Cincinnati Reds 2010 preview
Article By smcneal.tsn on 11th March, 2010
Cincinnati's 27-13 finish in 2009 provided some hope. But will Joey Votto have his breakout season? Can Scott Rolen stay healthy? Will Aaron Harang bounce back in a contract year? Will Homer Bailey's strong second half carry over? How good is Aroldis Chapman, and when will he arrive?
And the biggest question: Can the Reds be surprise contenders in the NL Central? If they get positive results to even half of their questions, the answer is yes.
Joey Votto has power, but can he stay healthy? Three questions
1. What happened in the offseason?
General manager Walt Jocketty didn't make a lot of moves, but the ones he made bode well for the future. For the long term: The Reds pulled off the surprise of the offseason by outbidding the big-money clubs for 22-year-old Aroldis Chapman. The Reds could feature a rotation of Chapman, Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez as soon as next season. For the short-term: Jocketty dumped Willy Taveras and his contract on the A's, which allowed the Reds to sign shortstop Orlando Cabrera to a one-year deal. Cincinnati also brought back Johnny Gomes -- an underrated move because of his power.
As a result, the Reds are better. They will replace Taveras, who disappointed in his only season in Cincinnati, with Drew Stubbs. And Cabrera provides an upgrade over Paul Janish at shortstop. The rest of the lineup returns intact.
2. Where's the offense?
The Reds play in a hitter-friendly park and have a potentially strong middle of the lineup. However, health is a concern. Votto, Rolen and Jay Bruce all have the power to hit 25 homers, but they need to stay in the lineup for more than 131 games. None of the three did so last season. Neither did Ramon Hernandez, another player capable of reaching double figures in homers.
The Reds need their thumpers to thump because they don't have a lot of speed. Their cleanup hitter, Brandon Phillips, tied Taveras...
Read Complete Article at Latest Sporting News Articles for MLB
And the biggest question: Can the Reds be surprise contenders in the NL Central? If they get positive results to even half of their questions, the answer is yes.
Joey Votto has power, but can he stay healthy? Three questions
1. What happened in the offseason?
General manager Walt Jocketty didn't make a lot of moves, but the ones he made bode well for the future. For the long term: The Reds pulled off the surprise of the offseason by outbidding the big-money clubs for 22-year-old Aroldis Chapman. The Reds could feature a rotation of Chapman, Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez as soon as next season. For the short-term: Jocketty dumped Willy Taveras and his contract on the A's, which allowed the Reds to sign shortstop Orlando Cabrera to a one-year deal. Cincinnati also brought back Johnny Gomes -- an underrated move because of his power.
As a result, the Reds are better. They will replace Taveras, who disappointed in his only season in Cincinnati, with Drew Stubbs. And Cabrera provides an upgrade over Paul Janish at shortstop. The rest of the lineup returns intact.
2. Where's the offense?
The Reds play in a hitter-friendly park and have a potentially strong middle of the lineup. However, health is a concern. Votto, Rolen and Jay Bruce all have the power to hit 25 homers, but they need to stay in the lineup for more than 131 games. None of the three did so last season. Neither did Ramon Hernandez, another player capable of reaching double figures in homers.
The Reds need their thumpers to thump because they don't have a lot of speed. Their cleanup hitter, Brandon Phillips, tied Taveras...
Read Complete Article at Latest Sporting News Articles for MLB
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