Sunday, July 01, 2001
Gookie still part of Reds' future
Dawkins struggling with hitting in minors
By Chris Haft
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Dawkins
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In any quiz about the Reds' future, “Who's at shortstop?” is a multiple-choice question. Just make sure Gookie Dawkins is among the possible answers.
Forgetting Dawkins can be easy, given the Reds' more obvious options. Barry Larkin is hurt, but he won't go away without a spirited bid to keep his position. Though Pokey Reese could depart as a free agent after 2002 or in a trade before that, a contract extension remains possible. Reds officials rave about Single-A Mudville prospect Ranier Olmedo. And though David Espinosa, last year's No.1 draft choice, had 38 errors in his first 71 games at Single-A Dayton, the switch-hitting rookie is adjusting to pro ball.
Each has drawn more attention this year than Dawkins, though he played on the Pan Am and Olympic teams for the United States and played in 21 games for the Reds before turning 22 in May.
Cincinnati still values Dawkins' skills. And if Larkin's health fails, Reese leaves, Olmedo flames out and Espinosa never develops — or if just half of those come to pass — Dawkins' prominence could grow if he con tinues to develop.
Said personnel director Tim Naehring: “Everybody always asks, "Where are you going to put this guy or that guy?' It's up to them to make the adjustment.”
Remember, the Reds resisted including Dawkins in the four-player package they sent to Seattle in the February 2000 Ken Griffey Jr. trade. So far this season, Dawkins has rewarded the organization's faith.
“His progress is now getting back to where we want it to be,” Naehring said. “We don't know when the ups and downs he went through are going to pay dividends.”
The downs were significant. After hitting .364 in 32 games at Double-A Chattanooga in 1999, Dawkins slumped to .220 in 95 games with the Lookouts last year. Arthroscopic surgery to re pair the medial meniscus in his right knee Oct.10 proved he wasn't physically whole.
Dawkins was rehabilitating this spring and had barely recovered when he sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee rounding third base in an early-season game. He visited Cincinnati on May 2 for an examination and rested 10 days after that.
At that point, Dawkins' season essentially began.
“He needed the reassurance that the cartilage we fixed had healed, and it did,” Reds medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek said.
“I think that cleared his mind,” Chattanooga manager Phil Wellman said. “We're seeing the real Gookie Dawkins again. He's playing with the zest and zeal he once showed, especially de fensively.”
Like Reese, Dawkins possesses a quick, smooth ease in the field that makes him an asset in the lineup even without a big bat.
“If he plays the kind of defense he's capable of and hits .260-.270, that's pretty good. Because he'll save you a ton of runs,” Wellman said.
But reaching .260 could challenge Dawkins. Entering the weekend, he was batting .240 with four homers and 18 RBI in 50 games.
“His hitting is something he's going to have to continue to work at,” said interim Reds batting coach Mike Greenwell, who began the season with Chattanooga. “Can he hit up here? Yeah, but he's probably a year to a year and a half away, and he's going to have to continue to get better.”
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Gookie still part of Reds' future
