Felipe Lopez is playing up to expectations
CINCINNATI -- Everything has changed for Felipe Lopez. He's playing a different position for the Cincinnati Reds. He's hitting consistently. He's got a different look about him, both in the field and at the plate.
"I'd say it's definitely confidence," manager Dave Miley said Monday. "That's what I see."
He's seen enough of it to decide that Lopez must stay in the lineup somewhere. Lopez made his fifth consecutive start Monday, the last four at second base in place of slumping D'Angelo Jimenez.
The Reds thought they had their shortstop of the future when they got Lopez from Toronto as part of a four-team deal in December 2002. He struggled mightily the next season, hitting only .213, and batted .242 last season in 79 games.
When Barry Larkin's contract expired at the end of last season, the Reds signed Rich Aurilia instead of handing the job to Lopez. He didn't play much in the first few weeks of the season but has won a job at the other middle-infield position.
Heading into the start of a three-game series against San Diego, Lopez was hitting .319 with three homers. He was 7-for-17 during a four-game hitting streak.
"It's just maturity," Lopez said. "I was always confident. You grow up. It's part of the process. You've got to struggle to be great."
He got roughed up by opposing pitchers and fans during his first season in Cincinnati when he had 16 errors in 59 games. He doesn't regret it.
"I came up young," said Lopez, who turns 25 on Thursday. "There's some advantages and disadvantages to coming up to the big leagues young. Yes, I struggled. That's the disadvantage for me. But I got to learn how to play the game the big-league way. That's the advantage of coming up young."
NO POWER OUTAGE IN CINCINNATI
Major league home runs are down 8.8 percent from the first five weeks of last season, leading to speculation about how much is due to the crackdown on steroids in baseball.
There's no doubt about one thing: The ball still flies when it's thrown to a bad spot.
The Reds' pitching staff has been an exception to the rule so far, giving up 49 homers in its first 30 games, the most in the majors. The staff gave up a club-record 236 last season, three shy of the NL mark, and is on pace to top it.
Bad pitches still result in long drives.
"The balls that are being hit out are the balls that are elevated," manager Dave Miley said. "That's basically true with any club."
Reliever Kent Mercker thinks it's impossible to gauge whether the attention to steroids has affected the home run total. Cold weather in April and early May were likely factors in the diminished overall total. Plus, these things go in cycles.
"I don't know how much steroids had to do with it," Mercker said. "I don't know how many guys were on them, who were on them. So to say that (it's been a factor), I don't know. I can't say it's not, but I don't know that it is. Maybe the pitching got better."
NO WILY MO
Outfielder Wily Mo Pena and reliever Ben Weber went on the 15-day disabled list Monday.
Right-hander Todd Coffey and infielder William Bergolla were called up from Triple-A Louisville.
Pena was one of the Reds' best hitters before he strained his left thigh on April 23. He was limited to pinch-hitting for a week, returned to the lineup and developed soreness in the thigh again.
Weber was one of the Reds' major offseason acquisitions for the bullpen and has been one of their biggest disappointments. The right-hander made 10 appearances and gave up 11 runs, 20 hits, and nine walks in only 12 1-3 innings. The Reds said he has a bulging disc in his neck.
Coffey made three relief appearances for the Reds from April 19-25. He gave up a pair of homers and had an 11.25 ERA when he was sent back to Louisville.
Bergolla hit .298 in 29 games for Louisville. He has never played in the majors.
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