DaytonDailyNews.com

SARASOTA, Fla. — Jay Bruce is a for-sure and Wily Taveras is a for-sure in the Cincinnati Reds outfield.

Then what?

"Everybody throws around that word every day, but I like the word everywhere," said manager Dusty Baker.

That's Baker's way of saying he is more concerned about players who can play here, there and everywhere as opposed to worrying about playing a player every day in one position.

That's what makes a guy like Jerry Hairston Jr. invaluable. Not only can he play left field or center field, he can play shortstop, second base or third base.

That's why you take a pencil and write his name on the 25-man roster as an outfielder/infielder.

What probably is going to happen is that the right-handed Hairston will start in left field against left-handed pitchers and the left-handed Chris Dickerson will start against right-handed pitchers.

Dickerson has hit over .300 all spring and on this week against Toronto he threw a runner out at home trying to score from second base.

Dickerson took Baker's pre-season words to heart: "If you let somebody take your roster spot I'm going to kick your butt."

Jonny Gomes can be marked as a for-sure, too — a right-hander who could share left field with Dickerson if Hairston is needed at shortstop or some other position. And Gomes has played some first base this spring, the first time in his career.

Shortstop Alex Gonzalez strained his right hamstring in a game Monday to go with his tender left knee, so who knows who might be playing shortstop by Opening Day.

It could be Hairston, with Gomes in left.

Gomes leads the Reds this spring in homers (4) and RBIs (12).

"We have some real decisions to be made with our outfielders," said Baker.

Well, perhaps not really if it's Bruce, Taveras, Dickerson, Hairston and Gomes.

Jacque Jones frittered his opportunity by hitting .098 this spring, Norris Hopper's .121 and the arrival of Taveras did him in, while Laynce Nix and Darnell McDonald were long shots when spring began.

Amazingly, the Reds made six roster trims Monday, but not one was an outfielder and nine of the 36 still in camp are outfielders.

Baker indicated early this spring that he prefers 12 pitchers early in the spring, leaving 13 spots.

As of now, other than the outfield, the position roster appears like this: Infielders Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Alex Gonzalez, Edwin Encarnacion and two more among Jeff Keppinger, Adam Rosales and Paul Janish.

The catchers are Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Haniga.

All that is contingent upon everybody staying healthy and general manager Walt Jocketty not pulling the pin on a hand grenade trade.