Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey" - RedsZone.com - Cincinnati Reds Fans' Home for Baseball Discussion

OnBaseMachine · 03-01-2010, 10:37 AM

Alonso trying third base, outfield

Many have wondered what would happen to Joey Votto when Yonder Alonso reaches the big leagues since both are good young hitters and of course, both play first base.

In an effort to see if can be versatile, the Reds have had Alonso working out lately at third base, left field and right field.

"It doesn't matter where I play as long as I play," Alonso said. "As long as I get a shot and prove to the guys I can play there. In my head, I know I can play. I just want to get my shot.

"I'm doing everything, and they're trying everything, so I can go up there."

Right now, it's just a trial run for Alonso. He's still primarily working out at first base.

"We just wanted to expose him to some different positions and see if he feels comfortable," general manager Walt Jocketty said. "We'll see how it goes. If it goes well enough, we'll put him in some games at different positions. It would just make him more valuable to us if he can play other places."

Lots of speculation has involved Votto being moved to left field when Alonso is ready for his promotion. Jocketty dispelled that notion.

"It will take some time to figure it out," he said. "That's why we want to see him at different positions. He's got a great bat and Joey is going to be at first base for a long time. I don't see moving Joey."

More on this later today on MLB.com/Reds.com

http://marksheldon.mlblogs.com/

dunner13 · 03-01-2010, 10:53 AM

Good, Votto has proven himself to be a future face of this franchise. I think 10 years from now we will be very happy that we kept votto at 1B.

RedLegSuperStar · 03-01-2010, 10:53 AM

Alonso is July trade bait...

Homer Bailey · 03-01-2010, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedLegSuperStar

Alonso is July trade bait...

Not to turn it into the Beckham/Alonso debate again, but it really does make you wonder what they were thinking....

dfs · 03-01-2010, 10:57 AM

Don't the reds have thirdbaseman that they've committed to for a couple of years?

Jpup · 03-01-2010, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homer Bailey

Not to turn it into the Beckham/Alonso debate again, but it really does make you wonder what they were thinking....

Best player available and that is the way it should be.

Sea Ray · 03-01-2010, 11:02 AM

Well 3B is a better idea than catcher but...

redsmetz · 03-01-2010, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jpup

Best player available and that is the way it should be.

I agree completely. If Alonso proves himself to be a decent ML hitter, it's a good problem to have. I want the Reds to be forced to have to decide where they're going to play three very good young hitters (Votto, Bruce, Alonso) over the next several years. And I would prefer that they all three be on our team.

Kc61 · 03-01-2010, 11:07 AM

Seems like the Reds aren't very big on commiting prospects to a position. Francisco, Frazier, now Alonso. Playing all over the lot. Hope it works out.

RedEye · 03-01-2010, 11:28 AM

I agree that the team should take the best player available... but I'm not sure that Alonso WAS the best player available, especially considering that Beckham is a heavy-hitting middle infielder--not exactly the type that grows on trees, if you know what I mean. Sure, if their estimation was that Yonder was a better overall player at the time, I'm okay with it. That said, given Alonso's defensive liabilities and Beckham's rarity as a good hitter at a weak position, I'd be really interested in knowing what the thought process was for Buckley and the Reds scouts to arrive at that conclusion.

dunner13 · 03-01-2010, 11:36 AM

There is no doubt that if the reds had beckham playing SS right now instead of Alonso in AAA they would be in better position to win now and in the next few years. My guess is that the reds thought alonsos bat was to much to pass up and they thought beckham could only play 2nd. I would have rather had beckham but hindsight is 20/20.

kaldaniels · 03-01-2010, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homer Bailey

Not to turn it into the Beckham/Alonso debate again, but it really does make you wonder what they were thinking....

They did not know at the time how good Votto was going to be. None of us did.

Chip R · 03-01-2010, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfs

Don't the reds have thirdbaseman that they've committed to for a couple of years?

A couple of years. Plus Rolen isn't exactly known for staying healthy. I expect that to worsen as he gets older.

Brutus · 03-01-2010, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunner13

There is no doubt that if the reds had beckham playing SS right now instead of Alonso in AAA they would be in better position to win now and in the next few years. My guess is that the reds thought alonsos bat was to much to pass up and they thought beckham could only play 2nd. I would have rather had beckham but hindsight is 20/20.

There's a solid chance Beckham will never play SS. That's the thing. There were questions about his ability to play there defensively, and the Sox have since converted him to third. I don't mind the logic that, even as a third baseman, he was more valuable a prospect than Yonder Alonso. However, if it was based on the premise that he's a great-hitting middle infielder, then that premise seems to be based on somewhat faulty logic if he doesn't in fact have the glove to stay there.

MikeS21 · 03-01-2010, 11:56 AM

Here's the thing. Votto is a GREAT hitter. But I don't think his defense ought to be dismissed, either. Votto has worked hard on his defense. I think he has worked on his defense so much that he has turned it from a liability into a pretty decent asset.

