Sunday, March 31, 2002
Power in short supply for Reds reserves
Bench has speed, versatility - but no deep threat
By Gary Estwick
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LOUISVILLE — Speed and versatility — Reds reserves have both. Thursday's acquisition of outfielder Reggie Taylor made the Reds a faster team — he stole 31 bases in 111 games for Triple-A Scranton last year. It also gave the club another player who can play multiple positions, as Taylor can play all three outfield spots.
But power is still a missing component among the bench players.
“One thing we really don't have over there is power,” said bench coach Ray Knight. “Someone who can just come up and hit the ball out of the ballpark.”
And if anything can be learned from last season, it's that injuries do happen in a 162-game season — they forced starters Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Larkin, Aaron Boone and Sean Casey to miss games.
The Reds seem to be healthy entering this season, but that can change in one play. Griffey, who led the team with 22 home runs in 2001, missed Saturday's game against the Baltimore Orioles after twisting his knee Friday. He is expected to play on Opening Day Monday.
Last season, outfielder-infielder Robin Jennings was one of the Reds' best reserve hitters; he hit .286 with three home runs in 27 games. But Jennings hit only .167 with no home runs in spring training and was designated for assignment Thursday to make room for Taylor.
In 2001, catcher Kelly Stinnett (nine home runs) and outfielder Brady Clark (six homers) also contributed in reserve roles.
Brady said his job is not to hit home runs.
“Our jobs are to get on base the majority of the time,” said Clark, who hit one home run in spring training. “Put the ball in play and make something happen. We're not going to go up there and bang it out of the park. We just want to get a quality at-bat.
“I've got Griffey and Casey and (Adam) Dunn coming up behind me. I'll let those guys bop one out of the yard.”
The Reds will start the season Monday at home against the Chicago Cubs with two backups apiece for the infield (Gookie Dawkins and Wilton Guerrero) and the outfield (Taylor and Clark).
Dawkins and Guerrero can come in on defense without the club suffering, and they're also two of the fastest Reds. Guerrero also can cover for Boone at third.
Clark and Taylor can move around in the outfield.
“He's got speed,” manager Bob Boone said of Taylor. “We feel we really upgraded not just the bench, but the team.”
Because of unanswered questions regarding the pitching staff — will Scott Williamson fully recover after elbow surgery? Can Jose Rijo pitch on back-to-back days? — the Reds opted to keep 12 pitchers on the 25-man roster.
That puts more pressure on the reserves to perform a player short.
Taylor showed he has some power; in the second inning against Baltimore, he hit a home run off right-hander Sidney Ponson. But Guerrero and Dawkins have no home runs this spring and Stinnett has one.
When asked if any of the reserves would be capable of playing an extended role if a starter is hurt, Boone said, “They'll have to.”
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Power in short supply for Reds reserves
