Reds in April

The not so big Red Machine found a mechanic with most of the missing parts. Not only that but this mechanic has spare parts like a Honda factory. The new additions to the reds ballclub that have already begun to show their value are Jeff Conine, Alex Gonzalez and Josh Hamilton.

Let me tell you what I like about Conine. This is a guy who has been in the league for a long time and his approach to the game shows it. Cool calm collect would be the best way to put it. As coach Weber, yeah blackhawks, used to say "show some class; act like you've been there before" seems to be his matra. Conine produces consistently even under pressure when runners are on the bags which to this point has been a major problem for the club, especially for Encarnacion, Ross and tonight Valentin. But getting back to the point, old Canine's facial expressions crack me up. Why? Well basicly he has none. That guy always has this straight lipped unexicted almost boardering on uninterested look on his face (however he actually is very interested if not then focused)...all the time. I saw him lose balance while striking out and in the same motion without looking at the ump continued striding to the dug out like a man who just came out of the john. This maturity isn't really something that can be taught but through his presence, hopefully, it will rub off on the younger players making the ball team that much better when it's August and every game has division implications.

Gonzalez looks to be the best defensive fielder on the team period. Plus he is another well experienced addition having won a World Series with the Marlins and having set the organization of the Red Sox's error per game record last season. Although he has already commited more errors this season than he did the entire previous season Gonzalez is a vast improvement over who we had in 2006. Heres a guy who can just make plays that other shortstops just can't. Twenty one games in he has already made the webjem list multiple times with one being number one. So at least there will be a reason for sports center to broadcast some Reds action more than every once and a while. He has also shown he can swing the bat too. He has an avg hovering between .250 and .300 which is great for a guy who bats pretty late in the line up.

Then there's Hamilton. What he has that the other two don't is youth. His upside is enormous, even the level he is playing at now is monsterous. Naturally talented and fundamentally sound he is a general at the plate. Using his 35 lbs forearms he can place the ball on a line drive anywhere inside or outside the ball park. No one on the team drives the ball off their bat like this kid does. Starting his Reds career by being the alpha dog as far as leading the team in RBI's and HR's he is the much needed cog to the still struggling offensive engine of the Reds. According to Dunn he apparently hasn't even tapped into his true hitting power since he hasn't yet learned to use the bottom half of his body, something power hitters rely on, in his swing. Said of Hamilton, "with time and experience he will eventually learn to get his legs into the ball." Once that happens it isn't too hard to imagine him setting season and even career records in MLB. Furhter proof is that during spring training veteran scouts were heard saying they have not seen a kid with this much raw talent since Mickey Mantle! Oh and not to mention he is the humblest down to earth guy. Something nearly all professional athelets dearly need.

In all the Reds have aquired three impact players on and off the field that assuredly will better a team that was already decent, competing for the division up to the end and holding a winning record against the eventual 2006 World Series champs. Next time the spare parts: our bomb ass farm teams.