Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

The lineup for the Reds home spring training opener per Scott Springer on 1360am:

Freel - CF
Womack - 2B
Lopez - SS
Dunn - 1B
Aurilia - 3B
Kearns - RF
Larue - C
Snyder - DH
Wise - LF

Good to see Kearns back in the lineup.

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

Is Griffey gone already? I'd have to assume so, since he isn't on either roster...

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

I don't think Freel could even find 2b.

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

I'm really believing we are going to see an everyday lineup with Womack at 2b and Aurilia at 3b.:bang:

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

Yes, I believe he left yesterday (after his daughter's first ever game).

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

Why don't we let EE develop in the majors during a "down" year? Sometimes I just don't know.

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

While it is possible to promote a player to quickly it is also possible to promote too slowly and stifle their development as well. EE was outstanding in AAA last season. Nothing left to prove at that level, he needs to be challenged at the major league level.

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

Yep, their hesitancy to pencil him at third barring a ST disaster is one of the stranger tales to come out of Reds camp in recent years. Either EE can play at a consistently high level in the majors or he can't. Sitting him behind the craptastic Aurilia isn't going to answer anything, and will only make matters worse. I honestly have less of a problem with Womack at 2nd than I do with Aurilia at third. Awful as Womack is, at least he isn't stifling the development of another younger player there (Freel, I assume, will find his way into the lineup somewhere). Giving Aurilia the 3B nod has the potential to have a detrimental effect on this team for years to come.

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

Couldn't agree more. There's no way he should be playing in AAA any more. He's ready.

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

You mean since last year with Lopez...

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

Well, yes, that would be another "one of the..." tales. Funny how RA seems to be involved in most of them.

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

that was an issue but Lopez never showed as much at AAA as EE did last year. He is a kid who I have little doubt is going to be an all-star. In addition, he has the hands, range and arm to provide gold glove caliber defense as well.

My nightmare is RA at 3B and Womack at 2b on opening day. The best the true fans can seemingly hope for at this point is that RA wins the 2B job in spring training because Womack is a less than zero.

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

Not only is Womack getting 2nd, but he's going to sabotage a lot of lineups batting 2nd, whoever bats 3rd will more then likely always be batting with 2 outs.

Dandy.

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

I'm rooting for that scenario at this point. I am convinced that Freel isn't even in the running to be a starter at 2B. Given the choice between RA and Woemack, the choice has to be RA.

Re: Game Thread: Reds SS vs. Tigers 3/3/06
 

Well at least they won't approach Casey's GIDP's from last year.:mooner: