Reds Tidbits (2007 Season)

[Sky]

Yes. He needs to swallow his pride and realize he just can't cover enough ground at this point.

I'm not opposed to him moving and if it means he won't break his wrist/ankle/hammy so often I would welcome the move. I just wonder what kind of fight he will put up (if any at all).

 

[Okinawa's#1Buck]

Yeah yeah, I know. Rather than helping a newbie out and pointing out that a comment might be better suited for a different thread you blow up.

Maybe you should talk to A-Rod about his therapist.

I wouldn't really define that as a "blowup". You got a ding. Get over it. It is obviously not the first and it won't be your last. We went through this in the private messages, I was done it. I ignored your constant replys, so you take public. I responded, now I am done. Stop crying, make quality posts and you'll EARN some real rep. Crying about it will get you nowhere.

Another reason for the love for Deno at RZ. He is the only other one we have. I really wish he could make the 25 and they use Freel as the super sub again. That way your carrying 4 1/2 OFers not 5 (at least untill JR goes on the DL).

I have said before Freel's production goes down when he plays more than 4 or 5 games a week. I agree he is better off as a super-sub. But, we did bring Castro in and we all know he can fill in anywhere on the IF.

It would be nice for Deno to step up and take the 5th spot from Bubba Crosby. I'd even take Hopper who can both fill in at lead off once a week. But that takes away valuable AB's from Hamilton. I can see RZ's love for Deno, but there is no way he is a starter for this club outside of trading Dunner away.

 

[Sky]

But that takes away valuable AB's from Hamilton.

That said there have been numerous reports of JR being open to it and taking quite a bit of flyballs in RF this spring. I think it will happen.

That would be awesome. I haven't heard anything of the like but that would be great.

 

[Jaxbuck]

It would be nice for Deno to step up and take the 5th spot from Bubba Crosby. I'd even take Hopper who can both fill in at lead off once a week. But that takes away valuable AB's from Hamilton. I can see RZ's love for Deno, but there is no way he is a starter for this club outside of trading Dunner away.

And there is the delima.

If Hamilton can hit well enough then he's your CF and Jr's the RF, Deno is the 4th and were all happy. We both know thats some seriously wishful thinking.

So now Hamilton is by default the 4th OF for his glove, JR is in RF and Dunn is in LF(don't even joke about trading him :) ). So really it comes down to Freel or Deno as your starting CF and we all have seen the impact on Freels game when he plays too much. Easy answer is Deno in CF and Freel super sub but like you say, now your taking AB's away from Hamilton. So much of this depends on such a huge gamble(Hamilton) and in a year when we might just actually be competative. If we tank early then I say you run Hamilton out there every damn day all year long.

In all honesty JR is the logjam. Watch him not go on the DL at all this year when it would actually help us.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Cincy

His bat hasn't skipped a beat
Early success opening even Hamilton's eyes
BY JOHN FAY | [email protected]


TAMPA, Fla. - Let's say you're a very good golfer. You play the game every day until you're 21, and then you're forced to stop playing for some reason.
Do you think that if you took up the game again at 25, you'd be a better player?
Or would your skills have deteriorated?

Continued....

 

[Sky]

Cincy

From this article:

Hamilton has safeguards in place. He doesn't carry cash. His wife, Kelli, drives him to and from the ballpark each day.
"Over the last six months, it's getting looser," he said. "It's never going to be loose-loose, because I can't afford to do that.
"I've got those little things that help me get to the park every day."

That may not seem like a big deal but it just wowed me when I read it. His wife is something special and its good to see he didn't put these safeguards in place in 2005 and then let them go as he progressed. I don't envy him having to fight these demons but it is inspiring to see him succeed.

 

[Jaxbuck]

Obviously the human element is far more important and I think the kid is getting universal good will from fans on that front.

I've stated my cautious feelings about hamiltons success at the plate this year but I will say this: If he pulls this off, Hamilton has to be one of the most physically talented players to come along in decades. This would be Mickey Mantle/Ted Williams territory here, Bo Jackson at the very least. I don't think you could come up with adequate words to describe it should he come out of the gates tearing it up and never look back.

