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Reds Tidbits (2006 Season)

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Monday, April 10, 2006
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Monday, April 10, 2006
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And yet they put Freel on the bench and start Womack. :roll1:

PIRATES 5 | REDS 3
Defense, offense let Williams down in loss
Monday, April 10, 2006
Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CINCINNATI — Dave Williams took the philosophical route in accepting what happened yesterday in his first start and loss for the Reds in Great American Ball Park. "We’ve been scoring runs all week," Williams said. "It was just one of those days. As far as the offense, we did what we had to do. We just came up a little short."
A shrug seemed a better idea than a fist through the wall because Williams knew that the offensive faucet eventually had to turn off. The Reds averaged 7.8 runs in the first five games of the season — the second-most robust start in team history — and even Pittsburgh had to win sometime.
The Pirates salvaged the finale of the four-game series with a 5-3 victory that marked their first win in seven tries in ’06. Yet Pittsburgh could have gone home empty had the Reds played a cleaner defensive game and the bullpen not allowed two runs after Cincinnati closed to 3-2.
Philosophy, though, held sway. On Tuesday, Cincinnati begins a six-game road swing through Chicago and St. Louis with a 4-2 record.
"We won four out of six," center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. said. "If we win four out of six for the rest of the year, how many wins is that? We’d have over 100 victories. That would be nice."
Better play, he acknowledged, is possible.
"We just need to relax and not make so many mistakes on defense," Griffey said. "(The mistakes) aren’t because of a lack of effort. But if we do those two things we’ll be fine. When you relax, you’re going to be more consistent and you’re going to play better defense."
Griffey made a long run to the wall in left-center field in the seventh inning in an attempt to catch Freddy Sanchez’s long drive off reliever Matt Belisle. The ball hit off the heel of his glove and fell for a double. Sanchez later scored on a double by Chris Duffy. When Jason Bay drove in Duffy with a sacrifice fly, the Pirates led 5-2.
Griffey, who doubled in a run in the sixth, delivered another RBI double in the eighth. But Pittsburgh relievers Mike Gonzalez and Roberto Hernandez shut down the Reds after that. Cincinnati manager Jerry Narron knows that his relief pitchers allowed 12 runs in the series.
"The big thing is they’re going to continue to pitch," he said. "We’re not going to hide anybody. They’re going to pitch and they’re going to have to get some guys out. That’s just how this game is."
Narron was happy with Williams (0-1) and pointed out that two fielding errors cost him. In the fourth, catcher Javier Valentin and first baseman Scott Hatteberg collided while trying to catch Joe Randa’s two-out foul pop. Valentin received the error and Randa walked. Williams faced two more batters before getting the third out.
An inning later, third baseman Edwin Encarnacion’s throwing error allowed Victor Santos (1-0) to reach first. Jack Wilson broke the scoreless tie with a two-run homer. Williams remained philosophical.
"That’s baseball," he said. "A lot of times when errors occur, no matter what your position, you just try to pick up your teammates. That’s my job. It’s not a time to lay down because that’s when the offense tries to get their little thing going. You just try to pick them up. We do go to their place (in May). Hopefully, it’ll turn around and be in my favor next time."
[email protected]
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Phillips just happy to be given a new opportunity
Monday, April 10, 2006
Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>TONY TRIBBLE | ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Reds catcher Javier Valentin and first baseman Scott Hatteberg fail to catch a foul hit by Joe Randa. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

