So is Alex Gonzalez...

[Heath]

The Reds tried to sell the bag of goods for Eric Milton.

At least Gonzo doesn't give up home runs.

[BRM]

Should we expect to see Gonzo's play level out some over the summer? I can't imagine he'll stay a mediocre SS all year.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by AvesIce51

I really don't mean to beat this one to death again...but I have trouble ignoring it. His current OBP is lower than any season in his career and well below league avg. He can't even steal bases right now which was half his purpose to get the team "fired" up.

3-5 last night with a home run and chased down a ball at the warning track without diving. Some of the others should be so tired. I simply feel that the notion that Freel can't play every day is a canard, a myth, a falsehood and until I see evidence of that, I'm not going to believe it. As for his stolen base ability, is he losing speed or is it just that he has lousy technique? But it does look like he's going to get a leash as far as stealing goes.

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/...=.jsp&c_id=cin

[M2]

Canard!

I love that word.

[Redsland]

As our major off-season acquisition and "the best shortstop Terry Francona's ever seen," Gonzalez has been an abject disappointment. In fact, until Gary Majewski gets promoted, Gonzalez makes a fitting stand-in as the personification of this entire franchise.

[M2]

Originally Posted by Redsland

As our major off-season acquisition and "the best shortstop Terry Francona's ever seen," Gonzalez has been an abject disappointment.

When Francona said that more than a few people where I work remarked that Orlando Cabrera seemed to be just as good in the field and Francona saw him. Here's an interesting little set of numbers:

Red Sox DER

2004 - .705
2005 - .692
2006 - .683
2007 - .713

[Puffy]

Originally Posted by Redsland

As our major off-season acquisition and "the best shortstop Terry Francona's ever seen," Gonzalez has been an abject disappointment. In fact, until Gary Majewski gets promoted, Gonzalez makes a fitting stand-in as the personification of this entire franchise.

I agree - and all those people who have already stated that this was a great signing, yada yada, what will they be saying when his OBP falls under .300 (its at .302 right now) and his OPS falls south of .725.....

[membengal]

I don't get to listen to the games on the radio much. Has Marty apologized for his part in hyping Alex G's defensive game? Because, on the tv broadcasts, Chris Welsh and George Grande have not as of yet made their apologies for same. All I know is, the advance pub on Alex G has been nowhere near the reality when it comes to his glove. Sadly, the advance pub on his bat appears to have been on target.

[KronoRed]

Originally Posted by Puffy

I agree - and all those people who have already stated that this was a great signing, yada yada, what will they be saying when his OBP falls under .300 (its at .302 right now) and his OPS falls south of .725.....

OPS doesn't matter, he's clutch Puffy

[Cyclone792]

Originally Posted by Ltlabner

Cyclone, do you think this speaks towards injury? Luck? Turning 30?

I wonder how much being on a team that is falling appart is effecting him psycologically? People usually rise to the level they are surrounded by. He was on a couple of teams that were winning games and going places. Now he's on the Bad News Bears. Wonder if that's some part of the equation?

Bad luck, possible injury, possible decline in skills due to aging, possible lack of concentration/focus due to his family issues, possible long or short list of some other things. Heck, possibly some combination of all the above in some fashion.

I was never in the camp of Gonzalez being among the best defensive shortstops in the game, and those who were in that camp were probably going to be disappointed regardless. But he was above average to good defensively, and so far in 2007 he hasn't been above average and certainly hasn't been good. We know what his zone rating is in May, and we'll see where it goes during the rest of the season. Myself, I'd like to see him get that zone rating back up in the .860 range, because that's the type of defensive shortstop he was and the type of defensive shortstop the Reds aimed to sign.

[pedro]

he's been fairly good so far but certainly not as good as all the talk suggested.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by M2

Reds fans have engaged in some serious fictionalizing of his abilities.

It is the TV and Radio crews that have been leading the charade.

[dabvu2498]

Originally Posted by flyer85

It is the TV and Radio crews that have been leading the charade.

Lead, first off, by the GM:

Originally Posted by Wayne Krivsky

We knew we improved our pitching when we signed Alex Gonzalez. You're very athletic up the middle with he and Phillips.

I think any winning team, it doesn't matter what the sport is, any team that wins a championship is strong defensively. Baseball is no different. We can't afford to be next-to-last in fielding percentage and give up the unearned runs we gave up last year. That puts too much stress on the pitching staff and we're not really a strikeout-dominating pitching staff. It puts more importance on defense and making the routine plays.

(Cincy Post 3-31-2007)

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs....703310311/1027

Originally Posted by Wayne Krivsky

We'll take the .260 and that Gold Glove-caliber defense and be happy with that.

ESPN.com 11-20-2006

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2669701

[blumj]

Originally Posted by M2

When Francona said that more than a few people where I work remarked that Orlando Cabrera seemed to be just as good in the field and Francona saw him. Here's an interesting little set of numbers:

Red Sox DER

2004 - .705
2005 - .692
2006 - .683
2007 - .713

Yes, but their OF defense was horrendous last season, and Loretta has no range at 2B. Gonzalez himself had a terrific defensive season last year, although Cabrera is very good himself, and, BTW, Lugo is good, too. Cabrera's and Lugo's contracts are significantly more expensive. Gonzalez is probably just in something of a fielding slump, and while he's no Adam Everett, he should play better than he has.

[M2]

Originally Posted by blumj

Yes, but their OF defense was horrendous last season, and Loretta has no range at 2B. Gonzalez himself had a terrific defensive season last year, although Cabrera is very good himself, and, BTW, Lugo is good, too. Cabrera's and Lugo's contracts are significantly more expensive. Gonzalez is probably just in something of a fielding slump, and while he's no Adam Everett, he should play better than he has.

I agree with that. My main concern with Gonzalez is for next year and beyond. When his glove goes, you don't want to have to carry him.

Lugo's been far better than I've ever seen from him in the field in previous seasons. He's really cranked it up a notch or three.