Reds Tidbits (2007 Season)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

BASEBALL REDS
Phillips, Ross can relax now and just produce
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG> AL BEHRMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS After signing a two-year contract, David Ross has a newfound confidence in his role as Cincinnati?s No. 1 catcher.


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. ? Cincinnati Reds catcher David Ross and his wife, Hyla, welcomed their first child Feb. 4, so he got little sleep in the two weeks before reporting to spring training.
"I?m catching up down here," he said. "I?m trying to get as much in as I can." It has been a relaxing camp in more ways than one.

Continued.....

 

[coastalbuck]

Got the $ankees tonight. Let's go boys..

 

[Bestbuck36]

Firstly, I never said Hopper would be the starter, at least not yet. He is great in substitution during game situations or the occasional start maybe for Freel or an injury. I like his game better than Denorfia's.

Secondly, I agree that Votto wouldn't flourish in a once in a while platoon situation, but starting 2 or 3 games a week and pinch hitting almost every night would be quality experience in my opinion. Its most likely a moot point as he'll start AAA and end up in mid season barring injury though.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Firstly, I never said Hopper would be the starter, at least not yet. He is great in substitution during game situations or the occasional start maybe for Freel or an injury. I like his game better than Denorfia's.

I think Deno has better tools, but Hopper just seems to get the job done...I guess that is why they are battling as we speak for that job, should be interesting to see who gets the spot...

Secondly, I agree that Votto wouldn't flourish in a once in a while platoon situation, but starting 2 or 3 games a week and pinch hitting almost every night would be quality experience in my opinion. Its most likely a moot point as he'll start AAA and end up in mid season barring injury though.

The thing is both he and Hatte are lefties, so you don't have the option of putting a righty in the lineup against a lefty. I do agree that we need a left hand PH besides Valentine if we only keep 2 catchers, which is what I am hopping that we do...

 

[Jaxbuck]

Platooning Votto, if he were ready, is essentially what fuckhead Narron was doing to EE last year with Aurilia. Yes, Aurilia had a good year, but on a club that will be lucky to play .500 ball I say when you make the committment to bring a kid up you run him out there everyday and take the good with the bad.

The only reason not to, imo, is if a bad streak starts to affect his confidence. Then you need to protect him. An example is how baBoone almost destroyed FeLo a couple of years back by playing him everyday when he was obviously not mentally ready. If he wouldn't have gotten hurt I think he was fast tracking to a flame out.

Back to Votto specifically, I'd rather see him play everyday at AAA than spot duty in Cincy. Hatt/Conine platoon at 1B is decent(fingers crossed) and you expose Votto to a level he hasn't seen yet in AAA, let him dominate that and gain even more confidence.

Votto is the opposite of Denofria, who has seen plenty of AAA and has nothing left to gain by being down there. He needs to be on the 25 man or traded imo.

Also remember regarding Votto and Homer, if you call them up before September you start their arbitration clocks. Not fun to consider as a fan but as a GM it is of major importance. We might need Homer enough and he might be close enough to go ahead and do it. I don't see that being the case for Votto. I'll be shocked if he's in Cincy before September.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Platooning Votto, if he were ready, is essentially what fuckhead Narron was doing to EE last year with Aurilia. Yes, Aurilia had a good year, but on a club that will be lucky to play .500 ball I say when you make the committment to bring a kid up you run him out there everyday and take the good with the bad.

The only reason not to, imo, is if a bad streak starts to affect his confidence. Then you need to protect him. An example is how baBoone almost destroyed FeLo a couple of years back by playing him everyday when he was obviously not mentally ready. If he wouldn't have gotten hurt I think he was fast tracking to a flame out.

Back to Votto specifically, I'd rather see him play everyday at AAA than spot duty in Cincy. Hatt/Conine platoon at 1B is decent(fingers crossed) and you expose Votto to a level he hasn't seen yet in AAA, let him dominate that and gain even more confidence.

Votto is the opposite of Denofria, who has seen plenty of AAA and has nothing left to gain by being down there. He needs to be on the 25 man or traded imo.

Also remember regarding Votto and Homer, if you call them up before September you start their arbitration clocks. Not fun to consider as a fan but as a GM it is of major importance. We might need Homer enough and he might be close enough to go ahead and do it. I don't see that being the case for Votto. I'll be shocked if he's in Cincy before September.

I agree...

Do you know if Bruce is starting in AA this year?

