SAN DIEGO -- In describing how first baseman Yonder Alonso has settled in during his first season with the Padres, manager Bud Black compared him to an employee adjusting to a new job.

The 25-year-old first baseman has adjusted, and the Padres are seeing positive results.

Alonso doubled in a run during a 2-for-4 day in the Padres' 6-2 loss to the Rockies on Wednesday, giving him hits in 12 of the past 13 games, batting .400 (20-for-50) with eight two-baggers over the stretch. He finished the day hitting .292 and had a seven-game hitting streak.

"We've seen a guy that has settled in," Black said before the game. "When you're part of a significant trade, I think there are some internal pressures [you] put on yourself. When we get new jobs, we want to impress. You're not quite yourself, because you're trying to really make an impression. I think that was the case with Yonder."

Alonso joined the Padres along with hurlers Edinson Volquez and Brad Boxberger and catcher Yasmani Grandal in a December trade with the Reds, who received right-hander Mat Latos.

Black said Alonso's progress is reflected in his overall game.

"Even a couple of the errors he made early in the year were made out of haste and trying to make plays, really trying to do some things defensively, because he wasn't doing them offensively," Black said. "He's relaxed. He's swinging the bat like all our scouts thought he would. He's using the whole field and he's hitting line drives."

Alonso agreed he's more relaxed.

"I think the beginning of the season was a little bit fast," Alonso said. "It was a little hectic at times, but lately, I've been slowing the game down. I've been trying to focus better. I focus a lot better, and my preparation has been a little better. And just trusting myself."

Four of Alonso's eight RBIs arrived in his last three games.

"It shows the team is grinding and getting on base and getting in scoring position," Alonso said. "It's always a plus when it's a whole team thing, so it's been good."


(mlb.com)

Yonder Alonso is not too happy with the Phillie Phanatic.

The first baseman was running onto the field Saturday for pregame warm-ups when the Phanatic’s ATV came within a foot of hitting Alonso.

“I didn’t see him coming and he was driving way too fast,” said Alonso. “I was moving around the kids’ choir getting ready to sing the National Anthem when he flew past me on his ATV. I would have sued him.

Alonso’s career-best, nine-game hitting streak ended Sunday. He was 15-for-36 during the streak. He has hit safely in 14 of his last 16 games (23-for-60).


(utsandiego.com)

PHILADELPHIA -- First baseman Yonder Alonso spent his first Mother's Day in the Major Leagues and had the chance to swing a pink bat for the first time against the Phillies on Sunday.

"It's awesome," Alonso said before the game. "I grew up watching guys swing pink bats and wanted to do that. It's an honor. It's for a good cause."
Alonso was one of three players to use the bats Sunday, as outfielder Chris Denorfia and shortstop Jason Bartlett did as well. Mark Kotsay would have, but he was sidelined with a lower-back injury that he suffered Saturday.

Since 2006, Major League Baseball has celebrated Mother's Day at home ballparks as a platform to raise awareness of breast cancer in the interest of prevention, treatment and a cure. Hundreds of players were expected to use pink Louisville Sluggers, stamped with the MLB breast cancer awareness logo.

"When I got the bats, the first thing I did was take a picture of them and sent it to my mom and dad," Alonso said. "I told them how proud I was to use them."

Reliever Andrew Cashner even got into the act Sunday, not with a pink bat but by wearing pink cleats from Under Armour.


(mlb.com)

SAN DIEGO — Finally, Edinson Volquez got his first win with San Diego, and the Padres became the last NL team to get to 10 victories.
Volquez got some help from the bullpen to earn his first victory in seven starts and Yonder Alonso drove in two runs to lead the Padres to a 3-2 victory against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.

“About time,” said Volquez, acquired from Cincinnati in the offseason. “It feels good. I don’t care how I win the game, but I want to win.”

Volquez (1-2) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings, struck out five and walked four. His ERA went up slightly, to 2.98.

“Tonight I wasn’t sharp like my last three games,” Volquez said. “It happens sometimes. Sometimes you feel like you have nothing and tonight was one of those days. The bullpen came on and did a pretty good job.”

He allowed a run in the sixth on two singles and a walk before being relieved by Joe Thatcher with runners on first and second and one out. Thatcher struck out Todd Helton before Brad Brach came on and caught Michael Cuddyer looking at strike three. Carlos Gonzalez singled in a run that inning to pull the Rockies to 3-2.

“Good ‘W’ for Eddie. He deserved it. He pitched well,” manager Bud Black said. “He battled his tail off today. Found a little bit of a groove in the middle of the game ... then it sort of left him again. But he battled. He really couldn’t find the consistency of any of his pitches. It just goes to show you how this game it. He ended up getting the win on probably one of those starts where he wasn’t his sharpest.

“That was a typical Petco Game where it comes down at the end to relief work or a big hit, and today was relief work and the Rockies didn’t get the big hit,” Black said.

The Rockies were held to five hits.

“That’s not enough to win a game here,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said, “especially when you have two guys that have two hits each.”

The Rockies lost their fourth straight game and their shaky rotation took another hit. Left-hander Drew Pomeranz left with a bruised right quad in the fourth, two innings after he was hit by a line drive by Volquez.

Pomeranz stuck around long enough to hit his first career homer, driving a ball off the facade of the second-deck in left field off Volquez with one out in the third.

Pomeranz was hit on the right leg by Volquez’s liner with one out in the second. He fielded the ball and threw out Volquez. He was checked by the trainer and stayed in the game.

Tracy said he doesn’t think Pomeranz will miss his next start.

Pomeranz (0-2) was the fourth straight Rockies starter who failed to reach the sixth inning. He allowed three runs and five hits in three innings, walked three and struck out two.

Alonso singled in runs in the first and third innings. Another run scored in the second on a wild pitch.

Dale Thayer pitched the ninth for his second career save and first since his major league debut on May 22, 2009, at Florida while with Tampa Bay.


(washingtonpost.com)

At 9-20, the Padres appear to be heading for a 100+ loss season.  Injuries, Rookies playing at the Big League level before they should, and poor performances put on display by most on the roster at inopportune times have made this almost 30 game start a bit of a disaster.  The start to this 2012 campaign has kind of reminded me at times of the terrific flick “Major League,” only the beginning of the movie, where the team appears hapless and cannot seem to find its bearings, not the end where the team ends up on a hot streak.  Parallels to arguably the best sports movie of all time aside, things on the whole have not gone well, and do not appear to improve for a while for our beloved Friars throughout the 2012 campaign.  “Negative Nancy” sentiments about the team’s fortunes in the immediate future aside, it is always better to make the best out of a bad situation.  With that in mind, there have still been some Padres in particular like Rookie First Baseman Yonder Alonso which have showed some improvement over the recent weeks.

As I am sure all of you remember, hopes were pretty high for the then-newly acquired Alonso to succeed as the Padres entered the 2012 season.  The First Base job was open for Alonso to seize in San Diego, and he was expected to hit 5th in a lineup which needed immense production from said spot.  Unfortunately for Alonso, the season’s first 17 games did not treat him well, and things looked bleak for the centerpiece of the “Latos Deal.”

Alonso was 11 for 53 (.196), had a .292 On Base Percentage, and a .250 Slugging Percentage.  Not exactly the production a team expected from a player with such high expectations, and I know some fans that were a tad restless with his lack of productivity at the time.

Undeterred by an early lack of success, Alonso appeared to have got things back on the right track on April 25th.  It was in that game where Alonso went 2 for 4 with 2 Doubles in a 7-2 Loss to Washington where he appeared to started his current streak of solid production at the plate.  Over his last 10 games, Alonso has gone 15 for 40 (.375), and emerged as one of San Diego’s most improved hitters.

During the aforementioned period, Alonso has raised his Batting Average from the paltry .196 mark to a team-leading (for a starter) .271, improved his On Base Percentage from .292 to .336, and best of all, upped his Slugging Percentage from .250 to .375.  Not outstanding numbers by any means, but it still has been nice to have watched his improvement over the last couple of weeks.

As of right now, Alonso is currently tied for the team lead in Hits (26), ranked second in Total Bases (36), and has hit the most Doubles (10) so far this season by any Padres player.  Trumpeted by management as a solid gap hitter, Alonso has done just that over the course of his last 10 games.  Yonder has hit 7 Doubles over said span and illustrated why his swing is very conducive to Petco’s cavernous dimensions and favor gap and opposite field power.

Despite his improvement, Alonso’s stat line which currently reads “0 Home Runs and 4 RBI’s” is a bit distressing to some.  To me however, I’m not overly worried about either statistic and feel like these are not causes for concern, at least in the short-term.  Alonso plays half his games at Petco, and some of those Doubles he has laced would have been easy Home Runs in other ballparks around the league.  As for his RBI total, Alonso and his other teammates cannot drive in runs, if there is nobody in scoring position, let alone on base.  If these numbers stay the same at the end of this month then I will begin to worry a bit, but for right now, they are simply numbers which he can easily improve (at least the RBI’s).

This article is by no means me saying that Alonso is a finished product, and we should forget what we had in Adrian Gonzalez and all his awesomeness.  In fact, Alonso still has a long way to go as a player, and the season is not even 1/5th of the way over.  It still would be nice to see Alonso develop a little bit more pop in his swing, he could use a bit more discipline at the plate (9 Walks to 18 Strikeouts is by no means bad but can be improved), and his Defense (4 Errors so far) could use some work.

Before the season began, I discussed how Alonso could be a possible Rookie of the Year candidate at the end of the season and why.  Granted, Alonso will probably have to increase his power and RBI numbers to force his way into the conversation by year’s end.  Still, if Alonso could put up a season of .280 15 HRs’s, 20 Doubles, and 80 RBI’s, he would turn some heads and have a nice foundation to build on after his first full season in the majors.  It is at least comforting to know now that shipping Latos out of town as well as Anthony Rizzo has not been a total loss.  Thus, let’s hope Alonso keeps improving at the plate and with the glove, because the Padres are going to need all they help they can get this season.


(chickenfriars.com)

SAN FRANCISCO -- First baseman Yonder Alonso went into Friday's game coming off a stretch where he had two doubles in each of his last two games, Wednesday and Thursday against the Nationals.

It marked the 13th time a Padres player has hit two or more doubles in consecutive games and the fourth time a Padre has done so in successive home games.

The last player to do so was Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn in 1998. Not only that, Alonso, who is in his first season with the Padres, became the first player to accomplish the feat at Petco Park, which opened in 2004.

Is Alonso's line-to-line approach to hitting the perfect fit for Petco Park?

"I don't think about the field. But I think it's a field where I can hit a lot of doubles," he said. "But if you look at it, at a smaller ballpark, I might be able to hit more home runs. But if it's going to be a doubles-type field ... then bring it on."

Alonso, who leads the team with seven doubles, hit 24 doubles in 358 at-bats in Triple-A last season in the Reds' farm system. He hit five more in 98 at-bats with the Reds. The previous season, Alonso hit a combined 38 doubles in 536 at-bats.

Alonso had 17 home runs last season, two more than he did in 2010. He doesn't have a home run yet in 2012, though he's come close a few times.
"I hit more home runs, which was a good sign that I was getting stronger," Alonso said. "I think it's going to be a process where I get stronger and maybe some of those doubles turn into home runs. But now ... doubles are the thing for me."


(mlb.com)

Yonder Alonso, 1B, SDP: Alonso’s first three games at PETCO Park? 2-for-12 without an extra base hit. San Diego is an exceptionally difficult place to hit, and it’s doubly so for left-handed batters. It took a special one with insane opposite-field power to do so in Adrian Gonzalez; no other left-hander has really sustained success in San Diego since the Padres’ move. Even if Alonso’s power develops, it probably won’t play well as a Padre.


(cbslocal.com)

Q: Your dad was a baseball coach in Cuba, so you grew up with a bat in your hand. What was baseball like in Cuba?
A: It was a little bit different than here. A little bit more fire. It’s such a different game when it comes to the aggressiveness of the game. You don’t play as many games as you do here, so every day is pretty much do or die.

Q: You came to the United States when you were 9, moved to Miami. What was the biggest culture shock for you?
A: You know what, everything was a shock. You kind of appreciate things a little bit more, things that people here maybe don’t appreciate, like even a moving car, or air conditioning, or a microwave. Those are little things that you appreciate when you get here.

Q: You had to learn the language, you and your family lived in a small apartment, and you worked during high school and college. At a time when all your friends were going out on Friday nights, you’re this baseball star and you were helping your family clean offices. What was that like?
A: Sacrificing, you know. It was something I had to do for my parents. They needed the help and you can’t really say no when it comes to family stuff.

Q: Did you hate it at the time?
A: Yeah. It was awful. You wanted to go out with your buddies, you wanted to hang out and kinda live your college and high school life a little bit, but it’s things that I don’t take for granted at all. Now that I look back, it made me the person that I am today and I’m stronger for it.

Q: You were traded to the Padres from the Reds. What did you take from your time with the Reds?
A: So many things. Great friends, good teammates. They showed me the way to play the game the right way. Not just on the field but outside the field. All the preparation it takes to play the game and learning how to be a Big Leaguer.

Q: What do you love most about first base?
A: If I had to go with one thing, it’s probably talking smack to the other team when they get on first base. Sometimes they’re in a bad mood and that’s when I really get after it with them. Just trying to get in their heads a little so they don’t steal.

Q: I’ve always wondered what you guys talk about. Are you catching up on family? What?
A: Depends on the guy. If I know the guy well, we talk a little bit about family, but once that’s over, I start telling them, “Hey, he might pick over this time, he’s got a really good move, just be careful, this guy is really good.” Just trying to blow up our pitcher, blow up our catcher, our defense, so that way he’s kinda tentative to go to second base.

Q: So you’re getting psychological?
A: I’m trying to get in their heads as much as possible. Even when they’re getting the signs I’m talking to them so they kinda get confused a little bit.

Q: If you weren’t a major-league baseball player, you would be a ...
A: Firefighter. Seems pretty cool. And girls like them, so why not.
Q: One thing you want to do in San Diego?
A: So many things. Go to the beach, of course. Sea World. And I really want to hit up all the breakfast spots, so hit me up on Twitter (@YonderAlonsoU) and tell me all the breakfast spots.


(utsandiego.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. -- There wasn't a tangible moment this spring when Yonder Alonso's swing came together for him, though the Padres first baseman is quite certain that moment has passed.

He's glad that it has.

After scuffling early, hitting .194 in his first 31 at-bats in Cactus League play, Alonso hit .452 over his next 31 at-bats, with his first home run of the spring in Wednesday's victory over the White Sox.

