Castro hit the ball hard tonight. He hasn't looked bad so far this season. Actually, I don't think he has ever looked that bad as a Red, but I could be wrong (this is where someone posts his stats and he has an OPS sub .700)
Castro hit the ball hard tonight. He hasn't looked bad so far this season. Actually, I don't think he has ever looked that bad as a Red, but I could be wrong (this is where someone posts his stats and he has an OPS sub .700)
Benching Encarnacion was an extreme measure which I felt that Narron had to make. Kudos to him for making the gutsy call. (It reminded me of when Bobby Cox pulled a young Andruw Jones mid-inning for lollygagging in CF.) IMO, the next move Narron definitely needs to make is to start Encarnacion the very next game to show confidence in him, and to see if he has learned his lesson. This would show that he has a firm, yet fair, hand regarding discipline.
As for the complaints about Castro being inserted into the lineup at 3B and in the #4 slot--Griffey was given a day off (which many on this board have been calling for). It was only the second inning, so putting him in would pretty much nullify the benefits of resting him. He was still available later in the game, and if it had been necessary, he could have PH for Castro, then stayed in the game in RF, with Hamilton moving to CF, and Freel moving to 3B.
Personally, I would not have used Griffey as the PH for Belisle after Valentin had already delivered the go-ahead two-run double. I would have done one of the following:
1) Let Belisle hit for himself in an obvious bunt situation.
2) Pinch-hit with Conine.
That way, Griffey would have still been available in the 8th or 9th inning to pinch-hit for Castro (if necessary).
I also would have used Milton (instead of Moeller) to pinch-hit for Stanton, but that move made a little more sense when Moeller stayed in the game behind the plate as a replacement for Valentin. (I have been mildly impressed with Moeller's defensive skills so far this season.) Still, I would have used Milton to PH, and left Valentin in at C.
One final comment: It is games like this that show how shallow a five-man bench is. When a substitute has to be used in the early innings, a lot of strategy and flexibility go out the window. Hopefully the Reds will eventually jettison the twelfth pitcher (Milton? Cormier?) and add a sixth bench player.
Eric Stratton, Rush Chairman. Damn glad to meet ya.
The other issue is the love for Freel. I don't think that the REDS believe that Freel would be an adequate replacement for EE at third for eight innings. Given the new pitching/defence REDS having Golden Gloves for eight innings at third was a better option.
Originally Posted by harangatang
After Encarnacion came out of the game that stupid Narron put Juan Castro batting cleanup. This is inexcusable. Please, Jerry RESIGN or face getting a pink slip come July 31st.
So are you a Jet or a Shark?
"Sometimes, it's not the sexiest moves that put you over the top," Krivsky said. "It's a series of transactions that help you get there."
From today's DDN, it appears Narron is doing just that, making his point but not creating an issue:
"Eddie will be back in there Friday, but if they don't run the balls out, they don't play," he (Narron) said. "I love Eddie and think he is going to be a great player, but he messed up. Doggone it, you can't be messing up in this game by not hustling. If you don't know where the ball is, you run until you find out where it is. Eddie has never dogged it and it was an honest mistake, but it was a mistake."
You cannot defeat an ignorant man in an argument!
-William Gibbs McAdoo
Though many of us here are sure trying
I am completely fine with the benching of EE. However why didn't they do a double switch moving Freel to 3rd and bringing Griffey into RF and move Hamilton to CF? Seems like that would be the better move in the 2nd inning.
Substitute "they" with "some" and I agree."Eddie will be back in there Friday, but if they don't run the balls out, they don't play," he (Narron) said.
Juan Castro career - .233/.272/.340/.612.:
It was probably part of the teaching process for EE. Narron was porbably like "Not only did you not run out that pop up, but I am forced to use Castro in cleanup, look what you did!" (I'll agree with others on the fact that Castro put some lumber on the ball)
Honestly, I fully agree with Narron. Hopefully the lesson is learned.
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
~Oscar Wilde
The pitcher also pointed straight up to the catcher. The catcher was also fooled. I understand Jerry's point. Funny thing is Castro hit the ball harder in his two AB's than EE has in the last 3 games. EE will be just fine and go on to hit .300 with 35 jacks...
Baseball is a long season and this is a hiccup. Relax with the Fire Narron garbage folks. Jerry found a new pair of shiny silver balls this off season and figured out how to use them. Leyland benched I-Rod last year for not hustling. Looking forward to the next time Griffey dogs it. That will earn him a golden pair. I was impressed that he sat Ross in a crucial situation. Jerry's guts and Javy's bat won the game.
Cedric 3/24/08It's absolutely pathetic that people can't have an opinion from actually watching games and supplementing that with stats. If you voice an opinion that doesn't fit into a black/white box you will get completely misrepresented and basically called a tobacco chewing traditionalist...
When's the last time Freel has even taken grounders??? Much less played in a game in the IF? This is not Strat-o-Matic baseball. You need as much SPEED as possible in Arizona's OF. Griffey would seriously hinder that equation. The right move was made.
Cedric 3/24/08It's absolutely pathetic that people can't have an opinion from actually watching games and supplementing that with stats. If you voice an opinion that doesn't fit into a black/white box you will get completely misrepresented and basically called a tobacco chewing traditionalist...
I would hope (since we have only Castro as a backup at 3rd, 2nd, and Short) that Freel takes grounders during practice in case we need him.
Did Freel even play the infield during spring training? I can't remember him doing so, and I don't think he played the infield past July last year.
...the 2-2 to Woodsen and here it comes...and it is swung on and missed! And Tom Browning has pitched a perfect game! Twenty-seven outs in a row, and he is being mobbed by his teammates, just to the thirdbase side of the mound.
Not that I remember. Face it, Castro is it when it comes to the Reds infield depth. He is the lone backup at 2B, SS, and 3B.
If Edwin "hits 35 jacks" I will jump into the Ohio River neckid.
(OK, no I wouldn't. I would just be happy.)
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