Reds and Aurilia at a standstill

[Matt700wlw]

Reds, Aurilia at standstill
BY JOHN FAY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
The Reds' dance with Rich Aurilia this offseason is looking a lot like last year’s.

Aurilia and the Reds have a mutual option, as they did last year. Aurilia wants an everyday spot in the lineup, as he did last year. The Reds don’t sound ready to commit to that, as they weren’t last year.

Last year, the Reds and Aurilia kept dancing until Jan. 8 – the last day the Reds could sign Aurilia.


One big difference this year is that Wayne Krivsky is now the general manager. He may not want to prolong the negotiations.

“You’d like to have an answer one way or another for planning purposes,” Krivsky said.

The $2-million mutual option must be exercised within 10 days of the end of the World Series.

Last year, both sides agreed not to exercise the option. But the Reds offered Aurilia arbitration. He rejected it. That allowed Aurilia to speak with other teams, while keeping open the possibility of returning to the Reds.

It sounds like Aurilia would like to do that again.

“In the back of Richie’s mind he’s always thinking: Do I have a position?” his agent, Barry Axelrod said. “He’s a pondering that.”

For the Reds to offer Aurilia an everyday spot, they would likely move Brandon Phillips to short and start Aurilia at second base.

But Krivsky would not even say if the Reds want to exercise the option.

“I can’t talk about that,” Krivsky said.

The Reds were the only club to promise Aurilia substantial playing time, and he ended up signing for $1.3 million.

He responded with a fantastic year. He hit .300 with 23 home runs and 70 RBI. He started 37 games at first base, four games at second, 39 at third, 25 at shortstop and one at designated hitter.

“He had no complaint about his playing time,” Axelrod said. “It was the uncertainty of where he was going to play.”

Aurilia and manager Jerry Narron had words late in the season, Axelrod said, after Aurilia came in expecting to start one day and was not in the lineup.

“There was a moment of confusion,” Axelrod said. “It was the kind of thing that happens all the time in clubhouses that no one knows about.

“It was a silly misunderstanding. It won’t affect anything.”

E-mail jfay@enquirer.com

[crazybob60]

I still say Aurilia will not be wearing Red next season....

[terminator]

I hope he gets signed and plays second base next season. And I hope he has a clause in his contract that prohibits him from playing third base unless EE is injured.

If we're going to improve we need more above average players and Aurilia is an above average option at second base. Also, he won't break the bank and has shown he is willing to take a one year deal.

[Falls City Beer]

You know what they say: if they're still talking, there's still a chance.

Not that I particularly care either way on this.

[schroomytunes]

If we were to resign Aurilia, then I say give him the 1b job until Votto is ready, then let Hatteberg be the backup. This move solidifies the bench and provides an above average corner infielder. Then sign Alex Gonzalez to be our SS.

[Superdude]

Aurilia wants an everyday spot in the lineup, as he did last year. The Reds don’t sound ready to commit to that, as they weren’t last year.

We're retarded. Well Rich, we'd like to get your .867OPS bat in the lineup, but Royce Clayton is showing signs of coming around!

[redsupport]

And of course as we all know, clayton knows how to play the game and is a gritty veteran

[RedsManRick]

Aurilia OPS'd over 1.000 versus lefties and around .750 versus righties. Hatteberg OPS'd about .675 versus lefties and .850 versus righties. This is not a difficult puzzle to solve.

Richie wants a full time job, but he's not going to get it playing below average defense with a .750 OPS versus righties. He succeeded this year in large part to being platooned. Giving him a gauranteed 600 PA is not the right response.

[Strikes Out Looking]

The Reds are not going to win with RA or Hatty or Clayton (who I believe is a FA as well) as main cogs in the order. I say good bye to them all.

[Matt700wlw]

Hatty's been re-signed

[TeamBoone]

It kind of irks me that Aurilia was ticked at JN because he wasn't in the starting lineup. That is NOT his decision; it's the manager's... and he should respect it.

Seems he's always got some complaint or another, just like now... he wants to be guaranteed a starting position or he says he'll walk... fine, let him walk because I'd be willing to bet that no other team will offer him a starting position either. His value at this stage of his career is his versatility; he's not stupid so you'd think he'd realize that.

I'm glad WK won't commit, and I hope he sticks to it, regardless of how well he played this year.

If he wants to run the show, perhaps he should quit playing and become a manager.

[Patrick Bateman]

His value at this stage of his career is his versatility; he's not stupid so you'd think he'd realize that.

Why would he admit that?

He wants to make as much money as possible and get as much playing time as possible.

If nobody offers him a meaningful role, then he will have tosettle in as a part-time player, but he may as well set the bar as high as possible.