If you really like another prospect that's not on this list but is likely available in my league, throw him in the discussion here.

I'm looking for the best combination of upside and likelihood of becoming a good major leaguer. What do you know about these guys? Rank them or just evaluate the best one or two.

Reese Havens

Nick Weglarz

Devaris Gordon

Jemile Weeks

Ben Revere

Derek Norris

Brad Emaus

Sean Rodriguez

Brandon Crawford

 Andrew Lambo

I was just taking a look at the Nationals roster tonight and was impressed with the upside. There's certainly a LOT that can go wrong, but do they have an outside shot and being the surprise team of the National League if everything goes right?

C Jesus Flores - upside

1b Dunn - not too bad (at the plate, anyway)

2b Anderson Hernandez - yuck

3b Zimmerman - good, with very good upside

SS Guzman - yuck

OF Milledge - serious upside

OF Dukes - crazy, but serious upside

OF Willingham - solid

Bench: Kearns, Wily Mo, Nick Johnson

SP Scott Olsen, Daniel Cabrera, John Lannan, Shawn Hill, and Odalis Perez  - not very good, but again, some upside in Olsen and Cabrera

I know, this is a stretch...but if everything went right, this is a team that can shock people, and I haven't heard a thing about them.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2008/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3249319&lpo s=spotlight&lid=tab2pos2

I know this is almost heresy in these parts, and I didn't like the hire at the time, but is it OK to be excited after reading this article?                                                                

I was so excited when I was in college and the Reds traded for Griffey (although I never did understand the fixation for Pokey and the lack of it for Cameron).

Then, when he started playing, it felt like such a let-down. His difficulties with the media made him less likable to me, fair or not. His constant injuries made me feel like he wasn't quite the gamer I thought he should be (again, fair or not). And it's always felt like he doesn't love playing in Cincinnati as much as a die-hard Reds fan wants him to.

But something's happened this year for me. And really it's just been in the last few weeks. I think it has a lot to do with seeing Bonds get within striking distance of the record, while seeing Griffey climb the charts as a Red. But I've got both feet on the Griffey wagon now, after several years of relative disdain for the guy.

I'm incredibly excited that Junior is starting the All-Star game. I haven't looked forward to a "mid-summer classic" (right...) like this in a long time--since the Larkin days (which were far too few b/c of Ozzie F---ing Smith).

All this babbling to get to my main point: It's a shame that the game is in San Francisco. Anywhere else, Griffey would be the story. He would get a two-minute ovation while Bonds would get a two-minute standing boo, or at the least a very mixed reaction. And I think that would be proper and reflective of the thoughts of the baseball world at this point. As it stands, Bonds will get the massive ovation, and Griffey will get a nice cheer as well. But Junior deserves to be the story, because he is symbolic of what is RIGHT about this game, and most of the baseball world knows it.

THE END

...in consecutive losing months.

The Royals tonight clinched a winning June, ending a streak of 22 consecutive losing months. The Reds and Devil Rays will run their streak of losing months to 6 when June comes to a close. This is the longest current streak.

Sad that it's come to this...the Reds and DRays are in a league of their own.

BTW...The Trade was July 13, 2006. July 2006 began this streak of consecutive losing months.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2887994

One of my favorite writers, Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN.com, had a little something to say about the NL Central and the Reds in his latest article, a spinoff on the Scripps National Spelling Bee going on today. Kinda funny.

Hey, have the Reds really won three in a row? That's  a shame; they're ruining their chances at Pedro Alvarez.

From Trent:

http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/spring/

Dunn arrives early in great shape. He's determined to be much better than last year, and he wants to be a "great" LF.

Sounds good to me.
__________________________________

From Marc's TB blog:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/12/AR2007021201312.html

Nothing earth-shattering here, but it's a good read. I had not heard his sad story in such detail. Makes me wanna pull for him a little more.

__________________________________

This might have been posted/discussed earlier, but I figure now is a good time to take a look at our future. Here is BA's projected lineup for 2010.

C Miguel Perez (for lack of anyone else, I guess)
1b Joey Votto
2b Brandon Phillips
3b Edwin Encarnacion
SS Milton Loo (maybe a stretch?)
LF Adam Dunn
CF Drew Stubbs
RF Jay Bruce
No. 1 Starter Homer Bailey
No. 2 Starter Aaron Harang
No. 3 Starter Bronson Arroyo
No. 4 Starter Johnny Cueto
No. 5 Starter Travis Wood
Closer Sean Watson

That looks pretty cool to me. Maybe some of you with heavy toolbelts would be able to project how much money some guys like EE, Phillips, etc. would be making by 2010. I'd like to know what this lineup might cost.

As I noted, I don't think Perez will ever be the guy in Cincy. Maybe a 2007 pick (J.P. Arencibia-Tennessee) or F.A. will fill that void.

Seems there's also a lot of faith being placed in Stubbs and Loo. The thing I'm comfortable with about Stubbs is that even if he hits worse than Mike Cameron, apparently his defense is gold glove quality right now, and there could be enough offense coming from other places that it won't matter.

This has been an exciting week!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2725555

I wonder if he's THEIR third catcher.

Let's review Chad Moeller: .184/.231/.276 in 2006 with 26 Ks in 98 ABs, hasn't hit better than .210 in three seasons, career .227 hitter

Javy Lopez isn't what he once was, I know. And it's likely that he'll spend some time on the DL this season. And he may suck defensively, I don't know. Furthermore, I'm not saying the Reds should have signed Javy Lopez. Just saying, the Reds rushed out to sign Chad Moeller like two months ago. Waiting until this time of year to sign a crappy catcher like the Rockies did makes sense. I'm not trying rehash old arguments or complaints, but....

WTF Krivsky...