Denorfia Didn't Just Hit a Home Run...

[TheBigLebowski]

He pulled the earth 380 feet backwards.


Congrats, Deno, on your first HR of the season.

[Shaknb8k]

It would be a huge boost if he could get everything together these last few games of the season and prove what many of us thought he could be. That would just be one more piece we wouldnt have to find going into '07

[TheBigLebowski]

SHAKE AND BAKE!!! SHAKE AND BAKE!!

(Those who have not seen Talladega Nights - Ballad of Ricky Bobby probably won't fully get your username.)

[reds44]

Why has Holly been playing over him?

Dusty II

[TOBTTReds]

Originally Posted by reds44

Why has Holly been playing over him?

You obviously don't know Narron. TH is a gamer, and a vet, duh.

[RANDY IN INDY]

Not opposed to Denorfia getting some AB's but it's going to take more than a single homerun to get me excited about him being anything more than Hollandsworth.

[Strikes Out Looking]

The plight of Chris Denoforia shows how like Oil and Water, Jerry Narron and Wayne Krivsky do not match up well. Krivsky provides bench types for the team, to well, fill up the bench. Narron sees guys who have been around and puts them in the starting lineup rather than go with the unseasoned guys, who may be diamonds in the rough (see EE).

Until Narron is no longer the manager of this team, this will continue. As will many other things that bother me about this teams play over the last month. Narron is clearly the baseball version of the late football coach George Allen.

[RBA]

Originally Posted by RANDY IN CHAR NC

Not opposed to Denorfia getting some AB's but it's going to take more than a single homerun to get me excited about him being anything more than Hollandsworth.

Yup, one homerun and people think he's the next Juan Castro.

[BRM]

A buddy of mine who watched the game on FSN Ohio last night told me Welsh said Deno was pretty much out for next year. He apparently said that of all the young Reds outfielders, Deno is the odd man out. Welsh supposedly also claimed that Reds management is VERY high on Norris Hopper. I didn't hear any of this since I don't get the games out here. This is what a friend of mine told me this morning. If true, I hope Deno gets a real shot somewhere next year.

[RANDY IN INDY]

A lot of folks, here, are really big on Denorfia. I have never understood the infatuation. I just see the guy as very average, overall.

[Kc61]

Originally Posted by BRM

A buddy of mine who watched the game on FSN Ohio last night told me Welsh said Deno was pretty much out for next year. He apparently said that of all the young Reds outfielders, Deno is the odd man out. Welsh supposedly also claimed that Reds management is VERY high on Norris Hopper. I didn't hear any of this since I don't get the games out here. This is what a friend of mine told me this morning. If true, I hope Deno gets a real shot somewhere next year.

It seems like the Reds are giving Deno a lot of at bats right now. I doubt they have made any such decisions yet.

We're talking about a fifth outfielder's spot here. Hopper may be a better singles hitter, but you also have to consider the all around game. I'm not sure either of them has shown enough to start or even be the first outfielder off the bench.

[Heath]

Originally Posted by Centralchamps05

Narron is clearly the baseball version of the late football coach George Allen.

I wonder if he dies a little bit inside after a loss. Well, not all of him, maybe an organ or two.

Originally Posted by RANDY IN CHAR NC

A lot of folks, here, are really big on Denorfia. I have never understood the infatuation. I just see the guy as very average, overall.

IMO, the reason people like Deno are the people who like Freel. I think Deno could be decent everyday ball player who brings some things to the table. He's a hard-worker and I think people want him to succeed. I just think he needs to play everyday. I think the people who think highly of Norris Hopper are the same people who were high on Chris Denorfia in 2005.

[RANDY IN INDY]

When the upper minor league system has so little to offer, I guess some people will latch on to just about anyone.

[Roy Tucker]

Beware of the September syndrome.

Willie Greene got a lot of mileage out of it.

[RedsManRick]

If Denorfia isn't considered to be in the running for a starting job, he needs to be moved. If they keep him on the bench, or continue to bounce him between AAA and the majors, his value will continue to go down. When players get labeled as a bench guy, it tends to stick.

The comparisons to Brady Clark, easy as they may be, just seem incredibly accurate. He's not going to be an all-star offensively, but if you can get a guy in CF to play top notch defense and OPS around .750, maybe even .800 if he gets a little power, that's got a lot value. I think too often players don't get an opportunity because they're just decent, and don't have that high ceiling everybody craves.

But Norris Hopper is a year older than Deno, and has a career OPS of .689 (.689!) in the minors. Denorfia, by comparison has an .822 minor league OPS, and IIRC was voted the best defensive OF in the IL. Judging these guys by the handful of major league ABs when they've both had 1000's of minor league ones to display their skill sets just seems ridiculous.

Unless there's some qualitative difference that I'm just not aware of, Deno is clearly the superior player and should be given every opportunity to claim a starting job for 2007.