8/21 - Reds vs. Diamondbacks

[Casey_21]

Werd.

Not allowed here, Casey_21.

So am I allowed to be direct to one person??? I don't think that I am... Taking that into consideration, I don't think I am the only one in the wrong.

[Falls City Beer]

Yeah, I agree that Casey 21 isn't the only person leveling insults in this thread.

[Tony Cloninger]

The last few posts remind me of the PRE-POINTS Redszone.......where you could insult with impunity and not be banished to the minors.

[TC81190]

Check out the Reds home site. Says JUAN Encarnacion went deep.

[PuffyPig]

Maybe they don't have an extra locker for his ego?

Gee, if ego's weren't allowed in the locker room, nobody could field a team.

Teams tend to worry less about reputed ego's and more about production, especially come playoff time.

You've got Minnesota with Castro as the best MI by far. It looks like Rolen is out for the year, surely the Cards could use another MI/thirdbaseman to help cover for him. Aurilla isn't that much a worse fielder than Eckstein (who could be?), and about 100 points better in OPS.

[westofyou]

Teams tend to worry less about reputed ego's and more about production, especially come playoff time.

Yet there sits Rich in his home whites.. still a Red.

Rich Aurilia played in the AL last year and gave everyone a taste of what he could do there and no one has yet to bite on him. Plus on turf he would be extra slow and wouldn't have those incredible GAB splits to hoist his game up beyond acceptable.

[TC81190]

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG 
2005 109 424 71 119 26 4 18 62 207 40 80 12 4 .340 .488 .281

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG 
2005 83 311 51 86 14 2 13 51 143 27 50 0 0 .331 .460 .277

Lopez on top, Aurilia bottom. 28 point SLG difference, 9 in OBP. Rich Aurilia is Lopez - defense & speed. Can we stop the freakin' bashing already?

[westofyou]

Rich Aurilia is Lopez - defense & speed. Can we stop the freakin' bashing already?

Yes minus all the aspects that make a middle infielder worth something we can somehow make it look like they are the same player.

[TC81190]

He does play 3B.

[westofyou]

He does play 3B.

True, not the best range there but he does in fact play some third, he can grow facial hair fast too.

[TC81190]

The Rockies should have bit on him and put him at 3B. WHo they got there right now? Garret Atkins?

[KronoRed]

Lopez can also play 3rd, logging 673 innings there in his career

[PuffyPig]

I assume no one is argueing that Aurilla is in Lopez's class because he isn't. Defense for a SS is worth about half the exation, and the difference between the 2 on defense is immense.

But Aurilla has been the Reds best hitter this year with RISP, has been incredibly for half the season and, today, looks like a better player than Randa for the rest of the season.

Yet, no one seems to want him.

I can't believe that, and that's considering all of Aurilla's warts. Thaere are simply too many teams with crap playing in the infield for Aurilla to be overlooked.

I really believe he will be moved before the end of the month.

[Kc61]

WMP will be fine. Just pencil him into CF and watch him grow. His troubles in the OF primarily come when he's in RF. Because of the slice off the bat of right-handed hitters, it takes either experience of feel to properly judge the trajectory. Unfortunately, WMP has neither. Not to say he never will. Sosa was just one of many terrible young right-fielders and he matured into a tolerable fielder. In CF, WMP seems to have much more success judging the ball off the bat. Problem is, WMP is young and getting very little experience sitting the pine.

This is a very wise post. In my view, WMP is getting shafted. The Reds are determined to let Kearns play his way back into shape, and WMP is not playing because of this decision. He is only 23, is a powerhouse, and should be playing much more. If the Reds trade him to make room for Kearns or to enable them to keep Casey, they will sorely regret that decision.

[Gainesville Red]

Once again, would have been nice to watch on TV. (EI)