Rosenthal: Reds interested in Lofton

[Vanilla Ice]

Norris Hopper is a hands down better and smarter baserunner then Freel is. Freel is baseball [expletive].

 

We're talking about Dusty Baker here, he couldnt smell bad if it pooped on his face.

[reds44]

 

Freel will have the edge over Hopper because Freel can steal bases, which Dusty must have, and Dusty tends to make out lineups based on position. CF will be the leadoff spot and designated basestealer's position.

 

Freel will have the edge over Hopper because of his contract. Bruce and Hopper will be in Louisville waiting for Griffey and Freel to hit the DL.

So the Reds are going to only carry 4 outfielders?

 

That's interesting.

 

If Craig Wilson makes the team he can play some RF. I guess we'll find out.

Yeah.....and Votto and Keppinger can both "play some" LF. I'll be stunned if Hopper doesn't make the team out of spring training. Stunned. The odds are better then Freel gets traded then Hopper doesn't make the team.

[Yestheydo]

 

Dusty on the #2 spot in the lineup:

"It's a position for a more established, accomplished veteran player."

You can forget about Votto or Keppinger batting 2nd.

 

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060221&content_id=1317995&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

"It's also a position that won't run as much because then they'll walk D-Lee."

 

Horrors! Two guys on base for Ramirez? What ever shall we do?

 

Buckle up, Reds fans.

[Yestheydo]

 

Freel will have the edge over Hopper because Freel can steal bases, which Dusty must have, and Dusty tends to make out lineups based on position. CF will be the leadoff spot and designated basestealer's position.

 

Freel will have the edge over Hopper because of his contract. Bruce and Hopper will be in Louisville waiting for Griffey and Freel to hit the DL.

So the Reds are going to only carry 4 outfielders?

 

That's interesting.

 

If Craig Wilson makes the team he can play some RF. I guess we'll find out.

Yeah.....and Votto and Keppinger can both "play some" LF. I'll be stunned if Hopper doesn't make the team out of spring training. Stunned. The odds are better then Freel gets traded then Hopper doesn't make the team.

 

Now that I think about it, you're probably right. Hopper's refusal to take a walk and penchant for bunting will definitely work in his favor. Hell, he's like Juan Pierre and Neifi Perez put together, Dusty may make him captain.

[BigbadB]

You can assimilate the best line ups you want, but you'll never get what you want with Dusty at the helm. Go through the old game threads and look at the ridiculous line ups Dusty ran out there.

 

We had an ideal #2 hitter in 2005, and remembering that 2005 was Derrek Lee's monster season, here's what he had hitting 1/2

 

Jerry Hairston lead off: .265 .344 .382, 348 PA's.

Corey Patterson lead off: .211 .263 .359, 139 PA's

Neifi Perez lead off: .254 .263 .333 , 119 PA's

 

A combined 39 walks from the lead off spot all season long!

 

Neifi Perez batting 2nd: .280 .300 .414, 284 PA's

Todd Walker batting 2nd: .299 .351 .492, 278 PA's

Corey Patterson batting 2nd: .179 .220 .308, 82 PA's

 

A combined 30 walks from the 2 hole all season long!

 

Matt Murton would have been ideal batting 2nd with his: .321 .386 .521

 

with Hairston and Walker sharing lead off duties, BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Gotta have Neifi save us.

 

Add it up. Nobody got more at bats at the top spots in the order that year than Neifi Perez. Exactly how many at bats would Neifi have gotten in the top two spots in the order if I was the manager? NONE!

 

Joey Votto batting 2nd with Dusty Baker as the manager? LOL. That's a good one.

[Post Count Padder]

This is something I'm interested in if I am the Reds. It's not like Bruce is a 25 year old rookie looking to finally bust into the majors, he is a 20 year old kid who could still use seasoning in AAA (evident by his 47 BB and 135 Ks in three levels in 2007). The Reds lack a leadoff hitter and are probably looking at Phillips or Votto hitting leadoff if opening day was tomorrow. A Lofton/Hopper platoon in CF would solve that problem.

 

Kenny Lofton vs. RHP:

Career: .304/.375/.440 (1955 AB)

2007: .313/.386/.452

 

Norris Hopper vs. LHP:

Career: .386/.423/.492 (132 ABs)

2007: .351/.385/.441 (111 ABs)

 

Yes, I am aware Hopper's sample size is very small, but it is still something I think it could fit very nicely and solve the CF competition and fill the leadoff hole. At worst case if the Reds are out of it in July, you deal Lofton to a contender and Bruce is brought up (if he hasn't been already due to injury).

 

The only reason I would be heistant to do it is because I want to see Bruce get a chance to win the job in spring. I could care less about the Dusty connections.

 

1. Kenny Lofton/Norris Hopper CF

2. Joey Votto/Jeff Keppinger 1B

3. Ken Griffey Jr. RF

4. Brandon Phillips 2B

5. Adam Dunn LF

6. Edwin Encarnacion 3B

7. Alex Gonezalez SS

8. David Ross/Javier Valentin C

 

would be the most likely lineup, though I would flop Dunn and Griffey.

