Kearns to go to Instructional League for 3B

[KronoRed]

Come on..it's just one spot in the wrong direction

[GoReds]

Originally Posted by Redsfaithful

[ - - 1B - LF - RF - 3B - CF - 2B - SS - C - - ]

He's going the wrong way.

But it's worth a shot, and it's best to know one way or the other.

I have had problems with this chart from the beginning. It's at best a generalization.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the chart indicating that it's actually harder for Kearns to go to 3B than it is to CF? Didn't Kearns play some center?

For the record, I think the best solution is to forget about moving Kearns to 3B and instead move him or Pena for pitching. However, Kearns value is down at the moment, so the return wouldn't match the potential. Pena is still an unknown over the course of a full season.

What does this say about EdE? If the front office was convinced that EdE will be the solution in a year or two, then this experiment with Kearns is puzzling. In that event, sign a low-dollar vet to man 3B or keep Freel there - neither of which necessitates Kearns to the Instructional League. IMO, EdE has just lost his position at 3B. Don't know if this means EdE is being groomed for SS (I hope not) or 2B (most likely), but I don't think there is any doubt now that EdE won't wind up at 3B.

[Aronchis]

Originally Posted by GoReds

I have had problems with this chart from the beginning. It's at best a generalization.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the chart indicating that it's actually harder for Kearns to go to 3B than it is to CF? Didn't Kearns play some center?

For the record, I think the best solution is to forget about moving Kearns to 3B and instead move him or Pena for pitching. However, Kearns value is down at the moment, so the return wouldn't match the potential. Pena is still an unknown over the course of a full season.

What does this say about EdE? If the front office was convinced that EdE will be the solution in a year or two, then this experiment with Kearns is puzzling. In that event, sign a low-dollar vet to man 3B or keep Freel there - neither of which necessitates Kearns to the Instructional League. IMO, EdE has just lost his position at 3B. Don't know if this means EdE is being groomed for SS (I hope not) or 2B (most likely), but I don't think there is any doubt now that EdE won't wind up at 3B.

Really disagree with that. Kearns's going to the instructional league for "Third Base" is ad hoc to me, I don't see anything. I thought the Reds might have been interested, but I don't think so. I think it is Austin's move, and this will be dead by Winter.

[RosieRed]

Originally Posted by Aronchis

Really disagree with that. Kearns's going to the instructional league for "Third Base" is ad hoc to me, I don't see anything. I thought the Reds might have been interested, but I don't think so. I think it is Austin's move, and this will be dead by Winter.

Why do you think it's Austin's move? As in the Reds are just indulging him?

The article 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."

[westofyou]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the chart indicating that it's actually harder for Kearns to go to 3B than it is to CF? Didn't Kearns play some center?

It indicates that it is harder to go to the right, thus thought is that CF is harder to achieve than 3rd.

Kearns did play CF for 300 Plus innings in 2003, 1.1 this past year.

The chart has some basis, not many guys move to the right with much success. I'd like to see a list of 5 guys who did and didn't have a sub standard defensive season.

[IslandRed]

I don't think this says anything about EdE except that they want him to start 2005 in Triple-A. We're just taking a flyer to see if we can break the logjam and get our best bats in the lineup (in the rare instances when everyone's healthy, anyway). If it works, then we have options with EdE -- try him at another position or trade him for pitching. If it doesn't work, no harm done.

[lollipopcurve]

Agree, Island Red -- this is an experiment in the instructional league. The timing is right. Plus, if O'Brien is looking to trade a hitter, he can go into winter trade talks without seeming so desperate now. He can say that they're looking at keeping all 5 of the big bats in the lineup.

My main doubt is that it puts Griffey back in the OF. Not sure he can stay healthy out there.

I give a lot of credit to Kearns for being willing to try.