OnBaseMachine
03-27-2006, 08:04 AM
Edwin's defense pleases Narron
By Hal McCoy
Dayton Daily News
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. | While it is more than acceptable to Cincinnati Reds manager Jerry Narron that Edwin Encarnacion is unstitching baseballs with his bat all over the west coast of Florida this spring, that is not the exciting part for Narron.
Encarnacion is hitting .418 with six homers and 20 RBIs, most RBIs in any minor-league camp, but Narron said, "I don't care if he starts the season 1 for 20.
"I've been more pleased with his defense than the way he has swung the bat and everyone sees what he has done as a hitter," said Narron. "My biggest concern was whether he could show consistency catching the ball and throwing the ball. And he has done that."
As it so often happens, not long after Narron's narrative, Encarnacion didn't make one error on a ground ball, he made two — first kicking it asway, then picking it up and heaving it past first base.
Encarnacion struggled after his call-up from Class AAA Louisville with his bat, glove and arm, but this spring he has been a triple threat.
"The defense was my major concern," Narron added. "I think he'll hit, especially when I move him out of the eight spot and away from batting ahead of the pitcher. I'm putting some meat around him in the order and he'll do fine, even if he starts the season 1 for 20. I'm not saying he'll hit fourth, but he isn't hitting eighth.
Extended vacation
Pitcher Paul Wilson threw 60 pitches in a batting practice session Sunday morning in Sarasota and is scheduled to throw on the side Tuesday and pitch in a simulated game Friday.
His slow progress toward returning to the rotation will continue in Florida when the team heads north Saturday.
"He'll stay in Sarasota," said manager Jerry Narron. "He is penciled in to be the Opening Day pitcher for extended spring training."
Rest is over
Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn played nine innings in Sarasota on Saturday
so they were excused from making the cross-state trip Sunday to Winter Haven. And the regulars who started the game only played half of it, "Because we have three straight home games coming up and all the regulars will play a lot in those three days," said manager Jerry Narron.
Griffey started only his second game Saturday, homering and driving in the two winning runs with an eighth-inning, two-out, bases loaded single.
"He hasn't missed a thing," said Narron, referring to the time Griffey spent at the World Baseball Classic. "Watching those (WB) games on TV, I thought he had good at-bats in those games that I saw. One at-bat against Canada, the pitcher threw him a good sinker down and away and drove it into left field for a hit."
Quote of the day
Non-roster outfielder Andy Abad: "For a long time in the minors I thought my first name was 'For.' The announcer always said, "Batting For Abad. . ."
http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/reds/daily/0327redsnotesweb.html
By Hal McCoy
Dayton Daily News
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. | While it is more than acceptable to Cincinnati Reds manager Jerry Narron that Edwin Encarnacion is unstitching baseballs with his bat all over the west coast of Florida this spring, that is not the exciting part for Narron.
Encarnacion is hitting .418 with six homers and 20 RBIs, most RBIs in any minor-league camp, but Narron said, "I don't care if he starts the season 1 for 20.
"I've been more pleased with his defense than the way he has swung the bat and everyone sees what he has done as a hitter," said Narron. "My biggest concern was whether he could show consistency catching the ball and throwing the ball. And he has done that."
As it so often happens, not long after Narron's narrative, Encarnacion didn't make one error on a ground ball, he made two — first kicking it asway, then picking it up and heaving it past first base.
Encarnacion struggled after his call-up from Class AAA Louisville with his bat, glove and arm, but this spring he has been a triple threat.
"The defense was my major concern," Narron added. "I think he'll hit, especially when I move him out of the eight spot and away from batting ahead of the pitcher. I'm putting some meat around him in the order and he'll do fine, even if he starts the season 1 for 20. I'm not saying he'll hit fourth, but he isn't hitting eighth.
Extended vacation
Pitcher Paul Wilson threw 60 pitches in a batting practice session Sunday morning in Sarasota and is scheduled to throw on the side Tuesday and pitch in a simulated game Friday.
His slow progress toward returning to the rotation will continue in Florida when the team heads north Saturday.
"He'll stay in Sarasota," said manager Jerry Narron. "He is penciled in to be the Opening Day pitcher for extended spring training."
Rest is over
Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn played nine innings in Sarasota on Saturday
so they were excused from making the cross-state trip Sunday to Winter Haven. And the regulars who started the game only played half of it, "Because we have three straight home games coming up and all the regulars will play a lot in those three days," said manager Jerry Narron.
Griffey started only his second game Saturday, homering and driving in the two winning runs with an eighth-inning, two-out, bases loaded single.
"He hasn't missed a thing," said Narron, referring to the time Griffey spent at the World Baseball Classic. "Watching those (WB) games on TV, I thought he had good at-bats in those games that I saw. One at-bat against Canada, the pitcher threw him a good sinker down and away and drove it into left field for a hit."
Quote of the day
Non-roster outfielder Andy Abad: "For a long time in the minors I thought my first name was 'For.' The announcer always said, "Batting For Abad. . ."
http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/reds/daily/0327redsnotesweb.html