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Steve4192
08-16-2008, 01:30 AM
At least see what he can do. Ryan Braun was also allegedly a third baseman once.

Braun's scintillating defensive skills at the hot corner are the reason Alonso was moved to 1B at Miami. Color me skeptical about his chances of ever playing anywhere other than 1B.

kpresidente
08-16-2008, 08:03 AM
I read somewhere that he can catch? Or is that just wishful thinking?

camisadelgolf
08-16-2008, 08:10 AM
I read somewhere that he can catch? Or is that just wishful thinking?

He was a catcher before he was with the Hurricanes, but those days are long gone. He's a corner infielder, and even then, a few have had doubts of his ability to be more than a designated hitter. Personally, I'm confident he'll be a serviceable first baseman, but I don't think he has any chance at sticking at catcher.

Reds Fanatic
08-16-2008, 08:50 AM
This is a blurb from Fay:
He'll report to Sarasota. He won't play in any games for two or three weeks because he hasn't played in so long.
---------
Who is still playing in 2-3 weeks.....could it be LOU? or a Sept. call up
In 2 or 3 weeks the minor league season is basically over. Teams may be playing playoff games at that point but that is about it.

BuckeyeRedleg
08-16-2008, 09:20 AM
Braun's scintillating defensive skills at the hot corner are the reason Alonso was moved to 1B at Miami. Color me skeptical about his chances of ever playing anywhere other than 1B.

Braun's last year at Miami was 2005 and Alonso's first year was 2006.

RedlegJake
08-16-2008, 04:34 PM
Alonso had an excellent .994 fielding pct at first at Miami, and has goodhands and an "above average arm". Everyone talks like he's a non-fielding statue - range is the one factor that limits him but he has good first step quickness and reactions and should be a very good first baseman defensively as long as you don't expect him to cover ground like a Keith Hernandez. He'll catch errant throws, dig em out of the dirt, catch anything hit at him or within reach and provide steady play at first. I am not worried one darn bit about his glove - I think he profiles as a very good first baseman with his limited range being relatively unimportant at that position. The bat is my worry - not that he'll hit, I have no doubt of that. But will he hit like Sean Casey or will he prove to be the middle of the order slugger you'd really like out of your first baseman? Since he is slow afoot becoming a Casey or Al Oliver like liner drive hitter would lessen his value significantly.

OnBaseMachine
08-16-2008, 05:13 PM
* First-round pick Yonder Alonso will report to Sarasota on Monday for his physical and work out for two days before being assigned to a minor-league team.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=blog07&plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3ae57bcc87-152a-4f72-96fb-cc08b1f396efPost%3a64b3e719-691a-4dd8-8467-06bcf9d68ea8&sid=sitelife.cincinnati.com

Grande Donkey
08-16-2008, 05:44 PM
Talked to Walt Jocketty about Yonder Alonso today. Two things:

--They think he'll be ready in the 2010. "He thinks he's ready now," Jocketty said. "I like that."

--The Reds will consider moving Joey Votto to the outfield. Left is the obvious spot. Alonso will work out at third base as well as first.

Was it a good signing? It depends on how Alonso turns out. I think he has the potential to be a Lance Berkman type -- a good hitter with power and a great on-base percentage. His on-base was .534 this year. The Reds need more hitters like that. This team is terrible at running up pitch counts.

But it's a huge step from college to the majors. We saw that with Brandon Larson, who the Reds took over Berkman by the way.

Here's the details on the contract:

--$2 million signing bonus. $1.5 million paid at approval. $500,000 paid June 15, 2009.

--$50,000 in salary for the rest of this season.

--$400,000 in 2009; $500,000 in 2010; $600,000 in 2011; $1 million in 2012.

--Tuition payments of three semesters at $26,000 each ($20,000-tuition; $6,000 expenses.)

--Family trip to Major League Debut

--Bonus money: $25,000 Rookie of the year; $100,000 MVP; $25,000 Gold Glove; $100,000 World Series MVP; $50,000 League Champion Series MVP; $25,000 Silver Slugger; $50,000 All-Star MVP; $25,000 All-Star selection.

--2012 may be voided if he has enough Major League service time to qualify for arbitration.From Fay. They have some crazy incentives in there. I'm hoping that he is ready before 2010. It shouldn't take that long for a hitter that polished to make it.

fearofpopvol1
08-16-2008, 05:49 PM
Alonso had an excellent .994 fielding pct at first at Miami, and has goodhands and an "above average arm". Everyone talks like he's a non-fielding statue - range is the one factor that limits him but he has good first step quickness and reactions and should be a very good first baseman defensively as long as you don't expect him to cover ground like a Keith Hernandez. He'll catch errant throws, dig em out of the dirt, catch anything hit at him or within reach and provide steady play at first. I am not worried one darn bit about his glove - I think he profiles as a very good first baseman with his limited range being relatively unimportant at that position. The bat is my worry - not that he'll hit, I have no doubt of that. But will he hit like Sean Casey or will he prove to be the middle of the order slugger you'd really like out of your first baseman? Since he is slow afoot becoming a Casey or Al Oliver like liner drive hitter would lessen his value significantly.

