Aurilia is at it again...

[Cincy]

Notes: Aurilia frustrated on bench
Shortstop lost starting job during stint on disabled list
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

CINCINNATI -- Rich Aurilia was frustrated to find himself in a utility role when he came back from the disabled list.
Then he finally started hitting well, and the frustration mounted.

Aurilia was batting just .198 when he went on the 15-day DL with a strained hamstring last month. In the seven games since his return, he's hit .333 with two homers and six RBIs.

It's no secret that the veteran isn't all that pleased to have lost his regular job to Felipe Lopez while he was on the DL.

"I've never been at a place where you've been judged after 92, 94 or 96 at-bats," he said. "If that's what was done here, well, then I saw something new. But, you know, for me to come back now and swing the bat well, if anything, it's good for my own psyche."

Forget psyche. What Aurilia is doing might be good for his trade value. Playing on a one-year contract, he knows he's the type of guy who might get shipped from this club before next month's trading deadline.

"All I really can control is my performance on the field when I play," he said. "They [the front office] know the situation here. The best I can do for myself right now is play well."

Aurilia certainly played well in Thursday night's mauling of the Devil Rays. He went 3-for-5 with two runs, a double and an RBI in his second three-hit game of the season.

But the regular shortstop job belongs to Lopez now, as the numbers indicate it should. Lopez and his .299 average were back in the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the Orioles.

And so, Aurilia's frustration builds.

"I can play every day," he said. "I know I can. Especially [Thursday] night, I showed I'm healthy. My main concern is going out and playing well. [Thursday] night, I had the opportunity to do that, and I did some little things that helped us win the ballgame. I guess I'm in a situation now where I have to do that whenever I'm called upon."

[QuietAcre]

I actually agree with what he is saying, and it isn't difficult to do that if you look at it from his perspective. From the Reds' perspective, the obvious is that they have to play the hot hands. But, look at it from Rich's perspective. The Reds have an incompetent coaching and training staff. The whole organization, management-wise, stinks. It is very likely that Aurilia would be doing much better under someone other than Chambliss.

[AdamDunn#44]

Aurilia has sucked for 4 years.

[missionhockey21]

It is very likely that Aurilia would be doing much better under someone other than Chambliss.

Why do you think that? Chambliss has done a fine job IMO. Look at Felipe Lopez and Wily Mo Pena a few years ago in comparison to now. Obviously they always had talent, but it wasn't till Chambliss came along for them to start to bloom.

[Saber]

Haha, so fire the coaches because Aurilia is *****y and not hitting. Will firing the coaches add 50 points of BA?

Makes more sense to cut ole' Rich.

[General]

Or trade him to the Yankees.

[Slyder]

I actually agree with what he is saying, and it isn't difficult to do that if you look at it from his perspective. From the Reds' perspective, the obvious is that they have to play the hot hands. But, look at it from Rich's perspective. The Reds have an incompetent coaching and training staff. The whole organization, management-wise, stinks. It is very likely that Aurilia would be doing much better under someone other than Chambliss.

Rich SUCKS everyone realizes that now but apparently Rich, his agent, and you.

Coming into today
Rich's numbers
BA OBP SLG OPS
.228 .262 .407 .668

notice all of those suck anyway you cut it. Lets even look at his year last year.

2004 Sea .241 .304 .337 .641
2004 SD .254 .331 .384 .715 (guess what he was doing then? Platooning)

He is 34 yrs old, he should be happy that a team wants him with horrible numbers like that ANYWHERE.

Meanwhile Felipe is almost 10 yrs younger and absolutely destroying Aurilia in the numbers department.
BA OBP SLU OPS
.304 .356 .544 .900

His average is 80 points higer than Aurilia's
His OBP is 94 points higher than Aurilia's
His Slug is 137 points higher than Aurilia's
His ops is like 232 points higher than Aurilia's and he expects to be playing?

He lost the starting job due to his performance not because of injury and we need to ship him while his stock is at a high point.

Rotowire had this to say about his little temper tantrum:
"I've never been at a place where you've been judged after 92, 94 or 96 at-bats," he said. "If that's what was done here, well, then I saw something new." Apparently Aurilia didn't remember that he won the starting job in spring training with just such a small sample size. Comparing the ages and defensive ranges of the two players, let alone Aurilia's modest track record of the past few years, it's not a surprise that the Reds went with Lopez.

He even got dfa by the Ms during a year they sucked, I guess Rich doesnt want us to look at past returns of guys when deciding who to play.

[CincyRedsFan30]

"Apparently Aurilia didn't remember that he won the starting job in spring training with just such a small sample size".

He didn't even "win" the job during ST. They gave the job to him. Lopez outplayed him even during ST, where some players struggle more than others.

[QuietAcre]

Haha, so fire the coaches because Aurilia is *****y and not hitting. Will firing the coaches add 50 points of BA?

Makes more sense to cut ole' Rich.

No, but we've seen the power that Rich Aurilia has, and with a decent hitting coach (which I've heard on many an occasion that Chambliss is not), we might get to see a lot more of that power. The guy can hammer the ball. You don't hit opposite-field homeruns without power. It's the contact issue he's having trouble with, and that's the part a hitting coach ought to fix first. A decent hitting coach, that is.

[AdamDunn#44]

Chambliss is one of the best hitting coaches in the game. The Reds are just 2-3 runs behind the Cards for the most runs scored. Lay off the guy.

Rich Aurilia sucks! He has sucked for 4 years. He only could hit when he took steroids.

Look at the facts. he sucks!!!!!!

[QuietAcre]

Why do you think that? Chambliss has done a fine job IMO. Look at Felipe Lopez and Wily Mo Pena a few years ago in comparison to now. Obviously they always had talent, but it wasn't till Chambliss came along for them to start to bloom.

None of this coaching/management staff impresses me, Mission. None of them appear to be actively helping with the players. Wily Mo is so freaking strong that he can make a lot of bad swings look like good swings. He strikes out a lot (every 3 ABs), though I'm not sure where he ranks in the league in this department. Lopez? We shall see. Everything does seem to be coming together for him, but who is responsible for the improvement, besides Lopez? Chambliss or Miley? Lopez's playing time has increased, and this has given him a ton of confidence. I think what I am getting at here is that on other, more successful, teams the hitting coaches seem more vocal and responsible for what is taking place. Whether Chambliss is hiding in a corner somewhere, I don't know.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Quiet, come on now. Chambliss has led the team to the 2nd most Runs Scored in the NL. If we have another game like tonight tomorrow afternoon, we could very well pass them up and become the NL leaders. Just because you don't like the way the team's offense operates doesn't mean it isn't effective. Like it or not, it's among one of the best offenses in baseball, and I think Chambliss is one of the reasons that is the case.

[QuietAcre]

I can be civil with you and say that I will stick to my opinion on that, and so can you. I think we can both agree that it's easy to attribute the teams' scoring to Chambliss, the players or the coaches, and yet none of us have a shred of proof.