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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 > 19
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Looks like Patterson in center field
Dusty Baker padlocked the complex today.
With no exhibition game, with no minor-league games, with no sideline sessions, with no extra work planned, Baker gave everybody the day off and the players scattered hither and yon.
Baker and his son, Darren, went fishing off a Siesta Key sandbar.
Meanwhile, I had breakfast at the Broken Egg in Lakeland Ranch with ESPN basketball analyst Dick Vitale, who talked baseball more than basketball while wearing a Reds cap and signing autographs for all comers between bites of fruit and toast.
Vitale said he attended Tuesday’s game against Pittsburgh and chatted with Baker.
“Dusty Baker really likes Corey Patterson, doesn’t he?” said Vitale, revealing why Patterson will start in center field for the Reds. “He said he needs speed, somebody quick, in center field to cover the gaps.”
That’s because Baker is worried about his corner outfield spots, Adam Dunn in left and Ken Griffey Jr. in right.
There are still 50 players in camp and 25 need to be trimmed quickly. Nevertheless, it is evident Baker is pretty set on his Opening Day lineup — not that I agree with it.
It is: CF Patterson, SS Jeff Keppinger (Alex Gonzalez remains on crutches with a bulky brace on his left knee), RF Ken Griffey Jr., 2B Brandon Phillips, LF Adam Dunn, 3B Edwin Encarnacion, 1B Scott Hatteberg, C Paul Bako (David Ross and his problem back have yet to play), RHP Aaron Harang.
I’d prefer Jay Bruce leading off and playing CF, but Patterson is hitting near .500 and earning the spot. Bruce probably starts at Louisville. I prefer Joey Votto at first base but at least it appears that Baker will keep Votto on the roster. Maybe. If Bruce and Votto are the future stars everybody thinks, why not jump-start their careers right now?
The rotation: Harang, RHP Bronson Arroyo, RHP Johnny Cueto, RHP Edinson Volquez and an either/or - RHP Josh Fogg or RHP Matt Belisle. RHP Homer Bailey starts in Louisville and since Belisle has an option he might start there, too — both ready in case somebody in the rotation falters or suffers injury.
The bullpen is sketchy. For-sures are closer/RHP Francisco Cordero, RHP/set-up David Weathers and LHP Jeremy Affeldt. With his $3 million contract, LHP Mike Stanton probably is in there, too. LHP Bill Bray and LHP Kent Mercker are on the bubble. RHP Todd Coffey, nearly perfect this spring, probably stays. Jared Burton, woozy all spring, might not make it and Gary Majewski shouldn’t.
The extra players are real iffy, especially with only five spots. They’ll keep C Javier Valentin, INF Juan Castro and OF Norris Hopper. INF/OF Ryan Freel is valuable as a guy who plays everywhere, but there may not be room and they are trying to trade him. Throw Votto in there, too, as a fifth guy.
That leaves some good guys out in the cold: INF/OF Jolbert Cabrera, INF Andy Phillips, INF Andy Green, INF/OF Jerry Gil, INF Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Baker best be doing some deep thinking as he sits on the dock of the bay.
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