Baseball America's John Manuel

[The Duke]

I don't like Manuel chats nearly as much because he answers about 1/4th the questions that Callis does. That said, I still got two. I knew having Bruce and Longoria in the same question would get a response ;D

Ben (Centerville, OH): In his first two starts in AA Daryl Thompson (Reds) has outpitched both Wade Davis and RIck Porcello going a combined 12 IP, 0 ER, 13 K, 1 BB, whats the BA scouting report on Thompson?

John Manuel: (2:16 PM ET ) Thompson's been on the radar since he was 17 in a depleted Expos farm system. He ranked 18th in the '04 Handbook for touching 94 mph and showing a loose arm despite funky mechanics. He's had some injury issues since then but he's always had velocity and the ability to spin a breaking ball. He might yet give the Reds some return on that much-derided Austin Kearns-Felipe Lopez deal with the Nats.

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Ben (Centerville, OH): Jay Bruce and Evan Longoria have both started slowly in AAA. Did their respective teams make the right call with a little more time in AAA or is this merely a little funk over not making the big club?

John Manuel: (2:27 PM ET ) Probably a bit of a funk from not making the team; I think that's human nature. Longoria has picked it up a bit of late, had a three-hit game the other day. I don't think anyone is worried about them after one slow week.

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[awnawboi21]

Good questions man.

I actually hadn't heard about how Thompson was doing. That's good to know. I'm quickly becoming a believer in him.

It's weird, after so long of not being able to produce pitchers and not really having a good outlook for the pitchers in our system, things are on the upswing now. I like it.

[starpower25]

I just to remind everyone that when everyone was complaining about the trade I said watch out for this young kid thompson.....lol

At the time people said I was crazy but I knew he was coming off arm issues and ig healthy he was a steal.

[The Duke]

Apr 9, 2008 21:10:45 GMT -5 starpower25 said:

I just to remind everyone that when everyone was complaining about the trade I said watch out for this young kid thompson.....lol

At the time people said I was crazy but I knew he was coming off arm issues and ig healthy he was a steal.

Looks like a good 5th starter to me next year:

Harang
Cueto
Volquez
Bailey
Thompson

With Lotzkar and hopefully this years #7 pick in the pipeline as well. The real question is how much can we get for Arroyo in the offseason as he starts to get expensive? Hopefully he can settle down and post about a 4 ERA and win 12-14 games.

[Lark11]

Apr 11, 2008 11:15:49 GMT -5 The Duke said:

Apr 9, 2008 21:10:45 GMT -5 starpower25 said:

I just to remind everyone that when everyone was complaining about the trade I said watch out for this young kid thompson.....lol

At the time people said I was crazy but I knew he was coming off arm issues and ig healthy he was a steal.

Looks like a good 5th starter to me next year:

Harang
Cueto
Volquez
Bailey
Thompson

With Lotzkar and hopefully this years #7 pick in the pipeline as well. The real question is how much can we get for Arroyo in the offseason as he starts to get expensive? Hopefully he can settle down and post about a 4 ERA and win 12-14 games.

Arroyo's contract extension was a mistake by Krivsky. We should have waited for him to repeat his performance, rather than throw away much of the value of his below market deal on the basis of a career year.

[GMBurchfield]

I wont call it a mistake because he is tradeable.