by Tim Evearitt
posted May 16, 2008
) Photo by Tim Evearitt (file photo) Jay Bruce at bat for the Lookouts. |
Bruce was excelling at Sarasota.
He finally arrived in Chattanooga last summer where he played in 16 Lookouts' games before moving up to Triple-A Louisville. (Our loss was his gain.)
Reds fans are asking now: What more does the talented Texan have to do to prove his readiness for the Major Leagues?
Bruce, who was named the 2007 Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America, entered Thursday's game with Louisville batting .366 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs. He was riding a five-game hitting streak and batting .611 (22-for-36) over his last 10 games.
New Reds general manager Walt Jocketty has been asked this a lot lately: When will Bruce be in the Majors?
His answer: "It's a good question," Jocketty said. "He's really done well there and it hasn't gone unnoticed by any of us here. The question is getting him enough playing time here. Until we can determine if we have enough playing time here, it just doesn't make sense to bring him up and play him part time. He's better off continuing to develop down there."
Uh, could you repeat that again?
Bruce was a candidate for the regular center-field spot but lost out once free agent Corey Patterson was signed. Ryan Freel is also playing there often. Patterson struggled mightily most of this season but has shown signs of heating up this week.
Maybe Patterson could be relegated to the bench, released, or traded?
Another alternative would be for the Reds to trade one of their outfielders -- right fielder Ken Griffey Jr. and left fielder Adam Dunn or even Freel.
What does Bruce think about the whole situation?
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about it, but all I can do is take care of my business and wait it out," Bruce told MiLB.com this week.
"Until then, all I can do is just work on being the best all-around player I can be. I take pride in doing the little things correctly, because eventually that's what is going to make or break you."
I'd call that a rather mature (if predictable) response from a 21-year old young man.
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Portions adapted from MLB.com
) Photo by Tim Evearitt (file photo) Jay Bruce crosses home plate. |
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