Freel and Hopper: AWOL?

[OnBaseMachine]

Where did Freel and Hopper go?

By Hal McCoy | Sunday, September 21, 2008, 12:54 PM
Latest comment

There are a couple of players who not only are on the DL, they are AWOL.

Well, maybe AWOL is a bit harsh. AWOL means absent without leave and, well, maybe it isn’t too harsh.

Nobody said Ryan Freel and Norris Hopper couldn’t leave when it was determined that injuries ended their season. And they haven’t been seen much in the clubhouse.

In contrast, Alex Gonzalez hasn’t played all season, but he is in the clubhouse all the time and has been most of the season.

It says something to manager Dusty Baker and it says something to the other players.

“Are you with us or not?”

Brandon Phillips broke his finger a couple of weeks ago. Yes, that was only a couple of weeks ago, in contrast to the injuries to Hopper and Freel that happened long ago.

But Phillips could have packed it in and packed it up. Gone home. Instead he is still wandering the clubhouse and dugout, sometimes in his uniform. Baker has to shoo him out of the dugout during games, “Because he has those two pins in his finger and what if a foul ball comes in there and he sticks out his hand to fend it off?”

The point about Freel and Hopper is this? When it comes down to making some choices next spring, what is going to be remembered about them? They didn’t care enough to stick around and support their teammates.

Baker likes guys like Edwin Encarancion and Jay Bruce, guys who got hurt recently but are already begging to get back in the lineup.

After missing five straight games, Encarnacion took batting practice Sunday and said, “I plan to play (today).”

Bruce was hit by a pitch Saturday and although he said he is all right, manager Dusty Baker didn’t even ask him about playing Sunday, “But I’m sure he’ll be OK (for today).”

Of Encarnacion’s and Bruce’s desires to play, even with nothing at stake, Baker said, “I like that. I’m telling you, I like guys who want to play. I don’t care if nothing is at stake, you have to want to play. I don’t like those shut-it-down guys who shut it down.

“Guys who want to play have pride and hunger,” Baker added. “And you can’t give that to anybody. It comes from inside. You have it or you don’t.”

What do you think? Should Freel and Hopper at least be at home games? There was a time when Matt Williams had a broken hand with a cast on it, but he was in uniform before games making soft toss pitches to his teammates.

Guess you know where I stand.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/con...incinnatireds/

[corkedbat]

Can we terminate them w/o pay?

I know, but a guy can dream can't he?

[KronoRed]

Big deal, this team is out of it, let them get healthy in their own way.

[corkedbat]

I'd rather they did it on someone else's roster though

[lollipopcurve]

Absolutely it says something about where those two players will stand next spring, if they're still with the Reds. Deep on the depth chart.

[wheels]

I really hope Hopper remains AWOL.

Even if he is healthy.

[westofyou]

Big deal, this team is out of it, let them get healthy in their own way.

It is a big deal if you want to create a team that is willing to eat some pain for another guys gain.

It's not a big deal if you want forget that you're paying those guys weekly.

[Tony Cloninger]

How can you say it's not a big deal?

Having a hard time understanding how it is viewed by the other people in the dugout....who matter......and probably the front office?

Whatever excuse is needed to take those 2 out of the running is fine by me.

[GAC]

Big deal, this team is out of it, let them get healthy in their own way.

We've seen what Freel does in his spare time to get healthy.

[RFS62]

I seriously doubt that Hal would have written about it had it not been a topic of conversation in the clubhouse and pressbox.

[Team Clark]

Funny that Dusty makes those comments. Those players are not at the ballpark by permission. They just do not decide one day not to show up even though they are rehabbing. That's just the deal. The only exception is Kent Mercker.

[Chip R]

"I don’t like those shut-it-down guys who shut it down."

[Wheelhouse]

Big deal, this team is out of it, let them get healthy in their own way.

What is, "Their own way?"

[LincolnparkRed]

Funny that Dusty makes those comments. Those players are not at the ballpark by permission. They just do not decide one day not to show up even though they are rehabbing. That's just the deal. The only exception is Kent Mercker.

That's what I would have thought. Someone told them they could stop coming at some point, I am sure they didn't collectively say screw this and go wherever it is they live in the offseason.

[Chip R]

That's what I would have thought. Someone told them they could stop coming at some point, I am sure they didn't collectively say screw this and go wherever it is they live in the offseason.

Dusty said a month or two before that this was Wayne's team. Maybe Wayne told them they could go home.