Narron likes Dunn in the cleanup position

[CincyRedsFan30]

Aurilia not content with his backup role

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

SAN DIEGO | Rich Aurilia might not be traded by this afternoon's deadline and Cincinnati Reds manager Jerry Narron doesn't believe that's a bad thing.

Aurilia does, though. He wants to play every day and he realizes that won't happen if the Reds don't trade him. But nothing was imminent on the trade front.

Aurilia's agent, Barry Axelrod, is pushing for a trade to a contender, "Especially if the Reds want him to be a super-utility guy," Axelrod said.

"Rich Aurilia is going to be a utility guy on second base, shortstop and third base," said Narron.

"He can help us in that role if he takes the right attitude and takes it in a positive way."

That isn't likely to happen. Aurilia wants everyday status, but rookie Edwin Encarnacion is going to man third base most of the time, Felipe Lopez is going to man shortstop most of the time and Ryan Freel is going to man second base most of the time.

"With Freel, to make sure he stays healthy, we need to play him only five games a week, maybe six," said Narron.

"He plays with reckless abandon and he is not going to change. The only way to keep him out there is to give him days off. You can't run him out there 15 or 16 days in a row and keep healthy.

"Aurilia wants to play every day, which is fine, which is good, but what Freel brings we need him at second base," Narron added. "We have five guys every night disappointed that they aren't playing. I just try to put guys in situations where they can be successful. I can only play eight at a time."

Randa's report

Joe Randa, wearing his new San Diego uniform, looks at his former Cincinnati teammates and sees a mystery and an enigma.

"That's a very talented team," Randa said of the Reds.

"Everybody felt it was just a matter of time before they started winning. And ever since Jerry Narron took over (as manager), they've been on a nice roll.

"A problem is that their pitchers have to be perfect in their ballpark and that puts a lot of stress on them."

Robbing Randa

Speaking of Randa, Reds center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. made an incredible back-to-the-infield catch at the 411 mark Friday night, robbing Randa of an extra-base hit.

"It had to be on Super Joe," said Griffey, good friends with Randa.

"He ran into me at the hotel after the game — he is staying on the same floor I am — and he had a few choice words for me."

On Saturday, Griffey was scurrying for tickets and said, "I've left 15 or more tickets for every game on this trip. I never leave tickets. I always forget. I'm asking everybody, 'Why now?' "

Dunn cleans up

Adam Dunn, who Friday night turned spacious Petco Park into the size of a doggie bed with two mammoth home runs, batted clean-up Friday and was back there again Saturday.

That gives the Reds three lefthanded hitters in a row — Griffey Jr. third, Dunn fourth and Sean Casey fifth.

That configuration doesn't bother manager Jerry Narron.

"I really like Dunn in that four-spot," he said.

"Neither Los Angeles nor San Diego, the team we play on this trip, have a dominant left-handed pitcher who is going to come in and blow those three guys away."

Dunn is a Moneyball advocate's dream — those who believe walks and on-base average are ultra important.

He is second in the NL in home runs (30), fourth in runs scored (73), third in walks (72), sixth in slugging average (.591) and 11th in on-base average (.389).

[Sea Ray]

"A problem is that their pitchers have to be perfect in their ballpark and that puts a lot of stress on them."

But why do you say that Joe? Didn't anyone tell you it's a pitching neutral park? I guess ballplayers are too dumb to read the stat sheet which proves it's a pitching neutral park. All these ballplayers do is play the game on the field...

[CincyRedsFan30]

It's a matter of perception. They think they see stuff that isn't really there.

Anyway, how can you blame Joe for saying that when he had to watch Milton/Ortiz serve up HR for 3 months?

[Fishercat]

Having two of the worst performance pitchers in 2005 on your team could make most parks look like hitter's parks.

Not saying whether GABP is neutral or not, but when your pitching staff blows like a lot of the Reds do and when the offense has that much talent, this happens.

