Is there anyway Bruce ever gets sent back down to AAA Louisville

[Ghosts of 1990]

This is something I fear and have been wondering about. Clearly he's the only player who is penciled in the OF next year. Since this year is a waste, no matter how bad it would get (and I don't think it will get that bad based on his pure skill) I still think he should be up here tallying at bats against the best in the business, not back in the minors risking injury in a meaningless contest.

The future is now for guys like Bruce, and especially Bruce.

My question is: do you forsee any situation in which he gets sent back down, or is he up here to stay regardless?

[TheBigLebowski]

I don't think he'll end up getting sent back down but, is there a chance it may happen? Absolutely. I do not have the official stats in front of me right now but, if you take away those torrid first two weeks, Bruce's big league BA is downright pitiful. He's got huge holes in his swing and I don't see the Reds' coaching staff doing anything to make it better. It's only getting worse. Hell, Louisville might not be that bad for him.

[Griffey012]

If he were to get in a big slump and continue to struggle I have no problem with it out of a confidence thing. Get him a 2 week stint in AAA, let him get his mind right and his approach back, and then get him back ASAP. Otherwise, I say let him take his bumbs and bruises.

[bgwilly31]

i dont see it happening. Especially after these last few games are done and we become a selling team.

He stays up and gets his hacks.

[44Magnum]

He has dominated at all levels of the Minors. He needs to stay up here and get his learning curve out of the way this year.

[FlyerFanatic]

if bruce is sent down....and patterson is still on this team...i'll vomit. what a terrible team...i dont even know why i'm still waching them this season..seasons done and we arent at the all star break. embarrassing

[fadetoblack2880]

He goes, who replaces him in center, Patterson? I'd rather have a struggling Bruce over Patterson.

[reds1869]

He has to learn to hit up here; sending him down will not fix his problems. I guarantee he'd be batting in the high 300s if he went back to Louisville. Until he learns to hit a big league breaking ball he'll struggle. I'm convinced that he'll figure it out sooner or later.

[757690]

Last year, Rick Ankeil, after a torrid start, went two weeks in which he got 6 hits, and his BA dropped from .354 to .265. He recovered at the end of the year, and is doing fine this year.

Slumps like these are very common for rookies. Pitchers find their holes in their swings, and they need to adjust. It takes time, especially when you are 21.

I think the Reds understand this, and unless they feel he is ruining his swing, they will keep him up here.

[realreds1]

I think Bruce is pressing too much. He's swinging at some balls you wouldn't swing at even at the high school level. Maybe he's putting too much pressure on himself to deliver. Maybe not. But he can't keep striking out in the 9th inning on un-hittable pitches.

[ChatterRed]

When he first came up, I thought he was very selective at the plate and was even taking some walks. He is very impatient right now.

[steig]

Let him struggle, he will work his way out of it. He has proven him self in '07 and the first month and a half of '08 in the minors. Tampa Bay stuck with Evan Longoria. He struggled mightily in the .240s for a long time this season and has steadily gotten better and is now on a tear raising his average to the .300 range. Bruce should get a chance to do the same and build his confidence against big league pitching. We need to worry about Bruce producing in the future, not right now.

[Kingspoint]

Absolutely not.

You let him have his months where he hits .200.

B. J. Upton, in his 2nd year with Arizona is still only hitting in the .230's.