The Reds are off to a decent start having won three straight and going for a sweep of the Brewers in Milwaukee. Cincinnati's future is bright with a solid core of young pitchers and position players throughout the organization.
I might be in the minority when I say I like Dusty Baker as a manager and think he is doing a solid job. There is only one beef I have with Baker and the lineups he trots out on a day-to-day basis: Dusty please play Chris Dickerson.
The coaching staff has said that Dickerson is going to be the left-handed platoon guy in left field and will split time with righty Jerry Hairston Jr. But, my point is, if the Reds think Jay Bruce is the so-called future and will be the everyday right-fielder, why can't Dickerson be the future in left-field and get to play everyday? Dickerson hits left-handed pitchers way better than Bruce, has much more speed than Bruce and is a better outfielder. I am not saying that Bruce will not be a good player in time to come, but I just don't understand why Bruce plays everyday, no matter who is pitching, yet Dickerson is strictly a platoon guy.
Both Dickerson and Bruce are still very, very early in their careers as major leaguers, but just look at the numbers. In 2008, Dickerson hit a respectable .286 (6-for-21) against lefties and struck out six times. When Bruce came up from the minors last season, he hit .190 against lefties (26-for-137) and struck out a lot (46 times). Now early in the 2009 season, Dickerson has only been allowed to face lefties twice, going 0-for-2, while Bruce is 1-for-9. On the other hand, Hairston Jr., who takes Dickerson's playing time, is 0-for-7 this year against lefties. It just doesn't make sense.
I know Bruce is younger than Dickerson, but Dickerson is only in his late 20s and has all the physical tools that scouts can't teach. Every time a lefty trots out to the mound, Dickerson rots away on the bench while a lifetime journeyman utility-man Hairston, Jr gobbles up all the at-bats.
If the Reds say Bruce is the future and let him play everyday not matter who is pitching, they need to do the same thing for Dickerson. I would argue that Dickerson has physical tools that are superior to Bruce, and especially superior to Hairston, Jr., yet he sits on the bench and his talents are waisted every time the opposing team throws a left-handed pitcher. Elite players in the majors play no matter who is pitching and Dickerson has the potential to be an elite player if he is given the chance.
Keywords: Cincinnati Reds