I pretty much agree with this assessment. I don't see him as a 30+ HR hitter a season, but I think 20-25 is very reachable (especially in GAB) and I could see him being a good doubles hitter as well.

Grande Donkey
08-16-2008, 06:03 PM
Wasn't Yonder on scholarship at the U? Why do we have to pay for his tuition if he had a full ride?

OnBaseMachine
08-16-2008, 06:10 PM
I don't think the Reds would have drafted Alonso if they didn't think he was a 30 homerun guy.

reds44
08-16-2008, 06:14 PM
Wasn't Yonder on scholarship at the U? Why do we have to pay for his tuition if he had a full ride?
Scholarships are a year by year thing, considering he's not playing baseball there anymore, he'll be taken off scholarship.

Chi-Town Red
08-16-2008, 06:15 PM
Just glad it was done...now lets see what the kid can do

puca
08-17-2008, 08:28 AM
$100,000 World Series MVP;

There's an incentive I'd really like to see him meet.

membengal
08-17-2008, 11:42 AM
It was essential they get this deal done. Good for Jocketty on forging a compromise and getting Alonso signed.

kpresidente
08-17-2008, 11:43 AM
The fact that they didn't cave gives me a lot of confidence in WJ. You can't become so infatuated with what a player adds to your team that you ignore what he costs. That was WKs problem. There's lots of talent out there to be had, it's salary that's the prohibitive constant. If you lose talent, it can be replaced, but if you waste money on a player, it's gone forever.

aerontg
08-17-2008, 12:26 PM
Super post, kpresidente! :thumbup:

A huge improvement in the way the organization is run was when the GM realized that top dollars go to top, PROVEN, players. The previous GM spent top dollar on bottom talent. The one before that piddled around too much (or was hamstrung).

princeton
08-17-2008, 12:29 PM
If you lose talent, it can be replaced, but if you waste money on a player, it's gone forever.

if you lose talent, you lose time, which is gone forever.

let's contend within my lifetime. Tick tock.

kpresidente
08-17-2008, 12:33 PM
if you lose talent, you lose time, which is gone forever.
let's contend within my lifetime. Tick tock.

Fair enough, but that's the thinking that's paying Gonzo, Freel and Cordero's salaries.

redsmetz
08-17-2008, 12:57 PM
The fact that they didn't cave gives me a lot of confidence in WJ. You can't become so infatuated with what a player adds to your team that you ignore what he costs. That was WKs problem. There's lots of talent out there to be had, it's salary that's the prohibitive constant. If you lose talent, it can be replaced, but if you waste money on a player, it's gone forever.

and


Fair enough, but that's the thinking that's paying Gonzo, Freel and Cordero's salaries.

The fact is, the Reds needed to put a team on the field right out of the chute. And you make the moves according to what your current needs are. I'll agree that extending Freel has proven to be a mistake, particular because his style of play has been fraught with peril, as they say. But giving Gonzo a three year deal, which clearly was based on the Reds being that far away from having a replacement (at a minimum) was not wasted dollars. Circumstances have made the contract a burden (family issues and later the injury), but those were not known or expected.

And I disagree with those who suggest that Cordero's signing was a luxury. Perhaps as constructed this team would not have competed for the post season, but coming into the season, if we had gotten better results from both Harang and Arroyo, we'd be a lot better postion. We knew Griffey was either going in season or at season's end and we weren't sure which direction the club would go with Dunn, but this club was not as abysmal as many stated. What we have witnessed, frankly, was the worst case scenario and it all hit.

Now, I'm glad to see Jocketty continuing with his predecessor began, but lets be clear, it's not a dramatically new direction. WK was stocking this club up and, with the possible exception of Bailey, he managed its developing assets quite well. We'll never know what he would have done with Griffey and Dunn, but I doubt it would have been much different than what we saw.

That said, I'm glad the Alonso deal was reached no matter how late. The club is continuing what it's being doing since Castellini took over, Cast's haste in dismissing WK not withstanding.

David Cubbedge
08-17-2008, 03:05 PM
Where is Alonso going to play? Anyone know yet?

redhawk61
08-17-2008, 03:08 PM
physical tmmr and two days of workouts, then Sarasota on Wednesday.

David Cubbedge
08-17-2008, 03:15 PM
Thanks a lot!

Kingspoint
08-17-2008, 04:20 PM
It's called hardball.

Yep. Just smart negotiating.

GoReds33
08-17-2008, 08:49 PM
This may be a stupid question, but why does he get tuition payments? I know we already covered that he was on scholarship last year, but is he still going to school there?

Degenerate39
08-17-2008, 08:52 PM
I can't wait to hear George Grande call him Yonzer Alonso every day. :(

redsmetz
08-17-2008, 09:45 PM
This may be a stupid question, but why does he get tuition payments? I know we already covered that he was on scholarship last year, but is he still going to school there?

It's not uncommon for college juniors to ask to have their remaining tuition covered (although you'd think with a $2M signing bonus he could afford himself). I know former ML player's uncle and he had a similar clause and if ever decided to go back and finish college, the Orioles (his original team) would have to pay the tuition. I don't know if that is open-ended.