Reds' top draft picks will be on a fast track

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 12:44 AM Wednesday, August 19, 2009

CINCINNATI — They are going to start slow, but Mike Leake and Brad Boxberger will be riding the fast track for the Cincinnati Reds — if they earn it.

When general manager Walt Jocketty included pitching prospects Josh Roenicke and Zach Stewart in the trade for Scott Rolen, he talked about replenishing the pitching supply with Leake and Boxberger, the team's top two draft picks in June.

"They are quality pitchers from quality college programs (Arizona State, Southern California) and they should be able to move up quickly," said Jocketty.

Both are signed and headed for Sarasota, but they won't pitch for a while. They'll be assigned to the Gulf Coast Rookie League Reds in Sarasota, where they will be worked out and evaluated, "Then maybe pitch in a fall league or the fall instructional leaage," said Jocketty.

Both were in Great American Ball Park Tuesday, playing Meet the Press before heading for Sarasota.

"I'd like to be here as quickly as possible, do my job and do it well," said Leake, listed at 6-foot-0 but admits he is 5-10. "It's all on my shoulders and hopefully if I do well I'll be moved up quickly.

"I'm flattered the Reds wanted me because I'm not typical, not at 5-10," he said. "I'm glad they had the trust to pick me and hopefully I can do something special here. I've been trying to get back in shape, mostly doing long toss and working out in my garage and at my old high school. And I've been in San Diego doing some surfing on the longboard.

Leake said he knows more about Reds tradition (from long ago) than he thought he did and said he gave all the wrong answers the first time he was asked about it. He's learning fast.

"I'm aware of the background and the rich tradition they have," he said. "Hopefully we can be a part of re-inventing The Red Machine."

Uh, Mike. It's The BIG Red Machine. But he'll learn.

Cueto up in air

It is looking more-and-more as if Johnny Cueto won't take his turn Friday in Pittsburgh, probably replaced by Micah Owings, so Cueto can rest his tired arm.

"We monitored him about as close as you can monitor a guy," said manager Dusty Baker. "He has pitched a lot and he is a strong kid, but he is not a big kid, especially for a pitcher."

Asked about Edinson Volquez's Tommy John surgery and Cueto's tired arm, Baker said, "They are two different animals. Volquez has a more violent delivery than Cueto. Cueto has a better natural delivery, but part of Volquez's deception is his delivery.

"It's frustrating, but this is how it works," Baker added. "There are some other guys around baseball that I'm hearing are being shut down for a period of time, for the dead arm period."

A different tuneup

Nearly every day, when the ball park is empty and nobody is on the field, Adam Rosales emerges from the dugout carrying a bat and two baseballs.

He walks toward the outfield and stops on the right field line. He flips a ball in the air and lashes a line drive to the wall in left center. Then he hits the other ball. Then he sprints to the wall to the retrieve the balls and smacks them back to the foul line and runs after them.

"I try to do it every day," he said. "I hit nothing but line drives so I get good extension on the bat. Just a little drill. It helps generate power. And it's nice being out there by yourself taking it all in. I figure I'll chase the balls then and the fielders can chase them in games."

Quote of the day

Somebody said when they used to play baseball by a graveyard and nobody would go after the ball if it rolled by grave marker and Adam Rosales said, "Yeah, I guess the ball would be dead."

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