So what gives?

It's nothing specific that he and hitting coaches Phil Plantier and Alonzo Powell have worked on in those morning hitting sessions in the cage. It has nothing really to do with the mental side of hitting, approach and such.

Instead, Alonso said, it's his body telling him that it's time to hit.

"Your body will let you know when it's time to go," Alonso said. "Your body will let you know when it's time to put good swings on the ball, that it's time to have good at-bats. You can sense it coming ... like your golf swing or your basketball shot. You sense that everything is smoother.

"You hope that at some point it will turn."

It certainly has for Alonso, who is pegged to be the Padres' Opening Day starting first baseman. He went into Thursday's game against the Cubs with a team-leading 20 hits and 62 at-bats, tying him for the 10th most this spring among Major League players.

The Padres have wanted him to play a lot this spring, especially against teams from the National League West -- as San Diego will face its divisional foes 18 times each in 2012. Alonso, who spent parts of last season with the Reds, wanted to see as much divisional pitching as possible.
"I think that it's natural for a guy who comes to a new team in a trade that was pretty high-profile trade in our industry to maybe try too hard to impress," Padres manager Bud Black said. "That might have been part of it. He's smoothed some things out now and as each day goes on, he's more comfortable with our environment."

That he was hitting .194 on March 15 didn't faze Alonzo. That he's hitting .452 since then hasn't either.

"I think you can get too caught up in the first 25 at-bats or first 100 at-bats. The bigger picture is the 500 at-bats you get during the season," he said. "For me, I worry about the three, four at-bats I'm getting that day.

"I have high standards, higher goals. It's a long year, man. If I'm hitting .320, I want to be hitting .360."

Alonso said he spent the first part of games in Arizona trying to track the fastball and recognize pitches. Since then he's moved into attack mode, where he's trying to do damage each at-bat.

In doing so, he has shown the Padres what they expected when they traded for him as part of the five-player deal with the Reds in December -- a player who will use the entire field.

"That's what we have seen," Black said. "I do think there are more hits to left field coming. A lot of his hits have been up the middle, to the right side, the right-field line. I do think in time you'll see the opposite-field hit, the ball down the left-field line."


(mlb.com)

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Once Edinson Volquez settled down, he sure looked ready for the regular season.

Volquez pitched seven solid innings to help the San Diego Padres beat a Chicago White Sox split-squad 13-2 on Wednesday.

Yonder Alonso, Chase Headley and Andy Parrino homered for San Diego, which had 18 hits.

Headley hit a two-run drive for his third homer of the spring. He also had a two-run double.

Parrino’s two-run shot was his fourth homer, and Alonso’s solo drive was his first of the spring.


(washingtonpost.com)

Yonder Alonso went 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored Friday against the Reds.

Playing against his former team, Alonso reached on a single in the bottom of the first inning and hit a leadoff triple in the third. The 24-year-old is hitting .260 (13-for-50) with eight RBI this spring and will get the chance to sink-or-swim as the Padres' starting first baseman this season. PETCO Park is death for left-handed hitters, so the odds are against him being useful in mixed leagues initially.


(rotoworld.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Jedd Gyorko's eighth-inning RBI forceout broke a 5-5 tie and the Padres went on to beat the Royals, 8-5, on Saturday night in Peoria, Ariz.

The Padres jumped out to a five-run lead in the first frame, batting around the order with five hits and a hit batsman. Yonder Alonso belted a three-run double off the fence in right, and Jonathan Galvez drove a two-run homer onto the left-field berm to cap the early scoring.

The Royals got a pair back in the third, though the Padres nearly stifled the rally when Brayan Pena and Alcides Escobar were both heading to third base from different directions. Pena ended up being thrown out in a rundown between third and home. After a walk to load the bases with one out, the Padres tried to turn two on an Eric Hosmer grounder to second, but Hosmer was called safe in a close play and Escobar scored. Billy Butler followed with an RBI single up the middle to close the gap to 5-2.

Padres starter Cory Luebke pitched well in his third Cactus League outing, holding the Royals to a pair of runs on six hits and a walk over four innings. Luebke struck out four, throwing 63 pitches, 44 for strikes. He lost some command in the third inning, giving up three hits and a walk before retiring anyone, but he managed to lower his spring ERA to 2.00.

"The inning they got the runs, the 0-2 pitch to [Pena], I got to make a better pitch there," said Luebke. "He started things off. They battled, they put the ball in play, and some balls bounced in holes. The last inning, I got to work on some offspeed pitches."

Bruce Chen, the Royals' No. 2 starter, had another rough outing, allowing five runs on eight hits in three innings. He allowed no walks and struck out two, while throwing 66 pitches, 46 for strikes. His stuff wasn't fooling the Padres, as they teed off and pushed Chen's Cactus League ERA to 11.74 after three starts.

"I'm taking it one step at a time," Chen said. "Obviously, this is not the way I want to be pitching. After the first inning, I made some adjustments. I think I was a little more aggressive. I'm very happy with the way I threw the ball after the first inning."


(mlb.com)

New mix. GM Josh Byrnes made seven trades during his first three months on the job after replacing Jed Hoyer, and most of his work should benefit the Padres. As good as the mix was in winning 90 games in 2010, it was just as bad in losing 91 games in 2011. A team that did all the so-called little things properly -- throwing to the right bad, hitting cutoff men, making plays consistently in the field, heads-up baserunning -- did precious few of them properly last year. Outfielder Carlos Quentin, first baseman Yonder Alonso and veteran extra outfielder Mark Kotsay in particular will help change the dynamic, surely for the positive.


(cbssports.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. — They all wear midnight blue and white, but some bleed green and orange.

The San Diego Padres have five players in camp -- including two non-roster invitees -- that attended the University of Miami: first baseman Yonder Alonso, center fielder Blake Tekotte and catchers Yasmani Grandal, Jason Hagerty and Eddy Rodriguez.

“Every time we play with a fellow teammate or someone that played at Miami, it’s really like a family,” Grandal said. “Even if you didn’t play with them, we all know each other.”

Grandal and Alonso came from the Cincinnati Reds in a five-player deal for pitcher Mat Latos. Both players speak passionately about “the U,” as Miami is commonly referred to. Although the school is mostly known for football, its baseball program is just as rich in history.

They’re just two of 38 former Hurricanes on professional baseball rosters from a program that in baseball circles is widely known as one of the best in the country.

“The only reason they talk about the football team is because the publicity they get, but we’ve had almost the same history as they have,” Grandal said. “We’re a good program as well. I think both programs are known nationwide. It’s just a good system they got there whether it’s for football or baseball. We’ve both been successful.”

Grandal spent three seasons as a Hurricane. He played with Alonso during his freshman year. He said Alonso taught him a lot, including how to lead the team.

“That’s the thing about Miami, once you learn the system -- once you learn how to play Hurricane baseball – you try to pass that on,” Grandal said.
Grandal always saw former Hurricanes like Aubrey Huff, Pat Burrell and John Jay in the batting cages in the offseason. They always gave him tips to help him improve. The 53rd-ranked prospect by Baseball America said he always wanted to be listed with those players in the school’s media guide.

“More and more you see guys getting up and doing big things,” Grandal said. “Those big things go all the way back to the University of Miami.”
Grandal has a tattoo of the school’s logo inked inside of a baseball with a cross surrounding it. Alonso has a tattoo of the logo as well -- a big orange and green “U” on his shoulder.

“That says enough right there,” Alonso said when asked what the university means to him.

Alonso spent three seasons in Coral Gables, Fla. He still spends his offseason working out at the school’s facilities. Alonso grew up idolizing the program because he appreciated the way Miami played the game.

“A lot of swag,” Alonso said. “They knew they belonged, which is something big. You grow up watching them, imitating them and playing like them.”
At Miami, Alonso became good friends with Alex Rodriguez, who originally had committed to the Hurricanes in high school before he signed his first professional contract with the Seattle Mariners.

Their relationship started when Alonso asked Rodriguez if he could hit with him. Rodriguez thought it was funny Alonso wanted to compare himself to a professional baseball player, but agreed to Alonso’s request.

They went on to hit together for two months straight.

“Even to this day, I just talked to him a couple days ago and we were talking about how it was going with camp and (Padres manager) Bud Black,” Alonso said. “It’s just nice to have someone that knows the game that has been around the game for several years.”

Grandal and Alonso make sure to help current players on the team. It can become a difficult task now that they don’t reside on the East Coast for the majority of the year, but they understand how much the interaction with professional players benefited their play on the field.

“It’s a tradition, it’s an honor,” Alonso said. “With all of that said, you got to make sure you fit that role very well. If you don’t, it doesn’t sit very well with the people around there. You got to make sure that you not only carry it on the field but carry it outside the field, too.”


(utsandiego.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Jason Vargas pitched a perfect four innings in his Cactus League opener on Sunday, as the Mariners topped the Padres, 5-4, in the annual Charity Game at Peoria Stadium.

Third baseman Kyle Seager went 3-for-3 with a home run for the Mariners and also made a nice diving stop in the second inning to help keep Vargas' slate clean, as Seattle improved to 2-1 in Cactus League play.

The Padres managed just three hits in the first eight innings of their spring opener and committed three errors. First baseman Yonder Alonso, making his Padres' debut after being obtained from the Reds in the Mat Latos trade, got San Diego's first hit with a single off of Brandon League in the fifth inning.

In the ninth, San Diego would double that hit total and tie the game. After a run-scoring single by Edinson Rincon, prospect Yasmani Grandal ripped a two-run double to center, and then the Padres tied the game when Seattle shortstop Nick Franklin lost a pop-up in the sun, allowing pinch-runner Cory Spangenberg to score the tying run. Franklin was charged with an error, giving Seattle three errors of its own.

The Mariners left no doubt in the home half of the ninth, as Mike Wilson singled leading off the inning, and Johermyn Chavez doubled him home immediately after to give the Mariners the walk-off win.


(mlb.com)

Padres manager Bud Black said Yonder Alonso will not be handed the first base job and will have to earn it with a strong camp.

Alonso's chief competition should come from Jesus Guzman. The reality, though, is that it would be very surprising if Alonso isn't at first base on Opening Day. Black added that if the youngster does win the job, he'll probably bat fifth or sixth in the lineup. Playing in Petco and having a questionable power ceiling, Alonso isn't a terribly exciting fantasy prospect for 2012.


(rotoworld.com)

Five of the 60 Padres in the major league camp have common roots in the University of Miami.

And the common link between the five is first baseman Yonder Alonso, who played with the other four University of Miami products in the Padres camp.

Alonso played for the Hurricanes from 2006 to 2008 and has a “U” tattoo in the appropriate colors.

Eddy Rodriguez was the first of three current Padres catchers to play at Miami from 2004 to 2006. Jason Hagerty caught for Miami from 2007 to 2009. And Yasmani Grandal caught for Miami from 2008 to 2010.

Blake Tekotte was Miami’s center fielder from 2006 to 2008.


(utsandiego.com)

SAN DIEGO -- There can be something disrupting and halting about being traded from the only organization you've ever known, but Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso felt right at home after he was traded to San Diego from Cincinnati in December.

Alonso, who played at the University of Miami from 2006-08, joined a Padres organization that had four former Hurricanes teammates: outfielder Blake Tekotte, who made his Major League debut in 2011 and catchers Eddy Rodriguez, Jason Hagerty and Yasmani Grandal.

"It feels like I'm home because all of those guys are already here," Alonso said Saturday during FanFest. "For me, it feels like college all over again except that we're all now more mature and wiser."

Adding to the family feel is that Alonso and Rodriguez were best friends at Coral Gables High, which is located a handful of miles from the University of Miami campus.


(mlb.com)

Yonder Alonso has been one of the top prospects in baseball for the last couple of years. So it's not surprising that when he was traded to the Padres in the pre-Christmas blockbuster that sent young ace Mat Latos to Cincinnati for Alonso, pitcher Edinson Volquez and highly touted Minor Leaguers Yasmani Grandal and Brad Boxberger, he immediately became his new team's top prospect.

But the deal didn't just clear first base for Alonso, who had been blocked by Joey Votto in Cincinnati. It also sent a message that the already-stout San Diego farm system has gotten burlier, and is now teeming with talent and players on the cusp of Major League readiness.

"Cincinnati drafted me, and I thank them for that. But I feel like we have elite players in the game, right now, when it comes to prospects in San Diego," Alonso said. "Only positive things are happening for the Padres.

"For myself, it's something I've been waiting for. I feel like I can contribute tremendously, and it's something I'm definitely looking forward to. This team is not only getting ready to win now, but in the future, too."

Just take a look at the top names and it's easy to see why. Alonso has been considered ready for the big leagues for a while, and his five home runs and 15 RBIs in 88 at-bats in the Major Leagues last year indicated that the Padres had good reason to say goodbye to their other first-base prospect, Anthony Rizzo, whom they obtained in the 2010 Adrian Gonzalez deal with Boston and dealt to the Cubs this winter.

Catcher Grandal immediately checks in at No. 4 on the Padres' MLB.com list, and reliever Boxberger, who is at No. 12, has a chance to impact the big club's bullpen at some point in 2012.

"Any time you're building the foundation for sustainable success, it starts with scouting, player development -- and there always seem to be those key trades that are tough to swallow sometimes and difficult to take. But they mean change in the organization," said Padres vice president of professional scouting A.J. Hinch.

"When you do a four-for-one and you're trading a talented pitcher like Latos, you'd hope the return is significant. One thing is that we hope to see the fruits of that trade pretty quickly. If the talent and timing matches up and everybody's happy, it's a pretty good success."


(mlb.com)

Yonder, as in “off we go into the wild blue . . .,” would seemingly be the perfect name for a slugger.

But when new Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso speaks of hitting, he doesn’t talk in terms of home runs.

“I am not thinking 40 or 50 home runs when I’m thinking about hitting,” Alonso said earlier this week at Petco Park.

“A lot of left-handed hitters and first basemen are thinking home runs,” Alonso continued. “That’s not the type of left-handed hitter I am.

“When I look at Petco Park, I don’t see how far away the fences are. I see a lot of grass. I feel like this ballpark likes the kind of hitter I am.”
A line-drive hitter. A foul line-to-foul line, line-drive hitter.

“First thing with me is put the ball in play,” Alonso continued. “Hit it hard. Level it. I want good at-bats.”

Thinking like that is much of the reason why the Padres preferred Alonso over Anthony Rizzo when deciding their first baseman of the future.

