Loading ...From John Fay:
The Hawaii Winter League wrapped up Sunday. The Waikiki BeachBoys, featuring Reds’ prospects Yonder Alonso and Todd Frazier, won the title.
Both put up excellent numbers: Alonso hit .308/.419/.510, Frazier .295/.375/.547. Frazier led the league in slugging.
“They both swung the bat really well,” farm director Terry Reynolds. “Frazier came back OK from the concussion. It was good to see both of them play well.”
I expect Frazier to open the season in Carolina (AA), but be in Louisville by mid-season. I think his development will accelerate this season. Alonso will open in Carolina also, but I think he’ll be there for most of the season, maybe going to Louisville late.
And for those that gave any credence to the Reds talk on Draft Day of Yonder playing 3B…
Apparently, the talk of playing Alonso at third base as well as first is over.
“I would doubt that he’ll play any third,” Reynolds said. “If he does, it would be out of necessity. He’s a first baseman.”
Doesn’t sound like it was ever in the plan to me.
SO, what happens to Joey Votto? There has to be something going on in Jocketty’s head in terms of how to deal with having two potentially stud 1B’s. I want to know what they are thinking on this very issue.
You move one of them to LF.
By one of them, of course you mean Votto. Why then wait to make the transition in 2010 when the Reds are ready to compete. This should be the year of experiment. Which is why I advocate bringing Alonso up this year.
Maybe that is what we missed with Atkins. Maybe Atkins or EE played first and Votto would of been the one moved to left?
By doing that you would of had Atkins and EE for 1 or 2 years before you had to decide on them in Cinci and the Yonder situation where Votto would be in left for the long term.
Just a though.
Why can’t Alonzo be the LF? Is there any indication that he could not learn the position? Does he lack decent speed? While he is in the minors seems the ideal time. It isn’t like the Reds are loaded in the outfield.
Atkins is a first baseman. He was placed at third because Helton was entrenched at first. I was a supporter of getting Atkins and moving Votto to left and let EE have one more year at third, and if for some reason things didn’t work out for him, put Atkins at third and move Votto back, or make a trade. That would have given us a solid right handed bat and filled a hole.
Yonder Alonso is not a LF. He played 1B, 3B and a little catcher in college. He is considered a below average defender at 1B which supposes that he is really a below average defender everywhere else. I thought the Reds may consider him at 3B because of Votto, but they nixed that idea.
But you can’t wait to move Votto to LF. If he is your LF then the transition has to be made now, while he is relatively young and the transition can be more easily accomplished.
If what you want is a RH bat on a one to two year deal while waiting for Alonso, then go balls to the wall and add Teixeira. He may make you competitive, he is a marquee player the club can use to fill seats, and in a couple years if the Reds signed him to a good contract he can be traded and replaced with Alonso.
But simply to fill in 1B with a Hinske, Sexon or some other 3rd rate 1B for 1-2 years is a poor strategy.
Completely crazy idea? Move Votto to left and sign Giambi and Furcal.
I still don’t love the idea of moving Votto to LF – he is not a marquee defensive 1B, what will he be in LF. I don’t want to doubt him but say you do move him to LF and have Alonso at 1B – defense, the name of the game, is still going to be bad, maybe worse.
Nathan – Votto was actually pretty darn good overall defensively at first base -right around league average as a rookie. I think he could make the change. Besides, when the Reds drafted Alonso and signed him to the 40-man roster, they had to take into account the idea of moving Votto. My opinion is that moving Votto to a new position is better done this year when the team is not expected to contend, instead of 2010 when you expect to be competitive.