The not-so-sweet 16
With 41 players in camp, the Reds must decide who doesn't make the cut to 25
BY JOHN FAY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
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BRADENTON, Fla. - The Reds have 41 players in camp, 16 over the Opening Day limit.
Some of the trims are easy to figure out. Paul Wilson and Grant Balfour will start the season on the disabled list. William Bergolla, Jung Keun Bong, Andy Abad, Michael Gosling and Justin Germano probably are going to start the season at Triple-A. Chris Denorfia almost certainly will join them there. It's hard to imagine catcher Dane Sardinha making it.
Those nine moves get you to 32. That's still seven over the limit.
Making the last seven cuts won't be so easy.
"I hope it's not," Reds manager Jerry Narron said. "The guys we brought in have played well."
But we're officially at crunch time for those riding the roster bubble.
"Any time they go out on the field counts," general manager Wayne Krivsky said. "Not only from our standpoint, but other teams are scouting them as well."
Krivsky threw a major curveball to amateur roster trimmers when he traded for catcher David Ross on Tuesday. That might or might not be a prelude to a trade.
"I don't have that answer," Krivsky said. "It takes two to make a trade."
Narron said he has penciled in countless rosters.
"Every day since Oct. 3," he said. "Probably a dozen times a day.
"It's not that hard. Just write down the guys that have the team made and go from there."
OK, let's go, assuming the Reds' Opening Day roster will have 12 pitchers and 13 position players.
Nine pitchers have made the team: starters Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, Brandon Claussen, Eric Milton and Dave Williams, plus relievers David Weathers, Kent Mercker, Rick White and Chris Hammond.
That leaves three spots up for grabs for Matt Belisle, Mike Burns, Todd Coffey, Jake Robbins, Brian Shackelford and Ryan Wagner. All have options but Robbins, and he's on a minor-league contract.
The guess here is Belisle, Coffey and Wagner will make it.
Whoever doesn't will give the Reds' good depth at Triple-A, along with Gosling, Germano and Bong.
"That's the idea," Krivsky said. "You need depth."
As far as position players, 11 have the team made: catchers Jason LaRue and Javier Valentin; outfielders Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns; and infielders Rich Aurilia, Edwin Encarnacion, Ryan Freel, Scott Hatteberg, Felipe Lopez and Tony Womack.
That leaves two spots for Ross, Jacob Cruz, Frank Menechino, Matt Kata, Quinton McCracken and Dewayne Wise.
It's hard to imagine the Reds carrying three catchers, given the seasons LaRue and Valentin had. Menechino hasn't had a good spring at the plate (.120 average).
Wise has had a great spring as far as power - four home runs, seven RBI - but he has cooled off lately. McCracken is hitting .368.
Kata wouldn't get much playing time with Freel, Aurilia and Womack on the roster and second base the only job open.
Cruz has battled injuries and is hitting .167 this spring. But he had 20 pinch hits, a club record, last season.
There's a possibility Valentin would go into the Cruz role and the Reds would keep Ross.
Another cut is coming soon, but Reds fans could be a ways from finding out who's coming north.
"We have to have the roster set by Saturday (April 1) at midnight," Krivsky said. "Or is it Sunday (April 2) at midnight?"
It's midnight Saturday, April 1.
We'll stay tuned.
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