Opening Day Lineup

[DannyB]

also todays

Norris Hopper CF
Juan Castro SS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Ken Griffey Jr. RF
Brandon Phillips 2B
Adam Dunn LF
Edwin Encarnacion 3B
Joey Votto 1B
Javier Valentin C

[chettt]

The Diamondbacks will be pitching a right-hander on Opening Day (Webb). Patterson will start in centerfield. Keppinger will start at shortstop: offense early, defense late. Bailey, Bruce & Votto will start the season in Louisville. Hatteberg at 1st. Bruce & Votto will make their '08 Reds' debute in early May.

C Patterson - cf
J Keppinger - ss
K Griffey, Jr. - rf
B Phillips - 2b
A Dunn - lf
E Encarnacion - 3b (maybe Freel - call it a wakeup call)
S Hatteberg - 1b
J Valentine - c
A Harang - p

[BearcatShane]

Why do people think Castro is going to start at SS?

[AmarilloRed]

Originally Posted by BearcatShane

Why do people think Castro is going to start at SS?

He is getting an awful lot of starts in spring training, and Baker is worried about Keppinger's defense.

[Slyder]

If youre worried about Kep's D what about Kep at 2b and Phillips at SS some during ST .

[bubbachunk]

Originally Posted by Slyder

If youre worried about Kep's D what about Kep at 2b and Phillips at SS some during ST .

No way why mess with your best player? dusty has actually been smart here and already said brandon is staying put

[Edd Roush]

I would really like to see an experimental line-up like the one below

Votto (let him do his thing and get on base, don't forget that he had 41 SBs the past two seasons)
Dunn (let your best offensive asset get the most ABspossible)
Griffey (let your 2nd best hitter get as many ABs as possible and drive in a ton of runs)
Phillips (I don't mind Phillips batting 4th if it's after Dunn)
EdE (Break-out season waiting to happen)
Kepp (Let the man do his thing and get hits)
Freel/Hopper/Patterson (having a poor OBP doesn't matter in the 7 hole)
Ross (hopefully he can be closer to his 2006 numbers than his 2007 numbers in 2008).
Pitcher

I know this line-up will not happen, but it sure would produce more runs over a full season than Dusty's.

[LexingtonLegend]

Originally Posted by chettt

The Diamondbacks will be pitching a right-hander on Opening Day (Webb). Patterson will start in centerfield. Keppinger will start at shortstop: offense early, defense late. Bailey, Bruce & Votto will start the season in Louisville. Hatteberg at 1st. Bruce & Votto will make their '08 Reds' debute in early May.

C Patterson - cf
J Keppinger - ss
K Griffey, Jr. - rf
B Phillips - 2b
A Dunn - lf
E Encarnacion - 3b (maybe Freel - call it a wakeup call)
S Hatteberg - 1b
J Valentine - c
A Harang - p

I think this is hitting the nail right on the head

[jmac]

Originally Posted by chettt

The Diamondbacks will be pitching a right-hander on Opening Day (Webb). Patterson will start in centerfield. Keppinger will start at shortstop: offense early, defense late. Bailey, Bruce & Votto will start the season in Louisville. Hatteberg at 1st. Bruce & Votto will make their '08 Reds' debute in early May.

C Patterson - cf
J Keppinger - ss
K Griffey, Jr. - rf
B Phillips - 2b
A Dunn - lf
E Encarnacion - 3b (maybe Freel - call it a wakeup call)
S Hatteberg - 1b
J Valentine - c
A Harang - p

You may very well be right though I still hope Votto can turn it on and be our starter.
As I have said before, Votto will get it going,just dont know if it will be in time for making the big league club.

[Casey]

Originally Posted by chettt

The Diamondbacks will be pitching a right-hander on Opening Day (Webb). Patterson will start in centerfield. Keppinger will start at shortstop: offense early, defense late. Bailey, Bruce & Votto will start the season in Louisville. Hatteberg at 1st. Bruce & Votto will make their '08 Reds' debute in early May.

C Patterson - cf
J Keppinger - ss
K Griffey, Jr. - rf
B Phillips - 2b
A Dunn - lf
E Encarnacion - 3b (maybe Freel - call it a wakeup call)
S Hatteberg - 1b
J Valentine - c
A Harang - p

That's the way I see it too.

[tomd63]

Originally Posted by bubbachunk

No way why mess with your best player? dusty has actually been smart here and already said brandon is staying put

If Brandon was the team's best player, which I don't think he is, you'd think he would be able to make the switch back to his original position, that he wants to play, like his idol Larkin did. What is he, some kind of china doll? He sure looks like our best infielder to me, why isn't he playing SS and Gonzalez being shipped out before he's healthy enough for his bat to return to it's sub .700 OPS form? Keppinger's defense would be a lot better at 2B than it would at SS also. I'd love to hear what the Reds scouts would have to say about Phillips ability to move back to SS.

[goreds2]

Originally Posted by Edd Roush

I would really like to see an experimental line-up like the one below

Votto (let him do his thing and get on base, don't forget that he had 41 SBs the past two seasons)
Dunn (let your best offensive asset get the most ABspossible)
Griffey (let your 2nd best hitter get as many ABs as possible and drive in a ton of runs)
Phillips (I don't mind Phillips batting 4th if it's after Dunn)
EdE (Break-out season waiting to happen)
Kepp (Let the man do his thing and get hits)
Freel/Hopper/Patterson (having a poor OBP doesn't matter in the 7 hole)
Ross (hopefully he can be closer to his 2006 numbers than his 2007 numbers in 2008).
Pitcher

I know this line-up will not happen, but it sure would produce more runs over a full season than Dusty's.

I like that point about the number 7 hole. I also like the speed factor at the bottom of the lineup. Speed can make up for a below average sacrafice bunt by the pitcher if the number 7 hitter is on first or second. (Assuming the catcher is not on base).

[Red in Atl]

I thought I read something about Keppinger playing short at Georgia his whole career. And they won at least the SEC championship. Certainly he's capable of "filling in" for Gonzo in the short term. And I love the guys attitude and bat. He's got Cincy written all over him.

I agree that it makes sense to put BP at SS, but there must be a reason we are all overlooking, so I'm going to go with Dusty on this one.

I'm sure he's playing Castro to get him some at-bats. Regardless how we feel about him, he is thought of as a glove man. If he shows he's healthy, maybe Wayne can ship him off to a team in need of a utility guy. He is cheap.

[CWRed]

Originally Posted by Red in Atl

I thought I read something about Keppinger playing short at Georgia his whole career. And they won at least the SEC championship. Certainly he's capable of "filling in" for Gonzo in the short term. And I love the guys attitude and bat. He's got Cincy written all over him.

I agree that it makes sense to put BP at SS, but there must be a reason we are all overlooking, so I'm going to go with Dusty on this one.

I'm sure he's playing Castro to get him some at-bats. Regardless how we feel about him, he is thought of as a glove man. If he shows he's healthy, maybe Wayne can ship him off to a team in need of a utility guy. He is cheap.

Yes and why again is Castro thought of a a glove guy? Oh that's right. Because Marty says so. I forgot.

Juan Castro is one of the worst baseball players on any major league team anywhere. Great guy. But no way he should be on any major league roster.

Keppinger Keppinger Keppinger!

[Hondo]

I just wish this team could find a LONG Term Answer to ShortStop and the Lead OFF Hitter, like what the Mets have in Reyes...

I am not saying the reds can trade for Reyes, I am saying I wish they could fill that Slot with a Middle Infielder Instead of an Outfielder...

I don't like the Corey Patterson Singing... I would rather have went with Kenny Lofton to start the season for Bruce...