 

[Sky]

No kidding, and as one of the earlier articles mentioned, it isn't like he has been in the minors for the last four years. He has been so far removed from the elite level of baseball it is amazing he can even hit the ball. Some of those articles touted his defense, arm, and bat. If he gets that base running thing down its like icing on the cake.

It truly is a remarkable story--even if he takes a while to get in the lineup or even if he becomes only a average player, it is still a unreal situation.

 

[Okinawa's#1Buck]

In all honesty JR is the logjam. Watch him not go on the DL at all this year when it would actually help us.

I will never bad mouth Jr. I know he has always done everything any man could do to prepare for a season and good health. I believe a lineup with Jr. in it is still better than a lineup without. His days as a CF are behind him and I have a hard time believing he wouldn't be willing to play RF, 1b, even catcher if asked to do so, WLW be damned.

 

[OSUsushichic]

Slight Breeze Shatters Ken Griffey Jr.'s Femur

March 15, 2007 | Issue 43?11

CINCINNATI - Although Ken Griffey Jr. had nearly recovered from a broken hand sustained while playing with his children in December, his rehabilitation came to a sudden halt yesterday when a gentle 2 mph breeze wafted across his leg, shattering his femur in three places. "I knew it was broken right when that breeze hit me," said Griffey, who was walking from his sports therapist's office to his car in order to drive to his daughter's piano recital at the time of the injury. "These things just happen. If I would have known a breeze like that was coming, I never would have left the house." Reds manager Jerry Narron has stated that, upon Griffey's return to the Reds, he will be fitted with a personalized protective bubble to be worn for the remainder of the season.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/59679?utm_source=onion_rss_daily

 

[Thump]

Slight Breeze Shatters Ken Griffey Jr.'s Femur

March 15, 2007 | Issue 43?11

CINCINNATI - Although Ken Griffey Jr. had nearly recovered from a broken hand sustained while playing with his children in December, his rehabilitation came to a sudden halt yesterday when a gentle 2 mph breeze wafted across his leg, shattering his femur in three places. "I knew it was broken right when that breeze hit me," said Griffey, who was walking from his sports therapist's office to his car in order to drive to his daughter's piano recital at the time of the injury. "These things just happen. If I would have known a breeze like that was coming, I never would have left the house." Reds manager Jerry Narron has stated that, upon Griffey's return to the Reds, he will be fitted with a personalized protective bubble to be worn for the remainder of the season.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/59679?utm_source=onion_rss_daily

God I love The Onion.

 

[Sky]

Slight Breeze Shatters Ken Griffey Jr.'s Femur

March 15, 2007 | Issue 43?11

CINCINNATI - Although Ken Griffey Jr. had nearly recovered from a broken hand sustained while playing with his children in December, his rehabilitation came to a sudden halt yesterday when a gentle 2 mph breeze wafted across his leg, shattering his femur in three places. "I knew it was broken right when that breeze hit me," said Griffey, who was walking from his sports therapist's office to his car in order to drive to his daughter's piano recital at the time of the injury. "These things just happen. If I would have known a breeze like that was coming, I never would have left the house." Reds manager Jerry Narron has stated that, upon Griffey's return to the Reds, he will be fitted with a personalized protective bubble to be worn for the remainder of the season.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/59679?utm_source=onion_rss_daily

I have to admit, I just started scanning the post and thought it was for real at first. I said to myself, oh no, here we go again.

 

[Jaxbuck]

On a completely serious note, I read a post at RZ that said 700 WLW reported JR may not be ready for Opening Day. This is sounding more and more like his old injuries where it went from day to day to month to month.

regardless of how this particular injury turns out, all this talk we have been doing about the 4th and 5th OFers is ass backwards. JR should be looked at as a 4th OF, pinch hitter from here on out in his career. You just can't count on him to play regularly.

I'm betting a hot spring gives Hamilton the CF job and we see freel in RF on OD, Deno is the 4th and JR on the DL.

 

[jlb1705]

I read the same thing on RZ last night, and like somebody there said, with Hamilton it's shifting from "prove you can" to "prove you can't".

 

[CookyPuss]

Reds release Lightenberg and Meadows; reassign Bailey to minor league camp.

Yahoo Sports

Pitching staff is starting to shape up. Burton had another solid outing, its going to be tough to cut him. Hopefully they can work a deal.