In this day and age of Yankees, Red Sox, and Cubs getting virtually all of the national media coverage, every time I see a Reds player get a photo on MLB.com, it is exciting, and I feel like a puppy whose abusive owners have just given me a lap of water after my dish has been dry for days.
Today's article on super-subs gives the spotlight to Ryan Freel, the ultimate super-sub.
It actually is not uncommon for these super-subs to earn an everyday position, a feat Craig Counsell accomplished in Arizona, Freel has done with the Reds and the same for Carroll with the Rockies...Freel figures to get the nod in right field or center field for Cincinnati, depending on the status of Ken Griffey Jr. But even when Freel was changing from second to third to right field on an almost daily basis, he was never viewed as a part-time player.
"He is a starter, but he doesn't always start in the same spot," said Cincinnati manager Jerry Narron of Freel.
"It's always been, 'He's going to play, but where's he going to play?' " Freel added. "I'd come into spring, and every position has got that spot filled by somebody that's a prospect or a big name. But there's been more of a crack [in the] door for me a little bit this year than there has ever been in previous years."
"That 'super-sub' tag got me to the big leagues," Freel added. "It helped me stay here in the big leagues. It's given me an opportunity to play more. I take it with great pride."
In this day and age of Yankees, Red Sox, and Cubs getting virtually all of the national media coverage, every time I see a Reds player get a photo on MLB.com, it is exciting, and I feel like a puppy whose abusive owners have just given me a lap of water after my dish has been dry for days. Today's article on super-subs gives the spotlight to Ryan Freel, the ultimate super-sub.
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