Dusty says the Reds must improve their defense in 2009

[OnBaseMachine]

Baker’s prescription for success

By Hal McCoy | Saturday, September 20, 2008, 03:46 PM
Latest comment

Dusty Baker watches what he is seeing on the baseball field these days from his Cincinnati Reds and feels good about 2009.

And he wonders what might have been in 2008, “If we hadn’t led the league in broken bones, had eight or nine deaths of close relatives that takes it toll emotionally, had to play so many different shortstops (six)and had so many injuries that left us thin in the outfield — like Ryan Freel and Norris Hopper.”

And he mentions three things at which the Reds must improve dramatically:

ONE: Road record (30-45).

TWO: Record within the National League Central (29-41), especially against Houston (2-10) and last place Pittsburgh (6-9)

THREE: Defense, “Improved defense, big-time,” he said. “There was a long period where we were giving away one or two runs every game.”

Baker, though, sees 2009 as a much better season.

“You look at Edinson Volquez (16-6), Johnny Cueto (8-13) and you know Aaron Harang (5-16) is going to be better and you hope Bronson Arroyo (15-10) is going to be the same,” he said.

“Then we have a young kid like Josh Roenicke and you know Francisco Cordero (5-4, 31 saves) is going to be better, even though he has been great lately,” Baker added. “Bill Bray made it through the year without injury for the first time.”

And Bake likes what he sees of some of the young players called up in September and said, “They’ll be better, especially if they make the adjustments and I feel they will.

“Our bullpen is better and I think Jared Burton (5-1) is getting better and better. Brandon Phillips and Edwin Encarnacion will have better years. We’ll hopefully have Jerry Hairston Jr. with us from from the beginning.”

Baker cited a deeper bench and more speed, “And I love speed,” then added, “There are a lot of reasons for optimism. We have a different team right now, one that’s young and with a good nucleus.”

Of course, that’s what every manager says, right?

“You want light at the end of the tunnel and you want hope, but you don’t want manufactured hope, you want real hope. We have it,” he said.

THOSE SEVEN home runs the Reds hit Friday night against the Brewers not only shattered the pysche of Milwaukee’s pitching staff, it emptied the supply of fireworks.

Fireworks are touched off after each Reds home run and after each Reds victory, but that won’t happen the rest of the season — a game today against the Brewers and one Monday against the Florida Marlins.

Because of last week’s windstorm, Rozzi’s World Famous Fireworks stopped production and the company’s supply is gone..

ON YONDER ALONSO: “He hit some good ones, showed some power and hit some line drives and, yes, he hit a few out yonder.” — Manager Dusty Baker after No. 1 draft pick Yonder Alonso took batting practice.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs...incinnatireds/

[OnBaseMachine]

Good inklings abound for Baker
Skipper expresses optimism about future as season wraps up
By Justice B. Hill / MLB.com

CINCINNATI -- The calendar peeled back another day in the 162-game season Saturday, and with no postseason for manager Dusty Baker and the Reds to look forward to, the skipper took a few minutes to discuss the future.

Baker said he liked what he saw.

"There's no way we can have as many broken bones as we had this year," Baker said.

Those broken bones led to a thin outfield and an Abbott-and-Costello game of who's at short this season. But those injuries opened opportunities for young talent to showcase itself, and that talent has given Baker reason for hope.

"There's a lot of reason for optimism," Baker said.

For one thing, the bullpen should be stronger, and Aaron Harang, the resident ace, should return to the top-of-the-rotation starter he was on Opening Day. Jay Bruce will be more seasoned, and so will Joey Votto. Jerry Hairston Jr., injured for a bulk of the season, could also be back into the everyday mix if he signs with the club again.

Right-hander Johnny Cueto should be better, right-hander Edinson Volquez should be better and veteran Bronson Arroyo should be a nice complement to a healthier Harang.

That's a good jumping-off point for 2009.

The Reds' roster, though, will undergo a remake of sorts, a remake that started with some in-season moves this season. They'll have nine free agents.