The 22-year-old Rizzo probably has more power in his swing than Alonso as displayed by Rizzo’s 26 homers in 93 games with Triple-A Tucson last season. But Rizzo also struck out 89 times in 356 at-bats with Tucson and 46 times in 128 at-bats with the Padres while hitting .141.
That’s one strikeout every 2 ¾ at-bats as a Padre and once every four at-bats in Triple-A.

Alonzo has struck out only once every 6.3 at-bats during 192 games over the past two years at Triple-A and once every 4.1 at-bats in 127 at-bats over the past two seasons with the Reds. As a major leaguer, Alonso has hit .299 with five homers and 18 RBI and hit .330 with five homers in 88 at-bats last season with a .398 on-base percentage.

The final grade is still out. On MLB.com’s list of 100 top prospects, Rizzo was judged to be No. 37 while the 6-foor-2, 240-pound Alonso, who turns 25 on April 8, is rated No. 39.

But the Padres like Alonso.

“I really like the approach,” manager Bud Black said of Alonso during the Padres three-day, voluntary introduction program for recently acquired players and top prospects.

“He looks good, just as advertised,” continued Black. “Everything I’ve seen validates the reports that he’s a line-to-line hitter. The ball comes off his bat.”

Alonso believes he will be a better hitter at Petco Park than he was at hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

“The fences are closer in Cincinnati,” reasoned Alonso. “The outfielders are packed into a smaller space. A lot of balls in the gaps get caught. There isn’t nearly as much grass in Cincinnati as there is here.

“I believe my style will play well here. You can get just as many RBI with a high average with runners in scoring position. And I love hitting in RBI situations.

“I’d rather be at a field where I can get my hits than get a homer. Coming here doesn’t change my game.”

Like Rizzo with the Padres, Alonso was considered the No. 1 prospect in the Reds organization in 2010. But Alonso had a problem that Rizzo wasn’t facing.

Alonso was backed up behind 2010 National League Most Valuable Player Joey Votto in Cincinnati. Because of that, the Reds were talking about playing Alonso in left this season just to get his bat in the lineup, although his defensive debut in left last season was less than impressive.

Still, Alonso was a bit surprised when he came to the Padres along with right-handed starter Edinson Volquez, catching prospect Yasmani Grandal and bullpen candidate Brad Boxberger in a trade for Padres ace Mat Latos.

“I knew about Rizzo,” said Alonso. “We’re both out of Florida. But let’s put this in perspective. I had an MVP in front of me in Cincinnati.”

Although the Padres said Alonso was the front-runner at first as soon as he was acquired, Yonder was ready to compete with Rizzo for the first base job when the Padres completely cleared Alonso’s path to the starting lineup by trading Rizzo to the Cubs for right-handed pitcher Andrew Cashner.

“I guess that put me at ease,” said Alonso. “Obviously it’s good to know you are being counted upon.”


(utsandiego.com)

After spending most of 2010 at Triple-A, Yonder Alonso returned to Louisville to begin the 2011 season. The former first-round Draft pick caught fire after a slow start and never posted an OPS lower than .871 over the final four months.

Called up to Cincinnati at the end of July, Alonso flashed some of the talent that made him a top-50 prospect entering the 2011 campaign. The University of Miami product batted .330 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 47 games, mostly as a pinch-hitter.

A first baseman by trade, Alonso had his path to the Majors blocked by 2010 National League MVP Joey Votto, so he spent a lot of time in left field. He'll get a chance to return to his natural position in 2012, thanks to the offseason trade that sent him, catcher Yasmani Grandal and pitchers Brad Boxberger and Edinson Volquez to San Diego for right-hander Mat Latos. Alonso talked about the trade and the door it figures to open for him.

MiLB.com: How did you find out about the trade?
Yonder Alonso: Well, I was on vacation with my friends and family and I was getting ready to go to a soccer game and I got a call from [Reds general manager] Walt Jocketty, basically telling me that I had been traded to San Diego.

MiLB.com: What was your reaction?
Alonso: It was a couple of reactions. At first, I was a little surprised and I didn't know much about San Diego. And as I started talking to the general manager and some buddies who played for San Diego, it was nothing but good things and I was grateful for the opportunity. I got a couple of friends, one is Eddy Rodriguez, Blake Tekotte, and the other one is Jason Hagerty.

MiLB.com: Do you feel like the trade will be good for you, given that you were blocked at your natural position in Cincinnati?
Alonso: Definitely, I think it's a great trade. I think everyone knows that I was blocked by an MVP. Everyone knows it was tough on my part playing a different position, but I was happy with the outcome. I had to change my ways in the offseason, and now I have a chance to play my natural position and it's something I'm looking forward to.

MiLB.com: Are you concerned that you're moving to a stadium with a reputation as a pitcher's park in Petco Park.
Alonso: No, I think that it will be a good learning experience. I'm a line-drive hitter; I don't consider myself a power hitter. I think it will be a good experience -- I think you become a better hitter. If I can become more polished, that will be good for my career.

MiLB.com: What have you done during the offseason to get ready for the 2012 season?
Alonso: Working a lot and doing everything that I have to do to get better. Training, training, training. That is pretty much how my days go. I catch ground balls, I do a little bit of rehab to get a little strong. People think that [in] the offseason you don't do much, but I feel like I do more in the offseason than during the season.

MiLB.com: You got off to a slow start last season. What happened and how did you turn things around?
Alonso: I think that the slow start was just something that I don't really ... it happens a lot. All my years playing the game, I have started off a little slow. I think it has to do with a little bit of timing and not playing games. After that, it picks up for me and I calm down and not try to do too much. I learned a lot from it. When I got to the bigs [last] year, I let things come to me.

MiLB.com: What was your favorite Minor League park to play in as a visitor?
Alonso: That's [Huntington Park] in Columbus, Ohio. That was definitely one of my favorites. It's a great hitters' park, and the fans are great there.

MiLB.com: How exciting was it to play in two All-Star Futures Games?
Alonso: That was awesome. It felt pretty cool the first time I was there. The second time, it was very unique. I knew what to expect. It was a great experience. I feel like every prospect should go through that experience, just enjoy it and take it all in.

MiLB.com: You saw some time in the big leagues in 2011 and played well. What's the biggest thing you can take away from that?
Alonso: Just letting the game come to me and work hard every day. It's just the same game with better players, and it's a littler faster. Obviously, you have to stay even-keeled. This game is so hard that you can not do well, but you can't feel bad. I learned a lot from [last] year -- definitely just letting the game come to you and not force things.

MiLB.com: What are some of the things you like to do on a day off?
Alonso: Definitely go to the movies. I'm a big movie guy. I usually try to spend as much time as I can hanging out at my house or at the movies. I just saw War Horse, and that was a pretty interesting movie. That was a good movie, it was a touching movie.

MiLB.com: What are some of your favorite movies?
I'd have to go with Scarface. I like Troy and, obviously, Major League is by far the best baseball movie.

MiLB.com: What are some of the songs on your iPod?
Alonso: I have a little of everything, I'm a big Jay-Z fan. I like all the old-school stuff from the '80s. I like a little bit of Latin music as well; it depends on the mood I'm in. In the morning, I listen to Jay-Z. It gets me going. I like that new song -- it's called "Glory" -- and "Ham".

MiLB.com: If you weren't playing baseball, what would you be doing?
Alonso: I'd probably be in school still, definitely getting my degree. My major was sociology and my minor was psychology. I'd probably do something in the field like a firefighter or a teacher. But definitely something with sports on top of that.


(milb.com)

Padres acquired 1B/OF Yonder Alonso, RHPs Edinson Volquez and Brad Boxberger and C Yasmani Grandal from the Reds for RHP Mat Latos.

Alonso, the seventh overall selection in the 2008 draft, excelled in his time in the majors last season, batting .330/.398/.545 in 88 at-bats. His minor league numbers were more good than great, so he’s probably not a future All-Star. However, he projects as a nice regular at first base and the Padres will have him under control for six years. What that means for fellow top prospect Anthony Rizzo still has to be figured out. Alonso could be stashed in left field at some point or maybe he gets traded again. For now, he’ll probably start at first, with Rizzo returning to Triple-A.



(rotoworld.com)

Yonder Alonso showed up for a promotion of Redsfest, the team's annual fan expo, noticeably thinner.

Alonso vowed to come to spring training lighter and quicker to help with the shift from first base to left field. He hired a personal chef and tailored his workouts toward being an outfielder.

The result? He's 18 pounds lighter than the 240 pounds he played at this season.

"That's part of being a professional," he said. "You do what you've got to do to play and get ready for the season. I've been doing that."

Alonso hit .330/.398/.545 in 98 at-bats this season. But he is blocked at first base by Joey Votto.

Alonso started 14 games in left field. He struggled badly at times.

He will never be even an average runner. But the lost weight has to help when playing the outfield.

Alonso, of course, has been subject of lots of trade talk.

"I take for it for what it is," he said. "Obviously, I'm a Cincinnati Red. I'm not looking forward to playing for another team."


(foxsportsohio.com)

Yonder Alonso told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that he has lost 18 pounds this offseason.

The hope is that losing the weight will allow him to be more spry as he continues his transition to left field. "That’s part of being a professional," said Alonso. "You do what you’ve got to do to play and get ready for the season. I’ve been doing that." The 24-year-old is major-league ready with the bat, but has struggled to find a position with Joey Votto blocking first base. His name continues to float in trade rumors and a change in scenery may be the best thing that could happen to him from a fantasy perspective.


(rotoworld.com)

A rival general manager said Cincinnati Reds OF/1B Yonder Alonso doesn't have a position. "He's terrible in the outfield. His best position is first base - and he's not great at first, either," the GM said. Another GM said: "He has to be one of the top hitters in the game to have significant value. You'll probably always be looking to move him to DH."


(kffl.com)

The Reds are offering Yonder Alonso as trade bait in their search for a closer or a No. 2 starter, reports Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown.  Reds GM Walt Jocketty has spoken to several teams --- including the A's, Blue Jays, Indians and Rays --- about Alonso, though we heard earlier this week that the Reds thought Alonso was too much to give up for Oakland closer Andrew Bailey.

Alonso is regarded as Cincinnati's top hitting prospect, if one without a Major League position since Joey Votto is cemented at first base.  The 24-year-old has an OPS of .837 in four minor league seasons and hit .330/.398/.545 in 98 plate appearances with the Reds last year. 

If the Reds were willing to move him, you would think Alonso would be too much to deal for any closer, not just Bailey.  Jocketty has said his club's top priority is finding a starting pitcher this offseason, so while the Jays and Indians have some good young arms, they wouldn't be willing to deal a top-of-the-rotation caliber of starter for which the Reds are looking.  The Jays and Tribe also have other options at first base, though Adam Lind, Edwin Encarnacion and Matt LaPorta wouldn't be major obstacles if Toronto or Cleveland had a legitimate shot at Alonso.  The A's and Reds might not be a match on Bailey, but Jocketty might deem possibly-available pitchers like Gio Gonzalez or Trevor Cahill worthy of moving Alonso. 

The most logical match would appear to be Tampa Bay, who has a big hole at first base, lots of pitching and a need for a controllable young talent like Alonso.  The Rays could offer Wade Davis or Jeff Niemann, though the Reds are more likely looking for a pitcher like James Shields.  (Obviously David Price and Jeremy Hellickson are staying put.)


(mlbtraderumors.com)

CINCINNATI -- Three members of the Reds family will be on hand when the Champions Baseball Academy formally moves into its new location and holds an Opening Day celebration on Sunday, Dec. 4.

The event, which runs from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, is located at the Riverstar baseball/softball complex at 5994 Linneman St. in Cincinnati.

Reds left fielder Yonder Alonso will hold a hitting clinic, while former Reds pitchers Tom Browning and Chris Welsh will work a pitching program. There will also be prizes that include bats, gloves and Reds autographs.

The event, and all of its activities, are free and open to the public.


(mlb.com)

Reds GM Walt Jocketty is shopping young slugger Yonder Alonso(notes) for a closer or No. 2 starter, according to sources. He has spoken to Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Toronto and Oakland, among others.




(yahoosports.com)

The Cincinnati Reds are interested in the Tampa Bay Rays' pitching depth and are dangling OF Yonder Alonso. The team will not be trading 1B Joey Votto to add pitching.

The Oakland Athletics are interested in Alonso as well.


(fantasysp.com)

Cincinnati Reds OF Yonder Alonso (knee) had minor cleanup surgery on his knee after the season ended. "I saw him the other day," general manager Walt Jocketty said. "He's walking around fine. He's in Florida working out." Alonso will not play winter ball this year.




(kffl.com)

CINCINNATI -- Reds left fielder Yonder Alonso is home in Miami and already commencing with his offseason workouts. This week he will likely have, at the least, a wandering eye on the World Series.

Is Alonso pulling for either the Rangers or Cardinals? Not exactly.

"I have no rooting interest," Alonso said on Tuesday just before heading out to do some weight lifting. "When you're not there, it's a bummer. But I know a couple of guys on each team. I want them all to do well."

Perhaps none more than Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay.

The Reds and Cardinals have had a deep, and occasionally bitter, National League Central rivalry in recent years. But it's friendship that extends beyond the clubhouses and all the way back to childhood in South Florida.

"We've known each other since I was 11 or 12 years old," Alonso said. "We played at the same baseball academy."

Alonso and Jay remain roommates in the offseason and are workout partners. They also starred for rival Miami high schools -- Alonso for Coral Gables and Jay for Christopher Columbus. Both played for the Univ. of Miami baseball team. Jay was a junior when Alonso was a freshman.
"He was always an older brother type of guy," Alonso said. "He always does all the little things right. He never lied to me, always told me the truth and is a good guy to look up to. I'm always there for him."

The 24-year-old Alonso was the Reds' first-round Draft pick in 2008 and one of his organization's top prospects. This year, he made the transition from first base to left field and is planning to dedicate all his winter to shedding pounds and adjusting fully to his new position. He will rely partially on Jay to help improve his skills.

Jay, 26, was the Cardinals' second-round pick in 2006. He played his second full season in 2011 and batted .297 in 159 games.

Alonso, who also knows Cardinals third baseman Daniel Descalso and Rangers pitcher Derek Holland, spoke with Jay on the phone as recently as Monday. Game 1 of the World Series begins on Wednesday in St. Louis.

"I wished him well and good luck," Alonso said. "I'm waiting for him to get here so we can do our outfield workouts."



(mlb.com)

CINCINNATI -- Former Miami Hurricane Yonder Alonso has captured the attention of Reds fans since the day the team made him its top draft pick and the seventh overall selection in the June 2008 draft.

A native of Havana, Cuba, he moved to the United States with his parents and sister when he was 10. After an impressive college career at the University of Miami, he hit .295 or better at all but two of the six stops he made in the Reds' farm system on his way to Cincinnati.

