2012 Redlegs Opening Day Third Baseman

[DGullett35]

Rolen may very well retire at the end of this season. What is your guys opinion of where Frazier fits in on this team in the future and will Francisco have a good shot to be our starting third baseman for next year

Also LF is up for grabs depending on what moves are made and IMHO CF(Stubbs just doesn't cut it)

Thoughts?

[R_Webb18]

if anys1 banking on Frazier were in trouble.

[CWRed]

Rolen said he's not retiring. Especially since the surgery was very successful as he stated. So it will be him. Frazier or Francisco backing him up.

Now if Dusty is canned it might be different. I like Rolen. If he plays about 80-100 games and bats 6th or 7th and produces somewhat.

[Vottomatic]

I like Scott. But at his age, I don't like him batting 4th.

I am hoping for an offseason trade that brings a true cleanup hitter.

Then bat Scott like 6th or 7th.

I see Francisco as the part time third baseman, simply because he also provides a left handed power bat to the roster. And they have to find out if he can hit major league pitching, because Rolen is gone after 2012.

[DGullett35]

Hmm so I guess that answers my question. Rolen will be back for 2012 then. I love his defense i just hope he can hit around .270 with 20HR and I would consider that a good season for him. Also I hope Francisco can pan out somewhat and be with the big club next year. He has alot of potential. I just don't see where Frazier fits in with this club going forward

[Vottomatic]

I just don't see where Frazier fits in with this club going forward

Cairo is signed for one more year. He's also in his mid to late 30's (my guess is 37, but I might be wrong). I see Frazier assuming the Cairo, Hairston Jr., Ryan Freel role the season after next. He can even play LF.

[SWIndRed]

Love Rolen's defense and professionalism. I think at this stage in his career he could be a good #2 hitter. If not there, #6 is about right. I do think he should play 4 of the 6 days each week with Francisco, if healthy getting the other 2 or 3 starts. He has great potential but we need to see it... soon.

[Hillsdale87]

Francisco needs to get a chance at regular playing time.

Rick Sweet quote from the other day: “He’s playing the best baseball he’s ever
played in Louisville. He has come back and played very, very well. He’s played hard and has been much more consistent. Right now, since he’s come back, it’s the best I’ve seen Juan play on a consistent basis.”

[nux fan]

rolen needs to go away and stop stealing money, his performance in the playoffs was atrocious and he was counted on this year thus blocking the development of the future players,keeping rolen is exactly what losing organizations do, like keeping larkin and griffey for four extra years, rolen needs to stop feeding off the trough, and get out

[Krawhitham]

Rolen said he's not retiring. Especially since the surgery was very successful as he stated. So it will be him. Frazier or Francisco backing him up.

Now if Dusty is canned it might be different. I like Rolen. If he plays about 80-100 games and bats 6th or 7th and produces somewhat.

It will be him until he hurts himself in spring training

[Krawhitham]

Cairo is signed for one more year. He's also in his mid to late 30's (my guess is 37, but I might be wrong). I see Frazier assuming the Cairo, Hairston Jr., Ryan Freel role the season after next. He can even play LF.

Frazier was a .260 hitter in AAA and a .206 hitter in the majors. He will be in AAA next season

[Krawhitham]

rolen needs to go away and stop stealing money, his performance in the playoffs was atrocious and he was counted on this year thus blocking the development of the future players,keeping rolen is exactly what losing organizations do, like keeping larkin and griffey for four extra years, rolen needs to stop feeding off the trough, and get out

The Reds were dumb enough to sign the contract, no way I would walk away from 6 million bucks. Don't blame rolen blame the Reds, they knew when they signed him he was old and injury prone. Plus they knew they had 3rd baseman in the pipe line that he would be blocking

[texasdave]

Cross your fingers that the surgery lets Rolen have one last hurrah season.

[bounty37h]

The Reds were dumb enough to sign the contract, no way I would walk away from 6 million bucks. Don't blame rolen blame the Reds, they knew when they signed him he was old and injury prone. Plus they knew they had 3rd baseman in the pipe line that he would be blocking

I agree, kind of. I don't think he is "blocking" anyone though, that would imply there is a replacment player considered nearly as good and I dont think there is. More healthy/reliable to be able to play, sure, but I dont think we have a future MLB caliber 3'rd baseman in our system ready to take over.

[FireDusty]

Cross your fingers that the surgery lets Rolen have one last hurrah season.

I'll take a hurrah half.

[smixsell]

I like Scott. But at his age, I don't like him batting 4th.

I am hoping for an offseason trade that brings a true cleanup hitter.

Then bat Scott like 6th or 7th.

I see Francisco as the part time third baseman, simply because he also provides a left handed power bat to the roster. And they have to find out if he can hit major league pitching, because Rolen is gone after 2012.

Spot on mate.

[Sean_CaseyRules]

rolen needs to go away and stop stealing money, his performance in the playoffs was atrocious and he was counted on this year thus blocking the development of the future players,keeping rolen is exactly what losing organizations do, like keeping larkin and griffey for four extra years, rolen needs to stop feeding off the trough, and get out

So does that mean Votto should be gone too? He hit .100 in the post season...

[nux fan]

so you think rolen did a good job in the second half of last year, the playoffs, and this year, or do you think he will go against all baseball metrics and improved at 38 yrs of age.

