McDonald and Balentien

[nemesis]

So I was curious about the amount of playing time that each LFer had gotten here in September and the success of each...


McDonald who is 31:

Has had 34 AB's with ZERO BB's and 11K's 3 XBH and 4 RBI's in 10 Games

With a .265 /.353 /.618 OPS Line

__________________________________________________ ______________

Balentien who is 25:

Has had 25 AB's with 4 BB's and 9 K's 5 XBH and 2 RBI's in 7 games

With a .414 /.640 /.1054 OPS Line

__________________________________________________ ______________

Gomes who is 29:

Has had 45 AB's with 3 BB's and 9 K's 6 XBH and 8 RBI's in 12 games

With a .292 /.556 /.848 OPS Line



He has given McD 3 more games and 9 more AB's than a possible solution to our LF dilema in Balentien next year. Gomes does deserve the AB's he is getting but he might prove to be a couple million we shouldn't spend on OF help since we have so much... These are the types of decisions that lend to Dusty's Veterans over Youngsters stigma. Even though Balentien is the Vet by service time... No way McDonald should be anything more than a early game PH, PR or a defensive replacement in the late innings...


I heard in a pregame interview Dusty said he bases his daily outfield on who is pitching for the Reds that day. He said if a guy is more of a flyball pitcher, he will run defensive players over big hitters out there and vice versa. Now I'm not a expert or anything but don't Flyball pitchers tend to give up something called a HR more often than GB pitchers? Leading to more runs given up and needing more offense? I about gagged in my car listening to that...


Last year Dusty HAD to play Patterson because there were no options to replace him. With McDonald there isn't any excuse to play him. McDonald will not be apart of the 2010 Reds at all. Balentien more than likely will be. There is zero to play for this year except Dusty's Managerial Record. Which he is sabatoging by running the Taverases, McDonalds, Janishes, Gonzales and such then placing them at the top of the order. We play no more teams in any type of race. It should be the young guys for the last 15 or so games.


I am curious to see how he plays and handles Taveras once he is able to go. I'd almost bet he either splits his time with Stubbs or puts Stubbs in LF because he has played it before...

A lineup vs RH's of:

Stubbs
Balentien - .395 /.493 /.988 OPS Vs .263 /.188 /.451 Vs LH
Votto
Phillips
Rolen
Bruce
Hanigan
Janish

and

Stubbs
Hanigan
Votto
Phillips
Rolen
Gomes - .361 /.523 /.884 OPS with a .295 BA vs .255 vs RH and a .335 OBP
Bruce
Janish

Vs LH's


and I didn't even have to manage a couple thousand games to figure that out...

[Kingspoint]

Why is McDonald starting today?

What possible benefit could that be to the REDS?

[jmac]

Why is McDonald starting today?

What possible benefit could that be to the REDS?
I have wondered this on several occasions latley. Dusty has repeatedly said they are looking at people for next year.
You have guys like Stubbs/Balentien who you should be looking at and he continues to give Mcdonald ab's. I dont get on Dusty for every little thing but playing Mcdonald when there are other options is beyond ridiculous.

[defender]

Maybe Stubbs need a breather

[Captain Hook]

While I probably feel the same way about Dusty as you guys do I blame Walt at this point.Even if Dusty was right and playing McDonald did prevent a hit or two how does that help us for next year?Walt needs to flat out tell Baker what he needs to do at this point to help him make the most informed decisions this off season.

[Boston Red]

Since coming back up from Louisville in August, in 50 ABs, McDonald is hitting .320 with a .346 OBP and is slugging .540. I'm not suggesting that McDonald should be in the future plans, but he's definitely been producing since he came back. If Dusty is focused on winning games this year, then it makes perfect sense for him to play McDonald.

[Red in Atl]

And who won the game for us tonight...my god was Dusty right?

nnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooo;)

[GIDP]

And who won the game for us tonight...my god was Dusty right?

nnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooo;)

If he started Darnell every night a pitcher I think it would be inevitable that he got a win also. :o

[FlyerFanatic]

i want walt or someone to just lay the smack down on who dusty plays. walt didnt bring up stubbs to ride the bench, he should be playing everyday

[Red in Atl]

He gave the kid one night off after playing every game since he was called up. Relax people. It's a long season.

It's pretty obvious that Darnell won't be here next year. What does it really hurt to let the guy play here and there? I hear the argument that the kids should get the time to be evaluated. Do you really think these kids aren't being evaluated enough? Winter ball, WBC, spring training, minor leagues, major league call ups sure seems like plenty of time to evaluate.

