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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > March > 19 > Entry
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.
Permalink | Comments (14) | Post your comment |
Comments
By #44 is for Eric Davis
March 20, 2008 10:05 PM | Link to this
Joe Votto should play everyday, and if not in Cincy he should go to the ‘Ville with his buddy, the new J.B.By #44 is for Eric Davis
March 20, 2008 10:05 PM | Link to this
Joe Votto should play everyday, and if not in Cincy he should go to the ‘Ville with his buddy, the new J.B.By Bob
March 20, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this
Dusty is being Dusty. Get rid of Johnny Narron; get the best CF in baseball traded and go with retreads, i.e. Corey Patterson. Patterson never had nor never will be a Hamilton. I’m suprised he hasn’t talked them into getting Barry. I guess he tired of him. When you have three extremely talented players as Votto, Bruce and Hamilton, why oh, why would they not play for a team who has stunk up baseball since’99?By Cait
March 20, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
Dan, you’re nuts. Bailey should get a free pass on bad outings because it was against Boston and NYY? That’s who he needs to beat. The Reds don’t play the Pirates every day. The Mets, Cubs, Brewers, Dodgers, Phillies, etc. have great offenses, too. I like Burton, but he could be another 1-hit-wonder Coffey. I prefer Bruce in CF, but I can wait. Dunn is at an age where he is just reaching his peak years. Few other players produce similar stats and his salary is in line with those players. Griffey is Griffey - he’s not a spring chicken anymore, but he puts butts in the seats and deserves a break from media and fans.By Fake Teams
March 20, 2008 9:09 AM | Link to this
I want Votto and Bruce to play as much as the next fantasy guy, but Hatteberg is a .400 OBP player and should play at 1B. Patterson is a good CF. His OBP is horrendous but GAB may do wonders for his counting stats. The Reds are a better defensive team with Patterson and Hatty on the field. Defense and pitching wins and whatever a team can do to maximize those strengths helps the team more than slaking the fantasy world’s thirst to play hot prospects.By Dan
March 20, 2008 9:09 AM | Link to this
It’s a sahme to hear that Jared Burton has been ‘woozy’ during spring training and probably won’t make the roster. What does ‘woozy’ exactly mean? He was great for us last year and I’m suprised he isn’t a ‘shoe in’ to make the roster this year. Disappointing. Also, I hope the Reds get away from wasting money. Gary Majewski was a horrible get and has done little or nothing for the club. Mike Stanton and $3 million don’t add up. Thank goodness Milton is gone. He was the worst waste of money in Reds history. Trading Freel will come back to haunt us just like trading Hamilton. These guys are good. I can’t believe we keep the guy who can’t run or catch routine fly balls and his opposite field buddy Mr. Walk The Bases Griffey, while getting rid of Hamilton, and probably Freel. On top of it all we’re going to continue to screw our young guys who have earned their way to play. I thought Baker would work out, but I’m not sure? I will always be a Reds fan no matter how many bad decisions they make, but picking up Dunn’s option was a bad idea and Griffey should have gone to the American League if he wants to only go 100% when he feels like it. Are the Reds getting rid of their hustle players while at the same time keeping their slow and lazy players like Dunn and Griffey for a reason? They’re nice guys that hit homeruns, but that’s about it. Baily should be the fifth guy in the rotation. Bottom line. They screwed the kids mind up last year by moving him up and down and now they’re sending him back to Louisville because he had a couple bad outings against the Red Sox and Yankees starting line-ups? Come on, give me a break. Let the kid find himself in that 5th slot. I could go on and on, but I’ll stop here.By Fake Teams
March 20, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this
I want Votto and Bruce to play as much as the next fantasy guy, but Hatteberg is a .400 OBP player and should play at 1B. Patterson is a good CF. His OBP is horrendous but GAB may do wonders for his counting stats. The Reds are a better defensive team with Patterson and Hatty on the field. Defense and pitching wins and whatever a team can do to maximize those strengths helps the team more than slaking the fantasy world’s thirst to play hot prospects.By hij
March 20, 2008 7:10 AM | Link to this
If this is the Opening Day lineup, then the defense is basically average except for Brandon P. These pitchers need just 3 outs per inning.By Bill
March 19, 2008 9:39 PM | Link to this
What in the world is the man thinking?Dennis is exactly right. How ridiculous!By Y-City Jim
March 19, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this
It is ridiculous that there are still 50 players in camp. The roster should have been trimmed down over a week ago. Patterson will fall flat on his face as the offense sputters and leave the Dusty critics all to say “we told you so.” His career numbers do not lie. Keppinger would probably start for some other teams but not at SS. Hatteberg could start elsewhere as well.By andy
March 19, 2008 6:06 PM | Link to this
If this is his lineup, then we should have traded the Louisville bound Bruce and Bailey, and the bench bound Votto for Eric Bedard.By Dennis
March 19, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this
Would Patterson, Keppinger, Hatteberg or Bako be starting for any other team in the MLB? I don’t think so. I agree with your assessment that Bruce and Votto should be in the lineup. That at least gives us an offense that competes.By Mike
March 19, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this
One problem the Reds have putting a roster together is the guaranteed contracts given to marginal players. Freel, 2 more years($6mm), Stanton, 2 more years ($5mm), Castro ($1mm), Ross($2mm), Coffey($800K), Gonzalez, 2 more years ($10mm). The Reds may have to “eat” some (not all) of these contracts to retain more deserving players.By jarrod
March 19, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
of all that i’ve heard all spring, nothing could come as more of a shock than burton not making the 25 man roster. if bailey was the fifth starter it wouldn’t be more of a surprise. i wonder if hal has heard that he won’t be going to Cincy.