Sunday, October 20, 2002
Reds Insider: Aramboles 'real deal'
Reds prospect could be like Angels' F-Rod
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Watching the postseason, it's been hard not to notice Francisco Rodriguez, a 20-year-old Anaheim Angels right-hander.
Rodriguez pitched in five big league games before this postseason. But during the playoffs, he has made hitters from the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins look silly.
Every organization in baseball has to be saying: “Do we have a guy like Rodriguez?”
So, do the Reds?
“(Ricardo) Aramboles could be that easily,” said Tim Naehring, the Reds' director of player development. “When he's healthy, he's the real deal.”
Aramboles, 21, was healthy again in the Instructional League after suffering through an injury-plagued season at Double-A Chattanooga. First, he suffered a broken bone in his hand while hitting, then had elbow problems that led to surgery.
Aramboles is a good answer to the Rodriguez question because he's the same age and throws as hard.
The Reds got Aramboles from the Yankees for Mark Wohlers in a trading-deadline deal in 2001. It was a good deal for the Reds because it reduced their payroll and gave them a chance to get someone who could be a dominant pitcher.
Aramboles, at 6 feet 4, 220 pounds, certainly looks like a dominant pitcher.
He was one of the last players cut by the Reds before Opening Day last year.
“I have had a lot of conversations with (general manager) Jim Bowden about him,” Naehring said. “He'll ask, “Who's your best Double-A pitcher?' I've said, "Aramboles.”'
So if the light goes on and Aramboles suddenly gets it, you could see him in a Reds uniform next year.
IL REPORT: Naehring liked what he saw during his visit to the Instructional League.
“We've got a lot of good baseball players,” he said, “guys who know how to play the game. Our talent level is up.”
That said, Naehring says there are no sure bets like current Reds outfielders Adam Dunn or Austin Kearns.
One player from last year's draft who impressed Naehring was Chris Denorfia, a center fielder who was the Reds' 19th-round pick in this year's draft out of Wheaton College in Connecticut.
Also impressive was Hector Danny Mateo, a 19-year-old shortstop who formerly was known as Danny Mateo.
THE REDS FACTOR: It's hard to pick a World Series winner based on what the Angels and San Francisco Giants did against Cincinnati, even though both proved they were far better than the Reds.
The Reds went 2-4 versus the Giants and 1-2 versus the Angels.
The Reds took two of three games from the Giants April 26-28. Those victories were the last two of a seven-game winning streak that moved the Reds into first place in the National League Central. The Giants swept the Reds May 3-5.
SCHEDULE: The Reds' 2003 schedule for August and September is virtually the same as it was for 2002. The difference: the home and road games are flopped. For example, the Reds closed 2002 at Chicago and Montreal. In 2003, they close with Chicago and Montreal at home.
That means the August schedule is much tougher - 21 of the Reds' 27 games are against teams that finished over .500 this year. Twenty of 26 September games are against teams that finished below .500 this year.
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Reds Insider: Aramboles 'real deal'
