Reds Tidbits (2006 Season)

[G-FORCE]

Really a great year, next year looks great, Thanks Reds, I appreciate it.

Without a doubt. I think they surpassed all of our expectations. Nothing to be ashamed of.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

PIRATES 1 REDS 0
Loss leaves Reds below .500 again

Monday, October 02, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




PITTSBURGH ? The last game of the season had a feel as familiar as an old, molded-tothe-owner?s-head baseball cap for Cincinnati Reds manager Jerry Narron. That wasn?t necessarily a good thing.
Cincinnati lost 1-0 to the Pittsburgh Pirates yesterday afternoon in PNC Park when pinchhitter Javier Valentin struck out in the ninth inning with the tying run on third base. Had Valentin connected on the violent swing, the ball would have splashed in the Allegheny River. He didn?t, however, and thereby hung the tale of a season.
"It seems like we?ve been here a lot this year," Narron said. "We?ve had quite a few games where we had a chance in our last at-bat to win. And we?ve had quite a few games this year ? I think about 25 ? that we?ve won in our last at-bat. I felt pretty good with Javy up there."
The loss left Cincinnati with an 80-82 record and meant the Reds had finished below .500 for a sixth consecutive season.
"It?s hurtful, but not as hurtful as not being in the postseason," Narron said. "St. Louis winning (Saturday) definitely took a lot out of us, there?s no question about that.
"But these guys battled all year and gave us a chance to be in the postseason going into the last weekend of the season. It gives us something to build on."
The Reds had an obvious letdown Saturday when the Cardinals eliminated them from the National League Central race. Narron?s lineup yesterday included only three regulars, Adam Dunn, David Ross and Edwin Encarnacion. Encarnacion actually played first base for the first time in his career instead of third.
Even with a spring training lineup, reliever-turned-starter Matt Belisle took the game seriously. He handed a 0-0 tie to the bullpen after six innings. The Pirates touched Todd Coffey (6-7) with two outs in the eighth. Jason Bay, Ryan Doumit and Xavier Nady delivered consecutive singles to score the only run of the game.
After the game, Belisle came out of the shower to find that his teammates had autographed the front and back of his travel shirt with best wishes for his upcoming trip to Puerto Rico and winter ball.
"I?m going to be on (Valentin?s) team," Belisle said. "I?m starting down there."
One of the many questions about the 2007 team is the makeup of the starting rotation behind Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo. Belisle would like to be part of that mix, as would Kyle Lohse, Eric Milton, Homer Bailey, Brandon Claussen and assorted others. Belisle, at least, had the chance to leave a final impression in his second start.
"(Today) was a blast and I?m proud of what I did," he said. "I had fun with it. Now it?s time to go back and get ready for winter ball."
Belisle acknowledged that the team reaching .500 would have been a nice way to end the season.
"You always want to leave with a win," he said. "I think most of us knew that .500 was on the line. We wanted the win. But you know what? It was a solid ballgame. We fell a little short. It?s nothing to look down upon this team. This was a heck of a year for where we were supposed to be. We know we can be better."
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

LOOKING TO 2007
Reds fans can expect changes
Team made plenty of moves; more likely for next season

