Press Clippings October 16, 2015

THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1990 - becomes the 22nd player to homer in his first World Series at-bat.

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Who plays left field for Reds in '16? By John Fay / Cincinnati Enquirer / [email protected] / @johnfayman

This is the fourth in a periodic series looking at the questions the Reds face this offseason. Today's question: Who plays left field?

I'll give you a firm "I don't know" on this one.

The Reds have roughly as many candidates for left field as the Republicans have presidential hopefuls. The difference is the Reds have no clear frontrunner.

Eight players started a game in left for the Reds this year. The two who played the most — Marlon Byrd (86 games) and Skip Schumaker (32) — are gone. Byrd was traded away; Schumaker is a free agent.

The others who started: Adam Duvall (15), Ivan DeJesus Jr. (14), Jason Bourgeois (6), Brennan Boesch (5), Chris Dominguez (2) and Kristopher Negron (2).

The Reds also plan to play in left some in spring. And you've got to think Eugenio Suarez will get some time there as well.

Minor-leaguers Jesse Winker and Yorman Rodriguez could be in the mix as well.

Of the guys who played there last year, Duvall, 26, probably has the best chance to win the job. He .204 with five home runs and nine RBI in 64 at-bats with the Reds. He hit .281 with 30 home runs and 87 RBI in Triple-A.

He's a big power bat who probably wouldn't hit for a great average. The Astros came close to making the ALCS with a lineup full of players who hit for a lot of power and little average.

Duvall came up as an infielder, but he was adequate defensively in left.

I don't see the Reds bringing back Bourgeois, Boesch, Dominguez or Negron on big-league contracts.

DeJesus was good enough to be brought back in a utility role. He hit .244 with four home runs and 28 RBI in 201 at-bats. I don't see him in the running to play every day in left.

Left has been a spot at which the Reds have tried to upgrade offensively with bargain free agents. Adam Dunn started six straight Opening Days in left from 2002 to 2008. Since then, Jerry Hairston Jr., Laynce Nix, Jonny Gomes, Ryan Ludwick and Byrd have started on . During a lot of that span, the Reds were hoping Chris Heisey developed into the .

That didn't happen.

I don't see the Reds trying to find a Ludwick- or Byrd-type this offseason. I think they'll live with some combination of Duvall and Suarez in left, and hope Winker and/or Rodriguez develop.

If they do try to upgrade the outfield through trade, I think they'll go for someone with a high ceiling who is not quite big-league ready — sort of what they did when they traded for Suarez.

The other caveat here is the Reds may be looking at filling both corner outfield positions if they trade . That's a question for another day.

TRANSACTIONS Date Transaction 10/16/15 activated RHP Joe Wieland. Los Angeles Dodgers activated LF Scott Van Slyke. Los Angeles Dodgers activated LHP Ian Thomas. Los Angeles Dodgers activated LF Scott Schebler. Los Angeles Dodgers activated 2B Jose Peraza. Los Angeles Dodgers activated RHP . Los Angeles Dodgers activated LHP Adam Liberatore. Los Angeles Dodgers activated RHP Zach Lee. Los Angeles Dodgers activated LF Chris Heisey. Los Angeles Dodgers activated LF Alex Guerrero. Los Angeles Dodgers activated RHP Carlos Frias. Los Angeles Dodgers activated RHP Brooks Brown. Los Angeles Dodgers activated RHP Mike Bolsinger. Los Angeles Dodgers activated C Austin Barnes. Los Angeles Dodgers activated SS Ronald Torreyes. 10/15/15 activated RHP Asher Wojciechowski. sent outright to Sacramento River Cats. San Francisco Giants sent Brett Bochy outright to Sacramento River Cats. Houston Astros activated LHP Kevin Chapman. sent Rico Noel outright to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Houston Astros activated LHP Luis Cruz. activated C . Texas Rangers activated LF Ryan Strausborger. Texas Rangers activated RHP Tanner Scheppers. Texas Rangers activated LF Ryan Rua. Texas Rangers activated RHP Anthony Ranaudo. Texas Rangers activated RHP Spencer Patton. Texas Rangers activated RHP Nick Martinez. Texas Rangers activated CF Leonys Martin. Texas Rangers activated RHP Phil Klein. Texas Rangers activated RHP Luke Jackson. Texas Rangers activated 3B . Texas Rangers activated LHP Sam Freeman. Texas Rangers activated LHP Andrew Faulkner. Texas Rangers activated C Carlos Corporan. Texas Rangers activated RHP Anthony Bass. Houston Astros activated 3B Matt Duffy. Houston Astros activated RHP . Houston Astros activated LF Robbie Grossman. Houston Astros activated LF L.J. Hoes. Houston Astros activated LHP Brett Oberholtzer. Houston Astros activated RHP Chad Qualls. Houston Astros activated 1B Jon Singleton. Houston Astros activated C Max Stassi. 1B Kevin Frandsen elected free agency. Houston Astros activated RHP Dan Straily. Houston Astros activated LHP Joe Thatcher. Houston Astros activated RHP Vincent Velasquez. Houston Astros activated SS Jonathan Villar. San Francisco Giants sent 2B Nick Noonan outright to Sacramento River Cats.