[AdamDunn#44]

give up crf and fisher. they will never listen

fact is the gab is a neutral park. its a HR park but everything else is neautral

[Sea Ray]

My point is the players are on the field. They know what they see and they see that balls fly out of there like crazy. Sure the Reds pitchers are horrible but how does that explain the Reds offense scoring over 2 runs a game more at home than on the road?

[CincyRedsFan30]

My point is the players are on the field. They know what they see and they see that balls fly out of there like crazy. Sure the Reds pitchers are horrible but how does that explain the Reds offense scoring over 2 runs a game more at home than on the road?

I'll tell you exactly how it explains it:

The Reds' offense relies on scoring Runs through hitting HR. HR are the one thing that GABP gives up a lot of, so it's a perfect fit for the Reds' offense. Unfortunately, it's not a good fit for flyball pitchers like Milton and Ortiz.

[Sea Ray]

give up crf and fisher. they will never listen

fact is the gab is a neutral park. its a HR park but everything else is neautral

You're right. It gives up a lot of Hrs but everything else about it is neutral but the fact that it gives up a lot of HRs makes it a hitters park. That's enough to shove it over the edge.

So far the tally is this:

Those that think it is a neutral park: Dan O'Brien and a few fans on this board

Those that think it is a hitters park: Marty Brennaman, Chris Welsh, virtually every player that ever played there, and your truly.

You guys are really in fine company there...

[Sea Ray]

The Reds' offense relies on scoring Runs through hitting HR. HR are the one thing that GABP gives up a lot of, so it's a perfect fit for the Reds' offense

OK, fine. So explain this to me. If it's a big HR park why doesn't that translate into a hitters park? In other words why doesn't that translate into more runs?

[AdamDunn#44]

best of all: the stats/facts show it as a neutral park. i could care less what martys opinion of it is. the facts show crf, fisher, and i are rite

its a HR/neautral park. its not very good park for hittign doubles and triples.

[CincyRedsFan30]

OK, fine. So explain this to me. If it's a big HR park why doesn't that translate into a hitters park? In other words why doesn't that translate into more runs?

It does translate into a lot of Runs because the Reds' pitching has been that bad this year! But the park really doesn't play as a hitters park. Not every team hits for HR like the Reds do. The Reds' pitchers just give up a ton of HR because they are flyball pitchers. It has to do with the pieces in place as opposed to the park itself. Put the Cubs' rotation in GABP and the park would be shown as the neutral park it is.

[missionhockey21]

http://www.sportfanatics.net/Basebal...Statistics.htm
That's an interesting thing to check out if you haven't. (My endless links of favorites.)

Basically if you traded the sluggers we have, replace them with a bunch of high average, minimal power players and replace the staff (who many are notorious in their career for giving up a lot of flyballs) with pure groundball pitchers, I believe the stats would show that the park is neutral. The Reds simply have the right hitters and the wrong pitchers for Great American Ballpark. I am not claiming I am right, just my two cents with it's ever decreasing value.

[Sea Ray]

It does translate into a lot of Runs because the Reds' pitching has been that bad this year! But the park really doesn't play as a hitters park. Not every team hits for HR like the Reds do. The Reds' pitchers just give up a ton of HR because they are flyball pitchers. It has to do with the pieces in place as opposed to the park itself. Put the Cubs' rotation in GABP and the park would be shown as the neutral park it is.

I'm sorry but the facts don't support what you just wrote. The Cubs have given up 5.5 runs a game at GABP this year which is easily more than their "average".

[CincyRedsFan30]

Great table there mission.

I think what makes many(Marty/Welsh and others included) think that it's a hitters park is the HR and the fact that they are so used to watching poor Reds pitching there, that it seems that way. HR are the most flashy type of hits that happen, and since they happen pretty often at GABP, it seems that the place is just great for hitters. It really is all about perception when it comes to those who think of it as a hitters park.

[AdamDunn#44]

if the gab is so bad why does Harang have a ERA over 5 on the road and around 3 at home?