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




As strange as it may seem, the Cincinnati Reds somehow managed to pleasantly surprise and disappoint their fans simultaneously this season.
The mediocre National League made this rare daily double possible by allowing a lightly regarded Cincinnati team to contend for a postseason slot until the final weekend of the season.
The Reds didn?t win the Central Division, which nobody expected them to do heading north from spring training anyway. They didn?t win the wild card, either, and ditto on the expectations. Yet Cincinnati spent 159 days in first or second place in the division and led the wild card until Aug. 28.
"It happened so fast, it?s kind of been a blur," first-year general manager Wayne Krivsky said. "I think a lot of positives went on in the year, definitely.
"Just like with so many other teams, every winter is huge. You?ve got a lot of work to do. There will be changes here, just like with any other team. There are some good players here, and we?ll just see how the winter goes."
The club needs a closer, a shortstop and some young, power arms for the pitching staff. Under Cincinnati?s former ownership, that shopping list would have crossed eyes and upset stomachs. That no longer is the case.
Krivsky and the new ownership group headed by Bob Castellini already have demonstrated a willingness to overhaul the roster. Krivsky acquired 36 players over the course of this season. The new faces included starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo, second baseman Brandon Phillips and catcher David Ross.
Arroyo, 29, and Aaron Harang, 28, combined to win 30 games and offer a top-of-the-rotation presence that had been missing for a decade.
"Those are two solid pitchers," first baseman Scott Hatteberg said. "And (Kyle) Lohse is really good. So there are spots filled and fewer vacancies. That?s what we want to have."
Phillips and third baseman Edwin Encarnacion added much-needed young blood to the lineup. Manager Jerry Narron is toying with the idea of moving Phillips to shortstop.
"That is a possibility, but I like him at second base," Narron said. "That will come down to what our needs are and what is best for the team. But for him and our future, I think the guys can win a Gold Glove (at second).
"I think next year is going to be a huge year for him. If he continues to improve, he?s got a chance to be one of the better second basemen in all of baseball."
Narron was delighted that Phillips and Encarnacion experienced the rigors of a full major-league season.
"It gives us two young guys that I think we can build around," he said. "They both had good years. If Eddie would have got 550 or 600 at-bats, he probably would be around 100 RBI. Brandon, playing second base, drove in 75 runs. The big thing in this game, you?ve got to continue to get better and continue to make adjustments. Next year will be a big year for both of them."
Next year could be a bigger year for the team if fans believe that management is trying to win again.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Griffey isn?t interested in giving up spot in center

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG> DAVID KOHL ASSOCIATED PRESS Ken Griffey Jr. says the Reds haven?t asked him to move to left or right field.


Ken Griffey Jr. has no plans to move from center field to a corner outfield position with the Cincinnati Reds next season.
Griffey addressed what has become a sore subject for him Sunday in Pittsburgh before the final game of the season. He said that nobody in management has asked him to switch positions and that he wouldn?t be so inclined despite suggestions in the media that the shift would benefit him.
"People are entitled to their own opinions," Griffey said. "To me, until they can get someone who can outplay me there and who?s going to be there for 10 years, why? Right now, I still feel that I can play that position."
Ryan Freel had some spectacular defensive moments in center and in right after the team traded Austin Kearns in July. Freel?s kamikaze style, however, left him out for the last two weeks of the season because of a broken left wrist. Freel also slumped in an everyday role, batting .238 after the All-Star break.
Griffey plays aggressively in the outfield. He missed most of September because of an injury to two toes on his right foot, suffered when he tried to climb the wall in center to rob San Francisco?s Barry Bonds of a home run.
Griffey also spent parts of April and May on the disabled list because of a right knee injury and acknowledged that his health for the season "could have been a lot better."
He played in 109 games and batted .252 with 27 home runs and 72 RBI.
Each number was down from 2005 when he won the comeback player of the year award in the National League. He would like to duplicate that season next year.
"I?d like no trips to the DL and to play 150 games," Griffey said. "Not being able to play ? is aggravating, whether it?s the first game or the last game."
He saw improvement from the Reds this season in a number of areas, he said.
"I think the overall attitude and the understanding of what people?s roles are and what?s expected of them in the spring is better," he said. "The guys were in somewhat of a pennant race and know we?ve got to start off good and continue.
"Everybody picked us to be dead last, and we proved that we are a much better ballclub than that. If we can keep up the intensity all year, it will be fun for us."
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Brennamans will man Reds? broadcast booth