 

Freel will have the edge over Hopper because Freel can steal bases, which Dusty must have, and Dusty tends to make out lineups based on position. CF will be the leadoff spot and designated basestealer's position.

Norris Hopper is a hands down better and smarter baserunner then Freel is. Freel is baseball [expletive].

But Freel has a friend inside his head.

[TruffleShuffle]

Freel will have the edge over Hopper because Freel can steal bases, which Dusty must have, and Dusty tends to make out lineups based on position. CF will be the leadoff spot and designated basestealer's position.

Norris Hopper is a hands down better and smarter baserunner then Freel is. Freel is baseball [expletive].

 

yes, but norris hopper is bad at baseball.

[SweetZombieJesus]

My favorite Dusty move may have been how when a sub played, he was slotted into the same spot as the guy he replaced. When Sosa was out in '03, Troy O' Leary came out there in that 3 spot every game. Great stuff.

 

Doesn't Jim Leyland do that also though?

[SweetZombieJesus]

Norris Hopper is a hands down better and smarter baserunner then Freel is. Freel is baseball [expletive].

 

No, just [expletive]. Did we all forget his craigslist escapade? Dude is a professional baseball player if he has to go to craigslist to pick up chicks that's [expletive].

[reds44]

Those were ballplayers

 

By Hal McCoy | Sunday, February 17, 2008, 09:18 AM

What do you think?

 

Dusty Baker walked the City of Sarasota Sports Complex Friday and saw that each of the practice fields were named for Cincinnati Reds legends — Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez.

 

“I’m always talking about baseball players and people ask me, ‘What are baseball players?’” Baker said. “Those guys are baseball players - Rose, Morgan, Bench, Perez. They could go 0 for 4 and still beat you. They seldom did anything to cost you a game. Those are what I call ballplayers.”

 

And Baker is still looking for ballplayers for his first edition of the Reds. One of them is free agent leadoff hitter Kenny Lofton.

 

“I’ve talked to him and, yes, there is a chance we can still get him,” Baker said. “I’ve talked to (outfielder) Corey Patterson, too. It depends on how it fits into our budget and roster. Right now we don’t have a roster spot and he’d like a major-league contract.”

 

At this late date, though, some players, even marquee players, might accept minor-league contracts with invitations to the major-league camp just for the chance to win a spot on a major-league team.

 

Lofton would make for a decent leadoff hitter against righthanded pitchers. Most scouts say it isn’t advisable to play him against lefthanded pitchers.

 

If Lofton arrives, what happens to rookie Jay Bruce?

 

“Bruce already has told me he can bat leadoff,” Baker said with a laugh. “I haven’t seen Bruce play, but I’ve head a lot. He is a star of the future and, who knows, he may be a start of the present. But there is more to the game than just hitting.”

 

Baker considers finding a leadoff hitter a top priority.

 

“A leadoff hitter is the most underappreciated spot in the batting order,” said Baker. “You have to have one and they are hard to find. I led off most of my minor-league career and my old manager, Mickey Verson (Richmond), challenged me to get on base to lead off the game.

 

“Thats put the starting pitcher into the stretch right away, puts him into an uncomfortable situation,” Baker added. “Starters throw about 90 per cent of their pitches in the wind-up, not the stretch.”

 

It was 8:30 Sunday morning as Baker spoke, devouring a bowl of cereal after going through a physical examination along with his pitchers and catchers.

 

“That was as thorough an exam as I’ve ever seen,” he said. “Really, really thorough - knees, joints, feet. That’s great. Seems they are into preventing injuries rather than reacting around here and that’s great. When you’re into rehab, it’s too late.”

 

http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/con...incinnatireds/

 

Dusty talks to Lofton, Patterson

 

Dusty Baker was talking about the importance of a leadoff man.

 

“Everybody needs a leadoff hitter,” Baker said. “I think that is the most unappreciated, hardest to find quality position in baseball.”

 

To that end, Baker has talked to Kenny Lofton and Corey Patterson. Could either end up in Reds camp?

 

"There's a chance," Baker said. "They're out there looking for jobs. You want to get right pieces of the puzzle."

 

The hang up with Lofton is the Reds don't have a spot on the 40-man rosrter. "Kenny wants a big-league contract," Baker said.

 

Signing Lofton would not necessarily mean that Jay Bruce starts the year in the minors.

 

"I haven't seen Bruce play," Baker said. "You see Junior (Griffey) who came at 19. Corey Patterson was rushed a bit and didn't get time to mature. It's kind of like raising your kid: You don't know if you did the right it until later. . . it's something that is very hard to judge. When is now? It's not secret Bruce is a star of futrue. Who knows he could be a star of the present. I'm very impressed talking to him."

 

Lofton is an ideal leadoff man. He hit .296 with a .367 on-base percentage last year and stole 23 bases. Patterson is very talented, but he's not suited for a leadoff role. He hit .269 last year with a .304 on-base percentage. His career on-base is .296.

http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/redsinsider/2008/02/dusty-talks-to-lofton-patterson.asp

 

I can't wait for the comments on the last paragraph.