Reds Roster Still Under Construction

Roster decisions aren't about statistics.

Track record and the naked eye count in the formation of a team's roster with opening day two weeks away.

Chris Nelson was signed to a minor league contract by the Reds on January 27.  Last season, Nelson was with three teams. He started the season with Colorado, was traded to the New York Yankees, then claimed on waivers by the Los Angeles Angels.

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In 2012 Nelson played 111 games for Colorado.  He hit .301 with four home runs and 16 RBI.

The Reds like that he can play all of the infield positions and leftfield.

"I liked him over at Colorado. It looked like he had figured it out," manager Bryan Price. "It so common these guys look like they have figured things out, then they have a setback, whatever it may be and then he's become a journeyman."

"I think he's a better player than that," Price said. "He provides us with a depth element that could help our club."

It remains to be seen if he makes the roster out of camp.

"He's in the mix right now for sure," Price said. "He's had a good camp."

"It is really critical to see what our roster might look like if Hannahan can't make it.  We have to determine whether we'd be best served with another outfielder.  (Roger) Bernadina had a nice camp, Soto, Nelson," Price said.

There are players that have outs in their contract that can allow them to shop for another team if they don't make the team.

"Spring training isn't a free-for-all tryout," Price said. "If you have a good camp, you may not make the club. Just about every camp, you look at a guys numbers and say this guy's your regular leftfielder and he's hitting .143.  The stats for the guys you know is on your club are really irrelevant. Yet, we put tremendous relevance on 30 or 40 at bats.  All these guys have track records and you like to think that something happened in spring training to make them better but you don't really know until they make the club and go play."

In the Cleveland camp, Jeff Francouer, who was a one-time phenom in Atlanta and has been mostly a regular player in the big leagues, is being asked to take a bench role.

"It is hard to answer what kind of camp a guy has," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "You look at a stat sheet and a guy is hitting .400 in 15 at-bats.  What you looking for are things like bat speed.  Francouer has a good track record but he is being asked to do something different than he has in the past. "