Thursday, October 05, 2006


ASSOCIATED PRESS



CINCINNATI ? Thom Brennaman, play-by-play announcer for the Arizona Diamondbacks for the past nine seasons, will join his dad, Hall of Famer Marty Brennaman, in the Cincinnati Reds? broadcast booth next season.
The Reds said Thom Brennaman, 43, has signed a four-year deal that calls for him to work about 90 games next season with his father on radio, and also do some televised games on FSN Ohio. That arrangement will allow him to continue to work the Saturday Game of the Week for the Fox network.
"This is a dream fulfilled for me," said Marty Brennaman, who has called Reds games since 1974. "I was always a little bit envious of the Bucks and the Carays. Now I get to work with my son. Nothing?s better than that."
Jack and Joe Buck worked together doing St. Louis Cardinal games from 1991 to 2001. Skip and Chip Caray teamed in Atlanta this season. Skip?s father, Harry Caray, was a broadcaster in St. Louis, Oakland and Chicago from 1945 to 1997. All three generations teamed for one game in 1991 when the Braves played the Cubs.

 

[WhoDeyForever]

2007 is going to be an exciting year for the Reds..I think we will end up getting Soriano and a big named starting pitcher. We will probably trade Dunn also. I really want Soriano though and I think that can happen

 

[Folanator]

Any chance that the Reds pick up Torre? Does Castellini have any history here? That would be a hell of a pick up. He is well thought of and might help us in the free agent market.

 

[TRON]

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=218775

The Reds fire their hitting coach.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Reds shuffle coaching staff

Thursday, October 12, 2006




The Reds entered the market for two key coaching positions yesterday by firing hitting coach Chris Chambliss and reassigning interim pitching coach Tom Hume to the bullpen.
Chambliss was the Cincinnati hitting coach for three seasons. The Reds, however, suffered a late-season offensive collapse and plummeted from contending for a division title to missing the postseason. The club batted .227 during the final four weeks with Adam Dunn (.161), Edwin Encarnacion (.205), Ryan Freel (.208), Scott Hatteberg (.206), Brandon Phillips (.149) and David Ross (.179) all unable to shake slumps.
Hume assumed the pitching coach duties in the spring after Vern Ruhle was diagnosed with cancer. The Reds will bring back bench coach Bucky Dent, third base coach Mark Berry, first base coach Billy Hatcher and bullpen catcher Mark Stefanski. Ruhle is being reassigned within the organization. Interim bullpen coach Lee Tunnell will not return to the big-league staff. ? Jim Massie [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Cincy

Reds acquire minor-leaguer Gil
Reds notebook
BY JOHN FAY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

The Reds made their first trade of the offseason Friday. In a swap of minor-leaguers, the Reds acquired infielder/outfielder Jerry Gil from the Arizona Diamondbacks for right-hander Abe Woody.
Gil, who turns 24 today, split the year between Double-A and Triple-A. He hit .256 with 27 home runs and 89 RBI. Gil played in 29 games for the D-Backs in 2004.
Woody, 23, spent the year with Single-A Sarasota. He was the club's 31st-round draft choice in 2005. He was 5-5 with the a 2.92 ERA and 12 saves for the Florida State League Reds.
Also Friday:
The Reds sent infielder Trevor Lawhorn to Toronto as the player-to-be-named in the Aug. 16 deal for left-hander Scott Schoeneweis. Lawhorn hit .224 with four home runs and 28 RBI in 91 games for the FSL Reds.
The Reds hired Ronnie Ortegon as their minor-league hitting coordinator. Ortegon had been with the Texas Rangers.
E-mail [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Cincy

