WITH TIME EXPIRING, WHICH
PLAYERS WILL MAKE THE TEAM FOR THE CINCINNATI REDS ON OPENING DAY 2010?
3.22.10 BY: MEH TWO WEEKS LEFT: ROSTER
PREDICTIONS WITH TIME
EXPIRING, WHICH PLAYERS WILL MAKE THE TEAM FOR THE CINCINNATI REDS ON
OPENING DAY 2010?
(AP photo)
Reds' management is
going to have many decisions to make over the next two weeks. They will not
have to determine who is bad, but who is better. For the first time in
years, the Reds are overwhelmed with outfielders, starting pitchers, and
prospects. The cliché, "good problem to have", yes; but what happens to the
talent that does not make the 40-man roster come April, 5th is a debacle.
Here's how the Reds are looking with two weeks left of Spring Training:
OUTFIELD: Of course, Jay Bruce will be your Opening Day right fielder. Going into
Spring Training, Drew Stubbs was favored in center field over Chris
Dickerson, but Dickerson is making his case. So far this spring Dickerson is
hitting .387 in thirteen games with 1HR and 6RBI. Drew Stubbs is also having
a good spring hitting .281 with 2HR and 5RBI. Both outfielders are above
average defensively (although Stubbs is considered much better) and both are
suited well for the lead-off spot in the lineup. In 42 games last season,
Stubbs hit .267 with 8HR and 17RBI. Dickerson had a better average in '09
(.275), but while playing in more than twice the amount of games as Stubbs
(97), Dickerson drove in less runs (15). RBI is not expected in the lead-off
spot, but somehow Stubbs made it happen once in every three games he played.
Last season Dickerson played most of his games in left field (37) and could
end up as a valuable speedster off the bench. He is considered a natural
center fielder, but could easily spend most of his time rotating through the
outfield spots to achieve playing time in '10. Through March 16th Drew
Stubbs was hitting a lousy .100 (2 for 20). After possibly feeling the heat
after articles were written that week about his spring struggles by C. Trent
Rosecrans, Hal McCoy, and Mark Sheldon; Stubbs had his average up to .276 on
Friday and is sitting currently at .281 through Sunday. Dickerson and Stubbs
are both tremendous athletes, but with Stubbs being a higher caliber fielder
with more power at the plate, he looks to stay the favorite he was when
Spring Training started. If Dickerson continues to play well, he should have
no problem finding ample playing time as a backup outfielder in Cincinnati.
Showing up to camp after signing a 1-year contract an February 22, Jonny
Gomes weighed in 17lbs. less that he was listed last season. He wants to
prove this spring that he can hit both right and left handed pitchers and
can play an everyday role for the Cincinnati Reds in 2010. His competitors
this spring are Laynce Nix, Wladimir Balentien and Chris Dickerson. In 98
games last year for Cincinnati, Gomes batted .267 with 20HR and 51RBI. He is
inferior to all three of the other possible outfielders defensively, but is
a much needed right handed hitter with power for the Reds' lineup. Expect
Gomes to be the starting left fielder for the Reds on Opening Day. Wladimir
Balentien is out of options this year and unless the Reds want to lose him,
he will play some part on the Opening Day roster. Letting Balentien go for
nothing would be just short of dim, so expect him to stay on the Reds bench
until injuries to the team or a trade to another create an everyday
opportunity for him. Despite Dickerson's extreme athleticism and ability he
still remains to be the odd man out.
ROTATION: The fifth spot in the Reds' rotation is currently occupied by seven
possible pitchers. Mike Lincoln was the eighth, but manager Dusty Baker
informed him Friday morning that his duty for the Reds this season was in
relief. Mike Leake, Travis Wood, Matt Maloney, Kip wells, Justin Lehr, Micah
Owings, and Aroldis Chapman are all currently fighting for the fifth-spot.
