Reds Notes: Griffey stopped Zach Day trade/Aurilia might want to be traded soon

[CincyRedsFan30]

Freel having All-Star season

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

HOUSTON | Ryan Freel has never been an All-Star, at any level — not in any youth leagues, not in high school, not at Tallahassee Community College.

For example, in his first pro season at Class A St. Catherine's (1995) in the Toronto system, he led the team in sacrifice bunts and sacrifice flies. At Class A Dunedin the next season, he led the team in sacrifice bunts and steals.

Those kinds of statistics don't get you All-Star consideration, but they tell you what kind of player Freel is and has been his entire career — a player who does the little things that lead to wins.

His statistics with the Cincinnati Reds are the kind that do get All-Star consideration. He is 10th in the league in batting average, fifth in on-base percentage and fourth in stolen bases.

The problem is his unfair label, utility player, which he isn't. He plays nearly every day, but seldom at the same spot. He carries three gloves to play five positions.

A man without a position isn't All-Star fiber.

"Like Tuesday," Freel said. "I came to the park certain I would play second base. I was in right field. That's tough, a tough thing to do."

Of the All-Star thinking, Freel said, "That would be nice. I've never been an All-Star. And I didn't know I was in the Top 10 in three categories.

At least one player from each team must be on the All-Star team. Why not Freel?

A broken trade

When Ken Griffey Jr. lined a ball that broke the right wrist of Washington pitcher Zach Day a week ago, it scrapped a trade that would have brought Day to the Reds.

Two baseball executives and another knowledgeable source said the Reds, Nationals and Florida Marlins were close to a three-way deal that would have sent pitcher Danny Graves to the Marlins. The Marlins would have sent ex-Reds outfielder Juan Encarnacion to the Nationals, and Day, a Cincinnati native, would have come to the Reds.

Griffey lined a ball off Day's wrist in the sixth inning on May 23. Day threw out Griffey, the last batter he faced. Two days later, he tried to pitch and gave up five runs in relief. An MRI revealed the break.

Aurilia's plight

A radio report that Rich Aurilia or his agent, Barry Axelrod, have asked the Cincinnati Reds to trade Aurilia isn't true, but that doesn't mean it won't be true soon.

Aurilia wonders what value he has as a utility player for a fifth-place team, so Axelrod is exploring the possibility of the Reds trading the 33-year-old infielder to a contending team.

Aurilia began the season as the Reds shortstop, but lost his job to Felipe Lopez while he was injured. Manager Dave Miley has played him at third base and second base in recent games, but Aurilia realizes he won't get much playing time in that role.

"It's just tough not knowing what position you will play," he said. "But the frustrating part is not playing at all."

Dunn's future?

Want a glimpse of the possible future of Adam Dunn when he becomes a free agent in two years? If you are a Reds fan or Dunn fan, it isn't pretty.

"I think about playing for the Houston Astros," Dunn told the Houston Chronicle. "I grew up an Astros fan and keep my home here (Lake Conroe) in the offseason.

"It's hard not to think about it," he added. "I have no say in that right now, so I just have to go out and do my job. We had such high expectations for this team, but we've been taking one step forward and five steps backward."

Short hops

• Ken Griffey Jr.'s 26 RBIs in May was third most in the majors behind Chicago's Derek Lee and Philadelphia's Bobby Abreu.

• Pitcher Ben Weber's planned one-inning rehab appearance at Louisville on Wednesday was canceled at the advice of Dr. Tom Saul. The neurologist suggested Weber sit out longer as the bulging disc in his neck heals and further tests are conducted.

[redsrbetter]

All kinds of stuff in this one. First off, thank God that Griffey hit Day. Although it may not have been bad to get Day for free with Graves leaving anyway. Maybe Day could have done something for us. So then shame on Griffey. Oh well doesn't matter now I guess.

Freel for All-Star? I would definitely consider it for 2B.

And the huge thing, Dunn to Houston? I would be pissed if it were a loss to FA because DanO will not lock him up long term. Dunn is really talking now and may be hinting quite a bit as to how he is frustrated about how things are going with the FO. Not good things come out of this thought. Would suck to lose Dunn to FA.

[CincyRedsFan30]

I actually wouldn't have minded Day for the Grave(s) Situation.

Freel should definitely be an All-Star candidate, but I'm sure he won't be.

I'm really getting scared about Dunn leaving.

Finally, it looks like yet again Hal used information I had discussed with him in one of his articles(the Aurilia radio report that I described to him earlier today). He gave me notice that it wasn't true this afternoon, and now used it in his article.

[volzok]

I would have like the Graves for Day deal. Good to see Jimbo trying to get Juan back. How many old Reds does the guy want. All he would have to do is get Pokey I mean we are going to dump Graves anyway why not get a decent SP for him.

I would love to see Freel get the All star bid, same as Lopez. But the popular guys usually win out.

If we dump Dunn the FO should be burnt down. Plain and simple

[Slyder]

Hey what about we do an Aurilia for Day deal right now? I mean both are currently worthless to their teams. Granted Day's is due to injury but still

[Cincy]

Yeah, does Aurilia and his agent really believe a contending team would want him?

[Slyder]

They must think Dan O'Brien, Allen, and Miley run every team then. He isnt even hitting .190s now why would any one give the reds pocket lint for him and why would anyone else give him the time of day let alone PT.

[Reds_fan_4_life]

Dunn needs to sign Long term b/c u kno that year he becomes a Free Agent so many teams are going to go after him trying to persuade him to join their team.. other teams = more $$$. so we need to get Kearns/Dunn locked up for years they are our future IMO.

[missionhockey21]

I would of been thrilled to see that deal go down. Day has some potential if nothing else. But talk about your value falling it was first Day for Pena/Kearns (which some Reds fans could justify) then this. I really don't see why the Marlins would do that. Encarnacion isnt a stud but he has produced decent enough in a hitter's ballpark. I guess if they were dumping his salary and getting Graves virtually free I could see it from a finacial standpoint but not talentwise. If this went down the Nationals would of made out best IMO of any team.

[NFLman2033]

man that sucks... hell if it was possible, I would still do that trade even with him being injuried.. because now we loose Graves and get nothing.. at least wecould have gotten Day

[Wally Mo Pena]

sounds like dunn is all but gone at this point. Saying what he did is going pretty far in the sports world. Saying he wants to play at home is one thing, but then mentioning how disappointed he is with the reds, that's another all together. Time to start thinkin about dealing him, because i doubt he'll sign long term with us now.

[CincyRedsFan30]

The Dunn situation is really sad.

I think when I e-mailed Hal yesterday, that he alerted all of the writers about the rumor, because he didn't sound like he had heard about the rumor until I mentioned it.

[ghettochild]

you're gunna get a job there even before you start college lmao

[NFLman2033]

I have no problems loosing Dunn to tell you the Truth.. sure its nice to have a guy who can hit 50 HR's, play LF and 1B, and is strong as an ox and doesn't get hurt, but i would rather have a pitcher and right now we are going to get the most for Dunn out of everyone we have in the organization.. and we can't get rid of Casey or Junior... Kearns isn't really going to get us a lot.. and I love Pena.. so Dunn is the most logical answer..

[redsrbetter]

You have a definite point there NFL. If we are to get a bonafide ace for him, then I am in agreement. If we get a veteran that has had some success in this league, then I am pissed. We need a young stud to get rid of our young stud. Give me DTrain or Myers.