After hitting .207 in 22 games with the Reds last September, he spent most of this season with Triple-A Louisville and batted .296 with 12 home runs and 56 RBI in 91 games. That created a clamor for his promotion that was answered when the Reds traded Jonny Gomes to Washington on July 26.

While the Reds were trying to figure out where to play him, Alonso hit .346 with five home runs and 15 RBI in 40 games. He made himself at home with the Reds but might have felt a little uncomfortable being in Ohio State country while the Buckeyes were losing in football to the Hurricanes last Saturday. He talked about that as well as baseball with The Enquirer.

Question: Being a former Hurricane, are you inclined to gloat a little bit about the game on Saturday night?
Answer: Let's just say I was very happy, but yet, a little bit weirded out because my Twitter account went off because of people very upset about the game. At the end of the day, it's just a game, so you just have to kind of live by it and enjoy it as much as possible and just move on from it. But yeah, I was very excited about it.

Q: Florida's a big football state. Did you ever play that sport?
A: No, I never played. My dad never let me play football. He was really big on baseball. I remember I played basketball one year. That was it for me - just baseball (and) basketball. Here and there I would play flag football, and I would play with my friends in the street, but never anything organized.

Q: What was the biggest guilty pleasure you indulged in with your bonus money from your baseball contract?
A: I didn't really get myself anything, other than I got myself a car. I got a Mercedes S550. It comes a long way from having a green Explorer - not very good, not in good shape, no air conditioning. That was pretty neat.

Q: What model bat do you use?
A: I use a Louisville Slugger I-13 - 34-inch, 32-ounce maple. I've never really had a model, but ever since I got to Triple-A all the guys were using it. I remember one player was like, "Hey once you use this bat, you'll never go back to anything else." I used it one time, I went 3-for-4 with two home runs, and that was it.

Q: Have you ever been back to Cuba or do you have a desire to go?
A: I went back when I was really young, 12-13 years old - went for a couple of days. That was about it. Do I have any desire to go back? I'll tell you this - if there was ever any winter ball played there in Cuba, I would love to go. I think that would be great for the country and great for the fans and great for the people there. I would love to be a part of that - definitely.


(cincinnati.com)

CINCINNATI -- Reds rookie left fielder Yonder Alonso wasn't in Monday's starting lineup and likely won't be the rest of the 2011 season. Alonso has been dealing with a bone bruise in his right ankle.

"We're probably going to shelve him just to pinch-hit," Reds manager Dusty Baker said.

Alonso, 24, was originally injured during a game at Wrigley Field in early August. The injury was aggravated when he fouled a ball off of his ankle on Saturday.

"I kind of kept it a secret a little bit and tried to play through it," Alonso said. "For some reason the past week, it's just been killing me. It's just a bone bruise. There is no tendon issues, no surgery. I'll deal with it and move forward. It's going to hurt. It's been hurting me for a month and a half."

Since his July 22 recall from Triple-A Louisville, Alonso has been impressive at the plate. In 40 games entering Monday, he is batting .346 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and a .418 on-base percentage.

After an initially rocky first few games at his new position of left field, Alonso became more competent in recent weeks and will dedicate his entire offseason to shedding some weight and focusing on becoming a full-time left fielder.

As far as the 2011 season is concerned, there is no more time in left field planned.

"At the end of the day, I don't want to embarrass the team and I don't want to embarrass myself," Alonso said. "I don't want to hurt the team on a ball I couldn't catch. That was my concern and that's what I told Dusty."


(mlb.com)

Yonder Alonso will likely be limited to pinch-hitting duties for the rest of the season due to an ankle injury.
Alonso originally suffered the injury on the inside-the-park homer by Cubs' outfielder Tony Campana on August 5. The 24-year-old is batting .346/.418/.580 with five homers, 15 RBI and a .998 OPS over 91 plate appearances with the Reds this season.


(rotoworld.com)

The Reds have told Yonder Alonso to work on playing left field in preparation for 2012, MLB.com reports.




(fantasysp.com)

The Reds are hoping for a slimmer, trimmer, faster Yonder Alonso in 2012.

“That’s the plan right now,” Alonso said. “It’s going to be an offseason where I’m going to do a lot of things differently. I hired a chef. That’s going to help me out.”

“I’m going to get faster. My offseason workout regiment is going to be very different. A lot more running. It’s going to be a left fielder-type attitude coming into the offseason. I’m very excited. We’ll go from there.”

The Reds did the same thing Jonny Gomes. He went from 240 to 223 in his two offseasons with the Reds.

“Jonny did get better. Jonny got a whole lot better,” Dusty Baker said. “When Jonny got here, he was predominantly a DH. Jonny lost weight. Jonny got more mobile and he became a pretty good outfielder. That’s the same thing we’ve discussed with Alonso.

Alonso is 6-foot-2, 241 pounds.

“He’s never going to be built like (Drew) Stubbs,” Baker said. “But he can slim down and work on his footwork.”

The Reds haven’t put a number on what they want Alonso to get down to.

“No, you don’t put a number on it,” Baker said. “Then guys lose their strength. One year we had Fernando (Valenzuela) lose a lot of weight. He wasn’t nothing. . . There were times during season where we were trying to fatten Fernando up.”

Speed is obviously an advantage for an outfielder, but there are good outfielder who are not burners.

“The main thing to work on in quickness,” Baker said. “(Alonso’s) never going to be speedy. You work on your quickly, work on routes, work following the bat path so you get better jumps. It’s also knowing the pitchers and as well as the hitters.”


(cincinnati.com)

CINCINNATI -- Yonder Alonso is so serious about his 2012 baseball season that he has hired a private chef.

And it is more than Alonso wanting a bigger and better taste of major-league baseball, he wants the entire filet mignon, with a chef's salad on the side.

His experiment as a third baseman is over. He is now a left fielder, a position that requires more ground coverage.

Alonso weighs 230 pounds and the Reds have suggested he trim a few pounds without using fad diets or paid commercial advertisement pills.

Hence, the private chef. And for good measure Alonso will work with a private trainer.

His college roommate at the University of Miami was St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay and Alonso plans to pick his brain and work with him as soon as the season ends.

Alonso is dead, solid serious.

He is a first baseman by trade, but Joey Votto owns squatter's rights at that spot for the Cincinnati Reds. So the Reds had him work out early every day for nearly a month at third base.

Then he played in one game at third. And he didn't have one defensive chance. Nine innings, no chances.

He was also working out in left field, where he played for Class AAA Louisville before his September call-up. In 70 at-bats, Alonso has shown he knows which end of the bat has a knob and which end has the barrel, hitting .386 with four homers and 13 RBIs.

"Jonny Gomes lost weight from 2010 to 2011 and Jonny got better," said Reds manager Dusty Baker. "He got a whole lot better on defense. When we got him he was predominantly a DH, but when he came here he lost weight and became more mobile and he became a pretty good outfielder."

It's the same plan for Alonso.

"We've discussed the same thing about it with Alonso," said Baker. "You can always slim down and work on your footwork."

Baker won't put a number on the poundage and said, "I've seen guys put a number on the weight loss and do too much and lose their strength. We don't want that."

Alonso is neither insulted nor angry that the team wants him to look more like a Slim Jim than a Fat Albert.

"I've been told to work only on left field and be ready for next year and that's what I'm doing," said the 23-year-old No. 1 draft choice in 2008.

"I'm going to get my body in check in the off-season, work very hard to completely transform my body to play left field," he said. "I hired a chef and talked to a trainer and I'm putting all my efforts into my career so I can be 100 percent ready to be the left fielder."

Alonso is looking to drop 15 pounds, to 215, "Or at least 220, but the main thing is to reduce body fat. And I'm going to work my butt off learning left field, working with our outfield instructors and I've talked to Jay already and we're going to work together every day, starting very early in the off-season."

Alonso was a combination first baseman/left fielder last year, "And I wasn't for-sure anything. Now they've told me I'm a for-sure left fielder so I'm going to be for-sure ready. It's gonna be fun."


(foxsportsohio.com)

Yonder Alonso isn’t sure what his plans are for the offseason.

“They haven’t talked to me about it,” he said.

For a time, the Reds were considering sending him to Instructional League to work at third base. But lately, the emphasis has been on left field.

Alonso is willing to do whatever – go to Instructional League, play Winter Ball.

“I don’t care,” he said. “Whatever they think is best. I don’t think I need at-bats. I think I need to work on my defense.”

Alonso did that last year in Miami.

“I’m going to work hard,” he said. “I always do that.”


(cincinnati.com)

CHICAGO -- The father of Reds rookie Yonder Alonso, Luis Alonso, took a front-row seat at an empty Wrigley Field on Monday afternoon as his son stretched with his club and took batting practice.

Luis Alonso speaks little English, but the pride on his face needed no translation.

"It's beautiful. He's in the big leagues," Luis Alonso said after searching for the English words. "It's Wrigley Field."

Luis Alonso, himself a former professional ballplayer and coach in Cuba for the renowned Industriales club, had seen his son play in the Majors before. He even saw Yonder crush a homer last month against the Marlins in their adopted hometown of Miami, but Luis had never been to Chicago.

"After the game [Monday], he was like, 'Wow, this is unbelievable.' It's pretty neat," Yonder Alonso said. "I took him out for dinner. Obviously, I had the check. I can pay for it. It's cool he gets to the see big league game and the big league life."

Only 24, Yonder Alonso continually wants to show appreciation for the life his parents provided he and his younger sister Yainee. When Alonso was 9 years old, Luis and his wife, Damarys, made the weighty decision to leave Cuba for a better life in the United States. They gave up everything, including Luis' career in baseball.

Privately and without divulging anything to friends or neighbors, the family managed to arrange for an airplane that would fly Alonso and his family out of Cuba. Alonso preferred not to share the details of exactly how they managed to leave the Communist-controlled nation, but he recalled the feeling he had on the flight.

"It's pretty vivid. I remember getting on it," Alonso said. "Everyone was crying, pretty much. It was kind of a sad day to leave everybody behind. You don't know if you'll ever see them again. It's not like you go to Spain and say, 'Mom, Dad, see you in six months.' This is leaving for good. I never got to see both of my grandmothers again, or my aunt."

Upon landing in Miami, it wasn't an American dream instantly realized, but one that took root in humble beginnings. The Alonsos would stay with friends for a couple of weeks before settling into their own place. No one in the family understood English or had any possessions beyond what they could carry on to the plane. One of their first outings was to a local K-Mart to buy clothes and necessities.

"My Dad got a job real quick," Alonso said. "We moved out to a small efficiency, it was a small office, and lived there for three or four years. It was not even the size of the training room in here. There was another small room the size of the kitchen. It pretty much stunk."

Both Yonder and Yainee, who is now attending the University of Miami, enrolled in school. Yonder further assimilated into American culture by playing baseball, which helped him learn English, and their parents were constantly on top of them about their schoolwork and getting good grades. They instinctively knew that would be the ticket to a better life.

Luis is a warehouse manager for the Sherwin-Williams paint company, but one of his first jobs in Miami was as an office cleaner. It became a family vocation, as Yonder and his sister were enlisted as assistants.

"I remember cleaning offices, me and my sister, for hours," Alonso said. "It'd be a whole day on Saturday and Sunday, cleaning early in the morning and then having a game at 4 or 5 p.m. Or after the games, we'd go clean."

And when there wasn't cleaning for a young Yonder Alonso, there was baseball, and lots of it. Who better to provide much of the coaching than the former pro ballplayer from his family?

"There were a lot of times during weekends we could either go to the beach or I had to go play games. Most of the time, we didn't go to the beach," Alonso said.

The efforts would equate to Alonso becoming a sensation at Coral Gables High School and a star first baseman for the University of Miami. In 2008, he signed a $4.55 million Major League contract upon being the seventh overall pick by the Reds.

That contract guaranteed that the days in small apartments and cleaning offices were over forever. Alonso, who bought his parents a home, debuted in the Majors last September. He returned this season on July 26, when the Reds traded Jonny Gomes to open a roster spot.

"I owe it to them," Alonso said. "They sacrificed themselves. Now hopefully I can give a little piece of what they sacrificed to me and try to help them as much as possible."

With Joey Votto firmly entrenched at his natural position, Alonso had to shift from his comfort zone at first base to left field. When that didn't initially go well, he spent considerable time on the bench as a pinch-hitter and made one start at third base. Now he's back playing in left field. His bat keeps finding ways to get him playing time, as he is batting .407 with four home runs and 13 RBIs in 31 games.

While fans have demanded he get more playing time, Alonso has handled the delicate situation perfectly. He defers to the organization and the wisdom of its veteran players in the clubhouse and never complains.

When you've experienced what he has, Alonso can handle waiting his turn a little longer. Meanwhile, he's savoring every aspect of the Major League life, and he spent part of this week trying to share that joy to the man who helped make it possible, Luis Alonso.

"Nothing at all do I take for granted," Yonder Alonso said. "Even if I have 10 years in this league, I will not take one day for granted. I know not only how special this is for me, but for my family. It's something I definitely will never forget."


(mlb.com)

DANBURY, Conn. (Sep. 7, 2011) - Pert Plus, the 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner that gets men "in, out and done," announced today the winners of the 2011 PERT Plus MiLB Stars. Fans worldwide voted online for the Triple-A position player and pitcher whom they believe have the brightest futures. After nearly two months of voting on MiLB.com, fans have selected Yonder Alonso and Julio Teheran as this year's winners.

Yonder Alonso, left fielder for the Louisville Bats, was dubbed the winning hitter. Alonso was born in Havana, Cuba, and attended the University of Miami, where he played three seasons for the Hurricanes. The 24-year old left fielder hit .296 in 91 games for the Bats before the Cincinnati Reds brought him up to the Majors at the end of July.

"It is an honor for myself and my teammates," said Alonso. "They have made it possible for me to do well. I feel grateful for the fans noticing my contributions to the team day in and day out. I thank them for voting for me."

"Yonder is a professional hitter," said Rick Sweet, manager for the Louisville Bats. "He will hit in the major leagues just like he did at the minor league level. He hits for power, average and drives in runs. He is one of the best hitters that I've ever had."


(oursportscentral.com)

CHICAGO -- One of the toughest weekends of the nascent big league career of Reds rookie Yonder Alonso came at Wrigley Field one month ago. Alonso struggled when he played left field in a series that included one Tony Campana drive down the line that got past him for an inside-the-park home run. Reds manager Dusty Baker didn't start Alonso there again for over a week, and even tried moving the natural first baseman over to third base.

