Hal McCoy appears to be reading Redszone.

[paulrichjr]

These are some highlights of his most recent work. Honestly it sounds like the guy is reading Redszone.


http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/con...incinnatireds/


There are still 50 players in camp and 25 need to be trimmed quickly. Nevertheless, it is evident Baker is pretty set on his Opening Day lineup — not that I agree with it.

It is: CF Patterson, SS Jeff Keppinger (Alex Gonzalez remains on crutches with a bulky brace on his left knee), RF Ken Griffey Jr., 2B Brandon Phillips, LF Adam Dunn, 3B Edwin Encarnacion, 1B Scott Hatteberg, C Paul Bako (David Ross and his problem back have yet to play), RHP Aaron Harang.

I’d prefer Jay Bruce leading off and playing CF, but Patterson is hitting near .500 and earning the spot. Bruce probably starts at Louisville. I prefer Joey Votto at first base but at least it appears that Baker will keep Votto on the roster. Maybe. If Bruce and Votto are the future stars everybody thinks, why not jump-start their careers right now?





The bullpen is sketchy. For-sures are closer/RHP Francisco Cordero, RHP/set-up David Weathers and LHP Jeremy Affeldt. With his $3 million contract, LHP Mike Stanton probably is in there, too. LHP Bill Bray and LHP Kent Mercker are on the bubble. RHP Todd Coffey, nearly perfect this spring, probably stays. Jared Burton, woozy all spring, might not make it and Gary Majewski shouldn’t.


3 - Who should play center field, Corey Patterson or Norris Hopper or Ryan Freel or Josh Hamilton or Jay Bruce? (I say Hamilton or Bruce. Whoops, Hamilton was traded to Texas and it probably was an excellent trade if Volquez continues to resemble a young Pedro Martinez. And Bruce is gone, sent skipping and whistling to the minors. The other three? I’m not thrilled with any of them. Cesar Geronimo is in camp looking pretty good. Jim Bowden would sign him.)


4 - Who should play first base, Joey Votto or Scott Hatteberg? (I say … and it’s obvious because I put his name first … Votto. He and I have a good cigar exchange going, but that’s prejudicial and one of the reasons I liked manager Jack McKeon so much. Votto is struggling this spring, but I’ll believe that he is a slow starter. Hatteberg is a great team player, an excellent hitter, a decent first baseman. But let’s hope the Reds don’t make the same mistake with Votto I think they’ve made with Bruce.)

[WMR]

If he'd just cut and paste from RZ--the RIGHT cut and pasting, btw--he'd win a Pulitzer.

[reds44]

Or maybe he is just knows what he is talking about?

I remember a conversation I had with him in Houston a couple years ago about how bad of a defensive 3rd baseman Rich Aurilia was because of his range and how he had no business playing over Edwin.

He is a smart man.

[WVRedsFan]

Hal and I think alike. I think I'll just go end it all now

Over the winter, I think I came to the realization that the Reds would never take a risk on a young player. The reason is simple. The ownership, general manager, manager, and even the city is typical midwestern conservative. Hatteberg over Votto at first. Patterson over Bruce in center. Bako at catcher. Stanton and Weathers in the bullpen. The only youngsters even getting consideration are Cueto and Volquez, but with a rotation like the Reds had, someting had to be done.

I don't expect the Reds to ever take a chance on a kid (with the above notable exceptions). Fogg with his 5-inning, 3-run starts will always make the rotation over Homer Bailey because he's older and wiser (or so they think). Stanton in the bullpen with the big contract based on past performance is a lock. Castro and Freel make the club and the kids don't. Majewski stays and other pitchers with a future do not. I don't think we'll ever see a youth movement because the kids are iffy at best in the eyes of management. We want to win now and veterans are the only way to go. Bruce may rot in the minors, but Patterson leads off. It boggles my mind.

It was the day after Christmas. You know the day. The excitement was gone and it was another day before heading back to work. I knew then that Votto, Bruce, and others would only be potential stars once again because we want to win now. I accepted it then and I accept it now. I just hope they win. If they don't, it's just like the last seven seasons. And I hope Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez pan out. If not, we'll see more Joe Mays' and Josh Fogg-like pitchers run through here like a dose of salts.

[red-in-la]

I don't agree about Bruce. He has probably been JR's replacement since the day he was drafted. There is something management doesn't like about him in CF. So, it is really a win-win situation. Bruce plays every day in AAA waiting for JR to get hurt. If JR doesn't get hurt, you are probably looking at a repeat of last season......and I think most anybody would want JR to repeat last season.

Bruce gets a chance to play for a while at AAA, which he didn't get much time there last year.

So everybody wins.

I want to see Votto at 1B as much as anybody.....but we will see. Hatteberg is a fine player, so if he is in there, they don't lose that much. Votto can be a phone call away in AAA and play everyday.

I agree that the Stanton and Castro thing stinks.

[fearofpopvol1]

Originally Posted by red-in-la

I don't agree about Bruce. He has probably been JR's replacement since the day he was drafted. There is something management doesn't like about him in CF. So, it is really a win-win situation. Bruce plays every day in AAA waiting for JR to get hurt. If JR doesn't get hurt, you are probably looking at a repeat of last season......and I think most anybody would want JR to repeat last season.

Bruce gets a chance to play for a while at AAA, which he didn't get much time there last year.

So everybody wins.

I want to see Votto at 1B as much as anybody.....but we will see. Hatteberg is a fine player, so if he is in there, they don't lose that much. Votto can be a phone call away in AAA and play everyday.

I agree that the Stanton and Castro thing stinks.

I can't believe it, I actually agree with you for once.

[MartyFan]

I thought Cueto was the one being compared to a young Pedro?

And why did he chose to gripe about Affeldt $3 million dollar contract?

[GAC]

Originally Posted by red-in-la

I don't agree about Bruce. He has probably been JR's replacement since the day he was drafted. There is something management doesn't like about him in CF. So, it is really a win-win situation. Bruce plays every day in AAA waiting for JR to get hurt. If JR doesn't get hurt, you are probably looking at a repeat of last season......and I think most anybody would want JR to repeat last season.

Bruce gets a chance to play for a while at AAA, which he didn't get much time there last year.

So everybody wins.

Bruce did very well at AAA last year. But lets remember that the only reason he was called up to AAA, inwhich he only played in 50 games, was to fill an OF void created by the Wise injury. But he made the most of the opportunity, that is for sure.

He's only 20. I have no problem whatsoever with him starting out at Louisville.

And I agree that this FO doesn't feel he's best suited for CF, but is Jr's replacement in RF.

[traderumor]