Best bench in baseball?

[redsrbetter]

I think we have it. Freel is perhaps the best utility guy in baseball, and is far better than our starting 2B. Lopez is better than our starting SS and really has a lot of tools to be a really good SS. Cruz is really impressive of late and is doing a great job as our pinch hitter. And Pena is a star in the making who is another guy that should start. Then you have the only other guy that deserves to be on the bench in Valentin.

So, question is, is Miley really holding out just to have a powerful bench? Or what is he thinking?

Start Freel
Start Lopez
Get Pena in there again soon

[griffeyfan3]

dont get me wrong..we have a great bench...but the BREWERS have a pretty good one too.

[NEILYNG]

I think we have it. Freel is perhaps the best utility guy in baseball, and is far better than our starting 2B. Lopez is better than our starting SS and really has a lot of tools to be a really good SS. Cruz is really impressive of late and is doing a great job as our pinch hitter. And Pena is a star in the making who is another guy that should start. Then you have the only other guy that deserves to be on the bench in Valentin.

So, question is, is Miley really holding out just to have a powerful bench? Or what is he thinking?

Start Freel
Start Lopez
Get Pena in there again soon

I disagree.

To call the Reds bench the best in baseball is certainly the kind of thing that comes from a true Reds fan for sure -- it just is a preposterous "stretch".

A great bench has the ingredients needed to win a game in the clutch. It has veterans who know and have accepted their role as bench players.

I think Freel is unhappy on the bench. I think he is going about it quite professionally but he doesn't want to be there and doesn't feel he should be. I don't disagree. Freel isn't only not a good bench player -- his talents are wasted on the bench.

Lopez is still an unbridled colt. He cannot be counted on to come off the bench and win games for you. He cannot play consistently good defense and is not a professional hitter who always gives you good at bats coming off the bench. I don't think he is ready to start either. I believe that Lopez should be fine-tuning his defensive skills in Louisville.

Pena again is not the kind of guy who will come off the bench and gve you consistently good ABs as a bench player. Does Willy Mo have incredible power and potential ? YES But he needs to be playing and being a bench player doesn't make him or the club any better in the long run.

Jacob Cruz is being forced into the bench/pinch hitter role. He too isn't your prototype bench player.

This is a better bench than the Reds had last season -- but to call it the best in all of baseball is -- well, laughable.

[redsrbetter]

The whole thread was meant to be sarcasm. In other words, we may have the best bench in baseball because three of our benched players should be starters.