I don't think playing Darnell a few games in Aug/Sept with the team totally out of the playoff race is going to hurt the development of anyone. From most accounts he's a great guy who prepares, plays the game right and loves the game. Those are exactly the kind of players who should be emulated. Especially by the young guys who are "future stars". Darnell is 30 and getting really just his second "taste" of the big leagues. He's busted his but way beyond what most players would put up with being a AAAA guy. Think of guys like Corky Miller who just love to play. Never stars, never making the big club out of ST just filling the wholes when the stars get hurt.

try to remember that the players are people too. They aren't commodities. Hell if they were, they might play up to our expectations. But that's the human side of the game and to me what makes it great. Perfect example is Mr. Peter Edward Rose. The way I hear people talk about players today makes me think Pete may have never had a chance in todays game. He wasn't big, didn't hit homers, wasn't fast, didn't have a position. But he had heart and desire and the ambition to be better than he was physically capable of being. And we all know how that turned out.

All I'm saying is lighten up on Darnell. The guy plays hard, isn't the best and isn't in the teams future. But he's here today, filling a need and giving it his all. That's what I want to see every time I turn on a Reds game.

[davereds24]

well said atl. this was also the 2nd or 3rd game where he greatly contributed to a W since he's been back with the club.

[nemesis]

He gave the kid one night off after playing every game since he was called up. Relax people. It's a long season.

It's pretty obvious that Darnell won't be here next year. What does it really hurt to let the guy play here and there? I hear the argument that the kids should get the time to be evaluated. Do you really think these kids aren't being evaluated enough? Winter ball, WBC, spring training, minor leagues, major league call ups sure seems like plenty of time to evaluate.

I don't think playing Darnell a few games in Aug/Sept with the team totally out of the playoff race is going to hurt the development of anyone. From most accounts he's a great guy who prepares, plays the game right and loves the game. Those are exactly the kind of players who should be emulated. Especially by the young guys who are "future stars". Darnell is 30 and getting really just his second "taste" of the big leagues. He's busted his but way beyond what most players would put up with being a AAAA guy. Think of guys like Corky Miller who just love to play. Never stars, never making the big club out of ST just filling the wholes when the stars get hurt.

try to remember that the players are people too. They aren't commodities. Hell if they were, they might play up to our expectations. But that's the human side of the game and to me what makes it great. Perfect example is Mr. Peter Edward Rose. The way I hear people talk about players today makes me think Pete may have never had a chance in todays game. He wasn't big, didn't hit homers, wasn't fast, didn't have a position. But he had heart and desire and the ambition to be better than he was physically capable of being. And we all know how that turned out.

All I'm saying is lighten up on Darnell. The guy plays hard, isn't the best and isn't in the teams future. But he's here today, filling a need and giving it his all. That's what I want to see every time I turn on a Reds game.



Because we have a guy with no options left who has to make the team next year or be cut who is young, cheap and has a tremendous upside sitting on the bench getting less ab's than McDonald. I am sure he is a tremendous person but one start a week max is more than enough... Balentien has never hit ML pitching with the type of sucess he had in the Minors. Playing Winter Ball, Spring Training and the WBC doesn't really help you to hit a ML curve. Facing the ML curve teaches you how to hit it. Something Jay Bruce has yet to do. If he needs the AB's then so does Balentien...

Is 40 AB's in a half a month not more than enough for a guy who is a 6th OF at best on every other team in the Majors?

[malcontent]

While I probably feel the same way about Dusty as you guys do I blame Walt at this point.Even if Dusty was right and playing McDonald did prevent a hit or two how does that help us for next year?Walt needs to flat out tell Baker what he needs to do at this point to help him make the most informed decisions this off season.
I agree. I just don't see the semi-retired Jocketty doing it.

Toothpick has stated that he doesn't particularly enjoy having to "testify" as to whom he plays or when he plays them. I don't see Jocketty confronting him, on this matter or any other.

[Red in Atl]

"Is 40 AB's in a half a month not more than enough for a guy who is a 6th OF at best on every other team in the Majors?"

In the last three weeks he's been the 4-5th outfielder on this team. And he's produced. You still try to win ballgames after you are out of contention.

And I'll say it again, Ballentien isn't going to lose his roster spot next year based on what he does the last month of the previous season. With all the OF'ers we have on the 40 man for next year, the battle will be won in ST. Even if they don't throw him any curveballs.;)

I know people want to think this last month means something, or this player is getting his chance to prove himself. It's true to a degree, but the roster will be set by what happens in ST 2010, what trades we make, what FA's we sign, etc.

Not because Balantien sat the bench the first game of the Marlins series in late Sept. '09.

[Kingspoint]

well said atl. this was also the 2nd or 3rd game where he greatly contributed to a W since he's been back with the club.

And what possible benefit is that to the REDS?