Competition: Tony Womack v. Rich Aurilia v. Ryan Freel

[Bucky Furgoo]

Cincinnati Reds

Competition: Tony Womack v. Rich Aurilia v. Ryan Freel

Dan O'Brien's tenure of this team took a real left turn this winter when he gave up multiple players for the carcass of Tony Womack. Not only is Womack a player with a pathetic career, but the Reds were relatively loaded at second. Most people would put together a lineup with Womack on the bench, where there are dozens (Uggla, for one) of inexperienced players who are better suited for the role.

The job should be going to Ryan Freel. With the outfield settled -- Chris Denorfia is even waiting in the wings -- and the hot corner curse presumably over, one would think this could be the season Freel focuses on second. His OBP is among the team's best and his speed is absolutely fantastic. He has little to no pop, sure, but that hardly separates him from the other players on this list.

Aurilia wasn't a bad re-sign, a player that I might bring to camp to compete with a player like Freel. However, it's one thing to do it with the agenda of motivating a young player, it's another to give the veteran a leg-up on the job. Rich has become very volatile at this point in his career, and while he's a smarter bet than Womack to succeed, he's looking to be just another failure.

If Cincinnati wants to maximize their offensive output, Ryan Freel must be the Opening Day second baseman, plain and simple.



http://baseballanalysts.com/archives...nd_in_line.php

[vaticanplum]

The job should be going to Ryan Freel. With the outfield settled -- Chris Denorfia is even waiting in the wings -- and the hot corner curse presumably over, one would think this could be the season Freel focuses on second. His OBP is among the team's best and his speed is absolutely fantastic. He has little to no pop, sure, but that hardly separates him from the other players on this list.

If Cincinnati wants to maximize their offensive output, Ryan Freel must be the Opening Day second baseman, plain and simple.

I don't get it. That makes too much sense. Plus, Tony Womack is scrappy. And has playoff experience.

[KronoRed]

Freel is better then Aurilia and Womack put together.

Aurilia will be stealing playtime at 3rd this year, not 2nd.

[wheels]

The fact that the author doesn't think of Aurilia as the third baseman says alot about how dumb a move it really is.

Most sane, intelligent baseball minds wouldn't even consider giving a washed up deadweight like Aurilia a leg up over what could be a budding star.

This is not a good mindset, and appearantly it's still somewhat prevelant even under a new regime.

[Heath]

From a TeamBoone standpoint (that is, the glass is half-full, not half-empty) maybe the purposes of giving RA a shot at 3b with Krvisky is giving Narron a rope of which to hang himself.

[kheidg-]

Personally, I would rather have Womack on my team than Aurilia.

Although, neither deserve a roster spot considering the money they are making.