By Chris Kline

May 5, 2004

 

ZEBULON, N.C.--Carolina Mudcats center fielder Eric Reed is on his third round of batting practice, first working on taking balls the other way. He then spends two rounds working on turning on inside fastballs.

 

The second pitch leaves the yard, soars high over the left-field wall and bounces off the building that serves as the visiting clubhouse. Home runs haven't exactly come easy for Reed, who hit his first professional homer in 823 at-bats in the second game of the season--a game in which he went 4-for-5.

 

While he now has two homers more than he had in two pro seasons, small ball is still the game for the 5-foot-11, 170-pound leadoff hitter.

 

"It felt good to finally hit a couple," said Reed, a lefthanded hitter. "I'm getting to know the strike zone a little better, and I know guys are going to try to bust me in because I hit the ball the other way. Those first couple years, I worked on going away so much that I never worked on the ball in, so when they did throw it I never could catch up to it.

 

"Now I feel a lot more comfortable turning on balls--as long as I don't get away from going the other way. I've been working on it a lot in BP and hitting off tees. It's the same swing. You just have to get loaded a little quicker and get that foot down. I know I have a quick enough bat to turn on the inside fastball."

 

Reed fashions his game after two leadoff hitters of comparable size and ability--the Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki and the Marlins' Juan Pierre. Known to be a fan of both players' styles, Reed shrugs off the admiration for Ichiro.

 

"I definitely like and respect his game," Reed said. "But I wouldn't exactly say I'm a huge fan or anything. It's not like I have posters of him hanging up in my room, but yeah, when Seattle's on TV, I'm flipping around the channels until his next at-bat."

 

Currently second in the Southern League with 14 stolen bases (behind West Tenn's Dwaine Bacon's 16), Reed is hitting .358-2-6 in 106 at-bats. Stealing bags is an essential part of what Reed does, and his speed rates close to an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. But it takes more than just speed to be successful.

 

"I take a lot of pride in what I do on the bases," Reed said. "It's part of my job. You can have all the speed in the world, but if you don't study pitchers, you're going to have a tough time. I study guys all the time. I watch them warm up in the pen (and when they) throw their warm-ups between innings and just try to break them down. Sometimes it can be the littlest thing you see in a pitcher's stretch, but he's always showing you something."

 

Reed is also an excellent bunter, perhaps only second to Pierre in the system. He is fearless in laying one down, though his propensity to bunt with two strikes has declined this season.

 

"They got on me a little bit about that," Reed said. "Now they want me to swing away and protect the plate. I understand that, but I wouldn't be where I am now without my bunting. My job is to get on base any way I can and move around the bases. I set my goals pretty high this season--I want to get two hits a game. That's what I have to keep doing to make it to the big leagues."

 

While that goal seems lofty, Reed has five multi-hit games this season. But to make it to the big leagues as a leadoff hitter, he is going to have to make more consistent contact. Last season, Reed fanned 83 times in 514 at-bats while drawing 52 walks. This year, he's struck out 29 times and earned just five walks.

 

Still, after signing out of Texas A&M for the bargain price of $85,000, the ninth-round pick in 2002 is showing the Marlins they got a sweet deal. He's not a carbon copy of his Aggies predecessor, Jason Tyner, an all-speed, no-power hitter who has become a minor league journeyman. Reed's getting on base with regularity, stealing bases at an alarming rate and hitting for some power. Add to that his off the charts makeup and Reed's big league arrival could fit in nicely with the end of Pierre's contract after 2005.

 

"I'm just focused on the game and what I can do to be the best at what I do," Reed said. "That means keeping distractions away. That means not going out and messing around. I'm here to be a baseball player and I'm going to be the best one I can be."

when did the Miami Heat's play-by-play announcer sign with the Marlins?

when did the Miami Heat's play-by-play announcer sign with the Marlins?

Since Eric Reed was in spring training with the team and he's been with the organization a few years now, I guess a while.

could take over for JP if we dont resign him

when did the Miami Heat's play-by-play announcer sign with the Marlins?

Since Eric Reed was in spring training with the team and he's been with the organization a few years now, I guess a while. You do realize he was being sarcastic, right?

And I took so much crap for saying he was developing power. Eat my ass turds.

when did the Miami Heat's play-by-play announcer sign with the Marlins?

Since Eric Reed was in spring training with the team and he's been with the organization a few years now, I guess a while. You do realize he was being sarcastic, right?

thanks, Accord :cool

And I took so much crap for saying he was developing power. Eat my ass turds.

2 home runs is developing power? I think his ceiling is 10 dongs a year. You should probably cool it some, Sham. Besides, when was this debate of Reed developing power ever held?

And I took so much crap for saying he was developing power. Eat my ass turds.

2 home runs is developing power? I think his ceiling is 10 dongs a year. You should probably cool it some, Sham. Besides, when was this debate of Reed developing power ever held? 10HR is better than 0...which is the number JP put up last season. And I think 2 HR is developing power when you had hit 0 in your last 800AB and you move up a level and hit 2 within 100AB.

And I took so much crap for saying he was developing power.? Eat my ass turds.

2 home runs is developing power? I think his ceiling is 10 dongs a year. You should probably cool it some, Sham. Besides, when was this debate of Reed developing power ever held? 10HR is better than 0...which is the number JP put up last season. And I think 2 HR is developing power when you had hit 0 in your last 800AB and you move up a level and hit 2 within 100AB. Actually, Pierre did have a home run last season.

And I took so much crap for saying he was developing power. Eat my ass turds.

2 home runs is developing power? I think his ceiling is 10 dongs a year. You should probably cool it some, Sham. Besides, when was this debate of Reed developing power ever held? 10HR is better than 0...which is the number JP put up last season. And I think 2 HR is developing power when you had hit 0 in your last 800AB and you move up a level and hit 2 within 100AB. Pierre hit a homerun in that four-game Dodger's series last year. All because the wind was blowing at 40 mph out too.

 

 

 

Pierre I believe hit six homeruns with Colorado or maybe seven. Just an inflated number I suppose.

awesome

He hit 3HR with Colorado in 1300+ AB. He hit one homer in 1200+ minor league AB including zero in 500 Carolina AB.

 

This doesnt mean much of anything except that Reed might just develop average power where as before it looked like he might be a juan pierre clone without the plate discipline.

He hit 3HR with Colorado in 1300+ AB. He hit one homer in 1200+ minor league AB including zero in 500 Carolina AB.

 

This doesnt mean much of anything except that Reed might just develop average power where as before it looked like he might be a juan pierre clone without the plate discipline.

I dont think power is that important for a lead off hitter. That would lead to a lot of onerun home runs. I would rather my leadoff guy to be like Ichiro or JP. Guys who make a lot of contact and when they get on base can do some damage. Reed developing power, as you say, is good, but I hardly see him being a home run threat. In fact, developing power can ruin a guy's hitting approach. I would rather see Reed work on his bunts and just making contact. Everything in that article is good to me. I do see this guy eventually supplanting JP if he continues to develop. Funny, I just commented on this yesterday...