Yet on Monday in the series opener vs. the Cubs, Baker had Alonso starting in left field.

"It's hard to pick the spot. I thought it would be easier here if there was no wind, because there is less territory," Baker said. "You don't have the sun field. Here, it's a sun field in center early and right field late. We'll probably have to make a decision once we get to the huge Coors Field. That's a lot of ground to cover."

Alonso's bat has been a plus to the lineup, as he came in batting .380 with four home runs and 11 RBIs. His two-out single in the 10th inning led to the go-ahead run to beat the Cardinals on Sunday. His seventh-inning, two-run homer on Friday also contributed to a win.

In recent starts in left field, Alonso has performed competently.

"He hasn't had a whole bunch of tough plays, yet," Baker noted. "We try to position him the best we can to give him less ground to cover. Part of playing the outfield is positioning, too. It helps when your pitchers are throwing the ball in the location where they're supposed to throw it, so you can position your defense accordingly."


(mlb.com)

Cincinnati Reds OF Yonder Alonso was back to the bench Tuesday, Aug. 30, with SP Bronson Arroyo pitching. Alonso made the start at third base Monday, Aug. 29. Alonso's playing time and position going forward appears to have much to do with that night's starting pitcher. "I've got spray charts with guys where they'll most likely hit the ball, which pitchers that they pull the ball," manager Dusty Baker said.


(kffl.com)

MIAMI -- Yonder Alonso had dinner with his parents Monday night. His mother, Damaris, had a prediction about Tuesday’s game.

"She said, 'I have a good feeling. You're going to have good game,'"

Alonso said. "She's right about a lot of things. She doesn't say that too often. I guess she blessed me."

Mother knows best.

Alonso drove in four runs, including the go-ahead runs in the ninth, to lift the Reds to a 8-6 victory over the Florida Marlins Tuesday night before a crowd of 21,204 at Sun Life Stadium.

Alonso, making his first start of the season at first base, went 3-for-4 with a walk, a home run and a double.

Alonso grew up in Miami after fleeing Cuba. He went to University of Miami, so having his best day as a pro in his adopted hometown was sweeter than sweet.

"A special day," he said.

The Reds went to the ninth down two runs and facing a closer for the second straight game. They roughed up Leo Nunez, just like they did Pittsburgh's Joel Hanrahan on Sunday.

With one out, pinch-hitter Joey Votto walked. Brandon Phillips followed with a single. Dave Sappelt doubled off the wall in left to get both home. The RBI were the first of Sappelt's career.

"I was just trying to get a pitch I could," Sappelt said. "The first two pitches he was at the knees outside corner. There's not too much you can do with it at 96, except foul it off. The third pitch he hung a change-up. I was on one."

The Marlins walked Jay Bruce intentionally. After Miguel Cairo struck out, Alonso lined one to center that Mike Cameron tried to make diving catch.

The ball went off his glove. Sappelt and Bruce scored to make it 8-6.

Comeback versus a closer complete.

"It's a huge boost for the whole team," Alonso said. "You're facing a closer. That's your best guy in the bullpen. Those guys have good arms and have been around. It's satisfying for us."

The last two games have been reminiscent of the 2010.

"It's not magic," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "It's getting hits and playing good ball."


(nky.cincinnati.com)

MIAMI -- Like he has often over the previous couple of weeks, Reds rookie Yonder Alonso took pregame ground balls at third base on Wednesday. Reds manager Dusty Baker hasn't ruled out getting Alonso into a game there.

"There's a chance," Baker said. "I'd like to get him in a blowout game -- one way or the other -- first before [he make a start]. It depends on who is pitching. You have [Johnny] Cueto going for an ERA title. Those things don't come along very often. You'd rather not put him in a situation where a guy like [Mike] Leake or Dontrelle [Willis] throws mostly ground balls to the pull side. It's not fair to him or us or the guy pitching."

Alonso played his natural position of first base on Tuesday and went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs in an 8-6 Reds win over the Marlins. Of course, that spot regularly belongs to Joey Votto. Alonso has had four starts in left field but has yet to demonstrate a comfort level at the position.

If Alonso could handle third base well, it would give the organization an option beyond Scott Rolen, who is currently on the disabled list.

"It's a situation where we'll pick our spots, he'll continue to work," Baker said. "I will pick the situation. Offense wins you games. Generally speaking, defense loses you games."


(mlb.com)

MIAMI — Yonder Alonso homered and drove in four runs, including a tiebreaking double in the ninth inning that sent the Cincinnati Reds to an 8-6 victory over the fading Florida Marlins on Tuesday night.

Dave Sappelt tied the game at 6 with a two-run double and the Reds scored four times in the ninth off closer Leo Nunez (1-4), who blew his sixth save in 39 chances. They were the first career RBIs for Sappelt, who had three hits.

Jay Bruce hit his 27th home run for the Reds. Emilio Bonifacio homered and drove in three for the Marlins, who have lost six in a row. They are 2-16 in their last 18 games.

With the Reds trailing 6-4 going into the ninth, Joey Votto walked and Brandon Phillips singled. Sappelt then laced a double to left field, scoring both runners. Three batters later, Alonso lined a two-run double to center.

Alonso, who attended high school and college in Miami, had more than 200 friends and family members in attendance to see him go 3 for 4 while making his first start of the season at first base. He hit a solo homer, his second, in the second inning and had an RBI single in the third.

Alonso was the offensive star for the Reds Tuesday, belted a home run and also driving in the go-ahead runs in the ninth inning with a two-run double.

Reds manager Dusty Baker decided to give Joey Votto a night off, but the team's offense didn't miss a beat with Alonso. He also singled, giving him the first three-hit game of his young career. Alonso is now batting .448 in 29 at-bats for the Reds, and they might be forced to play him more in left field to keep his bat in the lineup.


(ap.com)

After not starting in left field at all over the last eight games, Yonder Alonso is back in the lineup there tonight against the Washington Nationals.

“We’re trying to find out,” Reds manager Dusty Baker. “We’re trying to find out was that just a bad day or if he can do it.”

Alonso had two very rough games against the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field. He misplayed ball into a two-run inside-the-park home run, misjudged another ball, had an error and didn’t have the speed to get to another ball.

Alonso started 62 games in the left for Triple-A Louisville.

“There’s not much difference,” Baker said. “There’s more people, third deck, there’s scrutiny. The game’s the same. Some of it’s mental; some of it’s physical.”

The physical part of it is Alonso lack foot speed.

Baker is torn between trying to win games and finding a spot for Alonso’s bat in the lineup. He wouldn’t say how much of a trial Alonso will get.
“That’s a good question,” he said. “We’re hoping does it. But we’ve also got to win ballgames too. A lot depends on how confident he feels. It’s been an experiment from the beginning.”

Alonso welcomed the chance.

“I’ve been working really hard,” he said. “I’ve got to do my thing and not think about the negative. Don’t try to do too much. That’s how you get in trouble.”

Alonso has also been working out at third base. But Baker is reluctant to try him there in a game.

“The Reds have a history of that,” Baker said. “But everybody’s not Pete Rose.”



(cincinnati.com)

Reds manager Dusty Baker said it's possible Yonder Alonso could be demoted to Triple-A Louisville in order to get some playing time at third base.

"There's a chance. We've discussed that," Baker said. "You'd rather do it there than here." GM Walt Jocketty, though, indicated that they might want until the offseason to give Alonso regular time at the hot corner. "I don't know if we will or not," Jocketty said. "If we do something, we'll probably do it in the instructional league." Alonso has been taking grounders at third daily, but the Reds don't appear close to giving him a shot there in a game.



(rotoworld.com)

The moment Yonder Alonso was drafted by the Reds in the first round of the 2008 draft, the questions about where he'd play began. Alonso played first base at Miami and looked like he'd be limited to first base.

That's fine and good, except for when you have the reigning MVP at first base already and that player's just 27. 

Last spring the Reds started trying Alonso in left field and he played 30 games there in 2010 between Double-A Carolina and Triple-A Louisville, but still played the bulk of his time at first base, logging 96 games there. This season with his bat ready for the big leagues, he was given more time in the left field, where he played 62 games in left compared to 21 at first base.

Since the left-handed hitting prospect was called up to the big leagues when Jonny Gomes was traded, he's started three games in left and none at first. The first part is going to change, the second may not.

Alonso's latest position may be third base after he struggled in two games in left at Wrigley Field this past weekend, playing one ball into an inside-the-park home run for Cubs rookie Tony Campana and then misplaying another ball for a crucial error in Saturday's loss.

When asked on Monday when Alonso would play left again, Reds manager Dusty Baker told reporters, "not in the near future," according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Alonso took ground balls at third base -- his main position growing up, he's said -- but Baker said he doesn't expect Alonso there anytime soon.

"You don't want to do it in the big leagues," Baker said, according to Fay. "But that's the position he started at. It's a mirror image of first base, really. You get more plays. Most first baseman are at first because they're left-handed or they don't have the arm to play third.

"We'll see. We're trying to find the best place to get his bat in the lineup."

While Alonso's looked shaky in the field, he's been locked in at the plate, where he's started the season 8 for 16 with two doubles and a homer. The Reds called up another prospect, Dave Sappelt, on Sunday when Chris Heisey went on the disabled list and Sappelt will likely get a chance to play quite a bit in left and center. Sappelt had a hit leading off in his major-league debut on Sunday. Fred Lewis is starting in left on Monday.

Finding a spot for Alonso is tricky. The Reds thought he was the best hitter available when they took him with the seventh overall pick in the 2008 draft and he's shown it in the minors, where he's combined to hit .293/.370/.466. He was hitting .296/.374/.486 with 12 homers when he was called up. Although he's 4 for 7 as a pinch-hitter so far this season, going forward he's going to be too valuable for filling just that role.

The Reds and Blue Jays reportedly talked about a blockbuster sending Joey Votto to his native Toronto in exchange for Jose Bautista, opening a spot for Alonso. Although that deal didn't go down, it does show how much the team values Alonso and feels he can be an impact player in the big leagues.

Votto is under contract through 2013, so he's in the team's immediate future but could be too expensive when he reaches free agency. Alonso would be a lower-cost alternative.

Alonso could also finish the season strong and be a more valuable trade piece in the offseason because of his early success in the big leagues. 

Physically, Alonso looks more like a first baseman -- or DH -- than third baseman, but he says he feels comfortable there. He didn't play third at Miami because current Twin Danny Valencia was at third base when he got there. The Reds have a need at third base. With Scott Rolen on the disabled list (and at 36), the Reds are using a combination of rookie Todd Frazier and veteran Miguel Cairo to man the position. Rolen is under contract through next season and the team's top prospect at the position, Juan Francisco, has been hurt this season and unproductive in a couple of big-league stints.


(cbssports.com)

CINCINNATI -- Early arrivals at Great American Ball Park on Monday were surprised to see rookie first baseman Yonder Alonso on an empty field taking grounders at third base. Alonso, a first baseman by trade, struggled in left field this past weekend at Wrigley Field.

Reds manager Dusty Baker would like to have his bat in the lineup and with reigning National League Most Valuable Player Joey Votto ensconced at first, Baker is looking for other ways to insert Alonso.

"You don't want to do this in the big leagues, but that's the position he started at," said Baker before the Reds opened a four-game series against the Rockies on Monday night. "[Third base] is a mirror image of first base, actually. Most first basemen, if they're not left-handed and have the arm, can play third. We'll see. We're trying to figure out the best place to get his bat in the lineup."

Alonso, 8-for-16 with a homer and four RBIs in the 10 games since he was brought up from the Minors on July 26, said he's played third base before and was certainly game to make the move.

"It's kind of natural to me," Alonso said about playing third base. "Let's say it's not as new as left field. I played there all my life. It's something I can do. Left field is tough and I'm trying to get better at it and first base is locked down. As long as I'm adequate out there at third -- and I think I am -- hopefully they'll give me a shot."

Alonso added, though, that he'd been given no indication by Baker when he might play third base in a game. With incumbent Scott Rolen on the disabled list after left shoulder surgery, the position is wide open at least for the time being.

"If you do [find out], let me know," said Alonso, the seventh overall pick by the Reds in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. "They haven't really told me. They just told me to work. Come in early every day and obviously I do. That's one thing I'm going to do. No question I'm going to work hard. Hopefully, I can get it done and play."

Baker, though, said there were no immediate plans of running Alonso back out there, during a game in left field.


(mlb.com)

It sounds like the Yonder Alonso experiment in left field is over and the Yonder Alonso experiment at third base is about to begin.

Asked if Alonso would play left again, Dusty Baker said: “Not in the near future.”

Alonso had a rough time of it in his three starts in the left field on the road trip. He missed played three balls and made an error.

Alonso was at Great American Ball Park early taking balls at third base. He may eventually play there, but, again, not in the near future.

“You don’t want to do it in the big leagues,” Baker said. “But that’s the position he started at. It’s an mirror image of first base really. You get more plays. Most first baseman are at first base because they’re left-handed or they don’t have the arm to play third.

“We’ll see. We’re trying to find the best place to get his bat in the lineup.”

Alonso played third base in high school.

“I’ve always taken groundballs there,” he said. “It’s not as new as left field to me. I’ve played infield all my life. They’re trying to get my bat in the lineup. As long as I’m adequate there, they’ll give me shot. I’m going to work hard to get it done.”


(cincinnati.com)

Yonder Alonso suffered an ankle injury when he stepped on sprinkler head while chasing a fly ball in Saturday's game.

If you've watched Alonso try to play left field, it comes as no surprise that he managed to hurt himself. The good news is that while he's not in the lineup Sunday, it appears to be a day-to-day thing.


(rotoworld.com)

As much as Yonder Alonso might like to forget his first weekend at Wrigley Field, he may not have a choice.

Alonso hit his major league home run, but misplayed a ball in Wrigley Field's adventurous outfield that helped the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 11-4 Saturday for their seventh straight win.

After a scary collision between second baseman Brandon Phillips and center fielder Drew Stubbs led to Reed Johnson's leadoff double in the fourth inning, Alfonso Soriano hit a routine flyball to left.

Alonso, playing for the injured Chris Heisey, stepped on a sprinkler in the outfield and was unable to track down the ball. Johnson scored and Soriano made it to second base.

The Cubs went on to score nine runs over the next three innings to put the game out of reach. The Reds matched their season high by committing three errors in the game.

"I stepped on a sprinkler ... I definitely should have caught that ball," Alonso said. "You have to learn with it. First time in this stadium, I've never been here. It's a little tough to play with the wind and the sun and all that. No excuses, really."