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Cincy

Belisle makes bid to be fifth starter
Righty throws 3 innings of scoreless ball

BY JOHN FAY | [email protected]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Credit Matt Belisle. He's not taking the "I don't care where I pitch" tack.
"I've said all along this spring that I prepared physically and mental to be a starter," he said. "I want to take that fifth spot and go with it."
Belisle, 26, a right-hander, helped his case Tuesday by throwing three scoreless innings in the Reds' 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Cincinnati's sixth straight victory of the spring.

Continued......

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Cincy

'Other' Rule 5 guy hopes to stand out
Reds must give RH a long look in a short time

BY JOHN FAY | [email protected]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Reds have two Rule 5 players in camp.
Unless you've been sequestered from all Cincinnati sports media, you know about Josh Hamilton.
But there's a good chance you haven't heard of Jared Burton.

Continued.....

 

[crazybuckfan40]

And the number of solid pitchers in camp just keep on coming...

I would like to be able to send Burton to AAA, but we don't have that option.

I hate to allow power throwing pitchers go, but we have most of our pen spoken for, so it will be hard to keep him...

 

[CookyPuss]

Some entertaining comments from Pete Becker of talentedmrroto.com

Other kids I like…. My favorite sleeper on the Reds isn’t Homer Bailey or Josh Hamilton, it’s Joey Votto. I’m sorry, I just don’t see Scott Hatterberg keeping this guy out of the lineup much longer. Speaking of Josh Hamilton; shin splints. Dude just can’t catch a break. I still think he sticks with the team, at first as a power threat off the bench, but then getting an extended tryout in the outfield when Iron Horse Ken Griffey makes his regularly scheduled trip to the DL. And frankly, Wayne Kivsky needs a win after last season’s self-inflicted GSW-to-the-foot, and plucking a guy with Hamilton’s talent from the Rule V draft just before he finally puts his off-season issues behind him and becomes a major league ballplayer would definitely count as a feather in his cap.

That he provides Kyle Lohse with gainful improvement, however, is beyond my understanding.

Not that I agree with him, but always interesting to see an "outsider" take on the Reds.

 

[Jaxbuck]

Some entertaining comments from Pete Becker of talentedmrroto.com



Not that I agree with him, but always interesting to see an "outsider" take on the Reds.

I don't know about the Votto part but the rest is dead on imo.

 

[Okinawa's#1Buck]

I don't know about the Votto part but the rest is dead on imo.

He is just reading stats. He didn't take the time to consider Votto's time at any level. If history serves, it will take him a little time to adjust to AAA, but I expect him to be ready for the bigs in 1-1.5 years.

Also worth attention - He is the "Talented Mr. ROTO". The Roto world dosn't necessarily reflect the real world. It certainly doesn't take into account the D Hamilton provides in his likelyhood to make/miss the team.

 

[Okinawa's#1Buck]

Firstly, I never said Hopper would be the starter, at least not yet.

I think Hopper is our sleeper. With a guy like Hopper and Freel at the top of the order, the basebaths should be pretty exciting.

The way this reads is Hopper and Freel together at the top of the order. If it was meant as Freel or Hopper, I didn't get that. Even then, to be at "the top of the order" he'd have to be in as a starter sometime, not the usual location for a 5th OF who would more likely be a PR or Defensive replacement than a spot starter.

Regardless, as I said, you had some good thoughts on your post. I wasn't trying to belittle it or anything.

 

[jlb1705]

I'm listening to the game on MLB Gameday Audio on my cell phone, and they have the WCBS feed.

Apparently, John Sterling went to the Joe Nuxhull School for Pronunciation - he totally butchered "Encarnacion"

 

[Jaxbuck]

He is just reading stats. He didn't take the time to consider Votto's time at any level. If history serves, it will take him a little time to adjust to AAA, but I expect him to be ready for the bigs in 1-1.5 years.

Also worth attention - He is the "Talented Mr. ROTO". The Roto world dosn't necessarily reflect the real world. It certainly doesn't take into account the D Hamilton provides in his likelyhood to make/miss the team.

Iron Horse Griffey's eventual trip to the DL, WK's self inflicted GSW last year and Lohse situation were the points I agree with. I have said many times that Hamilton will make it for his D and they hope the O is there in a year or two but the power hitter off the bench angle isn't that far off base imo. He'll have a sluggers chance everytime he gets up there. Maybe if another power hitter isn't shortening up and slapping at it with 2 strikes Marty will get off Dunn's case for a while .