Valaika healthy, Francisco is not

[cinreds21]

Two little tid bits:

Valaika spent most of last year at Triple-A. He hit .280 in 14 games with the Reds before suffering the injury on Sept. 11.

andddd

–Juan Francisco dealing with his left calf that put him the disabled list for month last year.

“He was in getting treatment this morning,” Baker said.

[Reds1]

Originally Posted by cinreds21

Two little tid bits:



andddd

3rd base could be a tough spot this year. Don't want to see Fraizer starting there.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Reds1

3rd base could be a tough spot this year. Don't want to see Fraizer starting there.

I would rather see Frazier there than Francisco.

My question is, why is Francisco still nursing a calf injury he suffered LAST year?

[RedsManRick]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

I would rather see Frazier there than Francisco.

My question is, why is Francisco still nursing a calf injury he suffered LAST year?

Didn't he play in the DWL?

[lollipopcurve]

My question is, why is Francisco still nursing a calf injury he suffered LAST year?

He reinjured it over the winter. I have to say, I'm concerned this could be a chronic situation with Francisco -- if you watch his swing's follow through, he does something very odd with his back leg that appears to stress/twist his calf. Combining the follow through with the necessity of getting off fast towards first (pushing off the back leg) when the ball is hit, it puts that left lower leg at high risk. And this is not a simple fix, mechanically. Probably cannot be fixed, given the violence and muscle memory involved in his swing.

[cinreds21]

David Bell played third...

[RANDY IN INDY]

Not as well as his father.

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Juan Francisco is testing my patience.

And I really don't want to see Valaika starting games at third base. He's just not a starter for a division-winning team.

[Kc61]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

I would rather see Frazier there than Francisco.

My question is, why is Francisco still nursing a calf injury he suffered LAST year?

News flash. If Francisco can't go after spring training, it won't be Frazier who goes north.

It will be Willie Harris.

I can't remember the last decent baseball team that only had two lefty hitters. Even three is very light.

Reds will keep that third lefty bat. If not Francisco, then Harris.

[reds44]

Harris has only played 33 career games at third base though, and they need somebody to caddy for Rolen.

EDIT: Apparently I thought Cairo was dead.

[Blitz Dorsey]

Originally Posted by Reds/Flyers Fan

Juan Francisco is testing my patience.

And I really don't want to see Valaika starting games at third base. He's just not a starter for a division-winning team.

Well, of course he's not. The question is whether he can be a viable backup for Rolen. I think he can, although I agree with you that I'd rather see someone else in there if Scotty Roles goes down with an injury.

[Caveat Emperor]

Ideally, you'd like to see Francisco get hot this spring so that the Reds can ship him off somewhere. Who knows -- the last time the Reds had a free-swinging, out-of-options, mediocre-defense, suborbital launch-power slugger they managed to turn him into Bronson Arroyo.

[Kc61]

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

Ideally, you'd like to see Francisco get hot this spring so that the Reds can ship him off somewhere. Who knows -- the last time the Reds had a free-swinging, out-of-options, mediocre-defense, suborbital launch-power slugger they managed to turn him into Bronson Arroyo.

Ideally, you'd like to see Francisco get HEALTHY this spring so he can play the role intended for him. Lefty compliment to Rolen at third base and lefty hitter off the bench.

[CySeymour]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

I would rather see Frazier there than Francisco.

I'm not questioning your statement, but why do you feel this way? Defense?

[_Sir_Charles_]

I agree with Doug on this. I think Francisco has a higher upside, but I think the better overall major leaguer will be Frazier. He's as good as Francisco defensively and I think he'll be a much better hitter as well. I see contact, K's and lack of walks being the achilles' heel for Juan. Todd doesn't have the power that Juan does, but his better hit tool will translate into as many dingers (if not more) that Juan IMO.