Shortstop of the future?

[Redsnake]

Sorry if this has been talked about before.
First I like to say that I liked the Kearns/Lopez trade. Adding bullpen arms and giving Denorfia a chance to play everyday was a good move. Add in the money saved in payroll and this trade was great. Especially if they turn that money into a quality starting pitcher in 2007.

Now finally my point, the only thing that I questioned in this trade is, who is the future SS for the Reds?
Olmeda isn't it, even though I do like him in spot duty.
Clayton will be gone and is aging.
Castro...please no!!
Aurilla is getting old.
Phillips is the 2nd baseman period.

Is there a SS in the farm system they are high on? Any good young SS in the 2007 free agents market? Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

[zombie-a-go-go]

Phillips is the SS of the future, I think.

[princeton]

Phillips is the 2nd baseman period.

why?

I think that the Reds don't want to stress Phillips' offensive breakthrough by forcing him to play SS as well, but that's just this year. Unless they're more interested in Rey Olmedo than they've shown, my guess is that the job belongs to BP in 2007.

[RFS62]

why?

I think that the Reds don't want to stress Phillips' offensive breakthrough by forcing him to play SS as well, but that's just this year. Unless they're more interested in Rey Olmedo than they've shown, my guess is that the job belongs to BP in 2007.

That's my guess too.

[MartyFan]

I think Phillips is the SS in 2007...Maybe Freel or Olmeda at 2B.

[toledodan]

phillips came up as a SS plus has a great arm as well. i wouldn't hesitate putting him over there to start NEXT SEASON.

[redsmetz]

I think there's a lot that can happen between now and the start of the next season. Obviously the internal possiblities are aren't great and there is the FA market. It's also possible they could trade for someone for either position that could be the 2B/SS of the future.

[Highlifeman21]

Sorry if this has been talked about before.
First I like to say that I liked the Kearns/Lopez trade. Adding bullpen arms and giving Denorfia a chance to play everyday was a good move. Add in the money saved in payroll and this trade was great. Especially if they turn that money into a quality starting pitcher in 2007.

Now finally my point, the only thing that I questioned in this trade is, who is the future SS for the Reds?
Olmeda isn't it, even though I do like him in spot duty.
Clayton will be gone and is aging.
Castro...please no!!
Aurilla is getting old.
Phillips is the 2nd baseman period.

Is there a SS in the farm system they are high on? Any good young SS in the 2007 free agents market? Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Funny you say that seeing as Phillips was the top SS prospect in the Indians organization, not to mention all of baseball for awhile.

The smartest move for the Reds organization is to plug Phillips into SS, and then find a 2B solution. Right now, we have that solution: Ryan Freel.

It's a shame Narron will never write that DP combo on a lineup card together, unless at the 4 spot you see "Aurillia - 3B".

[Mitri]

phillips should be the starting ss tomorrow. and, of course, is obviously the ss of the future for this team.

[Redsnake]

I thought I heard that during Wayne Krivsky's press confrence a reporter asked if Phillips would take over at SS with Lopez gone. His answer was that Brandon Phillips is the Reds 2nd baseman...period.
Also does anyone think that moving him back to SS (where he was suppose to be the future All-Star) will cause him to resort to the player the Expos and Indians got rid of?

[willarious]

Also does anyone think that moving him back to SS (where he was suppose to be the future All-Star) will cause him to resort to the player the Expos and Indians got rid of?

No, I don't. What BP really needed was a change of scenery and a great chance to play everyday. He found that here, and I actually believe putting him at SS might even make him a better overall player. If Brandon played SS and batted first or second beginning next year, I think everyone here would be happy.

[Highlifeman21]

No, I don't. What BP really needed was a change of scenery and a great chance to play everyday. He found that here, and I actually believe putting him at SS might even make him a better overall player. If Brandon played SS and batted first or second beginning next year, I think everyone here would be happy.

1st or 2nd in the lineup?

What even remotely suggests that he won't become an enormous out making machine at those spots?

Sporting a robust career OBP of .287 screams put me at the top of the lineup. Even if he were to repeat his 2006 OBP of .345, it still doesn't merit his name on the lineup card in the 1st or 2nd slot.

5th, 6th, or 7th is a dish best served for Brandon Phillips.

The SS he should be.

[westofyou]

Phillips is the 2nd baseman period.

Narron said this about Phillips:

“There’s no doubt in my mind that if we worked him over there, he’d be a pretty good shortstop,” Narron said. “Who knows? His future might be at shortstop.”

Add that to the article in the locals talking about "Clayton" as the professor speaks pretty loud to me about what they thought about Lopez's ability to morph into a infield leader, with a young Edwin Encarnacion at 3rd (when not injured), Phillips at 2nd the Reds had prior to the all-star break had perhaps the youngest infield since the sixties. In this youthful infield the team was seeing a healthy number of errors, and mental mistakes as well. In his second full year at shortstop Lopez had already heard the questions of range, and there was already talk of flip-flopping him and Phillips. This coupled by last years signing of Rich Aurilia, this past winters signing of Tony Womack and the recent acquisition of Juan Castro points to the current and past Reds brass wanting a former (or vet) shortstop to run the infield, even if Lopez was the shortstop.

A EE/Phillips/Harris/ Dunn IF could be possible next year, that's cheap, young and fast.

[dabvu2498]

A EE/Phillips/Harris/ Dunn IF could be possible next year, that's cheap, young and fast.

Replace Harris with Olmedo and Dunn with Votto and I think you've got it.

[jimbo]

The smartest move for the Reds organization is to plug Phillips into SS, and then find a 2B solution. Right now, we have that solution: Ryan Freel.

I agree with this completely. My only big issue with the outcomes of this trade is that Phillips is not being moved to SS with Freel taking over at 2B. Normally, I would agree that switching posititions during mid-season is not a good idea. I don't see the problem here though. Phillips has played plenty of innings at SS and I can't see him having much of an adjustment period if he did move. He seems to be a very versatile player who isn't affected by change, being in a different positition in the lineup everday is an example of that. IMO, it would strengthen the infield and it puts Freel in the leadoff position as an everyday player.

Having said that though, I don't see it happening. Narron likes Freel too much in that versatile utility role.