Stop the platoon in CF and play Patterson every day?

[REDREAD]

After Hopper's poor defensive play in OF yesterday, I am ready to play Patterson every day in CF, even against LH pitchers.

I know Patterson will struggle at the plate vs LHs, but I think we need his defense out there every day.

Hopper is just not a good defender in the OF, even with his speed. He brings very little to the plate as well.
Freel sometimes brings a contribution offensively and defensively, but makes a lot of bonehead plays.

I'm willing to send out Patterson everyday against LH (although hopefully not in leadoff) just because I don't feel the alternatives are that great.

Likewise, it makes no sense to me to bench Votto to start Juan Castro. Let's end that.

I think Dusty needs to realize he has no good RH bats off the bench and go ahead and start the LH hitters..

[*BaseClogger*]

Like I said before the season:

What is Norris Hopper good at?

[Benihana]

Imagine posting this a month ago- ha!

I'm all for it. Give Hopper the occasional start against a lefty (maybe every other lefty), but CP has earned his starting job, just like Phillips and Hamilton before him.

Freel needs to go, there's no question about that.

[flyer85]

Like I said before the season:

What is Norris Hopper good at?

he was good at bunting for base hits until teams figured out he could do little else. He is not a bad 25th guy but having him and Freel on the same bench is absurd.

[TOBTTReds]

What is Norris Hopper good at?

Bunting, that's it. Great bunter. Awful OF'er.

[cumberlandreds]

Why not stop the platoon and bring up Jay Bruce? He's an upgrade to any of the three the Reds have now. The object is to have the best players playing for the big league club. He and few others IMO are better than some of the rabble they have up here now.

[RedsManRick]

I'm playing Freel vL. Build up some trade value if nothing else and he's a better CF than Hopper.

[Benihana]

Why not stop the platoon and bring up Jay Bruce? He's an upgrade to any of the three the Reds have now. The object is to have the best players playing for the big league club. He and few others IMO are better than some of the rabble they have up here now.

Because Corey Patterson has done an outstanding job so far. And Bruce needs to work on his plate discipline in AAA for the next couple months.

[flyer85]

Because Corey Patterson has done an outstanding job so far.

ayet he is still the same Patterson he has always been. Good glove, some pop, poor OBP. I don't mind him playing CF but he has no business hitting leadoff.

[Benihana]

ayet he is still the same Patterson he has always been. Good glove, some pop, poor OBP. I don't mind him playing CF but he has no business hitting leadoff.

enough already?

[Highlifeman21]

Like I said before the season:

What is Norris Hopper good at?

Bunting, and hitting for a high AVG, supposedly.

He is fast, there's no argument there, but last time I checked, drawing a walk is the only closest way to steal 1B.

[KronoRed]

I'm playing Freel vL. Build up some trade value if nothing else and he's a better CF than Hopper.

Agreed, if not then Patterson should be 8th vs left handers.

If the Reds fall too far back I wonder if a Patterson career year would bring some value at the trade deadline.

[Blitz Dorsey]

Amazing how much opinions can change in a couple of weeks. People were cursing the day he was signed. Now people want him playing every day as the starting CF no questions asked.

And I completely agree. (Although, for the record, I was on board with the CPatt signing from day one. And I have the posts to back it up! Haha.)

[HumnHilghtFreel]

Amazing how much opinions can change in a couple of weeks. People were cursing the day he was signed. Now people want him playing every day as the starting CF no questions asked.

I wasn't a big fan of the move, but seeing him play has definitely changed my mind a bit. I wish he'd level out his swing occasionally instead of uppercutting for the fences, but his defense thus far has been tremendous, something I wasn't sure about. He's definitely more of an asset than Hopper, who should probably be at the very end of the bench as a PR or designated bunter at this point.

I can live with getting Freel more PT if it means hoping for a hot streak and moving him out(although he may be needed if Edwin doesn't pick it up). That at least gets rid of some of the bench redundancy.

[redsrule2500]

Like I said before the season:

What is Norris Hopper good at?

Bunting.