Alonso also misplayed a ball in the series opener on Friday that led to Tony Campana's inside-the-park home run.

The 24-year-old rookie then hit his first career homer in the sixth, a solo shot off Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano, but said the moment was bittersweet.

"Obviously you want to get that win," he said. "It's nice to get that home run so it's not a '0' anymore, it's a '11 in there. Just move with it, accept it and be positive with it. Shake it off because tomorrow we have to go at it again."


(ap.com)

HOUSTON -- Rookie Yonder Alonso's pregame routine with the Reds has recently gotten a little busier.

Starting on Tuesday, Alonso was instructed to start taking ground balls at third base and to work with coach Chris Speier at that position. Alonso has only played left field and first base professionally.

"Maybe I can get in there and, obviously, it will give me more value to the team if I can do that," Alonso said on Wednesday. "Third base was my position growing up. It comes easier than the other two positions."

With Scott Rolen out up to six more weeks after having left shoulder surgery on Wednesday, the Reds are currently using Miguel Cairo and Todd Frazier at third base. Shortstop Paul Janish can also play there. Third base prospect Juan Francisco is currently on Triple-A Louisville's disabled list because he had right knee surgery on July 8.

While at the University of Miami, Alonso was taken as a first baseman by the Reds with the seventh overall pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. Since he's blocked there by Joey Votto, he began playing left field last season.

"When I got to college at Miami, Ryan Braun was at third base. That's why I moved to first base," Alonso said. "I started playing third my sophomore year and Danny Valencia came. He's now with Minnesota. Those were two pretty good third basemen."

Since his big league promotion on July 26 after the Reds traded left fielder Jonny Gomes to Washington to clear a roster spot for him, Alonso hasn't played much. His only start was in left field on Monday vs. the Astros, and he was not in the lineup on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Alonso, 24, entered Wednesday hitting 3-for-8 (.375), after he batted .296 with 12 home runs and 56 RBIs in 91 games for Louisville.

"It's part of the process, I guess. My time will come," Alonso said. "I will pretty much stay with it, work every day and prepare myself for whatever that role may be. If I start, I start."

Alonso felt like his one start was successful, as he made one catch. But he also looked tentative on another fly ball that dropped in front of him. That, he said, was because he feared the ball getting by him had he made a diving attempt.

"I thought I played pretty well," Alonso said. "There were a couple of balls that kind of dunked in there. I caught a fly ball, hit my cutoffs and had good at-bats. It's just one start. It's not like it's the 100th start in the big leagues. I take it for what it is, and try to grasp as much positive as I can and move forward with it to the next start."

Alonso made a pinch-hitting appearance in the ninth inning of Wednesday's game and delivered an RBI single in the Reds' eventual 5-4 loss to the Astros.


(mlb.com)

With Yonder Alonso getting his first big-league start in left field for the Reds Monday night, I started wondering about his fantasy prospects.
Is he worth the add?

I was impressed with how he snagged three hits in his first four at bats (spread through four games), but was unimpressed with how he went 0-4 against as seemingly Triple-A Astros’ club.

Fortunately for big leaguers and fantasy owners, one game does not make a career.

We could look at his short stint with the club last season for indicators of success, but I don’t think it holds much merit. Last season was for getting his feet wet, and that’s what Alonso did in 2010, striking out 10 times in 29 at bats.

So Alonso’s minor league history is pretty much all we have to use to gauge his potential success. From looking the numbers, you have to be impressed with his Triple-A stats.

He was around .300 and had 12 home runs with 56 RBIs. His slugging percentage was .486, the highest it’s been since he posted a .497 percentage playing A-ball for Sarasota in 2008.

So would I add him?

Only if you’re desperate. Rookie position players, especially those that are called up midseason, usually don’t make much of an impact.
And his playing time is not necessarily guaranteed, although it wouldn’t make sense for the Reds to call him up so he could ride the pine.


(cincinnati.com)

HOUSTON -- Since his highly-anticipated promotion to the Reds from Triple-A Louisville on July 26, Yonder Alonso was limited to pinch-hitting duty and entering on double switches. That changed on Monday against the Astros when Alonso made his first big league start in left field. He started three games at first base for the Reds last season.

A smaller left field at Minute Maid Park played a part in manager Dusty Baker's decision to start Alonso. It's only 315 feet to the wall at the foul line and 362 feet in left-center field.

"It's a big difference. That's what I tried to do over the years for Jonny Gomes," Baker said. "There is less ground to cover."

Having less ground to cover in Houston doesn't take away all the issues, however.

"The wall here presents a problem for anybody who hasn't played here. You don't know the caroms," Baker said. "The center fielder has big territory to cover, huge. You need [Drew] Stubbs or a rabbit out there for defense. Especially with Bronson [Arroyo] pitching and a fly-ball pitcher, it's very important that you try to have good outfield defense."

Alonso, who played 62 games in left field for Louisville this season as he converted from previously playing mostly first base, delivered three hits in his first four at-bats but went 0-for-3 in the 4-3 loss on Monday.


(mlb.com)

Reds manager Dusty Baker was asked Friday if Yonder Alonso will get a start in left field, at some point.

"Yeah, at some point," Baker said. "We've been working him out in the outfield."

Coach Billy Hatcher has been working with Alonso on his outfield defense, Baker said. Baker said he wants to hear another progress report from Hatcher.

Alonso is a natural first baseman but, with reigning NL MVP Joey Votto at first base, Alonso played mostly left field at Louisville this year.
Alonso was called up from Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday, when Jonny Gomes was traded to Washington.

Entering Friday, Alonso was hitting .500 (1-for-2) in two cameo appearances in the Mets series. Alonso is considered a pure hitter, having hit .296 over his past two years in Triple-A.

"There were times last week where everybody was wondering when (Chris) Heisey was going to start (in left)," Baker said. "Remember that? You can't start everybody. You can only start them one at a time."

Fred Lewis started in left field Friday. Earlier this week, Baker said Heisey would start most of the time in left field.


(cincinnati.com)

Reds manager Dusty Baker said Chris Heisey will play most of the time in left field, which means Yonder Alonso mostly will come off the bench.
Alonso was called up Tuesday night when Jonny Gomes was traded to Washington, and Alonso arrived in the Reds clubhouse around the fifth inning Tuesday. Shortly thereafter, Alonso stroked a pinch-hit double.

Naturally, Reds fans on Twitter pleaded for Alonso to start in left field Wednesday night. Heisey started.

"Everybody can't play left field," Baker said. "Everybody was hollering for Heisey and now everybody wants Yonder to play. ... We know (Alonso) can hit, but right now probably most of the time is going to go to Heisey."

Alonso admittedly is no Usain Bolt and is more suited to first base, but reigning NL MVP Joey Votto is the Reds' first baseman. Alonso therefore played mostly left field at Triple-A Louisville this year, as the Reds seek ways to get his bat into the lineup long-term.

"Yonder is more of a first baseman than he is a left fielder," Baker said. "Speed is the question, and range, and so we'll see how it works out. We're trying to win ballgames."

Alonso, the Reds' No. 1 draftee in June 2008, was called up Sept. 1 last year. In 29 at-bats he hit .207, with no homers and three RBI.
This year Alonso was hitting .296 with 12 homers and 56 RBI at Louisville.

Alonso graciously accepted the move to left field.

"Every day it gets a little easier," he said. "I've just got to come out here and work as much as possible."

Alonso did not make an error and had three assists in 62 appearances as an outfielder for Louisville this season.

His only two errors were at first base, where he played 21 games.

Louisville manager Rick Sweet, in a recent interview, said Alonso was a willing pupil in left field.

"His jumps and routes are good," Sweet said. "He just doesn't have a lot of range, it's that simple. For his ability he's solid, but he just lacks that speed that you like to have there. But he's done a good job, he's thrown people out, and I've been impressed with his instincts."

At first base, Votto has started all but two games this year.

"Joey's the first baseman, we all know that," Alonso said. "I've just got to take care of myself, make sure I'm ready to play every single day and help the team out."

With Votto anchored at first, Alonso also is mentioned frequently in trade rumors.

"Half the time it's just all gossip," Alonso said. "You try not to listen to it. I think earlier in my career I listened to every little thing, but now I couldn't care less. I want to be here."


(cincinnati.com)

The trade of Jonny Gomes to the Nationals has opened the way for Reds prospect Yonder Alonso to finally get his chance in Cincinnati. While he may split time in left field with Chris Heisey, and Fred Lewis could steal at-bats, too, Alonso should get the bulk of the playing time in the near term.

Blocked by Joey Votto at his natural position of first base, Alonso was converted to the outfield this year. While he won't ever be more than an adequate fielder, his bat should keep him in the lineup. Alonso's greatest strength is superb plate discipline, which has allowed him to hit for a high average at every stop in the minors. He also uses the whole field and has done a good job of making adjustments against lefthanded pitching, posting a .313 average against lefties at Class AAA this year.

A hamate injury in 2009 sapped his strength but Alonso seems fully recovered and was on pace to hit 20-plus home runs at Class AAA Louisville this season. His power was on full display in batting practice at the Futures Game, where World team manager and former Diamondback Luis Gonzalez gushed over the rookie's ability to drive the ball out of any part of the ballpark. When I spoke with Alonso afterward, he told me that it "took about a year to get my power back and start to feel good" after the injury.

While Alonso will have to produce right away to guarantee himself big-league playing time this season, long-term he's clearly the Reds' future left fielder, and possibly an eventual replacement for Votto at first base. His combination of patience, pure hitting skills, and decent power potential should allow him to post an eventual stat line of .300-20-90 at the major league level. I don't ever see him reaching 30 home runs and he won't steal any bases, but he should be a solid big-leaguer for years to come.


(sportingnews.com)

CINCINNATI -- The trade of Jonny Gomes to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday was more about Yonder Alonso than Gomes. The Reds got a couple prospects for Gomes, but it was more about opening a spot for Alonso than what the Reds got in return.

"We've got some quality young players at Triple-A who deserve the opportunity to be here," Reds GM Walt Jocketty said. "We'll see if they do help us."

Alonso has played 62 of his 91 games at Triple-A in left field. He worked hard on the position in the offseason, but he is limited as far as speed.
"He's improved a lot," Jocketty said. "He'll be able to spell Joey from time to time. He'll play some left field. He'll be a left-handed hitter off the bench. The one thing we do know about Yonder is he can hit. He can flat out hit."

Alonso was hitting .296/.374/.468 with a 12 home runs and 56 RBI for the Bats.

Jocketty would not say Alonso will play every day in the left field. Chris Heisey and Fred Lewis will still get time.

"We felt we needed another left-handed bat," Jocketty said. "Yonder's done a terrific job at Louisville and has deserved the opportunity to come up here and see if he can contribute to the major league club."

Jocketty says, despite treading a veteran for two prospects, the Reds have not switched the emphasis from buy to sell.

"I think what we're looking at now is more players who will contribute at the major league level," Jocketty said. "We're still buying."

Gomes was not an easy guy to trade.

"We had a couple clubs inquire about Jonny's services but Washington was probably the most persistent," Jocketty said. "For us, it's a tough move to make in some ways because Jonny was a big part of our club last year. He's obviously a guy we thought very highly of as a person and a player."


(cincinnati.com)

Yonder Alonso is hitting .299 to go along with a .379 on-base percentage and .499 slugging percentage through his first 391 plate appearances fro Triple-A Louisville this season.

He's homered 12 times while notching 24 doubles, four triples and 56 RBI. Now 24 years old with 188 Triple-A games under his belt, Alonso is more than ready for a big-league promotion, but isn't terribly likely to get it before September unless he's traded out of Cincinnati. With the Reds looking for help on nearly all fronts, he's a decent bet to be moved.


(rotoworld.com)

Yonder Alonso: He's an obvious trade chip, being that the Reds have Joey Votto entrenched at first base, and his .302/.382/.498 numbers in 85 games in Triple-A demonstrate that he's ready for an extended look at the big league level. The Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Padres and Tampa Bay Rays are six possible destinations where Alonso should immediately take over.


(espn.com)

This past week, beat writer Jason Stella sat down with Louisville Bats All-Star Yonder Alonso, asking him questions about his continued success, move to left field, and the path to his major league aspirations. Here's the full interview:

JS: Since beginning your professional career, you have maintained a batting average near .300 at each level you have played. What do you think has been the key in you maintaining your success as you have moved up and faced better pitching?
YA: Just staying within myself and knowing what I'm able to do as a hitter and not try and go over the top. Just try and stay focused within my game and just work very hard. I think consistency is a very big part of the game, and that's something I always strive for.

JS: Up until this season, you had played almost exclusively first base since coming into the Reds system. This year, you have played quite a bit in left field. Was this an adjustment that started in the spring, and what sort of defensive work have you been putting in on a daily basis?
YA: This has been going on for a couple years now. At first it was pretty tough, but once you get the hang of it and you practice and work at it in batting practice, you get more comfortable out there and it becomes easier on you.

JS: Your production at the plate this season has you on pace to eclipse your career highs in most statistical categories. What do you think has been the reason for your offensive success thus far in 2011?
YA: I just feel like I'm more focused. This is my second year in triple-A, and I know how the whole minor league thing works. I've been healthy, also. Last year I was kind of injured with my wrist that I broke the year before, and I wasn't 100 percent. Now, I feel like I'm 100 percent and I'm here to do well.

JS: Last September, you made your major league debut and appeared in 22 games with Cincinnati. Describe this experience and your mindset as you got to take part in the race for the division title.
YA: It was great. You get the chance to be a big leaguer for a month-and-a-half. You get the chance to play in a big league stadium and wear a big league uniform, and words can't really describe what that feels like.

JS: Instead of signing with the Twins out of high school, you elected to play college ball at the University of Miami, playing three years with the Hurricanes before being a first round pick of the Reds. Describe your experience playing at Miami and how it helped prepare you for being a professional.
YA: It was great. I think Miami is the best school in Florida, and it has one of the best programs in the United States. Miami is always in the hunt for the College World Series. It's taught me everything, how to grow up, how to be a man, and how to take care of my own things. I give a lot of thanks to them.

JS: You throw right-handed and bat left-handed. At what point did you develop this characteristic, and is there any particular reason that you don't bat and throw with the same hand?
YA: Ever since I was younger, my dad was the one who told me to hit lefty and throw righty. I liked it, and so far it has worked out well and is paying off.

JS: As you continue to enjoy success at the triple-A level, is there any one particular area that you are working to improve the most as you try to get a more prolonged opportunity in the big leagues?
YA: I feel like every day I can work on something, whether it be base running, hitting, fielding, throwing. Every day I'm out there and I'm trying to learn, and I feel like that's part of the game. You don't know the whole game, and every day you see something different, so you try and learn something every day.



