Report card.....Reality check

[coachpipe]

I'm hoping Heisey is out of the picture in the long term.

I second this. There are better options in our system

[Kingspoint]

The Ludwick in Left and Choo in Center "experiment" ended before it began.

I wrote what I wrote because Choo is no more familiar with Centerfield now than he was one year ago.

When Ludwick comes back, the Outfield Defense will be atrocious, very possibly the worst of the 30 Outfields in baseball. Before the shoulder injury, Ludwick was not expected to match his June through September averages of last year, not even his season averages from last year. His swing will certainly be zapped of both power and quickness. I can't see how Ludwick can help the 2013 team when it means dropping a better defensive and as good of offensive Outfielder from the roster.

It's certainly possible that Choo may still improve over the next 90 days, but I think it's also likely that the improvement will still make him one of the worst Defensive Centerfielders starting in the Majors.

Walt believes defense and pitching wins Championships. I can't see him keeping Choo in Center if in 90 days he's still almost as bad as he is right now.

[Kc61]

The Ludwick in Left and Choo in Center "experiment" ended before it began.

I wrote what I wrote because Choo is no more familiar with Centerfield now than he was one year ago.

When Ludwick comes back, the Outfield Defense will be atrocious, very possibly the worst of the 30 Outfields in baseball. Before the shoulder injury, Ludwick was not expected to match his June through September averages of last year, not even his season averages from last year. His swing will certainly be zapped of both power and quickness. I can't see how Ludwick can help the 2013 team when it means dropping a better defensive and as good of offensive Outfielder from the roster.

It's certainly possible that Choo may still improve over the next 90 days, but I think it's also likely that the improvement will still make him one of the worst Defensive Centerfielders starting in the Majors.

Walt believes defense and pitching wins Championships. I can't see him keeping Choo in Center if in 90 days he's still almost as bad as he is right now.

I wouldn't expect Choo to move out of CF this year. Except maybe in the late innings with defensive replacements. But Walt made his decision on Choo and I expect him to stick to it. His words so far have been favorable to Choo.

Now, if Choo is re-signed (unlikely), then I think he would move out of CF. Reds aren't signing him long term as a CFer. But he's probably gone after this year anyway.

What I'd like to see is Derrick Robinson, or some other very good defender, move into CF in the late innings of close games. Choo could play LF in the late innings.

[mth123]

The Ludwick in Left and Choo in Center "experiment" ended before it began.

I wrote what I wrote because Choo is no more familiar with Centerfield now than he was one year ago.

When Ludwick comes back, the Outfield Defense will be atrocious, very possibly the worst of the 30 Outfields in baseball. Before the shoulder injury, Ludwick was not expected to match his June through September averages of last year, not even his season averages from last year. His swing will certainly be zapped of both power and quickness. I can't see how Ludwick can help the 2013 team when it means dropping a better defensive and as good of offensive Outfielder from the roster.

It's certainly possible that Choo may still improve over the next 90 days, but I think it's also likely that the improvement will still make him one of the worst Defensive Centerfielders starting in the Majors.

Walt believes defense and pitching wins Championships. I can't see him keeping Choo in Center if in 90 days he's still almost as bad as he is right now.

Except the Reds don't have a better option. Heisey could start with Choo moving over against RHP, but Heisey has proven that he's best in small doses (twice per week maybe) and I'm not sure that moving Choo back and forth would improve anything. Billy Hamilton is off to a poor start and probably won't be up until late August. Xavier Paul is horrid in the OF and would be a downgrade in CF as compared to Choo (and Ludwick would upgrade the defense from Paul in LF too). If Ludwick is out of the picture, the team is going to acquire a rent-a-bat for LF (there really aren't any who would upgrade CF though maybe David Dejesus with Choo shifting to LF would be better by a hair) unless some one like Lutz or Paul comes on like gangbusters and makes it a non-issue.

[Kingspoint]

Except the Reds don't have a better option. Heisey could start with Choo moving over against RHP, but Heisey has proven that he's best in small doses (twice per week maybe) and I'm not sure that moving Choo back and forth would improve anything. Billy Hamilton is off to a poor start and probably won't be up until late August. Xavier Paul is horrid in the OF and would be a downgrade in CF as compared to Choo (and Ludwick would upgrade the defense from Paul in LF too). If Ludwick is out of the picture, the team is going to acquire a rent-a-bat for LF (there really aren't any who would upgrade CF though maybe David Dejesus with Choo shifting to LF would be better by a hair) unless some one like Lutz or Paul comes on like gangbusters and makes it a non-issue.

So, you're saying wait two more months and re-evaluate. I imagine that's what Walt will do, though I'm sure he was hoping for better results, both Offensively from Heisey and Defensively from Choo.

[mth123]

So, you're saying wait two more months and re-evaluate. I imagine that's what Walt will do, though I'm sure he was hoping for better results, both Offensively from Heisey and Defensively from Choo.

Yeah, but even in two months, unless Hamilton makes a dramatic about face, I have a hard time seeing anyone on the roster or potentially on the market who would be any better in CF than Choo is right now.

I know it's not Heisey on anything other than a spot basis and I know it's not Xavier Paul.

[Kingspoint]

Hitting like that and Choo can play anywhere he wants.

They hold on and that's 7 of 9 on the road, isn't it?

[Big Klu]

Since we're talking reality check, here, how many months does Choo get before they move him to Left Field permanently?

He's next to dead last in the Majors among Centerfielders in UZR/150 at -30.2 (Matt Kemp is worse).

Xavier Paul and Chris Heisey are 3rd and 5th respectively among National League Left-fielders who have played at least 100 innings in Left.

Jay Bruce is 12th in the National League among Right Fielders who have played at least 100 innings in Right. Bruce's UZR/150 is -2.6.

They can all be looked up here:

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.asp...rs=0&sort=24,d

Would Choo be offended being put in Left? Would he be thankful to be back in familiar ground?

Heisey can play Center, and I've always felt that he can play it as good as Stubbs, if not better. Stubbs isn't exactly tearing it up in Cleveland defensively this year.

When Hamilton is ready, shouldn't he play Center anyway? If this is the case, why even go through this experiment of having Choo play Center? Certainly they would have to be interested in retaining his services beyond this season, considering how much they gave up to get him. If I wanted Choo beyond 2013, I never would have considered playing him in Center with a very capable Heisey available to play Center and a very capable Hamilton on his way.

If Choo doesn't improve Defensively significantly by the end of June, I would put him in Left to stay and then roll the dice with Heisey and Paul in Center.

Choo isn't any more familiar with LF than he is CF. He played almost exclusively in RF in Cleveland.