[George Foster]

so you think rolen did a good job in the second half of last year, the playoffs, and this year, or do you think he will go against all baseball metrics and improved at 38 yrs of age.

His defense was great...he won a gold glove...again. He hurt himself in the all-star game running from 1st to 3rd (scoring the go-ahead run)...he was not the same offensively. He was the veteran "glue" that held that team together and help win the division.

I see your argument, but when he is healthy, he is our best option at 3rd. I take him hitting .270...and his gold glove.

[HalKing]

Francisco needs to get a chance at regular playing time.

Rick Sweet quote from the other day: “He’s playing the best baseball he’s ever
played in Louisville. He has come back and played very, very well. He’s played hard and has been much more consistent. Right now, since he’s come back, it’s the best I’ve seen Juan play on a consistent basis.”

Not that my words hold remotely as much weight as Rick Sweet's, but I've got to agree with Rick on this. I'm a season ticket holder at the Bats games and since Juan returned from the knee surgery he looks like a different guy. His defense already seemed better this season for the most part, but that knee had to be contributing to his seemingly limited range. His arm has never really been a question mark... the guy has a cannon. A interesting stat that I am going to research is his BA versus lefties prior to the surgery compared to after the surgery. Nothing to back this up in numbers at this moment but I recall the Bats radio man quoting Juan's BA vs lefties shortly before the surgery and it was in the .130 neighborhood. Terrible to say the least. After a recent game when Juan homered twice against two different lefties I looked at his stats online and for the season that average had jumped to over .200 My thinking is that for whatever reason he's raking versus lefties equal to righties since returning. I think if Juan could serve as Rolen's caddy next year it could provide some interesting results. I have had the opinion for well over a year that Juan has received a bad rap on his defensive skills. He's no where in Rolens class defensively but he's adequate to average.

[Vottomatic]

His defense was great...he won a gold glove...again. He hurt himself in the all-star game running from 1st to 3rd (scoring the go-ahead run)...he was not the same offensively. He was the veteran "glue" that held that team together and help win the division.

I see your argument, but when he is healthy, he is our best option at 3rd. I take him hitting .270...and his gold glove.

I agree. I think this team needs Rolen's veteran leadership, but I think they also need him to lead with his bat and defense. If the surgery was successful and Rolen can have one last good season, I think this team returns to contention. Along with ownership hopefully making some improvement trades this offseason.


Not that my words hold remotely as much weight as Rick Sweet's, but I've got to agree with Rick on this. I'm a season ticket holder at the Bats games and since Juan returned from the knee surgery he looks like a different guy. His defense already seemed better this season for the most part, but that knee had to be contributing to his seemingly limited range. His arm has never really been a question mark... the guy has a cannon. A interesting stat that I am going to research is his BA versus lefties prior to the surgery compared to after the surgery. Nothing to back this up in numbers at this moment but I recall the Bats radio man quoting Juan's BA vs lefties shortly before the surgery and it was in the .130 neighborhood. Terrible to say the least. After a recent game when Juan homered twice against two different lefties I looked at his stats online and for the season that average had jumped to over .200 My thinking is that for whatever reason he's raking versus lefties equal to righties since returning. I think if Juan could serve as Rolen's caddy next year it could provide some interesting results. I have had the opinion for well over a year that Juan has received a bad rap on his defensive skills. He's no where in Rolens class defensively but he's adequate to average.

I watched Francisco with the Reds early in the season and thought his defense was pretty good. I saw him make a nice grab at third base with a runner on third. The runner tried to score because it was a tough grounder to handle. Francisco made the play and threw the runner out at home.

I remember wondering why everyone thinks his defense stinks. His arm was very strong. I think it's some kind of exaggeration that has ballooned into a lie.

My only concern about Francisco eventually taking over 3B is that it adds another lefty to the batting order to go with Bruce and Votto. Seems like alot.

[Tadasimha]

I agree. I think this team needs Rolen's veteran leadership, but I think they also need him to lead with his bat and defense. If the surgery was successful and Rolen can have one last good season, I think this team returns to contention. Along with ownership hopefully making some improvement trades this offseason.


I like Rolen and what he's brought to the Reds, but I've come to question this " that about Rolen. I havn't seen much evidence of this veteran leadership this season. Miguel Cairo was the veteran that took the team to task for poor performance earlier this season. I think that Orlando Cabrera was the source of the veteran leadership in 2010 and he took that leadership with him to the Indians for this season - compare the differences between the teams.

[texasdave]

I like Rolen and what he's brought to the Reds, but I've come to question this " that about Rolen. I havn't seen much evidence of this veteran leadership this season. Miguel Cairo was the veteran that took the team to task for poor performance earlier this season. I think that Orlando Cabrera was the source of the veteran leadership in 2010 and he took that leadership with him to the Indians for this season - compare the differences between the teams.

I found it interesting that Cleveland traded Orlando Cabrera already. They are having there first good season in years OCab is supposed to provide so much leadership, yet they got rid of him pretty quickly. That seems to be the way it is everywhere he goes. He never stays with one team for very long. In 2004 he was traded in season as well as in 2009 and 2011. For a player who is lauded for providing such value in the clubhouse, something seems amiss.