(minorleaguebaseball.com)

PHOENIX -- As top prospects Devin Mesoraco and Yonder Alonso keep raking at Triple-A Louisville, one overriding question continues to rumble louder and louder from Reds fans as the big league team struggled into the All-Star break.

When?

Both Mesoraco and Alonso, who participated in Sunday's XM All-Star Futures Game, have been among several Louisville players that have hit well enough to be considered for a promotion. But currently, there is no room for them on the big league roster. So while fans might be impatient, the players are playing it cool.

"They won the division last year with the same team. Why not try to do it again?" said Mesoraco, the Reds' first-round Draft pick in 2007. "I understand that. That's the way it is. It's wait your turn, but be ready when your number is called. That's my main focus."

Mesoraco, who started for the U.S. Team on Sunday, finished the first half of his season batting .303 with nine home runs, 49 RBIs, a .378 on-base percentage and a .510 slugging percentage. It's been a solid follow up to a 2010 season in which the 23-year-old was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Year for batting .302 with 26 homers at Louisville and Double-A Carolina.

Both during big league camp at Spring Training and last season, Mesoraco has also garnered praise for his work behind the plate. That remains a work in progress.

"He's learning so much still every day, especially about calling games," said Louisville manager Rick Sweet, a coach at the Futures Game for the U.S. Team. "That's not something he could really do at Double-A or [Class] A ball. I think in Triple-A, you start getting older pitchers like Dontrelle [Willis], [Edinson] Volquez or the rehab guys. He starts learning, 'OK, this is how you work hitters.' He's still learning and has a lot to do and he knows it."

The Reds have a strong catching tandem in the big leagues with Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan. Barring an injury, the only chance Mesoraco has at a promotion this season is if there's a trade. Hanigan is already under contract for next season, but Hernandez is on a one-year deal and occasionally has come up in trade rumors.

"Monie and Hany are great catchers," Mesoraco said. "Somehow, some way it will work out for me at some point. I'm not in any kind of a hurry."
Alonso, the Reds' first-round pick in 2008, is batting .293 with 11 homers, 48 RBIs and .372 on-base percentage. A first baseman when he was picked, his big league path is blocked with Joey Votto in place. That meant a position change for the 24-year-old Alonso, who first tried left field last season. He's played more there this season and seems to be growing into the position.

"He's done well in left field," Sweet said. "He catches everything he gets to. He doesn't have the foot speed, but his jumps and routes have been good and that's the best part of it."

The Reds made Alonso a September callup last season, and he was limited to mostly pinch-hitting. Getting a more substantial callup in 2011 is a possibility since the club currently mixes and matches in left field with Jonny Gomes, Fred Lewis and Chris Heisey.

With only a couple of weeks remaining until the Trade Deadline, Alonso could hear his name pop up in rumors as they often have in the past. Scouts are frequently at Louisville's games, and Alonso's bat will get him to the big leagues one way or another.

"I can't really worry about what will happen to me at the Trade Deadline or if I get traded," said Alonso, who played first base for the World Team on Sunday. "What I can think about is doing my job. If I do my job, something will happen. Hopefully it's with Cincinnati, because I'd love to hit in that park, that's for sure."

In the Futures Game, Mesoraco went 1-for-1 with a lined single to left field in the second inning and he was also hit by a pitch. Alonso went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts and two walks and played the entire game.

Another elite Reds prospect received his first promotion when hot-hitting shortstop Zack Cozart was called up this week. Both Mesoraco and Alonso were thrilled for their friend and teammate.

"I watched the game last night, and seeing Cozart was kind of weird because I was playing with him earlier in the week," Mesoraco said. "He's on TV where we all want to be. It kind of makes you think you're almost there."


(mlb.com)

Yonder Alonso is batting .316/.371/.502 with eight homers and 39 RBI over 247 at-bats this season for Triple-A Louisville.

Alonso is still learning the ins and outs of playing left field, as he's considered, to put it nicely, a minus defender there. But, his bat will carry him, and he's hitting well enough that the Reds might be willing to deal with shoddy outfield defense. Cincinnati hasn't gotten much production from left field this season and could give Alonso a shot at regular playing time at some point.


(rotoworld.com)

CINCINNATI -- With the MLB First-Year Player Draft in the books after Day 3 on Wednesday, Reds fans with an eye toward the future can turn their focus back to the Minor Leagues. In the case of some Cincinnati prospects, you don't have to look too far forward to envision them at Great American Ball Park.

Yonder Alonso, the organization's No. 1 prospect, according to MLB.com, is hitting .323 at Triple-A Louisville. Alonso was originally a first baseman, but with a certain National League MVP clogging that hole for the near future, Alonso has spent the last two years learning to play left field.

In 75 career games in the outfield, Alonso has committed one error against 14 assists. With left field being one of the weak spots in Cincinnati's lineup this season, it would not be surprising if the Reds call up Alonso later this season -- although, as manager Dusty Baker pointed out earlier this week, offense has not been an issue for Cincinnati, and adding Alonso to the mix may not be the missing piece.

The Reds have another big-name catching prospect in Yasmani Grandal, last year's first-round pick and the organization's No. 5 prospect. Grandal is considered a better defensive catcher than Mesoraco, but he does not have as high of a ceiling in the batter's box. He is hitting .279 at Class A Advanced Bakersfield this year.

Just who exactly could be throwing to Mesoraco or Grandal in the future remains a mystery. With the possible exception of Robert Stephenson, the team's first-round pick on Monday, Cincinnati lacks a head-turning starting pitching prospect.


(mlb.com)

Yonder Alonoso has cooled off a little bit in his last ten games, but still has a line of .341/.422/.580 with 3 HR, and 16 RBI in May. Alonso has 15 multi-hit games this season and had a 12-game hitting streak from May 5 – May 17. And he’s slowly but surely getting better in left field. He’s still a little slow getting a jump on the ball, but he does seem to be getting better. I say give him a few more weeks and we’ll be discussing his call-up to play LF.



(blogredmachine.com)

NORFOLK, Va. - Since being selected with the number seven overall pick in the 2008 draft, expectations have remained high for Cincinnati Reds' prospect Yonder Alonso. In just over two professional seasons, however, the 24-year-old Alonso has done nothing to disappoint Reds' brass, steadily moving through the team's farm system and even earning a September call-up to the Reds in 2010.

To start 2011, Alonso, who has played the bulk of his career at first base, has added versatility to a repertoire that has always included outstanding offensive numbers. While Alonso has still logged some starts at his natural first base position, the former Miami Hurricane has spent the bulk of his time in left field with the Louisville Bats, making 24 starts at a position he rarely played before this year. The unfamiliar territory hasn't fazed Alonso, however, as he has yet to commit an error this season, while also registering two outfield assists.

Although Alonso, who has played in 41 of the Bats 45 games this year, may be spending his practice time learning a new defensive position, his production at the plate has not suffered. In fact, his numbers thus far in 2011 have him on pace to enjoy the best offensive season of his young career. The left-handed hitting Alonso's .323 batting average ranks fourth in the International League, while his 15 doubles and 51 hits also rank among the top-five in the IL.

Alonso has really gotten it going offensively since the calendar flipped to May, hitting .361 with a .443 on-base percentage for the month. Alonso reeled off a 12-game hitting streak and 19-game on-base streak earlier in the month, forming a potent combination over the past few weeks with fellow hot-hitting teammates Todd Frazier and Juan Francisco in the middle of the Louisville batting order.

While leading the team in batting average and hits, the steady Alonso has been one of the Bats' top home run (5) and RBI (23) men, while also ranking second on the team in walks (18). Although never having the reputation as a huge threat on the base paths, Alonso has become a legitimate threat to steal over the past few seasons, swiping five bases thus far in 2011 and 13 last year.

After starting last season at double-A Carolina, Alonso quickly worked his way up to Louisville and was a stalwart for the Bats as they made their run for their third straight division crown. Between the two levels, the six-foot-two, 240-pound Alonso hit .290 with 15 homers, 69 RBIs, and 36 doubles in 132 games. This marked the third time in three pro seasons that Alonso has finished the season hitting above .290. After the Bats' season concluded, Alonso made his big league debut, appearing in 22 games as the Reds came down the stretch to clinch their own division title.

Offensive production such as this is what has entrenched Alonso as a valued prospect, rated in MLB.com's top-50, and earning a spot in the 2010 Futures Game that took place all-star weekend. According to Baseball America, he came into 2011 as the Reds' fourth-best prospect.
With Alonso growing more and more comfortable in left field, the likelihood of him getting a big-league call up have increased exponentially. Since 2010 NL MVP Joey Votto is manning first base with the Reds, it would take an injury for Alonso to see much big league time at that position in 2011. With left field being a less settled position, however, Alonso's hot hitting could put him in play for an opportunity if the Reds need a spark or suffer an injury.



(web.minorleaguebaseball.com)

CLEVELAND -- Reds prospect Yonder Alonso has been on a tear at Triple-A Louisville. One has to wonder if he could soon force the club's hand for a promotion, especially as it searches for production in left field. General manager Walt Jocketty is watching Louisville play in Norfolk this weekend.

Alonso entered Saturday batting .333 with a .398 on-base percentage in 38 games. The lefty slugger has five home runs and 22 RBIs and came in batting .405 (17-for-42) over his previous 10 games.

With Joey Votto blocking him from his primary position at first base, Alonso has been getting most of his playing time in left field and has made 23 starts there. The organization first had him try left field last season and again this spring.

Although he's far from exceptional defensively, Alonso's work ethic is often praised, and reports indicate he's performing OK in the field and showing improvement. He has two assists and has yet to make an error.

As a September callup to the Majors last season, Alonso batted .207 in 22 games, mostly as a pinch-hitter.



(mlb.com)

Yonder is on an eight game hitting streak and is absolutely shredding the ball. In those eight games Alonso is 14-37 (.378) with a HR, 1 triple, 6 doubles, and 7 RBI. He was a single short of the cycle on Monday. As of April 23rd, Alonso had yet to hit a HR or get an RBI. He now has 4 HR and 17 RBI (in 19 days) and boasts a .322 AVG and .378 OBP for the season. The only problem for Alonso has been defensively. He seems to lack a quick first step in left field and can rarely cut a ball off that’s going in the alley. I feel as if this will come around, though—much like his bat has come around.



(blogredmachine.com)

It doesn't matter if it's a first baseman's mitt or an outfielder's glove, Yonder Alonso is comfortable wearing it.

Continuing his transition to the outfield, Alonso fell a single shy of the cycle and drove in three runs Wednesday as the Triple-A Louisville Bats beat the Rochester Red Wings, 7-3.

Alonso extended his hitting streak to seven games when he tripled home Zack Cozart in the third inning. The seventh overall pick last June drilled his fourth homer of the season in the fifth, again plating Cozart, then doubled and scored in the ninth.

MLB.com's preseason No. 49 prospect, Alonso nearly had a fourth hit when he lined to center field in his first at-bat.

"I really thought that it was going to drop," he said. "The center fielder had been playing me to right-center, but for some reason today he was shifting me to left-center and it was right at him. Things happen for a reason, but it would have been nice to get the cycle."

In addition to the hitting streak, the University of Miami product has driven in runs in four consecutive games, totaling seven RBIs during that span. After a slow start, he's raised his average to .313 and ranks fifth in the International League with 11 doubles.

"I've been having good at-bats and making adjustments, and it's been working out for me," Alonso said. "I'm just trying to go with what the pitcher gives me. Last year, I felt like I tried to force things a little and that's when I got into trouble. And I told myself, 'Just be me and don't force it.'"

A natural first baseman, Alonso is blocked at the Major League level by reigning National League MVP Joey Votto. After playing 30 games in left field for for Double-A Carolina and the Bats in 2010, he's beginning to settle in in the outfield.

"It's been going great," Alonso said. "I feel like I've been making strides out there and I feel comfortable."

Asked what position he most closely identifies with, he responded, "I see myself as both. I feel like I can play first base well, but I can play left field well. It's helped my game out because now I'm not just a first baseman, I can be a left fielder, too. Now I have more options, so it's definitely helped me out."

Off to a hot start, the notion of getting called up to Cincinnati is not something on which Alonso dwells.

"It crosses my mind, but it's something that I try not to think about," he explained. "What I have to do is worry about what I have to do here."
Catcher Devin Mesoraco, MLB.com's No. 45 prospect, contributed a solo homer, his fourth.

"This guy can flat-out play," Alonso said. "He improved so much on the hitting side, but on the defensive side he's unbelievable. He's going to be a big-time Major Leaguer and I think he's going to be great. ... He's been huge for our team and I'm looking forward to seeing him the whole year."



(web.minorleaguebaseball.com)

You can hear the sheer joy in Yonder Alonso's voice when recalling his first major league hit. He rejoices in the detail.

The Cincinnati Reds prospect and current Louisville Bat had a pinch-hit double in St. Louis in September and later scored. He got high-fives from teammates as he entered the dugout.

His mother, father, sister and uncle were at Busch Stadium cheering. Alonso was 10 years old when the family fled Cuba.

“After the game ends is when it really sinks in,” said Alonso, 24. “I just got a hit at the big league level. It's everything that you've worked for, and it's the beginning of what I hope will be a long career.”

Alonso's not there yet.

The 2008 first-round draft choice (seventh overall) is back with the Reds' Triple-A affiliate. He's playing left field now instead of first base, and after a sluggish start, he's slugging again.

Alonso is batting .387 over his past 10 games to boost his average to .293. He is also tied for third on the team in home runs (three) and — most surprisingly — tied for first in stolen bases (four).

He said he isn't bothered by the position switch. After all, it's not like he's going to beat out Reds first baseman and reigning National League MVP Joey Votto.

He's just grateful to be playing baseball.

Many Cubans make a perilous exit from the communist country. Alonso's father arranged a plane to take Yonder, his mother and his sister to the United States. They didn't have any family here.

“It was tough,” he said. “My dad and my mom worked four, five jobs. We cleaned offices. My dad was an umpire for Little League. I was helping clean offices, and I was also playing baseball at the park. It was a tough life when I was younger.”

Baseball runs in the Alonso family. Father Luis Alonso was a catcher and first baseman for Cuba's famous Industriales club. Yonder starred at Coral Gables (Fla.) High School before helping lead the University of Miami to the College Worlds Series as a freshman.

After his junior season, Alonso signed a major league contract with the Reds worth $4.55 million, including a $2 million signing bonus.

