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HokieRed · 01-31-2010, 09:36 AM

I think Jojo's got it; this is downside protection, not unlike the reasoning that probably went into acquiring Taveras last year--i.e. the downside on Dickerson is unknown, we'd better get somebody who can at least catch the ball in CF. That approach wasn't entirely wrong, even as bad as Taveras was--i.e. Dickerson spent a lot of DL time and it gave Stubbs/Heisey the year to develop.
As others have said, it's all going to turn on whether Cabrera can return to defense of 2008. One reservation I have is that I don't see it solving the 2-hole lineup problem. Cabrera's OBP lifetime is only down in the .310's; he ought to hit 7th or 8th, which still leaves us without a real 2nd hitter, unless the Dusty will slot Rolen there, which seems unlikely to me.

01-31-2010, 09:36 AM	#69
HokieRed Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 4,053	Re: Reds sign Orlando Cabrera to one-year, $3M deal; option for second year I think Jojo's got it; this is downside protection, not unlike the reasoning that probably went into acquiring Taveras last year--i.e. the downside on Dickerson is unknown, we'd better get somebody who can at least catch the ball in CF. That approach wasn't entirely wrong, even as bad as Taveras was--i.e. Dickerson spent a lot of DL time and it gave Stubbs/Heisey the year to develop. As others have said, it's all going to turn on whether Cabrera can return to defense of 2008. One reservation I have is that I don't see it solving the 2-hole lineup problem. Cabrera's OBP lifetime is only down in the .310's; he ought to hit 7th or 8th, which still leaves us without a real 2nd hitter, unless the Dusty will slot Rolen there, which seems unlikely to me.