayton Dragons. MiLB wouldn't have it. The indy leagues are competition for affiliated ball.

 

[JohnU]

Here's the Gary ballpark. Built in 2002.

 

[JohnU]

Small ball -- when necessary.

This team has become amazing.

RailCatsBaseball.com - Mitchell Stuns Goldeyes with Walk-Off Homer

 

[JohnU]

Cats took a blow this week. Clay Zavada, their closer, was signed by the Padres organization. That's what makes indy ball unique. Ya never know. But that's why these guys keep hanging on. Just in case.