The looming end-of-the-line for Drew Stubbs
By
Zeldink
Posted at 11:17 am
Almost lost in a notebook item written by reds.com reporter Mark Sheldon yesterday was this little bit of news about the fastest man in baseball and top Reds’ prospect, Billy Hamilton.
Billy Hamilton is switching positions, going from shortstop to center field.
“There are a lot of reasons,” Bill Bavasi, the Reds’ vice president of scouting and player development, told MLB.com. “We have [Zack] Cozart. We have Didi [Gregorius]. If you watch Hamilton’s style of play, it’s a pounding style of play. It would be an easier position for his body to take along with the base stealing. Everything seems to work better.”
Notice who wasn’t mentioned? Current center fielder Drew Stubbs. The Reds have maintained that Hamilton isn’t ready for the majors, and he is likely another year away. But it’s very easy to envision him being a September call-up in 2013.
Drew Stubbs has been terrible year this year, which is the worst of his career. He showed such promise after his first full year in 2010, but he’s been disappointing in the 2 seasons since. He’s shaping up to be another Corey Patterson, and I’m glad to see the Reds making a move to shore up that position for the future.
I think that it is a great idea to get Hamilton ready for center field. I have said for two years now that the Stubbs experiment needs to come to an end. I watched him goof off and go through the motions in Spring Training and I was screaming for them to trade or release him this year.
If Dusty plays him in the playoffs, he is giving a “free out” to the opposition- a move that can land Cincinnati an early exit!
Itis going to be close but I think that “Stubby” hit his weight ( 213) this year!
I’m definitely in favor of moving Hamilton to center. With Cozart and Gregorius, the Reds seem to have some depth and options at shortstop for the first time since Larkin retired. Center field is much more shallow, with no one really besides Stubbs and Heisey. Hopefully, Hamilton develops quickly.
As for a player hitting his weight, I don’t think ever leads to a good batting average, except for Prince Fielder.
You forget that Kevin Mitchell is Batman, and he probably did hit his weight back in 1994.
Others hitting their weight on the Reds include Mesoraco and Cairo.
Stubbs has simply refused to learn to use his speed constructively: bunt, slap hit the other way and shorten his stroke with two strikes. He is a magnificent outfielder but playing Heisey doesn’t give up that much on defense.
I remember that one of the greatest power hitters of all time, Mickey Mantle, was never too proud to bunt and take what the defense gave him. Stubbs is simply not a team player and doesn’t belong on the team.
Stubbs has to go, he simply will not change his approach. Once he has two strikes on him you can forget about it. The Reds should trade Stubbs and look for a one year replacement in CF for 2013 then Hamilton in 2014. I would also make Jay Bruce spend the winter with Votto so Bruce can learn how to hit to left field on a regular basis.
Wow Stubbs is still getting hate and the season has been over for a little less then a month. I am a Stubbs fan and I am proud of it. If he is traded I can gurantee that he will have a better batting coach and learn disipline at the plate and really begin to take off in a positive way in his career. He just isn’t getting good coaching from Jacoby or Baker. Wherever Stubbs career goes I will continue to follow him, and if he is on a team that plays against the Reds may the Reds get a royal butt kicking by him and the new team he would be on.
Stubbs is getting hated because he is a bad player. You blame his failure on everyone but him- typical. The dude is no good because he makes no attempt to better himself. Votto is taught by Jacoby-he gets it-Phillips gets it. Don’t blame jacoby because Stubbs has no hitting ability. geesh-grow up