TJ

[Big Klu]

TJ reminds me of a LHH Brady Clark. Clark had a good year as fourth OFer with the Reds, then had some very good years with the Brewers.

This is intended as a compliment, Clark was up and down but a good player at his peak.

Clark wasn’t a very good defensive CFer but sufficed out there backing up. He was better in the corners.

Not a bad comp. I can definitely see a similarity. Chris Denorfia is another player of that type.

I still like my Eddie Milner comp, as they are both left-handed, can play all three OF spots, and are roughly the same age when they made it to the bigs. Milner was better defensively (as he was a natural CF), and he probably had a step on Friedl, but they were/are both pesky contact hitters with occasional pop who could hold down a semi-regular position on a bad club, but are better suited as a 4th/5th OF on a good one. (I think Friedl could potentially be the better hitter.)

[westofyou]

Not a bad comp. I can definitely see a similarity. Chris Denorfia is another player of that type.

I still like my Eddie Milner comp, as they are both left-handed, can play all three OF spots, and are roughly the same age when they made it to the bigs. Milner was better defensively (as he was a natural CF), and he probably had a step on Friedl, but they were/are both pesky contact hitters with occasional pop who could hold down a semi-regular position on a bad club, but are better suited as a 4th/5th OF on a good one. (I think Friedl could potentially be the better hitter.)

Clark is a good comp in age and time he hit ML ball, but he was also 6'2" 200 lb

TJ is 5'10" and Milner 5'11" that also plays into a tighter comp, both TJ and Milner exceeded Clarks career ML PA's before they got their first call up

[Kc61]

Milner was a true center fielder, it was his main position. Not true for Friedl, Denorfia, or Clark. Those guys, like TJ, were passable in CF but not really CFers. That’s why I made the comparison to Clark.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Milner was a true center fielder, it was his main position. Not true for Friedl, Denorfia, or Clark. Those guys, like TJ, were passable in CF but not really CFers. That’s why I made the comparison to Clark.

If Friedl could be Brady Clark for three or four years, the Reds would have to be overjoyed.

[Kingspoint]

Friedl struggled for about 3-4 games at the plate as far as hard contact, but he seems to have turned it around the last 2-3 games.

Tonight he has a 102.4-mph 337-ft Lineout to lead off the game, a HBP (his 5th in his last 31 games), a 102.3-mph Single to put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out helping to ignite a 3-run 5th and a 6-pitch 2-out Walk.

[Tom Servo]

Friedl struggled for about 3-4 games at the plate as far as hard contact, but he seems to have turned it around the last 2-3 games.

Tonight he has a 102.4-mph 337-ft Lineout to lead off the game, a HBP (his 5th in his last 31 games), a 102.3-mph Single to put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out helping to ignite a 3-run 5th and a 6-pitch 2-out Walk.

ok

[Ron Madden]

TJ Friedl impressed in his latest stint in the big leagues, firmly in the Cincinnati Reds’ outfield mix for spring training next year, but his season came to a disappointing end.

Friedl exited Monday’s game against the Chicago Cubs in the third inning after injuring his right hamstring.

Friedl, who won’t play in the last two games of the season, ended his rookie season with a .240 batting average, .314 on-base percentage, eight homers, 25 RBI and 33 runs in 79 games. He was optioned from the major leagues to Triple-A four times this year.

Following a demotion to the minors in mid-June, Friedl unlocked some power with a swing adjustment. Returning to the majors in mid-August, he’s been a different hitter. Friedl produced a .267 batting average with eight homers, six doubles and three triples in his last 43 games.

He had the seventh-highest slugging percentage in the National League since Aug. 16, the day of his latest promotion, which is incredible for a guy who is known much more for his speed.

“It’s not how I envisioned things coming to an end,” Friedl said. “Put things in perspective, I’m glad I could do what I did when I came up here. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, nothing too bad. We’ll go from there.”

continue reading:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb...ry/ar-AA12yUAJ

[Kingspoint]

"He had the seventh-highest slugging percentage in the National League since Aug. 16, the day of his latest promotion, which is incredible for a guy who is known much more for his speed."

Amazing!

[mth123]

Friedl has come back to Earth over the last month. He's definitely in the OF mix for 2023, but it would be best if he's a 4th OF who gets 300 or so PAs and he's best suited defensively for LF. His range is short for CF (and he's made some terrible reads and routes) and his arm is short for RF. The last 28 days his line is .181/.293/.361/.654.

He's a keeper IMO, but the Reds should be looking for somebody better to play every day.

[Kc61]

Friedl has come back to Earth over the last month. He's definitely in the OF mix for 2023, but it would be best if he's a 4th OF who gets 300 or so PAs and he's best suited defensively for LF. His range is short for CF (and he's made some terrible reads and routes) and his arm is short for RF. The last 28 days his line is .181/.293/.361/.654.

He's a keeper IMO, but the Reds should be looking for somebody better to play every day.

They won’t.

I agree TJ’s best role is fourth outfielder but he’s pre-arb and his role is unlikely to change next year. TJ and Fraley are locks for starting roles against RHP with this team next season.

[Strikes Out Looking]

TJ and Fraley are locks for starting roles against RHP with this team next season.

Sadder words may never have been written on this board.

[JCM11]

Sadder words may never have been written on this board.

Fraley had a .860 OPS vs RHP this year. I doubt the Reds could do much better than that even if they tried. Friedl had bad luck in Sept/Oct(.197 BAbip) and still put up a respectable .750 OPS. If the Reds are terrible next year I doubt it'll be because they gave Fraley and Friedl a bunch of PT vs RHP.

[mth123]

They won’t.

I agree TJ’s best role is fourth outfielder but he’s pre-arb and his role is unlikely to change next year. TJ and Fraley are locks for starting roles against RHP with this team next season.

I don't think they will either, and I'd rather they spend any money that they are going to spend on pitching, so if they go with Friedl for a year to see what he has, its alright by me, but the post/poster I responded to was and has been overly optimistic about Friedl all year.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Friedl has come back to Earth over the last month. He's definitely in the OF mix for 2023, but it would be best if he's a 4th OF who gets 300 or so PAs and he's best suited defensively for LF. His range is short for CF (and he's made some terrible reads and routes) and his arm is short for RF. The last 28 days his line is .181/.293/.361/.654.

He's a keeper IMO, but the Reds should be looking for somebody better to play every day.

I suspect he's the LH portion of a CF time-share with Stuart Fairchild. Defensively, he's been -3 OAA over his two seasons in MLB. That's below average for a CF, but his bat isn't big enough to play anything but a bit role on the OF corners. Play him next to two other solid defenders (Fraley and a free agent), and he'll be more than adequate.

A bottom 10 glove CF who can OPS 750+ is an asset.

A top 10 LF glove who can OPS 750+ is less so.

[Kc61]

Many of us expect the Reds to spend more for next year.

But if you’re a functional, pre-arb player like TJ, I think you’re safe.

There’s potentially an open OF spot, but I expect most of the inexpensive guys to return out there. I don’t expect any full scale shake up, maybe one meaningful addition.