Brandon

Bats: Left

Throws: Left

POS

Brandon added velocity to the league's best pitching mechanics and became dominant. With the unlimited batter rule in the sixth and seventh inning, we used him to close games, and he didn't disappoint, saving a raft of games, including the league championship, when he K'ed 6 batters over two innings. He also became a dependable shortstop - not easy for a left-hander, and stepped up his hitting another level, breaking into the top 25 in hits and batting average in team history. Throw in great baserunning and a terrific attitude and it's no wonder that was voted the league's co-Most Valuable Player. Will move to Peewee in 2009. Justin Morneau - Minnesota Twins/Johan Santana - New York Mets AKA - "Lights Out" Batted - .591 (26-44)

Brennon

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

POS

We'd love him to get to games a little more often, because when he does, Brennon shows signs of rapid improvement. He's already developing a very good batting eye, and showed a greater willingness to swing this season. What isn't reflected in the batting average below is a key hit in the championship game that started a key rally. Brennon displays good speed on the basepaths, and a strong arm that should see him take the mound at least a few times in 2009. Reed Johnson - Chicago Cubs AKA - "Killer B" Batted - .125 (2-16)

Brooke

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

POS

Like her twin brother Brandon, Brooke has developed into an impact player over her three years with the Reds. In 2008, she became our regular first baseman and was as dependable as anyone in the league. She also became much more confident and aggressive at the plate and hiked her batting average 250 points while hitting with much more power. She also pitched a number of innings, a skill we'd like her to continue to develop. Finished 5th in league MVP voting and was our 2008 Coaches Choice Winner. Will move to Peewee in 2009. Kevin Youkilis - Boston Red Sox AKA - "Bad News" Batted - .438 (14-32)

Carlos

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

POS

Carlos' development into a dependable third pitcher is perhaps the number one reason the team 3-peted in 2008. Down the stretch he found his command and his confidence and pitched a number of huge playoff innings, including two in the league championship. At bat, his prodigious power continued to improve and he sent many an outfielder scrambling. We even saw a little more hustle and speed on the base paths, which is good news, as he will head to Peewee next year, where the bases are spread further apart and leadoffs are legal. Winner of the 2008 Silver Slugger Award. Troy Glaus - St. Louis Cardinals/Jesse Litsch - Toronto Blue Jays AKA - "Captain Crunch" Batted - .414 (12-29)

David

Bats: Left

Throws: Right

POS

A hustling rookie, David arrived in the spring with very good raw skills and turned into a very valuable player. Has tremendous power, but lets go of the bat with one hand during his swing, so he often swung one-handed, sapping his power. This became so exaggerated that he became perhaps the only player in the history of baseball to whack himself on the knuckles with the bat on his follow through. Used his strong throwing arm to become a dependable third baseman, and made a series of tremendous diving plays down the stretch and into the playoffs. Our Gold Glove winner. Moves to Peewee in 2009. Eric Chavez - Oakland Athletics AKA - "Big Dog" Batted - .457 (16-35)

Debbie

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

POS

Another raw rookie, Debbie improved in every aspect of her game this season. Her central skill is speed, which she put to good use in the outfield, hustling after everything hit her way. She also became a very effective base stealer, and was on base all the time, including three times in the league championship. Began to swing the bat as the season progressed, and has the potential to become a solid hitter. Will look for her first base hit in 2009. Jay Payton - Baltimore Orioles AKA - "Speed Demon"

Derick

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

POS

In his final year as a Red, Derick became a dominant top of the rotation pitcher, improving his control to go along with solid velocity. He became our starter, meaning he had to battle the best hitters on opposing teams almost every game. Also a top catcher, Derick mowed down many would-be base stealers and helped to develop some of our younger pitchers. His countless hours of extra batting practice paid off in a big way, as he shattered the club record for batting average, and became just the second Red to crack 40 hits. He also added an in-the-park homer to his resume. With his .930 average (he batted a bed time!) he was the league's runaway Batting Champ. Moves to Peewee in 2009. Albert Pujols - St. Louis Cardinals/Daisuke Matsuzake - Boston Red Sox AKA - "Dice-K" Batted - .930 (40-43)

Domenic

Bats: Left

Throws: Left

POS

Another Reds rookie, Domenic had never played organized ball before, but brought a decent skill set with him. Made some key plays at second base, including a game saver against the Dodgers, but often used his strong arm to great effect in the outfield. Also pitched in a couple of games, and certainly has both the arm strength and accuracy to do more of that in the future. Domenic's batting was a little raw, but what the average below doesn't show is that he had a number of key playoff hits, including a pair of 2-out, 2-run singles against the Dodgers that were the key to the game. Moves to Peewee in 2009. Travis Snider - Toronto Blue Jays AKA - "Dominator" Batted - .130 (3-23)

Ian

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

POS

2009 is supposed to be Ian's rookie year, though he's obviously off to a bit of a head start. Became the youngest player in team history to collect 20 hits. Very solid fundamental player already, showing off textbook slides and bunts (though we're probably going to outlaw the bunting soon, as our philosophy is "Why bunt when you can hit it to the fence?"). Loves to catch and became a fine receiver in 2008, catching the bulk of the championship game. With the bulk of the roster moving on, Ian figures to be one of our primary pitchers in 2009. Dustin Pedroia - Boston Red Sox AKA - "The Future" Batted - .512 (21-41)

Julian

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

POS

Julian came into the league with some experience from Toronto Playgrounds, and it showed. He brought with him a solid glove, a steadily improving throwing arm and a very reliable bat. A heady player with a good attitude, Julian pounded out a number of big hits for us this season and became a reliable bat in the middle of the order. A tough guy to keep out of the lineup, Julian insisted on playing even after twisting a knee. Moved out of the area at season's end, he'll be a great addition to whatever team he plays for in 2009. Kevin Millar - Baltimore Orioles AKA - "The Hitman" Batted - .361 (13-36)

Kevin

Bats: Left

Throws: Right

POS

This was Kevin's first year playing baseball, and he took to it quite well, becoming a dangerous hitter almost immediately. No fear at the plate and a powerful left-handed swing. Has a strong arm, though not much of an idea what to do with it. Yet. Didn't make it games down the stretch or in the playoffs. We're hopeful that that was due to vacation and that he'll return in 2009. Adam Lind - Toronto Blue Jays Batted - .368 (7-19)

Nima

Bats: Left

Throws: Left

POS

Nima's catching and throwing skills took some huge steps forward this season, her first in organized baseball. At the plate, she was on base all the time, mostly out of a near complete refusal to swing! Started to get over that late in the season, and even made her first contact in a game. We've seen her hit in practice, so it's only a matter of time before she collects that first base hit. Improved her baserunning a lot over the course of the season, and is now a potent weapon on the bases. Returns to the Reds in 2009. DeWayne Wise - Chicago White Sox AKA - "The Rifle"

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