Chapman has had the best numbers this spring so far. Chapman's posted a
1.29ERA in seven innings with ten strikeouts. Both Wood and Leake are two of
the Reds' best pitching prospects and have pitched very well this spring,
but will probably need more fine tuning in the minors before pitching in the
majors. Wood's numbers were extraordinary in the minors last year (13-5 with
a 1.77ERA), but most of the damage was done in 19 games started in AA
compared to 8 in AAA. Mike Leake is fresh out of college at Arizona State
University. He has great pitch control and above average speed, but will
need more than his Arizona Fall League experience and Spring Training to
prove he's major league ready. Expect both youngsters to see the majors this
year and be huge factors in the Reds' future, but not on the Opening Day
roster.
Justin Lehr and Matt Maloney both have major league
experience. Maloney with the Reds (2-4 with a 4.87ERA in '09) and Lehr with
the A's, Brewers, and Reds (5-3 with a 5.37ERA with Cincinnati in '09). Lehr
and Maloney helped the Reds considerably after injuries to Reds' pitchers in
2009. Neither have tremendous pitches, but both have good command of the
strike zone with humble poise and confidence while on the mound. Lehr and
Maloney are major league caliber starters, but with the Reds' upcoming
pitching talent, they probably won't be with the club long term. Even with
veterans Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo possibly departing after their
contracts expire with the Reds' after this season, the amount of pitchers
the Reds' have recently rendered will effect Lehr and Maloney's future with
the team. Hopefully, they can use the opportunities they are given this year
to help the club this season and secure their major league status. Lehr has
pitched well this spring (10.1IP, 3.48ERA) while Maloney has struggled
(7.1IP, 6.14ERA). Maloney seems to be destined for the Red's bullpen. Both
should help the Reds down the stretch with relief appearances and
spot-starts during 2010.
Kip Wells and Micah Owings are veterans searching for stability. Kip Wells
has played with eight different teams in the past eleven seasons. Wells has
a 67-99 career record with a 4.71 career ERA. Applauding his efforts as a
major leaguer, there is zero room for him on the Cincinnati Reds '10 roster.
To expect even his best season of his career (12-14 with a 3.58ERA in '02)
would be demeaning to the organization. With the future being the Reds'
current concentration, Kip Wells would only provide an ordinary past.
Micah Owings provides more than just his pitching abilities to the table. He
is a career .300 hitter in three major league seasons. His career 31-29
records shows Owings' below average ability, but his bat gives him an upper
hand compared to other pitchers. If Owings does make the roster on Opening
Day '10 for the Reds, it will most likely be in the bullpen. His pinch-hit
aptitude as a pitcher will give the Reds a unique capability to arrange
their roster.
Aroldis Chapman is presently meddling traditional baseball operations.
Chapman is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Reds'
organization. Hands down, Chapman has the best pitches of the seven
potential fifth-spot candidates. His fastball is the best on the team and
he's been proving all of the scout's rumors about his control false this
spring. Chapman still needs some development; but with the Reds desperately
needing a winning season, it would be arduous to not see him with the team
on Opening Day. The Reds have plenty of arms to compensate Chapman if he
does struggle in the majors. Starting him in the minors would be delaying
the inevitable. Why not let major leaguers catch up with his 100mph+
fastball instead of him catching up with them in Louisville or Carolina when
his repertoire of pitches would be effective in any league on earth?
The Reds played two games on Sunday. The Reds tied the Cubs 1-1 and beat the
A's, 4-3. Laynce Nix was responsible for the Reds' offense against the Cubs
with a solo home run. Justin Lehr started the game allowing the Cubs' only
run in four innings of work while striking out five. Francisco Cordero (2IP
and 3K) and Kip Wells (3IP and 3K) both had scoreless outings. Against
Oakland Johnny Cueto pitched four innings giving up one run on only two
hits. Chris Dickerson, Juan Francisco, and Wladimir Balentien compiled two
hits each. Jonny Gomes hit his fourth homerun of the spring.
