If it is to make sure that Hopper and Castro feel wanted/welcome/fresh, well, I guess I view it as that’s just too d*mn bad, because the Reds are offensively challenged as it is and Castro hits worse than most pitchers (although he’s fine as a defensive replacement) and Hopper is a nice pinch-running option.

Seeing Narron put an inferior team on the field on any given night just infuriates me.

What we *do* know is that Edwin Encarnacion is getting to sit because of it.  Encarnacion is supposed to be the Reds 3B of the future.  He has to be given more of a chance to get out of his current slump if that is the case.  He has far more ability and potential than others who are currently playing every day.  It is hard to fathom why Narron feels free to screw with Encarnacion–even benching him over a lack of hustle on one play–when he lets Brandon Phillips and Ken Griffey and plenty of others get away with those things.  It is apparent to casual observers that Narron has it in for Encarnacion–but it is not apparent why.

The fact is that Narron should be putting the best team that he can on the field every night.  In a perfect world, we would actually know how good Hamilton really is, as opposed to supposing that he is on a bit of a hot streak and that he will cool off.  Not knowing makes it harder.

Is Encarnacion really the least of those threats among the Reds every day players?  I sure don’t think so.

I don’t know what to think about Jeff Brantley.  He says a lot of dopey stuff.  For example, he insisted that Dustin Hermanson would be the closer just the day before Hermanson was cut.  Good grief.

Josh Hamilton.  Are you kidding me?  I just hope that the raised expectations are not so unrealistic that his rough patches become a problem.  Everyone should try to keep a level head and remember that he is a Rule 5 guy who simply does not have a lot of innings under his belt, understanding that his tools are off the charts and that he will make some spectacular plays or timely hits more than some.  Anything useful should be considered a bonus, and it honestly is a crying shame that he doesn’t get regular ABs in AA this year.

Dustin Hermanson.  Ok, if he is really the closer, then why did other teams sniff around him and then refuse to even sign him to a minor league deal?  I worry about this choice–not that the Reds have a lot to pick from, but I think Todd Coffey has looked pretty good and really he was very good (but unlucky with hit rate in the second half) last year.  I don’t see Hermanson lasting past May 31.

Adam Dunn.  How can someone this good go under the radar all spring?  He has been tremendous and could be back on track after going off the rails last season in the second half.  Credit Brook Jacoby, at least in part.

Second note–glad to see that Homer Bailey is going to get some more minor league time.  No sense in rushing him.  He’s going to be tremendous, but starting the clock on his service time makes little sense and he has some work to do before he is ready for prime time.

Third note: Has anyone else noticed how much the catchers have stunk this spring?  Ay carumba!

Fourth note: Matt Belisle has emerged as a favorite for the fifth slot in the rotation–maybe–but Paul Wilson is also in the running and as the season wears on, there may be a revolving door in that slot.  Still, Belisle has done everything the Reds could ask and he is probably better than $9 mil albatross Eric Milton to boot.  To my mind, if Krivsky has to eat some money to unload Milton, that would still be a smart move.  Given the offseason signings (Marquis and Meche most notably), someone will be interested in Milton.

Fifth note: This time last year, Edwin Encarnacion was the toast of spring training.  I think 2007 is going to be his breakout season–lots of offense coming–hopefully from the 4 slot in the lineup.

Sixth note:  Speaking of lineups, Alex Gonzalez better not ever be higher in the lineup than 8th.  Perhaps some pitchers can outhit Gonzalez  . . .

Seventh note: Adam Dunn looks refreshed and renewed.  NL teams better watch out.

Eighth note:  All we hear is how David Weathers is the closer, Mike Stanton may get some shots, and Dustin Hermanson is a candidate as well.  I don’t see how there is room on the team for everyone involved, when you also count Rheal Cormier, Bill Bray, Todd Coffey, Gary Majewski and Kirk Saarloos.  Here’s betting that Hermanson stays in extended spring training, that Majewski starts the year on the DL, and that Coffey and Bray outpitch Weathers, yet Weathers remains the ersatz closer anyway.

Ninth note: speaking of Kirk Saarloos, what are the Reds going to do with all of their fifth starters?  Saarloos, Belisle, Wilson, and Livingston all looking at one slot on the team?  Something has to give—hopefully the Reds can keep some of this depth.

Final note: less than three weeks away from the Opening Day celebrations in Cincinnati–no matter how the team is projected to perform, that is one of the best days of every year.

Beats spending that same money to bring in some deadbeat pitcher for short-term who isn’t much above replacement level, if at all above replacement level–which is what other teams appear to have done.

Never thought I’d say this during this offseason, but kudos to you and your staff, Mr. Krivsky.

But Saarloos might be useful as a replacement for Ryan Franklin.  I know, I know, Franklin was not brilliant for the Reds last year, but he was very flexible and useful in August and actually pulled the Reds out in some games with long relief stints.  I like the pickup.

As for Bellhorn, he costs nothing and is just coming to camp to see if there is something left in the tank.  Not exactly Rich Aurilia, but he just may beat out Jeff Keppinger for that 2B/3B bench slot (and he should, since Keppinger can’t hit at all and Castro can do all of the extra glove work that the team needs).  Of course, Bellhorn has to bring *some* value–he’ll have to hit a lot better than he did last year for San Diego.  I like that move too.

Baby steps, but positive ones.

Lohse’s peripheral numbers were a bit better, though–we probably have a 4.50-4.80 ERA pitcher for that money, which is better than Eric Milton, who is still running at $8 mil.

Every week the Reds hope to run out Arroyo, Harang, Milton and Lohse.  #5 is mystery man–maybe Homer Bailey later in the year if he keeps on skyrocketing upward. 

That is a sub .500 rotation, folks, as long as Milton and Lohse are taking regular turns and Bailey is not quite ready–not quite.  Now there is a slight chance that Lohse could go on a roll at some point and provide some wins to go with all those innings, and Bailey could be a rare phenom, but I’m not holding my breath–especially not with the offense as decimated as it is with all the spare parts in the lineup from last year’s version.

Are the Reds currently sitting on their hands and hoping that no one has another offseason injury?  Seems so.

Krivsky was crazy like a fox on Thursday, paying the Cubs (of all teams) to select Josh Hamilton and slide him over to the Reds.

It costs the Reds very little in the way of money (at least baseball money) and Hamilton was a number one overall pick in 1999.  Most observers know that Hamilton got hurt in 2001, got into crack and basically was wandering in the wilderness until he was reinstated last June.  He put in some time in split season ball before hurting his knee, but reports are that he still has his considerable tools.

Odds are that he is going to be overmatched at the big league level.  Rule 5 selections have to stay on the major league roster all season.  But the Reds should be focused on the longer-term, and it is far better to get some upside in Rule 5 than to waste a selection on a fringe pitcher (as the Reds appeared to do with their own selection).

Given that the Reds carried Quinton McCracken and DeWayne Wise at various times, and Norris Hopper and then three catchers on top of that, this is really not going to hurt the Reds very much, since they are generally too thin to put 25 quality contributors on the roster anyway.  There is no reason to think that Hamilton cannot play adequate defense, and it won’t hurt for him to get a fresh start in a new organization.

As much as I have been a critic of a lot of what Krivsky does, this was a very inspired move.  A crazy like a fox kind of move.

The beauty is, if it doesn’t work out, it costs the Reds so little.  This was definitely a gamble worth taking–now the talent evaluators have to do a good job figuring out whether Hamilton can contribute–not in 2007, but rather in 2009.  If he can help the Reds in 2009, then he should get the roster slot in 2007 over the Norris Hoppers.