September 21, 200718 yr Sounds like Homer had a great effort. I watched the first inning and got to see Keppy nonchalant a routine grounder into a hit and a run. Let me say again I don't think there is any chance that he can be your everyday SS heading into next season. So he misses one ball, which I admit he should have caught and now there is no chance he should be the everyday shortstop? He has done very good both offensively and defensively since he has been the starting shortstop... With that said, if Gonzo ends up being the starter next year I am not against it. However if Gonzo plays defense against next year like he did this year, then I much rather see Keppy in there. Keppy this year has done almost as good as Gonzo did this year when he played short...People need to realize that maybe Gonzo who is getting older, has started to lose some defensively and wont be that great defensive shortstop like he use to be...
September 21, 200718 yr So he misses one ball, which I admit he should have caught and now there is no chance he should be the everyday shortstop? The eye roll and the comment would be fair IF I had said all along he could do it but now switched after one play. In my defense, I've been saying it about him since day #1. Last night was simply an example. I think two things are fairly easy to swallow: he isn't a .330 hitter over a full season and he has the range of a statue. Given those two things, I don't think the Reds (or anyone else in baseball) will give him an everyday job at SS or 3B. Maybe, underscore maybe, at 2B -- but as of now that job is pretty safe. Again, save the eye roll for someone who changes 3 months of a stance on one ground ball. Not applicable to me.
September 21, 200718 yr So he misses one ball, which I admit he should have caught and now there is no chance he should be the everyday shortstop? He has done very good both offensively and defensively since he has been the starting shortstop... ... Kepp is good at what he can do. What he can't do is cover a lot of ground which AGonz still has on him. That's why I used the term "net effect" earlier. While Kepp may give up some runs on balls that he can't get to, I believe his offensive and his ability to get on base will offset that. My guess is he's not the starter next year and fills in for Freel.
September 21, 200718 yr No. He was booting routine balls before he ever went on a leave. To be fair his son has been in trouble since the day he was born. The leave didn't signify the start of what he and his family have been through...
September 21, 200718 yr The eye roll and the comment would be fair IF I had said all along he could do it but now switched after one play. In my defense, I've been saying it about him since day #1. Last night was simply an example. I think two things are fairly easy to swallow: he isn't a .330 hitter over a full season and he has the range of a statue. Given those two things, I don't think the Reds (or anyone else in baseball) will give him an everyday job at SS or 3B. Maybe, underscore maybe, at 2B -- but as of now that job is pretty safe. Again, save the eye roll for someone who changes 3 months of a stance on one ground ball. Not applicable to me. And why have you been saying since Day 1 that he cant play short? Is it because people in the minors reported that defense was his weak link? You know what and that may be true, but as I also heard someone say before that there has been plenty of people who had bad raps for defense in the minors but did just fine in the majors. So far this year while Keppy has been playing short he has been playing just fine at the shortstop position, and acutally just as well as Gonzo has played it this year..Like it or not he definitely has earned the opportunity to be the everyday shortstop for next year... I will like to add again though if Gonzo is the starter again next year, I am not against that because Gonzo is a good shortstop. My thing is though that if Keppy was the everyday starter, I think we would still be just fine...
September 21, 200718 yr ..Like it or not he definitely has earned the opportunity to be the everyday shortstop for next year... He's earned the right to be considered. He has not earned the job outright. AGonz has actually hit fairly well and we'll assume his D will get back to where it was recently. As I said, give him a short leash and if he doesnt produce , Kepp takes over.
September 21, 200718 yr He's earned the right to be considered. He has not earned the job outright. AGonz has actually hit fairly well and we'll assume his D will get back to where it was recently. As I said, give him a short leash and if he doesnt produce , Kepp takes over. :thumb:
September 21, 200718 yr And why have you been saying since Day 1 that he cant play short? Is it because people in the minors reported that defense was his weak link? You know what and that may be true, but as I also heard someone say before that there has been plenty of people who had bad raps for defense in the minors but did just fine in the majors. So far this year while Keppy has been playing short he has been playing just fine at the shortstop position, and acutally just as well as Gonzo has played it this year..Like it or not he definitely has earned the opportunity to be the everyday shortstop for next year... A. There is a reason that a guy like this, who looks like he can hit a little, can't stick anywhere. Could he be a jerk? Maybe, but I doubt it. Could he be a prima-donna? Maybe, but again, I doubt it. Could it be because he is a liability in the field? Probably. Now maybe you guys know more than the GM's (and staffs) in K.C. and NY, but maybe not. B. My own eyes. His throwing motion is awkward, and like Eckstein in St. L, is very over-the-top. His range is not good. He doesn't go to his left very well, as evidenced (again) by last night's play. I don't need to be told what I see. C. SS needs to be an above-average defensive player, in general, and I don't think hitting .300 with 75 runs and 50 rbi covers up for a lack of range and arm strength (and, by the way, no speed to speak of). I don't think you can afford, at SS, give away defense for stick. Especially since we're talking about a guy in his first 500 AB's...not a guy with a baseball card full of .300 season in the bigs. I'm not anti-Keppy. I think he is a fine 23rd or 24th guy. I think he and Hopper as super-subs puts this team in position to have some depth and do some things. I'm not wanting to run the guy out of town, just don't want him playing SS everyday.
September 22, 200718 yr A Now maybe you guys know more than the GM's (and staffs) in K.C. and NY, but maybe not. . You KNOW I do.
September 22, 200718 yr BP goes from 1st to 3rd on a routine bunt and then scores on a sac fly in the 11th. He's so fun to watch...
September 23, 200718 yr Just got a call from a buddy and even though I don't like the Reds he invited me and my gf to go to a Reds game, it'll be the 3rd of my life and the 1st one since 1998. Going next sunday(last game of the year) and it could be a good game depending on where we're sitting and whether or not the playoffs are riding on the line!
September 23, 200718 yr To put Dunn's $13M option into perspective: Eric F. Byrnes sigined a 3 yr/$30M contract.
September 23, 200718 yr Author To put Dunn's $13M option into perspective: Eric F. Byrnes sigined a 3 yr/$30M contract. And worth every penny. j/k I don't even know who that is.
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