What I am thinking...

[redsrbetter]

Votto vs Hatteberg:

Its in the bag for Hatteberg. I have thought all along that Votto didn't have much of a shot unless he came out swinging a hot bat. His .172 BA indicates his probability of sitting the bench.

Yet, the more you listen to the media, the more you hear that he is the guy. I have even heard mention of Hatteberg being showcased for other teams. I mean, it makes no sense to have two left handed 1B. Perhaps Cabrera is getting so many ABs because Hatteberg may be traded?

I seriously doubt Hatteberg ill be moved because Votto hasn't shon much at the plate this spring. I think it is too late for him to find a starting spot no as well. I speculate that Hatteberg was the favorite before spring training and the feeling is that he has earned his spot over Votto.

Still, there are many saying that Votto will start. And what do you make of Baker and his saying that Votto nees to sing the bat more? Perhaps its Baker's first excuse as to why Votto will be riding pine.

Bruce?

If the signing of Patterson didn't convince you that Bruce would be taking a bus on road trips instead of a first class ticket, then the first few games that Patterson has played should all but seal the deal. The thing is, if Bruce spends just 2 weeks in Louisville, the Reds will have control over him for 1 more year before he is arbitration eligible.

Even when Patterson starts in CF and leads off for this team, Krivsky has to figure out what to do with Freel and Hopper. Do you keep Freel, Hopper, and Keppinger on the active roster? If so, what does your bench look like?

Bench:

Keppinger, Freel, Hopper, Hatteberg/Votto, Valentin, Bako, Cabrera, Dickerson?

I figure Cabrera will not be in the mix unless Hatteberg is traded. Dickerson will start in CF in Louisville despite Baker's love for him. Hopper will be given a bench role without a doubt. So will Valentin. Keppinger should start at SS until Gonzo is back, then he goes to the bench. Votto ill be on the bench if Hatteberg is not traded. And Bako will be up with the big club until Ross returns. So, what about Freel?

Rotation:

Harang
Arroyo
...
Has Belisle pitched himself out of the rotation yet? Surely Cueto and Volquez have looked much better than anyone else in camp. Could Baker accept the fact that these guys give this team a better chance to in every fifth day?

And what about Fogg? I think he is in as the 3rd guy. He has pitched pretty well so far. Yet, he is a beautiful candidate for trade bait if anyone steps up. He is only signed for $1 mil. Anyone needing a stop gap pitcher or any team needing to fill an injury would take a flier on that contract. So he would be very easy to move for a AA pitcher IMO.

My final three spots look like this:

Fogg
Volquez
Cueto

So what about Affeldt and Bailey? They are the losers in the competition. Affeldt has pitched himself out of the rotation and has to be a great addition to the bullpen. We should be extremely happy about this. And Bailey simply isn't ready yet. Thats not to say that he will never be ready though. You have to figure that he is 4 years ahead of the college pitchers that will be entering the draft this season. He is already inches away from pitching to big leaguers. He will be the ace at Louisville at least until there is an injury to fill.

[brewersfan19]

I thought you were thinking about becoming a Brewers' fan since the Reds hired Dusty. hahahahaha.... j/k with ya'.