"You don't like too many free agents because it's hard to replace everybody," Baker said. "I've never been on a team that had this many free agents."

Now the question becomes which of the free agents should, or can, the Reds keep. Regardless of who the team keeps, Baker will have a team with a better bench and more speed.

"I love speed," Baker said. "You can do a lot of things with speed."

Speed must play a significant role in 2009 because Baker won't come into the season with the heavy thunder of Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. in the Reds' lineup.

"We'll have a different team," Baker said. "But we have a very good and young nucleus."

He got plenty of opportunity to look at that nucleus, thanks to the rash of injuries that have kept players like shortstop Alex Gonzalez, outfielder/infielder Ryan Freel and outfielder Norris Hopper down throughout much of the season.

Throw in the late-season injury to second baseman Brandon Phillips, and Baker has been able to make judgments about what he'll have to work with next season.

Baker thinks he'll have plenty. In the offseason, he hopes to enhance his team's strength, recognize its weaknesses and act accordingly.

"What you want is some light at the end of the tunnel," Baker said. "What you want is some hope -- real hope, not manufactured or fake hope."

The way his Reds have played the past couple of weeks, Baker has plenty of real hope at the end of the tunnel.

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/...=.jsp&c_id=cin

[johngalt]

Dusty just loves excuses, dude.

[corkedbat]

injuries that left us thin in the outfield — like Ryan Freel and Norris Hopper.”

And he mentions three things at which the Reds must improve dramatically:

I thought having to play Norris Hopper and Ryan Freel was the very essence of being "thin in the OF"'

Baker cited a deeper bench and more speed, “And I love speed,” then added, “There are a lot of reBasons for optimism. We have a different team right now, one that’s young and with a good nucleus.”

Of course, that’s what every manager says, right?

I don't see speed on the bench as a priority. Hariston, Patterson, Hopper, Freel, Richar, etc. - there's enough speed on the bench. I want POP!

After a big RH bat in LF, a solid FA Starter, a young SS and a young C, my next priority would be a fouth and fifth OF - one from each side of the plate . I want two guys that can drive the ball and it wouldn't hurt if the RH could play a little 1B to give Votto a day off once in a while against tough lefties or fill in for a couple of days if Joey gets a little banged-up,

I want no more than one or two slap hitters on the bench next year though.

[jojo]

I was thinking just the other day that the Reds were only Ryan Freel and Norris Hopper plus a few less deaths away from the playoffs..... :all_cohol

[Matt700wlw]

At least next year's team won't be Wayne's team....

[corkedbat]

If I had my way, the 09 roster would look something like:

1. Dickerson (CF)
2. Hairston (2B)
3. Votto (1B)
4. Bradley/Orodonez/Holiday/Burrell (LF)
5. Bruce (RF)
6. Encarnacion (3B)
7. Gonzalez (SS)
8. Hanigan (C)

9. Reserve catcher
10. Primary RH PH(/OF
11. Primary LH PH/OF
12. Castillo (UT)
13/14. Freel/Keppinger/Rosales/Richar (UT)

1. Volquez
2. Harang
3. Perez/Lowe/Garland/Sheets
4. Arroyo
5, Cueto

6. Cordero
7. Burton
8. Bray
9. Owings/Ramierez/Livingston
10/11/12 Lincoln/Masset/Roenicke/Fisher/Affeldt/Herrera/Pelland

[RedsManRick]

Good to see Dusty wants Hairston back. With Freel on the roster, we certainly could use another utility guy. And clearly Hairston has turned a corner in his career, reaching a new level of production which can we expect him to sustain.............

If only we could add speed. The article made it very clear that Dusty is more interested a fielding a team that fits his 1970's image of success than one built to win in today's modern game.

I'm really tired of the idea that speed is a substitute for power. Speed is a marginal part of an offense. The Reds need to get on base more -- plain and simple. And all too often, speed comes not just at the expense of power, but OBP too...

[dougdirt]

If only we could add speed. The article made it very clear that Dusty is more interested a fielding a team that fits his 1970's image of success than one built to win in today's modern game.

