Another Saturday, another post to RHM's Red Hot Diaries. This time I want to type a few words about EE - Edwin Encarnacion. Going into this afternoon's ST game against Toronto he had five homers and 12 RBI. Nobody else even had two, except now Dewayne Wise hit one off Francisco Rosario in today's game. So they're tied now.

Last year, the Reds parked Felipe Lopez on the bench and gave Rich Aurilia the starting job at SS. Once Aurilia got hurt, all Lopez did was have ann all-star year and one of the best offensive seasons by a shortstop in Reds history. Who knows what he might have accomplished if he hadn't started the year playing behind Aurilia.

Thankfully, it doesn't look like they'll get the chance to make the same mistake with EE. He's not only hitting, he's played errorless ball over there at the hot corner. Something tells me EE isn't going to be hitting in the eight hole this year. You don't hit a guy like EE in front of the pitcher where he's pretty much guaranteed to see diddly squat to swing at, you stick him in the middle of the lineup somewhere and let him drive in runs in bunches.

I only saw EE once in the minors, a game here in Buffalo between the Bisons and the Bats last May. EE went 0-for-4 with a K, but Andy Abad (now with the Reds) climbed the left field wall to rob him of a dinger. EE also made a great defensive play that day by going deep in the hole to snag a grounder and start a 6-4-3 DP. He's the real deal. I'm going to be really upset with Jerry Narron if this kid starts the season playing behind Aurilia or anybody else.

“The Dominican Babe Ruth” indeed. Ruth played for the Yankees. I'm for calling him “The Dominican Tony Perez.”

HMZ

P.S.: The final is in from Sarasota: Cincinnati 7, Toronto 6, 11 innings. :-)))