Reds announce non-roster invitees
The Reds have announced the names of eleven players who are being to invited to spring training as non-roster players:
Among the names with big league experience are outfielder Laynce Nix and lefty reliever Aaron Fultz, who were signed to Minor League contracts last month.
Catcher Ryan Jorgensen, who was in the Twins’ organization last season and appeared in two big league games, is back with Cincinnati. Jorgensen spent most of 2007 with Triple-A Louisville, but in four games with the Reds, he batted .200 with two home runs and six RBIs. He was later suspended for 50 games for violating the league’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Outfielder Darnell McDonald has 42 games of big league experience with the Orioles and Twins, and he spent all of last season with Minnesota’s Triple-A club at Rochester, where he batted .268 with 11 homers and 57 RBIs.
Also invited were pitchers Ron Flores, Jeff Kennard and Adam Pettyjohn, who pitched in three games for the Reds last season, along with catcher Chris Kroski, infielders Wes Bankston, Kevin Barker and Luis Bolivar. Bankston, a corner infielder, played 17 games for the A’s last season.
In a bit of a surprise, top Reds prospects such as shortstops Chris Valaika and Todd Frazier and outfielder Drew Stubbs did not receive invites to big league camp.
I’m not the only one surprised that Stubbs, Valaika, and Frazier haven’t been invited to the major league training camp. I can’t imagine why those guys have been left off the list. You’d think they would benefit from working with the big club for a few weeks, though none of them are likely to make the major league roster on Opening Day.
January 7th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
It was obvious that Stubbs, Valaika and Frazier weren’t really going to make the club this year, but I don’t see what harm would be done in bringing them to Spring Training, except maybe there would be less playing time for them there?
That’s the only reason I can come up with
January 7th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong but since players on the 40-man roster get automatic invites to spring training “top prospects” Juan Francisco and Yonder Alonso will be at Spring Training, right?
I don’t know that it is all that surprising. No one expected those guys to make the team out of spring training. So if they are mid-year call ups at best, isn’t the better determination of their readiness performance in AAA?
January 7th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Those guys will be in minor league camp and will probably get a little time in big league st games but will get more play in the minor league st games. I think a lot of playing time needs to be given to Gonzalez if he’s ready, Keppinger to see if he’s back to form, and several of these other question mark players. You could make a case for Stubbs though, it seems like Dickerson got a couple years of exposure in spring training with the big club.
January 7th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Could it be something on how many days they spend in the major league camp adding up to something towards ‘major league experience’, which changes something dealing with payroll or free agency?
Baseball does have some funky rules on that kind of stuff, so I would not doubt that might be the case.
January 7th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
spring training participation has no bearing on Major League service time
January 7th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
They aren’t fast enough.
January 8th, 2009 at 5:36 am
Kennard is a local talent from Centerville. He throws very hard, but I don’t know how his control and other pitches have developed.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:43 am
I have no idea why they did it, but do wonder what kind of message it sends to these young players…”has beens and never was” players from outside the organization get invites, but developed players do not?
January 8th, 2009 at 8:11 am
Good call, Chris! That must be it. Not enough havoc.
January 8th, 2009 at 11:52 am
I think Stubbs got a big reality check in the Arizona Fall League. His quick rise through the system took a step back with that one. Not being invited to the big league camp just might be reinforcing that concern.
I think if he struggles this spring he could find himself in AA to start the year.
January 8th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
What about Danny Dorn? Isn’t the guy Doug says is ready or close to ready for the big leagues? He’s not on the 40-man roster now, so there’s no automatic invite.
January 8th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Aside from Nix, how do any of these other ten possibly help the club? I’d want to know that before commenting further.
I would have liked to see Valaika in spring training.
January 9th, 2009 at 3:27 am
The only reason those guys aren’t there is because there is a great chance they outperform many of the guys in the invite and when they get sent down to the minors the Reds then would have to answer why their better players are in the minors.