Bako at 1st base?

[Stingray]

Bako came into todays game at 1st base. Has he played there before? He looked like a catcher playing out of position. I hope this isn't an indication Dusty's seriously considering carrying 3 catchers. Maybe the Reds will use Bako as #2 and trade Val or Ross. I wouldn't want to trade Ross.

[redsupport]

Bakois worse than jerry zimmerman and dave van gorder

[mlbfan30]

We already have a backup C who plays 1B in Valentine. We need more 1B since we already have Votto/Hatty/Keppinger/Freel/Phillips/etc to play 1B. Those other guys need a day off.

Imagine a team with Bako and Castro.... It's worth around -3 Wins right there.

[757690]

It was one spring training game in the first week of March. Players play weird positions all the time in early spring training games. Bako will not be on the Reds roster unless Ross or Javy are injured.

[NDReds9]

Dusty Baker is such a piece of **** for giving Bako more than one AB. He's taking away AB's from the younger guys.

Here's a list of guys that need to be CUT RIGHT NOW:
----------------------------------------------------
Bako
Castro (Defensive specialist is a LUXURY. Teams under .500 don't have that luxury)
Adkins
Brower
Lehr
Lincoln
Patterson
Hairston
Pettyjohn
Sauerbeck
Cabrera (He's too old, and won't hit above .220 during the season)
Andy Green (WTF is this guy getting AB's for?)

[mlbfan30]

Originally Posted by NDReds9

Dusty Baker is such a piece of **** for giving Bako more than one AB. He's taking away AB's from the younger guys.

Here's a list of guys that need to be CUT RIGHT NOW:
----------------------------------------------------
Bako
Castro (Defensive specialist is a LUXURY. Teams under .500 don't have that luxury)
Adkins
Brower
Lehr
Lincoln
Patterson
Hairston
Pettyjohn
Sauerbeck
Cabrera (He's too old, and won't hit above .220 during the season)
Andy Green (WTF is this guy getting AB's for?)

I don't like giving old guys with known low level talent and production more playing time than younger prospects who could potentially breakout into good ML players.

I'd rather see Tatum play over Bako
I don't care about Hairston and Castro because they've proven to suck. I want to see Rosales and Janish play. Or Bruce/Votto/Keppinger. Play the players that will help, or have a chance to help the team. Not those who have a career 60 OPS+

[757690]

You guys do understand how spring training works?

The main purpose is to get the players in shape. At the beginning, you only play your starters a few innings and gradually add innings until they are in game shape. This means that you have to play other players, even ones that have no shot at making the team, in order to fill all the other innings.

Every Reds player who will make the team, or has a shot at making the team, will get all of their at bats and innings in the field. Players like Bako, Lehr, and Pettyjohn are just filling in for them until they are in shape to play a full nine innings.

[mlbfan30]

Originally Posted by 757690

You guys do understand how spring training works?

The main purpose is to get the players in shape. At the beginning, you only play your starters a few innings and gradually add innings until they are in game shape. This means that you have to play other players, even ones that have no shot at making the team, in order to fill all the other innings.

Every Reds player who will make the team, or has a shot at making the team, will get all of their at bats and innings in the field. Players like Bako, Lehr, and Pettyjohn are just filling in for them until they are in shape to play a full nine innings.

Bring more prospects into camp and have them play. I don't see that as a valid excuse.

[luvdozer]

Originally Posted by 757690

You guys do understand how spring training works?

The main purpose is to get the players in shape.

and to figure out who should make the 25 man roster. In the case of minor league players, spring training is the time for the manager to watch them play first hand and see how they do against major league talent.

To that extent it makes sense to let guys like Bako get in shape via the treadmill and give his innings to a AA guy.

[757690]

Originally Posted by mlbfan30

Bring more prospects into camp and have them play. I don't see that as a valid excuse.

The Reds have all of their prospects in camp. They even bring dress a few guys who aren't (like the other Drew Anderson) and put them into the game. In terms of catchers, they have Hanigan, Tatum, Colina, and Kroski in camp, those are all their catching prospects. They need bodies in these early games, lots of them and the only way is to bring along veterans like Bako.

There is a good chance that Bako will see some time in with the Reds this year, due to injury. You want him to be in shape too, just in case it is at the beginning of the year.

Every single major league teams does this and has done this since the beginning of professional baseball. This is how you prepare your team for the season.

[captainmorgan07]

why would you want to cut all those players right now. You can't play the regular guys everyday. Were trieng to avoid injuries, look at the young guys, and see if any of these veterans they brought in can help out the club. If they can't no big deal if they do it's an extra plus. Bako might have been the only other guy on the travel roster who could play first base. There playing split squad today so the whole team didnt' travel.

[Stingray]

Originally Posted by 757690

There is a good chance that Bako will see some time in with the Reds this year, due to injury. You want him to be in shape too, just in case it is at the beginning of the year.

Playing 1st base is no way to get a catcher in shape for the season.