From 3guysandasportspage.com

The Cincinnati Reds are currently in last place in the NL Central a full seven games out of first. This Reds team is the same one that was fighting for the Wild Card last September and has made few changes and the few they have made (Volquez, Keppinger, Cueto) have worked other than the highering of Dusty Baker which has lead to other bad moves (Patterson, playing Hatteberg over Votto). Here is one move, if Baker swallows his pride, that will make them look genius: Call Jay Bruce up and stick him in RF for the next 6-10 years.

The Reds have been awful on offense and their outfield defense is very bad. Jay Bruce can help in both departments. Bruce is currently (5/16) hitting .366/.398/.662 with 8 homers, 9 doubles, 5 triples, 7 stolen bases, 33 RBI, and 27 runs scored in 145 at-bats in Triple-A while just turning the tender age of 21.

Cincinnati is currently 18th in the league in runs and could use a jolt of offense. Jay Bruce is ready, in my opinion, to step in right now and be this year's version of Ryan Braun. He is above average in RF with a cannon of an arm and he is average to slightly above in CF with a ridiculous arm for center.

The Reds need to do one of two things (both would be preferred): The first is to move Corey Patterson to the bench and use him as a defensive replacement/pinch-runner/pinch-hitter or cut him all together. This would open center up for Bruce (assuming Baker doesn't do anything stupid and play Freel or Norris Hopper over Bruce). The second would be to trade Griffey Junior for whatever you can and place Bruce in RF (his natural position).

I, personally, would do both and drop Dusty Baker like a bad habit. If the Reds do both moves it would allow for the outfield to be Dunn in left, Freel in center, and Bruce in right. The defense just improved and now covers 1.5 times the ground it did before and the offense is even better.

Jay Bruce is ready now and sitting your 1 prospect in Triple-A is a waste of time when he is ready and your team is in last place and needs a jolt.

The Reds can still catch up in the NL Central and they have to make the proper moves right now for it to happen. Call Bruce up and let him make you look good Reds.

-Jonathan C. Mitchell

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