CINCINNATI — Infielder Brandon Phillips happily ended his brief exile from baseball yesterday by putting on a Reds uniform for the first time and taking a whirlwind tour of the home clubhouse.
"Everybody seemed nice," he said. "Everybody welcomed me here. To tell you the truth, I’m very happy to be here. Everything is going good so far."
Phillips, 24, spent a week at his home in Stone Mountain, Ga., after the Cleveland Indians designated the former can’t-miss prospect for assignment at the end of spring training. The Reds acquired him Friday for cash or a player to be named and added him to the crowded middle-infield mix with Felipe Lopez, Tony Womack, Ryan Freel and Rich Aurilia.
"I was at home working out," Phillips said. "It was hard. I was getting frustrated, just being without a team. So I’m here and I’m loving Cincinnati. My favorite player growing up was Barry Larkin. So it’s nice being on the same team that he played for. I think I’m going to have fun."
He also will get a chance to resurrect his career, although the opportunity begins with Phillips backing up at shortstop and second base. He doubled and scored in the sixth inning of the 5-3 loss to Pittsburgh. But Phillips isn’t going to be choosy about his role.
"Right now, I want to come here and get my feet wet," Phillips said. "Whatever their plans are, when I do get the chance to play I’m just going to try to go out there and give it my all. Whatever happens, happens."
Phillips was 22 when he won the second base job with the Indians in 2003. He ultimately lost the position to Ronnie Belliard.
"My rookie season, I got caught up in the atmosphere," Phillips said. "I ended up hitting a walk-off home run and I said, ‘Man, that felt good.’ It was all rookie did this, rookie did that . . . all the talk and the publicity. It really hurt me.
‘‘When I got sent down, I got (angry). It was my first time ever like accepting failure. I’m glad that happened, because if you don’t fail, you never know what you need to work on. So everything is good."
Extra bases
Catcher Jason LaRue (right knee) won’t come off the 15-day disabled list today when he is eligible. Instead, LaRue will catch Paul Wilson (right shoulder) in an extended spring training game Tuesday in Sarasota. . . . When Dave Williams walked Jeromy Burnitz with two outs in the fourth inning, it was the first base on balls issued by a Cincinnati starting pitcher in 29 innings. . . . Austin Kearns had his team-best, season-opening hitting streak end at five games.
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Cincy

4/11/06

Stuck in the middle

Reds' task: Keep infielders happy on regular basis

BY KEVIN KELLY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->The Reds approached Austin Kearns with an unconventional idea when the 2004 season ended.

Would the right fielder be willing to spend 10 days in Florida learning how to play third base and then follow a prescribed workout regimen for two months while at home in Lexington?

If Kearns agreed to the experiment, and it worked, the Reds could keep his bat in the lineup, address a deficiency in the infield and play outfielder Wily Mo Peña regularly the following season.

I did it because I thought if I could get by playing third it would help the team," said Kearns, who had not played third base since rookie ball in 1998. "Wily Mo would play every day in right field and I would've gotten to play every day at third."

The experiment ended that December when the Reds signed free agent third baseman Joe Randa and became an even more distant memory when Peña was traded to the Red Sox last month.

But it showed the lengths to which a team, and a player, will go when there is a surplus at a position.

The Reds face a similar quandary now in the middle infield.

Friday's acquisition of Brandon Phillips from the Indians gives the Reds five middle infielders for manager Jerry Narron to choose from and find innings for.

"I've got some decisions to make every day on who plays," Narron said. "There's going to be a player or two that could be playing every day on the bench every night ...

"They have all been ready to play even when they didn't get the start.

What I like about it so far is they've all contributed."

The first six games of the season provided a glimpse of how Narron will attempt to keep everyone content while formulating the best lineup on a given day.

Felipe Lopez started every game at shortstop.

Rich Aurilia played in all six games. A shortstop throughout his career, Aurilia made three starts at first base, one at third base and entered two games as a pinch-hitter.

Tony Womack, who bats left-handed, led off and played second base the three times a right-handed pitcher started for the visiting team.

Ryan Freel, who bats right-handed, made three starts at second base and batted leadoff with a left-hander on the mound.

Phillips debuted as a pinch-hitter Sunday and hit a double.

"Part of my job is to make sure I get them into spots where they can be successful," Narron said. "My first priority is to give our team a chance to win every night by putting the best team on the field.

"I don't think or foresee that they're going to lose value in the way I'm going to use them."

So how does a player cope when there are too many players, too few positions and not enough innings?

