Austin Kearns!!!!

[Guest FlyPattern]

Is this guy Adam Dunn II??? They were drafted the same year and now they are batting #3 and #4. What a story.

 

Any Cincy-area Huddlers out there with a feeling about how the Reds OF will look in a month?

[msaint]

Not a Cincy guy, fly, but I picked up Kearns in my HR League last week and I think he'll pay off bigtime. Apparently he's been just as touted or MORE touted than Dunn within their organization, and is obviously playing so well that Bowden and Boone have a MAJOR decision on their hands with Junior gets back: who in the OF gets bumped? Encarnacion was looking like the prime candidate but he's hitting for power and his average is more respectable than it has been (.280 range), Junior can't sit, Dunn won't sit....but they won't send Kearns back down to AAA where he has nothing left to prove. Boone has talked about using him in the same way they used Ochoa and Tucker when they had those guys, 300 ABs per year part-timers who start more than the average bench player, but Kearns has FAR more talent than either of those two so, IMO, they'll find a way to get his bat in there every day. One thing to consider: Casey getting hurt last night, if it's serious, could open up a full-time gig for Kearns. Dunn moves to 1B, which they've been talking about, and Jr., Encarnacion & Kearns man the OF. That'd be sweet. Again, I'm no Cincy homer so I'd be interested to see what more informed locals have to say.

[Guest FlyPattern]

It's got to be exciting to be a Reds fan. I think Kearns was brought up from AA ball. If Chattanooga is AA, that is. He started out slow there and then just started murdering the ball before being called up.

[yellowdog]

Reds fan here! Austin Kearns was the Reds hottest prospect going into lat year. He was injured some last year, so Dunn temporarily overshadowed him. Now they are both in the big leagues (hopefully to stay). The outfield of the future has been Dunn, Kearns, and Griffey projected for 2003 when they get in their new stadium. With Kearns tearing it up now, they do have a situation. Moving Dunn to 1B would appear to be the right move, to an outsider. But IMO, Casey is too important to team chemistry to trade. He is the leader on that team, and they all love him. I wish one of them could play 3B, but I doubt that's a possibility. So I guess I didn't really answer the question. My guess would be that they trade Encarnacion for a pitcher, or prospect.

[tim13]

They have to deal Encarnacion or JR cause Dunn and Kearns are major young studs!

[msaint]

Bowden has repeatedly said he will NEVER deal Griffey, so Encarnacion is the logical candidate. Just don't know when/if that'll ever happen. It sounds like Boone likes the idea of having the OF depth and having all 4 guys with, of course, Junior and Dunn being regulars, and then Kearns and Encarnacion sharing time. That's my fear, being a Kearns owner. I'm also a Griffey owner so I hope that A) Juan gets dealt or Bowden is full of sh*t and Junior gets dealt to a good situation, either one of which would open up a fulltime spot for Kearns.

[dcgangstas]

I don't think Cincy would ever trade Griffey nor Casey. They'll probably deal Encarnacion, and use Dunn, Kearns, and Griffey as the everyday outfield.