Protect Votto with Alonzo
Considering how Brantley, Welsh, and personnel on other teams describe Alonzo's plate discipline and power, perhaps he should be hitting behind and "protecting" Votto.
Of course, that would mean penciling him in somewhere on defense every day, probably LF.
Right now, pitchers are pitching around Joey unafraid that Bruce will beat them.
In order to preserve Jay's self-confidence and not to "demote" him in the lineup, bat him 2nd, thus giving him more AB than the SS or OFer who has been hitting 2nd.
Phillips
Bruce
Votto
Alonzo
Dez
Francisco
CF or SS
SS or CF
P
Perhaps lineup construction and "protection" make little difference, but at least with Phillips being on base as much as he has opens up the 3-4 hole for Bruce and/or the other LHH who follow him.
And although Phillips, Bruce, and Votto are not the speedster that Stubbs is, they are 3 decent base-runners to be ahead of Alonzo.
Re: Protect Votto with Alonzo
Bruce started out hot, much as Alonso has done.
Pitchers went to school on him, watched video, and made adjustments to how they pitch him -- with Bruce unable to make the adjustment himself, he's become a much less dangerous hitter than he was in the minors (where he was +.900 OPS guy).
Pitchers will go to school on Alonso as well. I think it's incredibly premature to suggest that he could provide better lineup protection than Bruce until we see what Alonso looks like once the league develops a gameplan for him.
Re: Protect Votto with Alonzo
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Caveat Emperor
Bruce started out hot, much as Alonso has done.
Pitchers went to school on him, watched video, and made adjustments to how they pitch him -- with Bruce unable to make the adjustment himself, he's become a much less dangerous hitter than he was in the minors (where he was +.900 OPS guy).
Pitchers will go to school on Alonso as well. I think it's incredibly premature to suggest that he could provide better lineup protection than Bruce until we see what Alonso looks like once the league develops a gameplan for him.
I agree with this to a degree. The league will test you with adjustments. The one thing that I see in Alonso is that he seems to have a real good idea of the strike zone, much better than Bruce when he first came up.
Re: Protect Votto with Alonzo
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RANDY IN INDY
I agree with this to a degree. The league will test you with adjustments. The one thing that I see in Alonso is that he seems to have a real good idea of the strike zone, much better than Bruce when he first came up.
And good pitch recognition, which I think some confuse with plate discipline. Alonso doesn't get fooled much. Bruce, I think, knows the strike zone well and rarely swings at bad pitches when he has identified the correct pitch. But I think he has trouble distinguishing between fastballs, sliders, curves, etc. He gets fooled quite a bit.
Re: Protect Votto with Alonzo
Quote:
Originally Posted by
osuceltic
And good pitch recognition, which I think some confuse with plate discipline. Alonso doesn't get fooled much. Bruce, I think, knows the strike zone well and rarely swings at bad pitches when he has identified the correct pitch. But I think he has trouble distinguishing between fastballs, sliders, curves, etc. He gets fooled quite a bit.
Even worse I'm not even sure Jay tries to distinguish them. If he does he stinks at it, a bad sign because that's a tool you either have or don't, to a certain extent. But it's a bit premature to say he can't improve at it some so I won't.
That said I'm not convinced Alonso is the answer either. I think they do need a solid middle of the order professional hitter like a healthy Rolen only with pop.
Re: Protect Votto with Alonzo
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mario-Rijo
Even worse I'm not even sure Jay tries to distinguish them. If he does he stinks at it, a bad sign because that's a tool you either have or don't, to a certain extent. But it's a bit premature to say he can't improve at it some so I won't.
That said I'm not convinced Alonso is the answer either. I think they do need a solid middle of the order professional hitter like a healthy Rolen only with pop.
Completely agree that it's a little early to count on Alonso. We've seen him at his absolute best.
Plus the left-handed thing matters. I know some downplay it, but having three lefties in a row in the middle of the lineup isn't ideal.
Re: Protect Votto with Alonzo
Quote:
I think they do need a solid middle of the order professional hitter like a healthy Rolen only with pop.
A RH bat like Kemp or Hanley Ramirez could make the lineup ferocious. And the Reds do have the talent to make those teams whopper offers that would be tough to turn down.
Re: Protect Votto with Alonzo
Quote:
Originally Posted by
lollipopcurve
A RH bat like Kemp or Hanley Ramirez could make the lineup ferocious. And the Reds do have the talent to make those teams whopper offers that would be tough to turn down.
these players make more than the league minimum. The Reds can't (or, at least, pretend they can't) afford them.
Re: Protect Votto with Alonzo
Protect Votto with Alonzo? I think somebody was reading RZ this week. :O)
Today...
Quote:
Brandon Phillips 4
Drew Stubbs 8
Joey Votto 3
Yonder Alonso 7
Chris Heisey 9
Todd Frazier 5
Ryan Hanigan 2
Paul Janish 6
Homer Bailey 1
Re: Protect Votto with Alonzo
I never thought I would say this, but at this point I would much rather see Alonso hitting 4 than Bruce. I think Bruce has more power than Alonso but I think Alonso has a better eye, can spay the ball all over the field, and is more refined at the plate.
