CINCINNATI -- Last season, the Reds ranked 29th of 30 teams in defensive efficiency -- the rate at which balls in play are turned into outs. Their outfield was below average, and the left side of the infield was a sieve. Only the outfield has since been addressed.
The offense ranked in the bottom third of big-league teams in on-base percentage and, by extension, runs. It has replaced the consistency of Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. with the underwhelming Willy Taveras and untested Chris Dickerson. The pitching staff has depth, which could not be said often in recent years, but the optimism rests with its youth, which is volatile.
In short, the roster appears incomplete.
Fortunately, for the Reds, the offseason is not complete. Opening day is three months away.
"I trust the front office," outfielder Jay Bruce said recently. "I'm just looking forward to starting the season, and whoever it is that we may get, having them become a part of the team and going forward."
Bruce spent the past few months recruiting free-agent utility man Jerry Hairston Jr. to re-sign with the Reds, and yesterday Hairston put pen to paper, signing a one-year contract worth $2 million with incentives that reportedly could be worth an additional $2 million.
It is unclear how the Reds plan to use Hairston. General manager Walt Jocketty had mentioned him as a candidate to play regularly in the outfield, but Hairston said he expects to play more shortstop, at least early in the season. Jocketty and assistant GM Bob Miller did not return calls seeking clarification.
"I'll go wherever I'm needed," Hairston said. "It really never matters where I play."
Except that where Hairston is penciled into the lineup gives a clue as to what, if any, additional moves the front office hopes to make in the five weeks before spring training. Jocketty has said he would like to add a middle-of-the-lineup hitter, presumably a left fielder, and there are questions about the health of shortstop Alex Gonzalez and the viability of his backups.
Gonzalez missed the previous 1 1/2 seasons because of knee injuries. Hairston and Jeff Keppinger were, at best, adequate in his place. Among the 50 players to spend at least 250 innings at shortstop last season, Keppinger ranked 41st and Hairston 47th by Revised Zone Rating, meaning a lot of balls trickled through the infield.
Meanwhile, the new center fielder and leadoff hitter -- Taveras -- ranked last in the majors in slugging percentage last season and in the bottom 10 percent in on-base percentage among players with enough at-bats to qualify.
It seems Jocketty and his staff are waiting for some prices to drop while also being careful not to mortgage the club's future. He has held onto the Reds' best prospects while committing only $6 million in payroll beyond 2009.
"I really feel like there's light at the end of the tunnel with the talent we have," Hairston said, "with guys like (first baseman) Joey Votto and Jay Bruce. We've got a very athletic team."
spriestle@dispatch.com
