Terry Reynolds interview on Around the Minors

Cincinnati Reds Farm Director Terry Reynolds was on Around The Minors today with Jonathon Mayo and Lisa Winston on MLB Radio. The entire interview is available on milb.com or by clicking here for the direct link to the broadcast. I went ahead and made a transcript of the interview though. Now I am completely paraphrasing here with the questions and answers, but I typed it up as I listened, so its roughly accurate, but I may have it worded slightly different as I attempted to keep up. The questions asked by Winston or Mayo are in bold, while Terry Reynolds answers are in plain text.

ATM: Is there a Chance Votto is in Cincinnati in 07?

TR: No, I think Votto's path would be a full season in AAA. You can never predict what might happen, but his bat is bit ahead of his defense and he's going to need some time in AAA to play defense and improve in that area. But if he continues to hit the way he did last year in the Southern League those kind of bats are going to play sooner rather than later. Hopefully he continues down that same path and continues to improve defensively. Probably you are looking at 2008.

ATM: With Milton Loo, Chris Valaika and Paul Janish all playing SS, which of these guys to you see having the ability to move to second or third if and when that needs to happen?

TR: The nice part about that is, they all can play SS. With that being said, anybody that can do that can make the more to second without many problems. That's probably something that will happen later because you can never have too many shortstops. Janish will probably begin in AA, Valaika in one of the A ball teams and Loo depending on his spring will end up in Dayton or Billings.

ATM: What can you tell us about Johnny Cueto, his stuff, his timetable and what you like about him?

TR: He is right on Homers tail as far as performance that he has put up the last two summers. The difference in those two guys is probably their physical status, with Cueto being 6'0". He and Homer would be on similar timetables as far as moving one level at a time.

ATM: With Cueto coming from the international side, who are some other guys that stand out from that side of operations?

TR: The two guys who stood out for us in the instructional league the most were Phipps (Denis) and Francisco (Juan). Both of those guys have very good tools. Phipps is more of an all around athlete, while Francisco is a big strong left handed hitting third basemen with lots of power.

ATM: What chance does Josh Hamilton really have to make the team?

TR: I think he will be provided every real opportunity to make it. You don't make that selection without thinking he has a legit chance to make your club. That being said he has a lot of work to do, we have a lot of work to do to get him into camp, see where he is physically and see how he is mentally. Then see how he competes with the guys he will be competing with. As we all know when it comes to just raw physical ability, when this guy came out in the draft he was clearly the #1 pick that year, and he has only gotten bigger and stronger since then. He is in Florida and is taking BP and things like that, so I wouldn't bet against the guy. We would like to have him with the club even if he's not a regular, he can do a lot of things off the bench though, late inning defense replacement, pinch run, hit a HR....

ATM: Who are some of the sleepers you think people aren't talking about now, but will be after 2007?

TR: Paul Janish isn't really a sleeper, but is someone everyone in the organization feels has a chance to be a successful infielder at hte big league level and a guy who just is like a "throwback" type of guy. Outstanding fielder, excellent arm, gets the big hits when you need them, knows how to play the game. I think he is a guy who will continue to move at a fairly rapid pace if his health allows it. Sam Lecure will probably pitch at Chattanooga this year. He is one of those guys that you want on your side when you go out to play a game. He finds a way to beat people. Chris Dickerson who has as good of tools and a defender of anyone in the minors. He is coming off a surgery on his non dominant shoulder which has slowed him down over the course of the fall and into the spring, but we hope he is fully back during the course of the season. He is one of those guys who may move quick.

ATM: Is there anything Jay Bruce can't do?

TR: Well in my mind, no. You don't want to jinx a guy by saying something like that. Mentally and physically he has everything you want in a ball player. You can never predict injuries and you know you keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't happen. That being said if he stays healthy and on track there is no reason he cant be real good and a real productive outfielder in the big leagues for a long time.