Aurilia, Reds dance the dance
Agent: Shortstop worrying about everyday position

BY JOHN FAY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

The Reds' tango with Rich Aurilia this offseason is sounding a lot like last year's.
Aurilia and the Reds have a mutual option, as they did last year. Aurilia wants an everyday spot in the lineup, as he did last year. The Reds don't sound ready to commit to that, as they weren't last year.
Last year, the Reds and Aurilia kept dancing until Jan. 8 - the last day they could sign him.
One big difference is Wayne Krivsky now is the general manager. He may not want to prolong the negotiations like Dan O'Brien did.
"You'd like to have an answer one way or another for planning purposes," Krivsky said.
The $2 million mutual option must be exercised within 10 days of the end of the World Series.
Last year, both sides agreed not to exercise the option. But the Reds offered Aurilia arbitration. He rejected it. That allowed Aurilia to speak with other teams, while keeping open the possibility of returning to the Reds.
It sounds like Aurilia would like to do that again.
"In the back of Richie's mind he's always thinking: Do I have a position?" his agent, Barry Axelrod, said. "He's pondering that. It's not a fatal thing."
For the Reds to offer Aurilia an everyday spot, they likely would move Brandon Phillips to shortstop and start Aurilia at second base.
Krivsky would not even say if the Reds want to exercise the option.
"I can't talk about that," Krivsky said.
The Reds ended up being the only club to promise Aurilia substantial playing time, and he ended up signing for $1.3 million.
He responded with a fantastic year. He hit .300 with 23 home runs and 70 RBI. He started 37 games at first base, four games at second, 39 at third, 25 at shortstop and one at designated hitter.
"He had no complaint about his playing time," Axelrod said. "It was uncertainty of where he was going to play."
Aurilia and manager Jerry Narron had words late in the season, Axelrod said, after Aurilia came in expecting to start one day and was not in the lineup.
"There was a moment of confusion," Axelrod said. "It was the kind of thing that happens all the time in club- houses that no one knows about. It was a silly misunderstanding. It won't affect anything."
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[Bestbuck36]

Aurilia needs to be here next season period. He was the only guy who played the entire season. The guy is gutsy and just gets the job done. Surround guys like that with a couple of stars and you've got something.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

DDN

Aurilia to test free-agent waters

Utility infielder said it's possible he may re-sign with the Reds.


By Hal McCoy
Staff Writer

Thursday, November 02, 2006

CINCINNATI ? It doesn't mean that Rich Aurilia won't be wearing the same suit next baseball season, but he is going window shopping.
Aurilia and the Cincinnati Reds have a mutual option contract for 2007 for $2 million and the Reds were willing to pick up their end of it, but Aurilia decided to accept a $200,000 buyout and test free agency.
And, as he did last winter, he can re-sign with the Reds.
"I want the chance to see what's out there for me," said Aurilia. "Maybe there is some team out there that has a chance to win that has a place for me."
The 35-year-old infielder had more leverage than he had after the 2005 season when the Reds had an option on him and he didn't have an option. Former general manager Dan O'Brien declined to pick up the option, making Aurilia a free agent and he re-signed with the Reds on Jan. 8, one of the last things O'Brien did before he was fired.
What confused Aurilia during spring training was that after starting 64 games at second base in 2005, "I wasn't even given a chance to win the starting spot in spring training," despite leading the team with a .343 average with runners in scoring position.
Instead, he became an infield rover, starting games at third base (39), first base (37), shortstop (25) and second base (four), hitting .300 with 23 homers and 70 RBIs.
"Everybody wants to play every day, preferably at one position, and I do, too," he said. "If there is a team out there who has a position for me, that's great. I also increased my value to teams by showing I can play everywhere."
Aurilia, a shortstop by trade, signed with the Reds to play shortstop in 2005 and started the season there, "But I got hurt and didn't hit when I came back and lost my job (to Felipe Lopez)," he said.
Of the Reds, Aurilia said, "I won't close them out. I like the guys there and no matter where I go there are no guarantees as to when I'll play or where. But I do know I can play every day and help a team win."
Eight of the nine players on the Reds roster eligible for free agency have filed, all but pitcher Kent Mercker, who underwent Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery and won't be able to pitch until midseason.
The others to file as free agents are shortstop Royce Clayton and six pitchers ? Ryan Franklin, Joe Mays, Scott Schoenweis, David Weathers, Eddie Guardado and Paul Wilson.
They can sign with any team, but they also can re-sign with the Reds, with the Reds likely to pursue Aurilia, Schoenweis and Guardado.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

DDN

New Reds hitting coach wants to cut down on Ks

Jacoby has worked in the Cincinnati system and spent the past four seasons with the Texas Rangers.


