Freel sick of riding the bench

[CincyRedsFan30]

Freel dealing with life on the bench

By Sean McClelland

Dayton Daily News

For Austin Kearns, whose turn it was to keep the bench warm Sunday, the truth hurts. The Reds have too many outfielders.

But things could be worse for Kearns. He could be Ryan Freel, who is strictly a utility player after playing every day last year.

Manager Dave Miley made a point Sunday of saying he needs to get Freel into the lineup one of these days. But it wasn't Sunday.

"He's the manager," Freel said. "He makes the lineup out. It's something you just deal with, I guess. I don't know, man. There's not a big role for me right now. I don't know what to say.

"Going from playing every day to not playing is different. Of course I'd like to be out there. It's a little different, but that's my job. It's a lot tougher, but somebody's got to be the utility guy."

Freel's opportunity last season arose mainly due to injuries to teammates. He responded with a .277 average and 37 stolen bases.

"I'm not waiting for anybody to get hurt," he said. "I don't want that to happen at all. Probably the way it's looking, this is going to be my role for the whole season. I don't see it changing."

Freel faces a court date next month in connection with his recent DUI arrest. He has registered a plea of not guilty.

"The fans were my main concern in this whole situation," he said. "They've been absolutely outstanding, very supportive. It's just something that time will heal."

Power outage

Including spring training, Sean Casey has gone 154 at-bats since his last home run, Sept. 17. It's been 93 at-bats, including spring training, since Ken Griffey Jr. went deep. "That hadn't crossed my mind," Miley said.

It took Casey awhile to get going last season but he finished with 24 homers, one shy of his career high. Griffey's longest homer drought at the start of a season is 20 games.

What was that?

Jason LaRue made the mistake of watching ESPN again.

"I don't like to watch it because 90 percent of the time I don't think those guys even believe what they're saying," he said.

This time, one of the talking heads suggested Gary Sheffield should receive a 10-game suspension for retaliating against a fan who clocked him in the face while trying to field a ball rolling into the right-field corner at Fenway Park. Said an incredulous LaRue, "He gets smoked in the face and he's the one who should pay the consequences?"

[missionhockey21]

I don't blame Freel for being upset one bit.

[CincyRedsFan30]

He really deserves to be starting over Jimenez right now. They should at least give Jimenez a few games off in a row.

[NFLman2033]

yeah it is really becoming a sticky situation right now, with Pena tearing the cover off the ball, and our best lead off hitter rotting away on the bench, it is really making for a tough job for Davey.. really, this is the first time that i really have no real solution to the problem.. I wish they would have just moved DJ back to SS instead of getting Aurillia

[griffeyfan3]

yea i really cant blame him either....id like to see him start tonite over jimenez. (games on espn).

[CincyRedsFan30]

Jimenez and Aurilia will probably be out there.

[redsrbetter]

I agree guys. Freel needs to start over DJ, and DJ has to get something done on his days off. Maybe a complete session with Chambliss could help. He needs to learn how to hit left handed again. Right now DJ is a right handed batter, not a switch hitter by any account.

[Saber]

By merit and potential, Freel should probably start over Rich Aurilia. But so should Felipe Lopez. That doesn't change that Freel is an on-base utility man with little power.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Freel is an ideal leadoff hitter though.

[Fishercat]

I'd be pissed if I were him.

[missionhockey21]

Ideally, our lineup generates enough power that Freel's lack of wouldn't be an issue. We need guys to get on base to make our power count and Freel can do that (as well as steal a few bags.)

[redsrbetter]

I really want to see Freel and Pena start tonight. But I doubt it happening.

[NFLman2033]

I agree guys. Freel needs to start over DJ, and DJ has to get something done on his days off. Maybe a complete session with Chambliss could help. He needs to learn how to hit left handed again. Right now DJ is a right handed batter, not a switch hitter by any account.

I like DJ, just not as a Lead off hitter

[Slyder]

To be honest I dont blame him (Freel), likewise I didnt blame Guillen when he had his outburst about playing time a couple years back. I like to see the fire in guys bellies like that. Now granted theres two ways to this could go, 1) He could take the Guillen route and become a problem 2) just let his play speak for itself. Hopefully he takes the latter.

[redsrbetter]

agreed Slyder. Freel really has a reason to say something though. Just look at tonight's game. Freel stepped it up in his only AB, and DJ never got anything done all night. How many days in a row is that?