Kearns to go to Instructional League for 3B

[Reds1]

I love it. A chance to get all 4 big guys in and I think Kearns will rock. He can be like a Rolan with Power, Speed, etc. I do think they should try and stick with it meaning that if someone gets injured Freel should be top choice to replace. Now if there are a bunch of injuries then I guess he goes back, but I think this is worth a great shot. Also, with Kearns injuries playing 3B could maybe help with that. No running into walls and all out sprinting like he does in the OF. Love it! :gac:

[RANDY IN INDY]

Seems like some of us were not as crazy as we were made out to be for suggesting that Kearns go to the instructional league to give third base a try. It may work and it may not, but it doesn't hurt to explore the option. Personally, I think Austin Kearns can be every bit as good, and maybe better, than anyone the Reds ran out there last season. The great thing is that Kearns is positive about the opportunity and thinks he can make the transition. I hope it works. I think it can.

[GAC]

Edwin E is not even gonna be in the equation until 2006 right? Didn't someone say that he needs a full year at the AAA level before an assessment can be made.

I'm game. Give this experiment a try.

And if an OFer goes down (bite your tongue GAC), I think they will be more apt to using Freel there then move Kearns off of 3B.

Meanwhile....

FIX THE BULLPEN!!!! :allovrjr:

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by GAC

And if an OFer goes down (bite your tongue GAC), I think they will be more apt to using Freel there then move Kearns off of 3B.

Meanwhile....

FIX THE BULLPEN!!!! :allovrjr:

The Reds don't seem to stick with their experiments for very long if they don't have initial success. So if someone goes down - the odds on choice being Jr. - I think they put Freel at 3rd and move Kearns back to RF. Of course if Kearns does play 3rd, I wouldn't want to be sitting behind 1st base.

[CougarQuest]

Anyone know who his instructor is in the Instructional League? Seems to me that is the most important question. Kearns' footwork is going to be the thing they are going to have to work on the most. Throwing across his body.

If this works out, this could be huge for the Reds ... and for Kearns.

[traderumor]

Little risk, huge reward. And when Griffey goes down, maybe EdE will be ready or someone will be available in the trade market.

[BCubb2003]

I think it makes more sense than trading Casey so Griffey can play first if he doesn't get hurt again. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

[Oxilon]

Good idea. Might as well see if it could work, since it is the offseason. If we could get the Big 5 in there everyday (barring injuries), without significanly dropping our defense, it'd be great.

This certainly means EdE has another year of the minors before he sees the majors too.

[Redmachine2003]

EdE won't be ready for another year or two, Casey can become a free agent by then. So I think this is well worth the risk.

[redsfan4445]

do you think somebody from the Reds reads Redzone??????? :mhcky21: :mhcky21: :mhcky21: :mhcky21: :mhcky21:

2b Freel
1b Casey
RF Griffey
3B Kearns
LF Dunn
CF Pena
C ???
SS Lopez??
I love this lineup :gac: :gac:

[Red Thunder]

Kearns will go to the Instructional League in Sarasota, Fla., for a 10-day crash course beginning Tuesday.

He's a willing pupil.

"I think if it works out, it can be beneficial to me and the team," Kearns said.

The Reds did not bring up the move to Kearns until after the season.

"I was a little surprised by that," Kearns said. "There had been so much talk of it in the media."

The move was Kearns' choice.

"If he was not motivated to do it, we wouldn't have done it," O'Brien said.

From an article at cincinnatireds.com
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASAp..._cin&fext=.jsp

He (Larkin) said he'd be willing to move to third for the Reds, but he'd also willing to move from the Reds to stay at shortstop.

Larkin announced last week that he wants to play at least one more season, if he does it with the Reds it will likely mean another reduced role. He'd consider it, but he'd have to be asked.

"If asked to be in that role, I'd consider it," he said. "But no one's asked me about it. I haven't been asked to take ground balls [at third] this last week. No one's asked me to take ground balls at third, first, outfield, nothing. If it's something they'd like me to do, I'd consider it but they have to ask me first. No one's asked me."

Anyone notice a difference in behaviour?

[CTA513]

Im not sure if it will work out or not, but I really like that Kearns is going to give it a shot, and is willingly to give it a shot to help the team. He knows by doing this that it could help the outfield problem & the 3B problem.

Kearns wants to be on the field & playing baseball, and he would probably move to catcher if he had to.

Anyway I think having Dunn, Pena, Kearns & Griffey playing at the same time will give the Reds a good line up. If I was a pitcher, I dont know if I would want to see all 4 of them in a lineup at the same time.

Kearns is back, now we just have to hope Griffey can get back.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by Red Thunder

From an article at cincinnatireds.com
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASAp..._cin&fext=.jsp


Anyone notice a difference in behaviour?

On the surface, perhaps. But just because Kearns said it was his idea doesn't necessarily mean it was. Perhaps DanO, et. al. asked him to and also said for him to tell the press it was his idea to make him look good. Or perhaps Austin figured it out all by himself. And perhaps it was his idea.

I've said this before, I think Barry did - and is still doing - himself a great dissservice by not learning to play other positions. If he does play next year, it will more than likely be as a utility player.

[Puffy]

If Dunn moves to left field will that make it easier for him to hit a sacrifice fly this year??

[Oxilon]

Originally Posted by Redmachine2003

EdE won't be ready for another year or two, Casey can become a free agent by then. So I think this is well worth the risk.

Joey Votto should be ready by the time that Casey becomes a FA. He's our future 1B. EdE needs to move to either SS or 2B if he plans on staying with the Reds based on what they did today.