New Facilities New Faces

The Cincinnati Reds are gearing for the future.

Dusty Baker spent the morining running down the young players in the Reds system that are working for the future, while his young stars of today, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce and Joey Votto work hard to improve their skills.

Cuban Sensation

The current buzz around baseball is the signing of Aroldis Chapman, the 22-year old lefthanded sensation that defected from Cuba.

Chapman is a candidate for the open fifth starting spot in the Reds starting rotation.

He will pitch in an intrasquad game on March 4, the eve of the exhibition season. That will put him on track to face the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 9 at the new Goodyear stadium.

Lincoln Elected

Mike Lincoln will oppose Justin Masterson on Friday in the Reds first ever Cactus League contest against the Cleveland Indians in the park the two teams share.

Lincoln has been around the major leagues as a reliever but two years after coming back from his second elbow surgery that cost him three seasons, Lincoln is competing with Chapman for a starting slot.

Matt Maloney and Justin Lehr both of whom distinguished themselves at the end of last season will also pitch Friday.

Young players are emerging behind the current Reds frontline players.

Manager Dusty Baker listed them for the press this morning.

Chris Valaika at secondbase, Jack Cozart at shortstop, Juan Francisco at thirdbase, Yonder Alonso at firstbase, Chris Heisey and Danny Dorn in the corner outfield; all are impressing Reds management in the minor leagues.

Man With Many Positions

That leaves Todd Frazier a big bat out of Rutgers University as a wild card.

"Frazier is an interesting guy," Baker said. "He's played all over. We will settle on a position and use his value in that way until we do."

"He will play all over during the spring," manager Dusty Baker said. "He has a real good bat. Hopefully at some point we'll find a position for him."

That one position doesn't make a difference to Frazier. "I try to take ground balls from every postion during batting practice," Frazier said. "It is hard to find time for all of them so, you have to stay after." Shortstop is his natural position but thirdbase isn't a difficult transition. Secondbase is a little different. "I came up as a shortstop and thirdbase is pretty much the same but secondbase is different," Frazier said. "You would think it is a shorter throw and would be easier. It is just different. Your footwork is different and turning the double play is different."

Firstbase Traffic Jam

Those worried about being too deep need not worry.

As Baker explained how hard Joey Votto has worked to make himself into a "Gold Glove" candidate at firstbase, he allowed that their is room for a Yonder Alonso.

"The Reds had the same problem with Tony Perez and Lee May playing the same position," Baker said. "They moved Tony Perez to thirdbase."

Alonso has a reputation for being a one position player but Baker pointed out that the emerging slugger played some thirdbase in college at the University of Miami (Florida). Baker said that Alonso was playing catcher in some batting practice sessions last year.

"He has been out working in the outfield on his own," Baker said.

The Reds will try to get him some at bats at designated hitter early in spring training.