Madison graduation 2012
Warren County CC graduation
New Miami graduation 2012
Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > March > 04
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
‘C’ is for Cincinnati Cubs
It is only natural for a guy to feel comfortable with people he knows, so it is not surprising that Corey Patterson and Jerry Hairston Jr. wandered into camp Tuesday morning.
Patterson and Hairston played for Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker in Chicago. Both were free agents seeking employment and Baker said, “Come on down.”
Baker insists this isn’t becoming Chicago Cubs-East, but just filling a need for warm and tender bodies due to injuries to Jerry Gil and Jay Bruce, even though both are expected back soon.
One wonders, though — is this the end of Jay Bruce and Ryan Freel? Bakers says it isn’t, but check back when the team breaks camp and heads north.
“No. 1, we’re short of bodies,” said Baker. “No. 2, competition is healthy. We’re trying to improve ourselves for now and, possibly, in the future. We’re trying to win this thing; we’ll go north with the best possible team at the time.”
Patterson is a center fielder who Chicago fans insist was rushed to the majors, leading to setting him back two or three years. Maybe, maybe not. All that is germane now is that Baker likes Patterson.
“Main thing, he is still young (28),” he said. “To me, he hasn’t even scratched the surface of what he can do. He is one of the fastest runners in the league. He plays a great center field.”
Baker said Patterson didn’t know what he was when the Cubs brought him up.
“He was caught between what he wanted to be,” said Baker. “He didn’t know if he was a get-on-base speed guy or if he had enough power just to mess him up. He was confused. Didn’t know if he was a hitter or slugger. I think, through hook or crook, he realized he is a hitter.
“He is the epitome of hype to the point where fans begin clamoring for him,” Baker added. “Where is so-and-so? He is where Jay Bruce used to be. In Chicago, they were saying, ‘We want Corey, we want Corey.’ I said once that the Cubs rushed him and I got in trouble with the organization.”
Baker probably meant that Bruce is where Patterson used to be — a blossoming star who fans want to see playing right now, but he said it the other way around.
But where does this leave Bruce? Louisville? Bench?
“I didn’t say Bruce isn’t making the team or anything like that,” Baker said. “No, no. Not at all. Bruce is a tremendous talent and this guy is going to be a star for a long time, a long time. You don’t know if the timing is right for now or not.
“If I didn’t think he had a chance to make this club, I surer wouldn’t be playing him as much as I have,” Baker said. “He has more at-bats this spring than anybody on the team. I leave my mind open for anything. But you have to figure out what’s best for the team now and what’s best for him.”
Prediction: Patterson in center field, Bruce in Louisville.
Tweet