There exists no instruction manual to serve as a guide.

"Playing one game and sitting down, it can get frustrating if you're not mentally tough," Lopez said. "You've just got to stay focused and keep working at it."

Groomed as Barry Larkin's successor, Lopez took over as the Reds' starting shortstop last season when Aurilia went on the disabled list May 11.

"One thing is accepting your role," said Lopez, who subsequently enjoyed one of the finest offensive seasons by a Reds shortstop. "I was in the position last year where I didn't want to accept my role. I was young and had a lot of confidence in my abilities. So I just kept battling."

Kearns said a surplus situation is easier to handle when younger and less-established players are involved.

"When you first come up as a rookie, your first or second year, you're so happy to be here and will pretty much do whatever they want," he said. "But there comes a time when you want to establish yourself and be the everyday guy.

"You want people to look at you as an everyday player, not as a guy who's in a utility role or plays two to three times a week. I can definitely see where it might be frustrating for those guys."

Aurilia and Phillips will be Lopez's primary backups. Aurilia also plays second, third and first base.

Phillips is a natural second baseman who spent last season playing shortstop in the minors.

Freel plays the infield and outfield. Second base figured to be his and Aurilia's to vie for until the Reds acquired Womack in December from the Yankees.

"We're winning and that's the most important thing," Freel said. "But it's frustrating as well. I know I can help this team win. Coming off the bench is a little bit tougher than starting a game.

"Time will tell. It's still early and we're winning. That's the most important thing. It's a lot easier to cope with."

E-mail [email protected]
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On deck: Reds at Cubs<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=storytext bgColor=#eeeeee>Today: Reds at Cubs, 2:20 p.m., Wrigley Field, Game 1 of three-game series
Radio: WLW-AM (700)
Who's on the mound: Reds right-hander Bronson Arroyo (1-0, 4.05) makes his second start of the season. The Cubs will throw lefty Glendon Rusch (0-1, 9.00)
Arroyo vs. Cubs: Will be making his second consecutive start and seventh career appearance against the Cubs. He allowed three earned runs on six hits over 62/3 innings Wednesday. In three career games at Wrigley Field, Arroyo is 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA.

Wednesday: Reds at Cubs, 2:20 p.m., Wrigley Field
TV: WGN
Radio: WLW-AM (700)
Who's on the mound: Reds LH Brandon Claussen (0-0, 5.40) vs. Cubs RH Greg Maddux (1-0, 1.42)

Thursday: Reds at Cubs, 2:20 p.m., Wrigley Field
TV: WGN
Radio: WLW-AM (700)
Who's on the mound: Reds LH Eric Milton (1-0, 2.57) vs. Cubs RH Carlos Zambrano (0-0, 4.42)

Friday: Reds at Cardinals, 8:10 p.m., Busch Stadium
TV: FSN Ohio
Radio: WLW-AM (700)
Who's on the mound: Reds RH Aaron Harang (1-1, 8.49) vs. Cardinals RH Chris Carpenter (1-0, 3.27)
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<!--END: FACT BOX--><!--BEGIN: EXTERNAL LINKS--><!--END: EXTERNAL LINKS--><!--BEGIN: RELATED NEWS FROM WEB--><!--END: RELATED NEWS FROM WEB--><!--BEGIN: ADDITIONAL PHOTOS --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#838383> UP THE MIDDLE
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=storytext bgColor=#eeeeee>Rich Aurilia
Age: 34
Positions: 1B/2B/3B/SS
Contract: Signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract Jan. 8 with a $2 million mutual option for 2007.
The buzz: Aurilia has played 1,057 career games at shortstop, but his four starts this season have been at first base (3) and third base (1).

Ryan Freel
Age: 30
Positions: 2B/3B/OF
Contract: Signed a two-year contract Dec. 19 that pays him $1.3 million this season and a $1.7 million base salary in 2007.
The buzz: Freel started three games at second during the season-opening homestand when the opposing team started a left-handed pitcher.