He may not be a Gold Glover, but I'd say Joey is solid average, and maybe a tick or two better than average. And it wouldn't surprise me if in three or four years, Votto isn't one of the top three defensive 1B's in the NL.

Wasn't he drafted as a catcher? Didn't the Reds experiment with Votto at 3B for part of a season in the low minors?

03-01-2010, 10:37 AM	#1
OnBaseMachine Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 34,655	Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey" Alonso trying third base, outfield Many have wondered what would happen to Joey Votto when Yonder Alonso reaches the big leagues since both are good young hitters and of course, both play first base. In an effort to see if can be versatile, the Reds have had Alonso working out lately at third base, left field and right field. "It doesn't matter where I play as long as I play," Alonso said. "As long as I get a shot and prove to the guys I can play there. In my head, I know I can play. I just want to get my shot. "I'm doing everything, and they're trying everything, so I can go up there." Right now, it's just a trial run for Alonso. He's still primarily working out at first base. "We just wanted to expose him to some different positions and see if he feels comfortable," general manager Walt Jocketty said. "We'll see how it goes. If it goes well enough, we'll put him in some games at different positions. It would just make him more valuable to us if he can play other places." Lots of speculation has involved Votto being moved to left field when Alonso is ready for his promotion. Jocketty dispelled that notion. "It will take some time to figure it out," he said. "That's why we want to see him at different positions. He's got a great bat and Joey is going to be at first base for a long time. I don't see moving Joey." More on this later today on MLB.com/Reds.com http://marksheldon.mlblogs.com/

03-01-2010, 10:53 AM	#2
dunner13 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 589	Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey" Good, Votto has proven himself to be a future face of this franchise. I think 10 years from now we will be very happy that we kept votto at 1B.

03-01-2010, 10:53 AM	#3
RedLegSuperStar Greatness In The Making Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,078	Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey" Alonso is July trade bait... __________________ "I could watch video of Griffey swinging all day. It's like baseball porn." - C. Trent Rosecrans 2008 Reds Record When I Attend: 9W - 5L 2009 Reds Record When I Attend: 1W - 2L 2010 Reds Record When I Attend: 1W - 0L 2011 Reds Record When I Attend: 0W - 1L

03-01-2010, 10:57 AM	#5
dfs Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,422	Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey" Don't the reds have thirdbaseman that they've committed to for a couple of years? __________________ "Even a bad day at the ballpark beats the snot out of most other good days. I'll take my scorecard and pencil and beer and hot dog and rage at the dips and cheer at the highs, but I'm not ever going to stop loving this game and this team and nobody will ever take that away from me." Roy Tucker October 2010

03-01-2010, 11:02 AM	#7
Sea Ray Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 15,255	Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey" Well 3B is a better idea than catcher but...

03-01-2010, 11:07 AM	#9
Kc61 Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 10,833	Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey" Seems like the Reds aren't very big on commiting prospects to a position. Francisco, Frazier, now Alonso. Playing all over the lot. Hope it works out.

03-01-2010, 11:28 AM	#10
RedEye Ojo Rojo Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Moving to Atlanta in July Posts: 4,427	Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey" I agree that the team should take the best player available... but I'm not sure that Alonso WAS the best player available, especially considering that Beckham is a heavy-hitting middle infielder--not exactly the type that grows on trees, if you know what I mean. Sure, if their estimation was that Yonder was a better overall player at the time, I'm okay with it. That said, given Alonso's defensive liabilities and Beckham's rarity as a good hitter at a weak position, I'd be really interested in knowing what the thought process was for Buckley and the Reds scouts to arrive at that conclusion. __________________ "It's a dog-eat-dog world and I'm wearing milkbone underwear." - Norm (George Wendt), Cheers Last edited by RedEye; 03-01-2010 at 11:31 AM.

03-01-2010, 11:36 AM	#11
dunner13 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 589	Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey" There is no doubt that if the reds had beckham playing SS right now instead of Alonso in AAA they would be in better position to win now and in the next few years. My guess is that the reds thought alonsos bat was to much to pass up and they thought beckham could only play 2nd. I would have rather had beckham but hindsight is 20/20.

03-01-2010, 11:56 AM	#15
MikeS21 Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,652	Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey" Here's the thing. Votto is a GREAT hitter. But I don't think his defense ought to be dismissed, either. Votto has worked hard on his defense. I think he has worked on his defense so much that he has turned it from a liability into a pretty decent asset. He may not be a Gold Glover, but I'd say Joey is solid average, and maybe a tick or two better than average. And it wouldn't surprise me if in three or four years, Votto isn't one of the top three defensive 1B's in the NL. Wasn't he drafted as a catcher? Didn't the Reds experiment with Votto at 3B for part of a season in the low minors? __________________ Opinions are like belly buttons. Everybody has one, and they don't want someone else's shoved into their face.

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