Rich Aurilia

I'll be the first one to admit it. Coming into the season, I didn't see why we had him on our team, heck up until recently, I really didn't see a point to have him on the squad at all....but quietly he is putting together a fine season and coming through for us in some really nice spots. And when Narron actually puts him where he should be (SS) instead of someone like, oh lets say Royce Clayton, it really accentuates his positives in my mind. Heck, who would have thought that good old Rich would return to the 20 homer plateau this season and we still have a month left in the season.

Well we now have 3 Reds (Dunn, 38; Griffey, 26; and Aurilia, 20) with 20 or more homers and we have another 3 Reds within 6 homers (Ross, 18; Phillips, 15; and Encarnacion, 14). Just a fun little stat, I like to look at and bring up...That's quite a production out of two guys that weren't on the team at the beginning of the season Ross and Phillips, one guy that is just getting his feet wet this season full-time in Encarnacion, and then someone whose best days are way, way, way behind him in Aurilia. And that is not even say anything about Griffey and his slumps....

Well nothing really else to point out or anything, just thought I would get these points and statements off of my chest....

He is a WARRIOR, nuff said!

Need to sign him now. Once he is under contract we could trade him for pitching. If we wait he might not sign with us in the off season. We could keep him as a starting 2nd basemen as well and move Phillips to SS. Either way it's to the Reds advantage to sign him while he is still in love with the Reds while he's in a penant race.

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Originally Posted by George Foster

Need to sign him now. Once he is under contract we could trade him for pitching. If we wait he might not sign with us in the off season. We could keep him as a starting 2nd basemen as well and move Phillips to SS. Either way it's to the Reds advantage to sign him while he is still in love with the Reds while he's in a penant race.

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Yep, if we get him under contract I think we could move him and Hatte in the off season. Their stock will probably never again be as high as it is now. Just like Joe Randa last year.

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Originally Posted by Razor Shines 1B

Yep, if we get him under contract I think we could move him and Hatte in the off season. Their stock will probably never again be as high as it is now. Just like Joe Randa last year.

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Joe Randa was the name that instantly popped into my head when reading these replies.

Also, another name that pops into my head in cases such as these for some odd reason is Jose Guillen and look what we got for him....our ace of the present and future pitching staff.

RA is definitely scrappy. Nuff said.

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Originally Posted by OSUmed2010

RA is definitely scrappy. Nuff said.

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If Rich were a cartoon character:
http://www.grudge-match.com/Images/scrappy.gif

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Originally Posted by Razor Shines 1B

Yep, if we get him under contract I think we could move him and Hatte in the off season. Their stock will probably never again be as high as it is now. Just like Joe Randa last year.

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I sign him to keep him. Between he and Freel the Reds have the ability to rest any of their players while still having a starting caliber player in their place (except the catcher). I only trade him if they are not contending. This assumes that they get a real starter for CF or SS as well.

Happy Birthday Rich! We thought a few years ago we shoulda stuck a fork in ya, but you've proved us all wrong. Way to go!

The guy's come a long way since he was signed and everyone was bashing him for making comments that he should be starting.

His stats this year are amazing... and puzzling. Who could have ever expected the production we'd get out of him? Who could have also expected how valuable his flexibility (1st, 2nd, short or 3rd) would be?

And most importantly, he's one of the best deals in baseball right now. The guys with the $100m+ payrolls can battle to get the best players. Clubs like the Reds and other mid-level-market teams have to find the best deals. And as far as best deals, Aurilia (and Hatteberg) have been about as good as it gets when it comes to veteran free agents.

I agree with mth; between him and Freel the Reds have a very deep, versatile and flexible bench. I would nto count on either one to start full time, but would be sure to play both of them about 75% of the time. Lots of rest for everyone that way without losing much, if any, production.

But Rich is gonna want to start every game, and I admire that in him now, where it used to just irritate me.

I remember him with SF and hearing he was a real good club house guy. Kinda held the pro-Bonds and anti-Bonds (Kent) factions together.