I'm really tired of the idea that speed is a substitute for power. Speed is a marginal part of an offense. The Reds need to get on base more -- plain and simple. And all too often, speed comes not just at the expense of power, but OBP too...

You mean wiry fast guys with no power that have been taught since they were 13, just put the ball on the ground and run as fast as you can don't lead to getting on base much or scoring runs? Hmm.

I see the nucleus of this team and think 'wow, we really could have something here', then I think about the people making the decision on this team and most of that feeling turns into nausea.

[Screwball]

I'm really tired of the idea that speed is a substitute for power. Speed is a marginal part of an offense. The Reds need to get on base more -- plain and simple. And all too often, speed comes not just at the expense of power, but OBP too...

Me and you both.

I think with Dusty Baker, as long as you're fast you'll have a spot in the line-up. If Adam Rosales could bolt down to first like, well, Usain Bolt he'd be a regular in the 2 slot.

At any rate, what I really want to see is the Reds improve on their atrocious base running they displayed this season. IMO, a lot of that falls squarely on Baker - who to give green lights to, when to put on hit and runs, etc. I'm sure empirical evidence is lost on him, but there's no good reason to emphasize small ball when half your games are played in a HR hitters' haven. Don't give up the runner, he may just score on the next swing.

[icehole3]

If I had my way, the 09 roster would look something like:

1. Dickerson (CF)
2. Hairston (2B)
3. Votto (1B)
4. Bradley/Orodonez/Holiday/Burrell (LF)
5. Bruce (RF)
6. Encarnacion (3B)
7. Gonzalez (SS)
8. Hanigan (C)

9. Reserve catcher
10. Primary RH PH(/OF
11. Primary LH PH/OF
12. Castillo (UT)
13/14. Freel/Keppinger/Rosales/Richar (UT)

1. Volquez
2. Harang
3. Perez/Lowe/Garland/Sheets
4. Arroyo
5, Cueto

6. Cordero
7. Burton
8. Bray
9. Owings/Ramierez/Livingston
10/11/12 Lincoln/Masset/Roenicke/Fisher/Affeldt/Herrera/Pelland

what happened to Brandon Phillips does he get benched, traded, DFA or executed???

[Kc61]

Good to see Dusty wants Hairston back. With Freel on the roster, we certainly could use another utility guy. And clearly Hairston has turned a corner in his career, reaching a new level of production which can we expect him to sustain.............

If only we could add speed. The article made it very clear that Dusty is more interested a fielding a team that fits his 1970's image of success than one built to win in today's modern game.

I'm really tired of the idea that speed is a substitute for power. Speed is a marginal part of an offense. The Reds need to get on base more -- plain and simple. And all too often, speed comes not just at the expense of power, but OBP too...

I can understand why folks wouldn't want Hairston back. After all, he hasn't quite broken .400 in OBP, just at .388, and his BA is just .330, and the Reds have so many guys at that level.

And yes, despite scouts saying that Hairston has learned to be more selective at the plate, the scouts on RedsZone have analyzed his play and have determined that Hairston won't come near these numbers next year.

As for speed, the Reds sorely need it both on offense and on defense. Nobody has said it's a substitute for power. But it is not marginal on a ballclub because it helps make outs on defense and helps pressure the opposition on offense.

As for the Reds needing to "get on base more," no, the team needs to hit better. A walk is not as good as a hit. The Reds are average for the league in walks. It needs better hitters, higher BAs, fewer guys with the "walk/homer" skill set.

[Screwball]

And yes, despite scouts saying that Hairston has learned to be more selective at the plate

I'm not saying you're wrong here Kc, but do you have a link or a quote to back that up?

And BTW, Hairston is very unlikely to repeat the success he's had this year.

[jojo]

What is not like the others?

1999	.269/.323/.417
2000	.256/.353/.367
2001	.233/.305/.344
2002	.268/.329/.376
2003	.271/.353/.372
2004	.303/.378/.397
2005	.261/.336/.368
2006	.206/.270/.253
2007	.189/.249/.289
2008	.330/.388/.478

[OnBaseMachine]

wrong thread