The Reds have reportedly signed Corey Patterson and Jerry Hairston Jr. to minor league deals.

Patterson kept holding out and holding out, but he never found the deal he wanted. At least the Reds can give him an opportunity to claim a starting job, though he'll be a long shot to play full-time initially. This does make it more likely that Jay Bruce will head to Triple-A initially.


A minor league deal is the best super agent Scott Boras could do?? This has been a rough off-season for Boras and he still has Kyle Lohse unsigned.

Patterson and Dustiny reunited. Cincy may still suck but at least they won't be boring.

there won't be a more hilarious story this pre-season.

Speaking of hilarious stories, check out Phil Rogers article today in the trib:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs ... 428.column

My favorite excerpts

"Corey is still young," said Baker, in his first year managing the Reds. "To me he hasn't scratched the surface of his abilities and he is one of the fastest runners in baseball. He plays a great center field."


Young and talented are two different things dude. Corey has only one of those two.

"I'm one of those players who can do most of everything—play good defense, steal some bases, hit line drives in the gaps," Patterson said. "I can do all phases and I have done things well, like the baserunning and the throwing and the defense. But I'm always looking to improve, and I'm never satisfied."


Yeah? Then why have two teams given up on you and the only team that wanted you was your former manager, who follows his very dumb trend of reacquiring former players who played for him, including Jerry Hairston Jr. And you can do one thing very well, strikeout. Ill agree you are decent defensively, but come on, if you could do most of everything you wouldnt be looking for a job.

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At least he never takes strike three looking.

nice catch, hoffy. that is indeed a hilarious read, and those quotes are choice.

i want to like c-pat if only because i have a hard-on for speedy guys.... joey gathright, carl crawford (the most ovverrated fantasy pick over the past three years), pablo ozuna (the only player i've ever seen steal home at a game i've attended), nook logan... the list goes on and on. problem is, in practical terms, those players are usually worth very little to their teams. juan pierre has a reputation (thanks in large part to bill plaschke) as one of the best leadoff hitters in the game, but as cubs fans know all too well, that's simply not true. the last true speed guy to have any plus qualities beyond his legs was rickey henderson, and the fact that he hasn't been able to find a job since 2003 while corey patterson and joey gathright continue to bounce around the league is a testament to the lingering idiocy of major league gm's.

Or it could be that he was 44 years old in 2003, 49 now.

When you say "plus qualities beyond legs" do you just mean power? Otherwise, what about Ichiro.


Agreed though, that speed guys, while highly likeable, are generally overrated.

age ain't nothin but a number.

henderson's quality was the ability to get on base at an impossible clip. patience + speed = greatness; speed + wildly flailing the bat at poor pitches / pounding balls into the dirt = leading off for the l.a. dodgers.

ichiro was truly "great" in his first year in the league. a consistent steals/obp guy, sure, but his obp is also consistently driven by his batting average (in 2005, when his ba/bip dropped to .316, his obp took a nosedive as well, at .350 on the year). that's not to say i don't like him, it's just that he'd be even more valuable if he didn't take so many cuts.

LOOKING LIKE LEADOFF: Corey Patterson is hitting .474 this spring, mostly in the leadoff spot.

"I always thought he'd be a good leadoff man," Baker said. "He's got all the tangibles to be a leadoff man. Maybe sometime you're not ready. When he came up, he didn't know how to bunt. They said he was going to be a 30-30 man and it got in his head."

Cincinnati Enquirer

lot's and lot's of optimism flying around baseball this spring

Looks like he's the starting CF and leading off. We'll see . . .

Has Neifi signed with the Reds yet?

He has 18 games left on a suspension and I think the Rockies cut him so he is available.

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what do you know dustys bringing back his guys instead of using young guys.

Hmm. Leading off. My recollection of Corey as a Cub is that he strikes out a lot, take very few walks, swings for the fences and never bunts.

Doesn't sound like an ideal leadoff candidate.

Reds Openind Day Lineup

Corey Patterson CF
Jeff Keppinger SS
Ken Griffey Jr. RF
Brandon Phillips 2B
Adam Dunn LF
Edwin Encarnacion 3B
Scott Hatteberg 1B
Javier Valentin C
Aaron Harang P

Dustiny sent Bruce and Baily to the minors, he's hitting Corey Patterson leadoff and he's starting Hatteburg over Votto at 1B.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Reds optioned OF Corey Patterson to Triple-A Louisville.

Let the rejoicing begin in Cincinnati. The team decided that the best way to make sure that Dusty Baker didn't play Patterson over Jay Bruce was to take the toy away. He hit .200 with 4 homers and 8 eight stolen bases in 45 games for the Reds.

Dustiny managed them into the basement and now they have to take players away from him (they also cut Hatteburg). I can't believe he's a major league manager.

He went 0-8 in that 18 inning game against the Padres this past weekend.

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This is why I'm happy Dusty signed w/ the Reds. It's like they don't want to win again. Plus it gives me a chance to watch the 04 cubs play again.

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