Ryan Freel or Corey Patterson in the outfield? That's the decision in manager Dusty Baker's lap for Friday when the Reds open a three-game series in Atlanta.
Freel is hitting .321 and Patterson is hitting .214, although Patterson has been Baker's choice for center field and the leadoff position most of the year. Freel had three hits Wednesday batting leadoff and playing center field, but all they produced was one RBI for him and no runs scored.
The box score showed that right fielder Ken Griffey Jr. was on base twice with a walk and a single, and left fielder Adam Dunn was on base twice with a single and a double. However, neither drove in a run or scored a run. Between Griffey and Dunn was second baseman Brandon Phillips, who went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, stranding four runners.
"We didn't get many two-outs hits ... and we just aren't getting the big hit, the game-breaking hit," Baker said. "We need to start getting some production, big-time."
