The Reds played the Tiggers yesterday. Johnny Quest did pretty well and made an impression on Jim Leyland. Andy was subbed in at 3B and went 0 for 1.
The Reds roster is starting to take shape. I suspect the starting lineup yesterday was pretty much what the starting lineup on opening day will be. Patterson in CF, Castro at SS, Bako catching. Starting catcher David Ross and starting SS Alex Gonzalez will likely start the season on the DL. Patterson may just be keeping CF warm for Jay Bruce. For clock reasons, the Reds may prefer to start Bruce in Louisville, and call him up in June (as they did with Homer Bailey last year).
Looks like the starting rotation is pretty much set, too. Dusty's as good as said it will be Harang, Arroyo, Cueto, Volquez, and Fogg. Pretty exciting that there will be two kids like Cueto and Volquez in the rotation.
Perhaps most interesting is the fate of the two players who were the Reds' hottest prospects last year: Homer Bailey and Joey Votto. Bailey's star has dimmed a bit this year. Not so much because he's been bad, but because other players have emerged and are overshadowing him. The feeling seems to be that Bailey is not quite ready for prime time. He will likely start the season in Louisville. Votto has had a pretty terrible spring so far. Spring training doesn't really mean anything, but Votto's given the Reds no reason to choose him over Hatteberg. He, too, may start in Louisville and be called up later.
Barring trade or injury, there's only one spot left on the roster for a position player. There are five utility spots, and four are already filled: Freel, Hopper, Valentine, and Keppinger (or Castro, if Kep is the starting SS in A-Gon's absence).
The Reds probably want a right-handed hitter off the bench, to platoon with Hatteberg and be a power bat off the bench, as Jeff Conine was last year. If Andy makes the roster, it will be in this role.
However, all the utility guys are right-handed except Valentine. And he's a catcher, so they might be reluctant to use him as a pinch-hitter. They might prefer a lefty bat. OTOH, there is no lefty bat in camp who is likely to make the team as a utility guy. (They aren't going to use a player like Votto as a bench player. Young players need to play every day.)
I guess Andy has as good a chance as any.
