Baseball The Way It Never Was

Tag: George Foster

Spring Training Preview: Indianapolis

  • Barring injury, the starting rotation is set, but there are some unknowns in the bullpen where Norm Charlton, Francisco Cordero, and Lefty James are in contention to make the roster.
    • The pitching has been strong, but Tony Mullane has struggled a bit allowing the possibility for one of several contenders to lay claim to the #5 slot. Johnny Cueto, Dolf Luque, and David Price are all yet to allow a run, so we’ll start with those 3.
      • Mullane has been sent to AAA, and Eppa Rixey is now questionable to make the rotation, with Bronson Arroyo, Paul Derringer, Dixie Leveret and Luque joining Cueto and Price in the running.
    • Charlton, Octavio Dotel, and Cordero have all struggled in relief, while Clay Carroll has excelled.
      • Cordero and continues to be on the bubble, and the desire to reduce roster size has sent Charlton to AAA.
  • It’s clear that Johnny Bench and Jake Stenzel will both make the roster, but it’s not clear who will be the starter at C.
    • Both have excelled, so still not clear. Ernie Lombardi has been recalled for depth.
      • Lombardi is also hitting very well: at this point, they’d like to keep all 3 on the opening day roster.
  • Joe Morgan and Miller Huggins are in competition at 2B, as are Piggy Ward and Ed Charles at 3B.
    • Huggins and Morgan are still neck and neck. Given Menke’s ability to fill in at 2B, Lonny Frey is heading back to AAA.
  • SS is a mess: Dennis Menke and Jhonny Peralta have the edge to start, but a great Spring by either Barry Larkin or Dave Concepcion could leapfrog them.
    • Menke and Concepcion lead this race, but nothing is settled yet.
  • Oscar Charleston looks like the real deal, but the OF is crowded. Performances this Spring should shed some light on how the team differentiates between Charlie Hemphill, Edd Roush, Pete Rose, Bob Bescher, George Foster, and Willie Montanez.
    • Charleston has yet to show much of anything, and only Edd Roush is performing worse of the OFers. But only Rose has made enough noise to join Dave Henderson as a likely starter.
      • Charleston has improved dramatically, but other than Roush continuing to struggle and Rose leading the way, little is clear here.
    • Montanez has been moved to AAA to clear some OF room (especially with Hemphill about to return from a few days off), and Chase Headley has been recalled to add some depth at 3B.
      • Headley has been very impressive, and is arguing for a roster spot.
Near DefiniteLikelyPossibleLong Shot
Starting PitchersVirgil Trucks
Red Faber
Willie Mitchell
Eppa Rixey
Johnny Cueto
Dolf Luque
Paul Derringer
David Price
Dixie Leveret
Bronson Arroyo
Middle RelieversOctavio Dotel
Lefty James
Francisco Cordero
SetupRob Murphy
Clay Carroll
CloserRob Dibble
CJohnny Bench
Jake Stenzel
Ernie Lombardi
1BJoey Votto
Hal Morris
2BJoe Morgan
Miller Huggins
3BPiggy Ward
Ed Charles
Chase Headley
SSDennis Menke
Dave Concepcion
Barry Larkin
Jhonny Peralta
OFPete RoseDave Henderson
Bob Bescher
Oscar Charleston
Edd Roush
George Foster
Charlie Hemphill
Danny Hoffman
Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, and Joe Morgan of the Indianapolis ABCs

Indianapolis ABC’s

Cincinnati Reds

AAA – Cincinnati Tigers
AA – Nashville Sounds
A – Lexington Colts

Marvin Miller Division

WBL | Home PageRoster | Leaders | News | Transactions

Look, I love the Great Red Machine, too (and the banner–including Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and George Foster–reflects that). But the Reds really have little else in their history, and the ABC’s were a great NeL franchise.

Crosley Field (49,603)
HR: 1.173 | BA: 1.016
Palace of the Fans (32,000)
HR: .979| BA: 1.032
First Tennessee Park (39,500)
HR: 1.000| BA: .991
League Park II (CIN) (9,000)
HR: .939 | BA: .939

2000: 3rd Place, .474.

2001 Projections

As of the end of Spring Training.

CJohnny Bench
Lew Ritter
Mike Redmond
Bo Díaz
Larry Pratt
Christian Vazquez
patsy gharrity
admiral schlei
Tom Angley
Rollie Hemslley
Abe Wolstenholme
1BJoey VottoSean Casey
Edwin Encarnación
Doc Hoblitzell
Dan Driessenadam duvall
JC Martin
2BJoe MorganLonny Frey
Larry Milbourne
Dario Lodigiani
Hughie Critz
Luis Rivas
Johnny Temple
Jhonny Peralta
SSDenis Menke
Barry Larkin
Craig CounsellWalt Weiss
Ed Farrell
Oliver Marcell
Donie Bush
Lenny Faedo
Greg Gagne
pokey reese
3BEd CharlesRobin Ventura
Tommy Helms
Buddy Myer
Jim Finigan
Bob Aspromonte
Matt Chapman
Matt Franco
OFBob Bescher
Adam Dunn
Oscar Charleston
Jake Stenzel
George Foster

Dave Henderson
Pete Rose
Curt Walker
Edd Roush
Emil Frisk

Harold Baines
Heinie Manush
Joe Keough
Charlie Hemphill
Danny Hoffman
Ed Swartwood

Spud Johnson
Mike Mitchell
Gene Martin
pete o’Brien
Jim Eisenreich
Adam Jones
Wally Post

Bobby Brooks
chris dickerson
Chase Headley
Heinie Jantzen
Max Marshall
Earl McNeely
Ross Youngs
SPDoc White
Willie Mitchell
Johnny Cueto
Sad Sam Jones
Luis Padrón
Rube Foster
Red Faber
Eppa Rixey
Paul Derringer
Virgil Trucks
Jack Powell
Dan Spillner
Dolf Luque
Doc Medich
Bill Bailey
Joe Moeller
Brad Radke
Jeff Robinson
jim maloney
Tom Glavine
bob ewing
Ray Culp
Bob Reynolds
RPRob Dibble
Clay Carroll
Lefty James
Dick Tidrow
jack billingham
Ewell Blackwell
Johnny Gorsica
Dixie Leverett
Jerry Reuss
Don Nottebart
Johnny Vander Meer
George Pipgras
Rob Murphy
Bill Evans
Lynn Brenton
Dick Joyce
Sugar Cain
Red Proctor
pete shcourek
Mike Nakamura
Oad Swigart
Tyler Clippard
Gene Lambert
UPedward nolanMike LaCoss
Chris Hammond
Teddy Higuera
Hal White
Octavio Dotel
Jack Armstrong
Warren Hacker
Bart Johnson
Norm Charlton
Al Hrabosky
5+ Year Contracts; 2-4 year contracts; future rights; Injured

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