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REDS NOTES

Sutton auditions for a job in the outfield

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer 11:24 PM Saturday, September 5, 2009

ATLANTA — Infielder Drew Sutton was in left field Saturday night, Sept. 5, and, yes, it is an audition.

“We have to see what everybody can do,” manager Dusty Baker said. “He is a utility guy — second base, third base, shortstop. Hatch (outfielder coach Billy Hatcher) has been working with him out there. We have to make decisions for this year and next year and it sure helps if you have utility guys who can play outfield and infield. That’s invaluable.”

That suits Sutton just fine.

“That’s one of the reasons I was glad to come here from the Astros,” Sutton said. “They wanted me to just play second base. Now I’m getting a chance to play a lot of positions — hey, anything to get me some at-bats.”

Sutton said he takes grounders at second and third during batting practice, then goes to the outfield and shags fly balls in left and right.

Earlier this season, Sutton started three straight games for the Reds in left field and played a part of one game in right against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

His only other outfield experience was 13 or 14 games in the Arizona Fall League and he quickly adds, “I can play first base, too. That’s where I played at Baylor University. I played about 10 games at first base at Louisville, but none in the outfield.

“Getting to play everywhere is definitely a good thing if they’re thinking about next year,” he said.

Instinctive play

One of Friday’s key plays came in the first inning when the Braves had the bases loaded with no outs. Third baseman Scott Rolen made a play about which Baker said, “That was Scott being Scott.”

Braves catcher Brian McCann hit one hard right at Rolen. Instead of going for the normal 5-4-3 double play and conceding one run, Rolen threw home to catcher Corky Miller, who threw to first for a double play.

It was instinctive and even infield coach Chris Speier asked him, “If it had been a different runner going to first (McCann is slow) would you have thrown home?” Said Rolen, “I don’t know.”

About the play Rolen said, “The ball was hit hard and right at me and the play was in front of me. It’s hard for me to just watch a run walk in. If it’s the seventh inning and we’re up five, that’s different. But it’s the first inning, no score and that’s one run. You never know how important that run might be.”

Gridiron attention

Most of the early arrivals to the clubhouse Saturday were watching college football on TV, all but the Latins who sneer at American football and say that soccer is football.

“This is the time I miss it the most,” said outfielder Darnell McDonald. “I was offered a scholarship to play football as a running back at the University of Texas. You always wonder how it might have turned out. All I can do now is play fantasy football.”

Instead of enrolling at Texas, McDonald was the No. 1 draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles in 1997 and signed.

“I’m still friends with (tight end) Daniel Graham after playing against him in high school and he has two Super Bowl rings from the Patriots,” McDonald said. “And I played high school with (tackle) Tom Ashworth who is with the Seahawks and got a couple of rings with the Pats.”

A crowded city

An estimated 300,000 extra people are in Atlanta this weekend for two college football games (Georgia Tech-Jacksonville State and Virginia Tech-Alabama), the three-game Reds-Braves series, NASCAR races at Atlanta International Speedway, Britney Spears concerts and a DragonCon comic book convention.

Quote of the day

“He gets people out, that’s what he does. He just gets ’em out. Some people dazzle you with the radar gun and don’t get people out.” — Baker on the soft offerings of pitcher Justin Lehr.

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I wish durung this timef the season the Reds would be
seriously looking a Heisey,Frazier,and somethers.I
would assume they will once the BATS season ends. Too
bad Louisville manager & coaches are not promoted to
the majors.They will be given a chance soon. Let Harang go,Arroyo,Nix,Burton, also..GET the outfield
BIG BAT, more/better pitching,much more consistent. Got to make some moves, get some hustling players in,do the fundamentals,play ball the way it should be,OR>>>>move them on!

C.W.LACKEY
11:34 AM, 9/8/2009

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Lehr, Sutton, McDonald, & Valentien shouldn't be back next year. They're all @ best, mediocre. No chance to help the Reds contend. Nice little run initially by Lehr, but he won't be in the rotation next season.

Pete
5:22 PM, 9/7/2009

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Radar guns should be thrown away until the scout can establish if the pitcher is a thrower or pitcher. Just like the calculator, we have gone back to counting on our fingers. A thrower needs to know how to pitch before he cranks up his fastball. Whatever speed it is, it looks much faster if he has the other skills.

bob
12:44 PM, 9/6/2009

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Cincy has enough OF prospects w/out throwing Sutton in the mix. I understand why they traded Kepp for Sutton. Essentially, Sutton was seen as a younger Kepp w/ better speed. Problem is, he's never hit close to Kepp in AAA or ML; Reds don't need anymore of those guys...they missed IMO. W/out any clear cut OF winners, I'm not so sure the Reds shouldn't rotate OFs between AAA & Cincy playing the 3 w/ the hottest bats? Acquiring a ML ready OF would be nice, but I doubt it happens?

MAC
3:46 AM, 9/6/2009

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“He gets people out, that’s what he does. He just gets ’em out. Some people dazzle you with the radar gun and don’t get people out.” — Baker on the soft offerings of pitcher Justin Lehr.
Question is why do the Reds brass continue to look for only radar gun guys first?

MAC
3:34 AM, 9/6/2009

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