Is it time for the Reds to tell Jr. where he is going to play

[George Foster]

This is going to be a big issue in the next week and the weeks to come. If Jr. plays center, were do the Reds play Freel? I think Freel is the Catalyst of the Reds offense. He gets on base, he bothers pitchers, etc. He needs to be in the line-up everyday..period.

When do the Reds tell Jr. "hey..we pay you 12 million dollars a year...you play were we tell you to play, if that is 1st so be it, if that is right field so be it."

Howcome every other player including Dunn has to play were the management wants them to play except for Griffey? Howcome HE desides were he gets to play? I do not feel he is our best option in center field. I think Kearns now has more range and the same or better arm. Why not Kearns in Center, Freel in right, and Jr. playing 1st? Or keep it the same as it is right now, with Freel's range and play Jr. at 1st. When will somebody have the stones to say to Jr. "you are a 36 year old major leaguer with the legs of a 45 year old and you are not going to hurt the cemistry of this ball team, on the field and in the club house by demanding to play center and bat 3rd."

[dougdirt]

Who told you Dunn plays where management wants him? Management wants him at first. He didnt want to be there and thats why he is in left field playing with the drunk goggles on. As for him batting 3rd, thats probably where he should be batting. As for CF, he plays there because in this game you dont often tell a Hall of Famer where he plays. Is he the best option there? No. Of course I dont think Freel or Kearns is either. The simple solution is, well there isnt a simple solution. Griffey should probably be in left with Dunn at first and Denorfia in CF. Dunn wont play first and Griffey probably wont play LF. That all said, there isnt anywhere for Freel to play.

[TeamBoone]

Who told you Dunn plays where management wants him? Management wants him at first. He didnt want to be there and thats why he is in left field playing with the drunk goggles on.

Source please?

I keep hearing a few say this, but I've never seen it in print, thus I figure it's an assumption.

PS - I always thought "drunk" goggles (same as beer goggles?) were equivalent to the girls get prettier at closing time. I'm trying to figure out how that applies to Dunn's play in LF.

[dougdirt]

Well Dunn has said he doesnt like first base because he "doesnt get to run around as much as in the outfield". I dont have the source, but its there. I have also heard from several places that Dunn had a gentlemans agreement to the contract that if he signed, he couuld move back to the OF. No writeups of that in newspapers, so technically i guess it is just 'he said she said'

[George Foster]

Who told you Dunn plays where management wants him? Management wants him at first. He didnt want to be there and thats why he is in left field playing with the drunk goggles on. As for him batting 3rd, thats probably where he should be batting. As for CF, he plays there because in this game you dont often tell a Hall of Famer where he plays. Is he the best option there? No. Of course I dont think Freel or Kearns is either. The simple solution is, well there isnt a simple solution. Griffey should probably be in left with Dunn at first and Denorfia in CF. Dunn wont play first and Griffey probably wont play LF. That all said, there isnt anywhere for Freel to play.

He knew all winter he was the option at 1st after the Casey trade and he still signed a new contract right? He might not want to play first, but he won't cry and wine about it. He would suck-it-up and play first for the team...would Griffey?

[dougdirt]

I am pretty sure that if Dunn didnt have a problem playing first, he would be standing over at first every day.

[SeeinRed]

Source please?

I keep hearing a few say this, but I've never seen it in print, thus I figure it's an assumption.

PS - I always thought "drunk" goggles (same as beer goggles?) were equivalent to the girls get prettier at closing time. I'm trying to figure out how that applies to Dunn's play in LF.

I totally agree, he never said he wouldn't play 1B. He just isn't ready. Period. End of story. You think he is bad in LF, but you think he will be better at 1B where he has very little experience? Doesn't make sense to me. The answer isn't just to put him there and let him work on it right now either. How many times have you seen a player switch positions and loose his hitting stroke, then loose his confidence and become a completely different player. This guy is going to be a super star, don't mess with him.

[KronoRed]

Yes it's time the Reds told Dunn to play 1st and JR to move to LF

They won't..it's not done that way, but it should be done.

[Nugget]

Griffey has never stated he isn't willing to move. What he has said is that he is willing to move when they find a better centrefielder.

Whether Freel is better is a matter of opinion.

Also on the Dunn point I believe that Marc has it on his blog that Dunn has told management he prefers to play LF. It is amazing that around the time that Dunn signed his long term contract that the REDS brought in a 1B.

It should also be noted that Junior played LF/RF when he made his return for hamstring surgery.

[dougdirt]

I totally agree, he never said he wouldn't play 1B. He just isn't ready. Period. End of story. You think he is bad in LF, but you think he will be better at 1B where he has very little experience? Doesn't make sense to me. The answer isn't just to put him there and let him work on it either. How many times have you seen a player switch positions and loose his hitting stroke, then loose his confidence and become a completely different player. This guy is going to be a super star, don't mess with him.

Please. Adam Dunn is the worst left fielder in baseball not named Barry Bonds. Dunn moving to first base isnt some big deal. Its not a harder position to play. Its not like trying to learn SS or 2B or 3B, its first base. The ball is hit, and in 90% of the cases, you trot over to first and catch a line drive thrown at you. Yeah, you gotta toss a few balls to the second baseman or pitcher on hits you field, and you have to hold runners on....its not like that is something complicated. Dunn is a HUGE target at first base. Balls in the dirt for Aurilia, Dunn can probably catch in the pocket of his glove by reaching for them.

[George Foster]

Yes it's time the Reds told Dunn to play 1st and JR to move to LF

They won't..it's not done that way, but it should be done.

This is a perfect example of the tail wagging the dog! I tell my employee's what to do and when to do it. I am paying them, not the other way around.
Jr. hurt his knee this time by warming up before the game for God's sakes. Does anybody think this is his last time on the DL this year? If Bench could play third, Dunn or Griffey could play 1st. You come to the park early, and get in extra reps. It's not shortstop, or second...it's first base.

[indyred]

How many games did JR play in LF?

[dougdirt]

Well then send Dunn to first and Griffey to LF. Its the most logical solution. Griffey doesnt have range, but its as good as Dunns at least and he wont run in circles getting to the ball either.

[dougdirt]

How many games did JR play in LF?

for his career, Griffey has 3 games in LF, 3 in RF and 2 at first base. Every other time its been CF or DH.

[savafan]

Why can't Freel play 1st? Not that it's the ideal defensive option, but he plays everywhere else, why not first to keep his OBP and speed in the lineup?