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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 > 2009 > January > 07
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Hairston nice fit, but more is needed
As expected, Jerry Hairston Jr. is returning to the Reds - a nice piece to the puzzle that is still missing some pieces.
The fact that the Cincinnti Reds might be expecting Hairston to play regular shortstop if Alex Gonzalez can’t do it is not a good message.
The fact they might expect him to play a lot of left field - if they can’t find a regular - is not good news.
Hairston is what he is - a plug-in, a guy to fit in where he is needed for short periods.
He talks, though, as if manager Dusty Baker plans to play him a lot.
After much delay and posturing, Hairston did what he knew he would do all along - re-sign with the Reds.
Hairston agreed to a one-year $2 million contract , with $2 million more in incentives, and is prepared to play just the way he played last season - anywhere, everywhere and often.
He hit .326 while playing six different positions for the Reds last season and is prepared to wander out to any of those positions this year, “Anywhere (manager) Dusty Baker wants me to play.”
Hairston, 32, said he might play a lot of shortstop at the beginning of the season while Gonzalez tries to ease himself back into game shape after a year off.
“I told Dusty and (GM) Walt Jocketty that I love the infield because I’m an infielder by trade, but I’ll play wherever they need me. That includes shortstop, second base and all the outfield spots.”
The Reds were 25-19 when Hairston batted leadoff and his on-base average of .487 while batting leadoff was second best in the National League among leadoff batters with more than 150 plate appearances. Only LA’s Rafael Furcal was better.
He knows, though, he won’t be batting leadoff after the Reds acquired Willy Taveras.
“I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with Taveras, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce and Joey Votto,” he said. “We have a very athletic team. We all know that pitching, defense and baserunning win games - Tampa Bay proved that.”
Hairston envisions himself batting second behind Taveras, “A couple of speed guys who can wreak havoc. We can get on base for Bruce, Votto and Phillips. I have three goals - get on base, score a ton of runs and help the team win.”
And how was it fairly certain that Hairston was returning?
“I’ve been texting with Jay Bruce and we have a little contest going on who is going to score the most runs,” said Hairston.
“And I’m a loyal person,” he said. “The Reds gave me a chance last year when nobody else would.”
The Cardinals, Royals and Mariners had lukewarm interest in Hairston, but he chose to return.
He played only 80 games and batted 261 times last season, mostly due to a hamstring injury.
“I’ve worked this winter with a nutritionist and he thinks my diet may have even contributed to my injury,” he said.
“I know this - I feel better right now at 32 than I did when I was 27 and 28 when I had a lot of injures,” he said. “I really believe my best years are ahead of me and that I have six or seven good years left in me.
“I actually felt better the second half after I came back from the first half,” he said. Hairston spent 44 games on the DL over three different periods with a broken left thumb and two right hamstring injuries.
Why only a one-year deal at relatively low price? A combination. The Reds want to see if he can stay injury-free while Hairston wants to see if he can put together a career year and become a high-value player.
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