By Hal McCoy
Staff Writer

Saturday, November 04, 2006


CINCINNATI ? Brook Jacoby hasn't been with the Cincinnati Reds since 2002, but he knows Adam Dunn and he knows Dunn's whiff ratio is enough to stir up a Texas cyclone.
Jacoby, 46, is the Reds' new hitting coach, named Friday to replace fired Chris Chambliss, and Jacoby made it clear one of his projects will be eliminating Dunn's strikeout propensity.
"I dealt with Dunn when he was in the Reds' minor-league system, so I have an idea with him," Jacoby said. "I'd say 194 strikeouts is a big issue. If you put the ball in play, you have more RBIs and more hits. It could be approach; it could be mechanical. We'll sit and talk, and I like to think something can be improved with him."
Jacoby was a hitting instructor in the Reds' system from 2000-02 and has been with the Texas Rangers since, serving last year as minor-league hitting coordinator. For two months early last season, Jacoby was interim hitting coach for the Rangers when noted hitting guru Rudy Jaramillo was out with an illness ? and that's what caught the eye of Reds General Manager Wayne Krivsky.
"Rudy Jaramillo and I go back to 1980 when I was with the Rangers, and Brook teaches similar things that Rudy does," Krivsky said. "Brook's reputation is great. I like his demeanor and his calm approach, although even with that calm approach he has a way to get his points across to improve guys."
Jacoby plans to study tape all winter and hopes to lay strong groundwork during spring training. Of his philosophy he says, "First of all, keep it simple. I apply everything to the individual swing. I'm not looking to clone guys, but there are some things that all good hitters do.
"I have to learn the guys and I have to win them over," he said. "And sometimes you have to be a psychiatrist."
Manager Jerry Narron was impressed during Jacoby's interview, "Because he was prepared. He knew our shortcomings, our inabilities as situational hitters and hitting with runners in scoring position."
While the Reds hit 217 home runs, second most in the National League, their batting average was only .257, next to last, and they struck out 1,192 times.
Jacoby played 11 years in the majors, mostly as a Cleveland third baseman, and hit .270 with 120 home runs and 545 RBIs in 4,520 at-bats.
A scouting report on Jacoby from a book, The Ballplayers, said, "He hit .300 in 1987 (the year of the rabbit ball) when he cut down on his strikeouts, but managed just 69 RBIs, and 27 of his 32 homers came with nobody on base, and he hit just .225 with runners in scoring position."
As with most good batting instructors, many of whom never hit well in the majors, it is, "Do as I say, not as I did."

Contact this reporter by e-mail at
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

BASEBALL
Reds tab Pole to be new pitching coach
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



Dick Pole, the new pitching coach for the Cincinnati Reds, knows that home runs happen in Great American Ball Park faster than a 10-year-old kid can go through a stash of Halloween candy.
The cozy home of the Reds surrendered 241 long balls last season and has damaged the psyche of many a young pitcher since it opened in 2003.
In Pole?s mind, the dimensions don?t matter.
"As a pitching coach, you try to get pitchers to pitch to the situation," said Pole, who was hired yesterday. "You?re pitching to the hitter, not pitching to the ballpark. Your job is to try to get the hitter in front of you out. It?s a problem only if you let it be one."
Pole, who is replacing Vern Ruhle, spent the past four seasons as the bench coach for the Chicago Cubs under Dusty Baker. He has worked previously as a pitching coach with the Cubs (1988-91), San Francisco Giants (1993-97), Anaheim Angels (1999), Cleveland Indians (2000-01) and Montreal Expos (2002).
While he worked for the Cubs in the late ?80s, Pole was credited with helping Greg Maddux develop the cut fastball that ran in on the hands of left-handed hitters, set up his sinker and enabled him to become a No. 1 starter.
"Maddux says (Pole) is the best pitching coach he ever had," Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said. "I had a lot of conversations with a lot of guys who work in the game, and they all sung his praises."
Pole noted that Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang had success pitching in Cincinnati last season by limiting their walks.
"If you don?t walk guys and work on making quality pitches, you?ll get guys out," he said. "You?ll give up solo home runs, not three-run home runs."
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