Felipe Lopez
Age: 25
Position: SS
Contract: Signed a one-year, $2.7 million contract Feb. 2.
The buzz: Lopez took over as the starting shortstop in mid-May last season and became an All-Star. He has started every game there this season.

Brandon Phillips
Age: 24
Positions: 2B/SS
Contract: The Indians renewed his contract March 5.
The buzz: Opened the 2003 season as the Indians' starting second baseman, but played 111 games at SS for Triple-A Buffalo in 2005.

Tony Womack
Age: 36
Position: 2B
Contract: Signed a two-year, $4 million contract Dec. 30, 2004. The Yankees are paying $900,000 of his $2 million salary this season.
The buzz: Started three games at second during the season-opening homestand when the opposing team started a RH pitcher.
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For us poor fantasy owners who didn't realize the Red's decision making borders on a 1st grade level.....is there any place we can get the days starting lineup before the game starts?

I'm guessing no, because it takes too long for them to draw names out of a hat.....by the time they are done it's time to take the field. I guess I'll just start him against lefties :roll1:
 
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BuckeyeNation27 said:
For us poor fantasy owners who didn't realize the Red's decision making borders on a 1st grade level.....is there any place we can get the days starting lineup before the game starts?

I'm guessing no, because it takes too long for them to draw names out of a hat.....by the time they are done it's time to take the field. I guess I'll just start him against lefties :roll1:
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Yahoo was the the best pre game lineup site when I did the fantasy thing.
 
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Thanks jax.

looks like this is the lineup for today:

Freel - 2B
Lopez - SS
Jr - CF
Aurillia - 1B
Dunn - LF
Encarnacion - 3B
Kearns - RF
Ross - C
Aroyo - P

I like this lineup except for Aurilia 4th and Dunn 5th. The Reds are the only team in baseball who will have somebody batting cleanup one day and sitting the next. Boggles the mind.

I also think putting Aurilia at 1B is a waste of his "talents", but you have to get him in the lineup somehow. I would switch Dunn and Aurilia and use this lineup for the rest of the year. If Jr or Dunn or any of the 1B/2B guys need a day off then you can screw around with hatteberg and womack.

For the record, I'm predicting a Reds win today. Freel + Aroyo + not at GABP = win.
 
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BuckeyeNation27 said:
Thanks jax.

looks like this is the lineup for today:

Freel - 2B
Lopez - SS
Jr - CF
Aurillia - 1B
Dunn - LF
Encarnacion - 3B
Kearns - RF
Ross - C
Aroyo - P

I like this lineup except for Aurilia 4th and Dunn 3rd. The Reds are the only team in baseball who will have somebody batting cleanup one day and sitting the next. Boggles the mind.

I also think putting Aurilia at 1B is a waste of his "talents", but you have to get him in the lineup somehow. I would switch Dunn and Aurilia and use this lineup for the rest of the year. If Jr or Dunn or any of the 1B/2B guys need a day off then you can screw around with hatteberg and womack.

For the record, I'm predicting a Reds win today. Freel + Aroyo + not at GABP = win.
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I agree with you, I like that lineup, besides switching Dunn and Aurillia. I think that would give Griffey more pitches if he had Dunn hitting behind him. The only reason they do it is for the late innings and a team can't bring a lefty to face two straight batters. I understood it last year when they had to break up 3 lefties, but two in a row is not a big deal to me.
 
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crazybuckfan40 said:
I agree with you, I like that lineup, besides switching Dunn and Aurillia. I think that would give Griffey more pitches if he had Dunn hitting behind him. The only reason they do it is for the late innings and a team can't bring a lefty to face two straight batters. I understood it last year when they had to break up 3 lefties, but two in a row is not a big deal to me.
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at least there's a reason for it and not just more random stupidity.

did I ever tell you about the time I went to Riverfront in August? 90° in the stands, probly 100°+ on the field with the turf.......there sits Miley next to a fan in the dugout and the fan isn't turned on. how smart could he have been?
 
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