Sunday, February 10, 2002
Positional breakdowns
Sarasota storylines
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
When the Reds open spring training Saturday, the team can be split into two camps — the known and unknown. The Reds know exactly what they have as far as position players. Of the 13 or 14 spots, 12 are set. The only competition for a starting position is in right field, among favorite Juan Encarnacion, Ruben Mateo and Austin Kearns.
The pitching is another matter. The Reds will have 37 pitchers in camp. As many as 25 have legitimate shots for the 11 or 12 roster spots. There will be open auditions for the rotation. Reds manager Bob Boone plans to look at 12 pitchers for the five starting spots.
A lot of what happens with pitching depends on health. The Reds have three keys pitchers — Scott Williamson, Seth Etherton and John Riedling — coming back from major surgeries.
Here's a look at how the positions will break down at Camp Boone II in Sarasota:
Infield
Offensively — if healthy — the starting group is a very good one. There is not a lot of depth and no true backup third baseman. Shortstop Barry Larkin, third baseman Aaron Boone and first baseman Sean Casey are starting their fourth season together. Second baseman Todd Walker will make his first Opening Day start with Cincinnati.
Putting Walker in the lineup for Pokey Reese hurts the team defensively, but helps offensively. Manager Boone has made improving infield defense a priority.
Cinches: Casey, Walker, Larkin, Boone, Wilton Guerrero and Juan Castro. Neither backup has any power to speak of. Guerrero did hit .338 last year.
On the bubble: Gookie Dawkins and Ben Broussard. Dawkins played his way back into the picture with a good Arizona Fall League. Broussard, a left-handed hitter with pop, will probably get a year at Triple-A. But he Dawkins will be an injury away from a call up if the they don't make it when the team breaks camp.
Outfield
No matter who wins the right-field job, the outfield will be a strength. A lot of folks think Ken Griffey Jr. is ready for a monster year. He showed his old form in August of last season when he hit .327 with 11 homers and 29 RBI. Adam Dunn, the left fielder, is a star waiting to happen. Look at this way: If he doesn't hit 40 homers, people will be disappointed.
Encarnacion is the favorite in right based on experience. But Mateo and Kearns are extremely talented prospects. Defensively, any of the three figures to be better than Dmitri Young.
Cinches: Dunn, Griffey and Encarnacion.
On the bubble: Mateo, Kearns, Brady Clark and Robin Jennings. Clark and Jennings are likely to make it. But what happens in right field will affect their status. If Kearns doesn't get the job, he will go to Triple A. The same with Mateo. But if either beats out Encarnacion, everything will shake up.
Catcher
Jason LaRue will again get the bulk of the time. He still hasn't developed into the kind of hitter he was in the minors. But he led the National League in throwing out would-be base stealers (60.2 percent). The rest of LaRue's defense — blocking balls, handling throws to the plate — has to improve. Kelly Stinnett is back from elbow surgery. He hit nine homers in olny 187 at-bats.
Cinches: LaRue and Stinnett.
On the bubble: Corky Miller and Dane Sardinha. Miller played defensively after he was called up to replace Stinnett, but he hit olny .184. Sardinha only hit .235 at Single-A but theReds love his defense.
Rotation
Let's see: Elmer Dessens, Lance Davis, Chris Reitsma, Jose Acevedo, Etherton, Williamson, Joey Hamilton, Jimmy Haynes, Jose Silva, Luke Hudson, Luis Pineda, Brian Bohanon ... . Brian Reith, Ty Howington. Are we forgetting anyone? Jose Rijo? Danny Graves? Decisions must be made quickly because there aren't enough innings to go around. Graves is preparing as a starter, but it will be a shocker if he doesn't end up back in the closer role.
Cinches: Dessens, Davis, Reitsma, Acevedo, Silva (could be in bullpen), Williamson (if healthy and could be bullpen).
On bubble: All the rest. The Reds would like Howington, their 1999 top pick, to force them to put him on the roster. Haynes, based on the fact he's thrown 200 innings twice is his career, is another guy they hope pitches his way into the rotation.
Bullpen
This should be a strength of the club again. Last year, Reds relievers led the National League with 567 2/3 innings and a 3.71 ERA. Having Riedling healthy all year should make the bullpen better. Riedling will take some of the stress off Graves, who blew seven saves last year and whose ERA went from 2.56 in 2000 to 4.15 last year.
Cinches: Graves, Sullivan, Gabe White, Jim Brower and Riedling (if healthy).
On the bubble: Hector Mercado, Rijo, Chris Piersoll, Chris Booker 0and Pineda. The guess is, all five of these pitchers will be up at some time — whether it's Opening Day will depend on how they throw in Sarasota.
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Positional breakdowns
