EE has lost his job per Dusty Baker...

[Kingspoint]

From today's Enquirer:

“There’s a lot Kepp has to do,” Baker said. “You don’t want his legs to fatigue. That’s when you pull stuff. . . you want to make sure everything’s back together before they get here. You know they’re going to want to play everyday, especially with Kepp being out so long. He was going to play third, but with Jerry (Hairston Jr.) out, we need him to play short. It’s not only at-bats. It’s the length of time you’re standing there. It’s running. You’ve got to build up endurance. He’s been working hard.”

Keppinger will start third tonight. The Sarasota Reds on their all-star break after tomorrow's game. Keppinger will likely continue to rehab with Triple-A Louisville.

[FlightRick]

Deep breath. Annnnnnnddd..... exhale.

I don't have footnotes and citations handy, but both in print and on radio, the discussion about Keppinger has been framed as "we can bring him back sooner if we're not expecting him to play at short." Less movement, less risk of re-injury playing at third.

Keppinger's bat (even if on a part time basis) is apparently seen as important enough to have around and available that they would (in the short term) ease Keppinger back into the line-up by taking a few ABs away from Edwin.

Contextually, the article seems to indicate that now, Keppinger will be kept down in Sarasota until he's at the point where he can go 100% back in at SS due to our dire need there, rather than going the "ease him back by way of 3B" route.

I would have had no problem with the "ease back in" method; given our current situation, I now have no problem with fully rehabbing Keppinger till he's ready to fill our need at SS. It's not just a question of filling a defensive spot, it's a question of filling a role, and whether folks like it or not, Hairston was solving our "lead off hitter" role really well to the point that alternating between Keppinger/Hairston (batting 2nd and 1st, respectively) and Edwin/Hairston (6th and 1st) line-ups would work well.

And it goes without saying that both those options have way more cache to them than Keppinger/Janish (which, knowing Dusty, would involve them hitting 1st and 2nd, and totally torpedo the offense). Keppinger/Janish is pointless, so now: we wait until we can get back to our Best Case Scenario, which is Edwin and Keppinger, Together Again.



Rick

[Kingspoint]

Keppinger's bat (even if on a part time basis) is apparently seen as important enough to have around and available that they would (in the short term) ease Keppinger back into the line-up by taking a few ABs away from Edwin.

A few at-bats?

You claim to have been reading "what's going on", but while doing so you failed to miss how Dusty feels about Keppinger.

When Keppinger comes back he starts every day. Somebody sits and that's going to be Edwin as soon as another SS is available that Dusty can start.

[captainmorgan07]

If Edwin wants to keep his job he needs to hit consistently. So far this season he hasn't done that. To many long slumps then gets hot then slumps again. Consistency=starting everyday for Edwin. With all the left handed bats on this team he needs to be one of the right handed bats that needs to help out.

[dougflynn23]

Edwin Encarnacion has passed that level of time where he should be considered as merely slumping or even underachieving. He's now a player who is officially mediocre. You don't hold off of player personnel decisions for an Edwin Encarnacion. When Keppinger and Hairston come back, they are at SS and 3B on my team, with Encarnacion going to AAA and playing LF every day.

He comes into 2009 spring training with a shot at the LF job if Dunn is gone, and if Dunn is back he has to earn a jon as a reserve.

[captainmorgan07]

Edwin is very undisciplined at the plate. To many first pitch swinging. Work the count get a good pitch. Pops way way way to many balls up. He has become better defensively i will give him that. It's time to quit making excuses for him though. When Keppinger, Gonzalez, and Hairston are all back somebody's gotta sit.

[dsmith421]

I'd been a huge Encarnacion supporter but it's getting tougher and tougher to justify running him out there. His approach at the plate absolutely stinks. Why should anyone give Dunn a pitch he can drive when they can get Edwin to hack at the first pitch and ground out?

[Jack Burton]

Too bad it didn't say "dusty has lost his job per...."

[757690]

Funny, the problem I have with the quote is that the Reds think the team is better with Hairston playing SS and Kepp playing third. If Hairston had not gotten injured, I would have rather have Kepp at SS and Hairston at third.

In terms of EE, I think this goes to the question of playing the hot hand over playing the best talent. Hairston is the hot hand and EE is pretty cold, getting warmer, but still pretty cold. However, EE is a better talent than Hairston, according to career numbers.

I also see this as Dusty finally finding a leadoff hitter and not wanting to lose him, which is more defensible.

[Krawhitham]

If Edwin wants to keep his job he needs to hit consistently. So far this season he hasn't done that. To many long slumps then gets hot then slumps again. Consistency=starting everyday for Edwin. With all the left handed bats on this team he needs to be one of the right handed bats that needs to help out.

No longer than Dunn's slumps or Phillips'

[Krawhitham]

Edwin is very undisciplined at the plate. To many first pitch swinging. Work the count get a good pitch. Pops way way way to many balls up. He has become better defensively i will give him that. It's time to quit making excuses for him though. When Keppinger, Gonzalez, and Hairston are all back somebody's gotta sit.

The whole team swings too much on 1st pitches

98 pitch complete game, COME ON

[Hondo]

The whole team swings too much on 1st pitches

98 pitch complete game, COME ON

AMEN brother, the coaches on this staff are a Joke, Dick Pole and whos the Hitting Instuctor? I remeber wanting Chris Chambliss fired before this too...