All Things Bubba

So, what are Andy Phillips' chances of making the roster in beautiful Ohio? At first blush, it doesn't seem like a very good fit. The Reds are well-stocked in the infield. Let's take a look...

3B: Edwin Elpidio Encarnacion. A young player with plenty of upside. He'll start, unless he's traded. Which doesn't seem likely, because the Reds need righty bats.

2B: Brandon Phillips. Another young player with a bright future ahead of him. He's rumored to be disliked in the clubhouse, but as long as he produces, they'll put up with him.

1B: Lefty Scott Hatteberg was the Reds' most productive player last year. Joey Votto, the Reds' best hitting prospect not named Jay Bruce, is also a lefty, and he is ready for the big leagues. If he doesn't start the season in Cincinnati, he'll probably be called up in June.

SS: Alex Gonzalez, formerly of the Red Sox. The Reds seem to really like him, and he produced last year, so I don't think he's going anywhere.

Reserves: The Reds have a wealth of reserve infielders. The slick-fielding Juan Castro, "Manos de oro," is getting up there and is no longer quite so slick-fielding. And he can't hit a lick. However, he's got a big contract, and he can play SS, so the Reds will probably keep him. Jeff Keppinger played very well last season, and has become a fan favorite. Many want to see him start. He can also play corner OF, so he's versatile. Ryan Freel, super-sub, can play infield as well as outfield. Paul Janish (like Bubba, a Rice alum) will be ready for the big leagues soon, if he isn't already. Not sure if the Reds would use him as a backup; they may be planning for him to be A-Gon's successor at SS.

It's possible one or more of these players will be traded. But as it stands...if there's a spot for Andy, it's probably at first base, as a platoon partner for Hatteberg. Last year, Jeff Conine had that role. After he was traded, they got Jorge Cantu to replace him. They wanted to keep Cantu, but Cantu asked for more money than they were willing to give him. (He signed for a very modest amount with the Marlins, so I guess either he over-estimated his value, or he really didn't want to stay in Cincinnati. I could understand that; he could be a starter for the Fish. There's no way he'd start for the Reds.)

So, my guess is that Andy is competing to be the next Conine/Cantu. The right-handed half of a first base platoon.

The only problem with that is that Andy's splits are reversed. At least in the majors. He's hit lefties better than righties throughout his minor league career. But in the big leagues, it's the other way around.

The first year, I thought it was a fluke. But he was DFA'd, cleared waivers, and ended up on Scranton. Where he smoked the southpaws. Then he was called up again, and once again, his splits reversed.

Maybe the Reds haven't noticed. Maybe they think it's a fluke (and perhaps it is). Anyways, if Andy wants to make the Reds' roster, he'll have to prove that he can hit lefties. That is what the Reds are looking for. They have plenty of guys who can hit righties.

Labels: Andy Phillips