Of the six players taken before him, only San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey has established himself as a future star. Posey was the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year, helping the Giants to the World Series title.

Alonso was rated as the Reds' top overall prospect by Baseball America in 2009, and this year he's No. 4. He's a career .291 batter in the minors and went 6 for 29 (.207) with the Reds last September.

Louisville manager Rick Sweet said Alonso's position change might have contributed to his slow start at the plate. To adjust to a new position, Sweet said, you have to put in extra time on defense. That sometimes can mean less time for batting practice.

“It would be nice if you could separate things, but it doesn't happen that way,” Sweet said. “When you're used to playing as a first baseman you go out and you don't have to think your way through the whole process. You can split (practice time) 50-50.”

Alonso denies that the move to left was a factor. He said the extra practice in the outfield has helped. (He hasn't been charged with an error.) The biggest improvement Alonso has made has been his base-running. He was 14 for 18 in stolen bases for his career. This season he's 4 of 6 and is on-pace to surpass his career high of nine steals set last season.

Sweet said Alonso is running smarter on the bases. Alonso isn't known for his speed.

“I'm trying to get into scoring position,” the 6-foot-2 215-pounder said. “I'm not the fastest guy. I have to be very smart, and things have to work out.”

Alonso said he doesn't spend much time thinking about when he'll be back in the majors. One of his mentors is Alex Rodriguez. They talk every few weeks.

“He's taught me so much,” Alonso said. “He taught me how to work, how to stay tough, how to grind it out when things are going rough. He's been a great friend to me.”



(courier-journal.com)

Reds top hitting prospect Yonder Alonso -- stuck at Triple A Louisville because his promotion to Cincinnati is blocked at first base -- is willing to keep learning the outfield if that's what it takes to make the major leagues, though he would prefer to stay at his natural corner position.

"I think I'm a good first baseman;  I like playing first base;  I want to stay there,  but they've already got some guy up there,"  Alonso told Sirrius-XM Radio host Grant Paulsen on Paulsen's Sunday morning "Majors and Minors" program.

The "guy" playing first base for the Reds,  of course,  is none other than reigning MVP Joey Votto,  who is not likely to give up his position anytime soon.

"We text each other every day,"  Alonso said.  "I tell him,  'I hit a home run today,'  and he says back, 'I hit two!"

Alonso, 24, a former first round pick,  rejects calls for him to be traded,  hoping the day will come when he finally takes the field at Great American Ballpark,  at first,  in the outfield or on the bench.

"This is where I was drafted.  This is where I want to stay,"  he said.

The former Cuban national -- who fled the communist controlled Caribbean island when a boy -- is hitting .280 in his first 84 at-bats for the Redbirds, but is heating up.  He has four hits in his last 12,  including two homers.



(mlbnewsonline.com)

Reds reassigned INFs Yonder Alonso, Zack Cozart, Chris Negron and Todd Frazier to minor league camp.

Alonso hit .300/.344/.467 over 30 at-bats this spring, but he remains blocked at first base and in the outfield at the big league level. The offensive-minded prospect will serve as a first baseman and left fielder for Triple-A Louisville until the Reds can find a spot for him in the majors or a trade partner.



(rotoworld.com)

PHOENIX -- Jonny Gomes and Yonder Alonso both hit two-run homers in the fourth inning to lead a Cincinnati Reds split-squad to a 7-6 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday.

The Reds did not have a baserunner over the first three innings against Gio Gonzalez and Brett Anderson, before the Gomes and Alonso homers punctuated a six-hit inning against Anderson in the fourth.

Reds starter Mike Leake, vying for Cincinnati's No. 5 starter job, gave up one run in two innings in his first start of the spring.



(washingtonpost.com)

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- There are two immutable truths that will continue to surround prospect Yonder Alonso during his time with the Reds.

Truth one is that Alonso won't play first base as long as 2010 National League MVP Joey Votto is around and healthy. And because of truth one, truth two is that Alonso will be one of the first names mentioned in trade rumors involving Cincinnati.

While Votto appears to be the immovable object, especially after he signed a three-year, $38 million contract last month, Alonso isn't letting that stop him. Some evidence is visible with the four gloves that sit right above his locker.

Only one glove is a first baseman's mitt, the other three are for the outfield.

"[Votto] is going to be here until whenever he wants, bottom line," said Alonso, whose locker is right next to Votto. "They're going to try and find me a position so I can be in the lineup or do whatever they think I can do.

"I'm just excited because they're trying to find me a spot. It's kind of like they care and they think I can play out there, which is good."

Alonso took some balls in the outfield last spring and played 30 games in left field during the 2010 season at Double-A and Triple-A. This spring, his work has been more intensified, and he's working daily with coach Billy Hatcher taking fly balls and trying to get more used to the position.

Hatcher, the Reds' first-base coach and a former Major League outfielder, has a willing and enthusiastic pupil.

"He's improved a lot," Hatcher said. "The one thing with the kid is he is willing to put the work in. He's still a first baseman, but get him in the outfield just in case, you never know. He's willing to put the time in. He put the time in during the offseason and mentally prepared for it. He's a worker, so he has a chance."

Alonso is known primarily for his bat and not his skills defensively -- even when he's at first base. He's not a fast runner, which can limit his range in the outfield.

"I think the kid is very athletic," Hatcher said. "He's never been in the outfield. It comes with time and getting the opportunity to play. We've got all of Spring Training and we'll work every day."

Asked how the 23-year-old spent his offseason, Alonso didn't take long to explain.

"Mucho fly balls. Mucho," said Alonso, who trained at the University of Miami with big leaguers Jorge Posada, Melky Cabrera and occasionally his friend, Alex Rodriguez. "I changed my whole workout. I did a 20-week workout and some hitting. I didn't do much traveling or take much of a rest. I hit it."

Having organizational depth and talented players knocking on the door to the Majors without a place to play is an issue the Reds didn't have very often a few years ago. The farm system is deep at multiple positions, and while the Major League team is contending with the players it has, prospects are waiting their turn.

Some longer than others.

"He only played a half a year at Triple-A. He's still got some playing to do. Things work themselves out," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "When I was on the Dodgers, we had everybody backed up. That's what good teams and good organizations do. I remember one time when I came up with the Braves, we were loaded with outfielders. I remember my roommate, Ralph Garr, led the league at .364 and he had to go back because there wasn't room. He hit .384 the next year and I hit .325 and had to go back.

"It's a good problem to have here for us. It's a good problem if we need to go get something."

Hence the reason that players like Alonso will always hear their names floated around as prospects that could be used as trade bait. Last year, when the Reds attempted to trade for pitcher Cliff Lee from the Mariners, Alonso's name was prominent in the rumors. The Reds never confirmed those rumors, however.

Alonso made it clear where he would like to establish his baseball roots.

"At first, I was all right with it and got over it," Alonso said. "Then I was like, 'You know what? I want to stay here. I like it here. I know everybody here.' It got kind of annoying, make no doubt. I want to stay here. I want to be a part of this. We're all young and having a good time. It's good."

Baker was not able to promise that Alonso would get time in left field during spring games, especially with Jonny Gomes, Fred Lewis, Jeremy Hermida and others likely to get action in the outfield. Alonso will continue to play first base behind Votto as well and try to earn a place on the Reds' bench out of camp.

The left-handed power-hitting Alonso, who turns 24 on April 8, batted .290 with 15 home runs, 69 RBIs and a .362 on-base percentage in 131 games for Double-A Carolina and Triple-A Louisville.

A September callup followed, which provided Alonso with his first taste of the Majors. Used primarily as a pinch-hitter, he batted .207 (6-for-29) with two doubles in 22 games.

"I think it helped in every way possible," Alonso said. "I did the hardest thing that any hitter can do, which is pinch-hit. I had good at-bats and did well with it. It's just a matter of keeping it going and learning from it. I definitely did that. I watched other guys and got a feel for what it is. I feel a lot easier coming in and doing my thing and working. I don't feel like, 'Oh my god, everyone is watching me.' It's not a surprise anymore."



(mlb.com)

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CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Yonder Alonso got a taste of the big leagues in 2010 with the Cincinnati Reds.

Now, the former first-rounder draft pick is working hard in the off-season to assure he lands a full-time role in 2011.

Alonso, a Coral Gables High School product who starred at Miami from 2006-08, has been working out this off-season at Alex Rodriguez Park, home of the Hurricanes.

“This is my life,” Alonso told InsideTheU. “When I say it, I really mean it. Like Dwyane Wade says, ’this is my house’, this is where I’m welcome and everything is good. They welcome me with open arms here and hopefully I can have batting cages named after me or something so we’ll see.”

Alonso has been working out with New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez in Miami, something the two did when Alonso was at UM.

“We still work out here every day,” Alonso said. “Actually, Jorge Posada is with us now too. It’s been really good. Obviously, I have learned a lot. Brett Gardner has came in and worked out as well and helped me in left field. Melky Cabrera is helping me out there too.”

In regards to what Alonso what’s to work on specifically this off-season, he feels he needs to get better in all areas of the game.

“I think I’ve got to work on everything,” Alonso said. “People ask me that and I think I have to re-tune everything and make sure I polish everything up--my hitting, defense, running, fielding, workout routine, outfield--everything has to get better. The sky is the limit and I strongly believe that so I have to get better.”

Alonso played three seasons at UM as a first baseman and was drafted by the Reds at that position. However, Joey Votto, the NL MVP in 2010, currently plays first base for the Reds. Votto, 27, recently signed a three-year extension, which forced Alonso to left field, a position he is continuing to improve on.

“It was good,” said Alonso of the transition to the outfield. “I think it got a little bit better in the big leagues just because I got more help especially from Billy Hatcher and the guys that have been there for years and years. It got better and hopefully I can carry it on for next year.”

Last season, Alonso hit .290 with 15 home runs, 36 doubles, 13 stolen bases, and 69 RBIs in 132 minor leagues splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A.

He was a September 1 call-up to the Reds and played sparingly in 22 games where he hit .207 with three RBIs in 29 at-bats primarily as a pinch-hitter.

“It’s been good. It was a jump,” Alonso said. “Two years ago I was here (at UM) and now I am in the big leagues. Twenty-three years old and in the big leagues. There are not too many 23- year olds are doing it. It was a goal of mine and it was a lot of fun. It was everything I dreamed and hoped for. Hopefully now I can get there and stay there for a while.”

His MLB debut came on Sept. 1 in Cincinnati against the Milwaukee Brewers.

“My first game was a blur,” Alonso recalled. “It was crazy. I hadn’t slept in probably a day or two because I didn’t know if I was going to get called or not. It happened and I went straight to Cincinnati. I really didn’t think I was going to play up. The game was like 5-2 and we were up and they said, ‘hey, grab a bat, you’re going in’. I had to face this lefty guy (Zach Braddock) throwing 95-97, it was fun, it was nice. I didn’t care who was pitching, I was going to swing really hard to matter what.”

His first hit came in St. Louis with former teammate Jon Jay in the outfield for the Cardinals.

“He saw my first hit,” Alonso said. “It was actually in St. Louis. My first hit was a double and it was on FOX, it was pretty crazy because they were talking about me and Jay. The double was down the line, but I was looking at him. We were in the hunt, we were one game up, and I get a double, I’m looking at him, he’s looking at me and we were in a big league game. It was pretty cool.”

Alonso said that he enjoyed the match-ups with a couple of the National League’s best pitchers--Ubaldo Jimenez and Chris Carpenter--striking out in each appearance against them.

The Reds were one of the biggest surprises in baseball last year winning the NL Central for the first time since 1995.

“We had a great year,” Alonso said. “We knew we were going to be good from spring training, but just nobody knew us. Obviously now we are on the map. The NL Central is big so it’s going to be a battle.”

The fans in Cincinnati have been very supportive of the team.

“The fans are great,” Alonso said. “Midwest people are so nice, so friendly. They are big-time fans.”

Alonso on the Hurricanes
While at UM, Alonso was one of the best Hurricanes ever. He ranks third on the all-time home run list with 52 homers. His 215 RBIs ranks third and his 172 walks ranks fourth and was a career .347 hitter. His 24 home runs in 2008 was one short of the school record.

He helped lead the team to the College World Series twice in his three-year career.

“The Miami coaches get you ready for life, they get you ready for the big leagues,” Alonso said. “Everything that is in the big leagues from the little time that I was there was very similar to this. It was all about winning, make sure you get your work in, make sure you respect everyone around you, and carry yourself as a professional and that’s how we did things here.”

Alonso has been around the current Hurricanes and likes their chance in 2011.

“I think they are good,” Alonso said. “They are young and I think it is going to help them. I think they are going to be good with their pitching especially with these new bats, they’re going to be good on defense too. I think that is going to be the main key where maybe three or four years ago, it wasn’t the main factor was that you’ve got to out-hit the other team. Now it is about pitching and defense. It’s going to be fun. Games are going to be quicker.”



(miami.247sports.com)

1B Yonder Alonso: A budding left-handed power hitter, Alonso is blocked by Joey Votto but has a great attitude and desire to improve. He could get some chances in left field again, which he is willing to do.




(mlb.com)

Tis the season for prospect lists, and one player on most of the lists is Reds first baseman Yonder Alonso. And one thing that shows up on all the lists is that he's blocked at the big-league level by National League MVP Joey Votto.

Alonso played some outfield last season, but he's simply not fast enough to play out there, he's really just a first baseman. Alonso was ranked the No. 49 prospect in baseball by MLB.com and No. 65 by ESPN.com's Keith Law. He's ranked the Reds' fourth-best prospect by Baseball America .

Alonso signed a major-league deal when he was drafted in 2008. Because of that, he'll be out of options after this season and seems to be certain to be traded. However, Bill Bavasi, the team's vice president of scouting, player development and international operations, said Wednesday at a fundraiser that the team wasn't interested in trading Alonso.

“We won’t trade him,” Bavasi said, according to the Dayton Daily News ' Hal McCoy . “We’ve tried him in the outfield and he gets to ball he should get to, but he doesn’t have the speed to make the great plays. But we can’t move him. He is exactly the kind of player Walt [Jocketty] loves -- he hits the ball hard, puts the ball in play, doesn’t strike out. I’m not so sure it would do him any good to sit on the bench this year so he’ll probably go back [to Class AAA Louisville] and play and work. He won’t be kept just to pinch-hit because it is tough for a kid to learn to do that.”

The Reds signed Votto to a three-year deal this month, buying out his arbitration years, but he will still be a free agent after the 2013 season. That seems too long to have Alonso sitting on the bench as a pinch-hitter, so the team almost has to trade him for a useful piece. He can be the perfect bit of trade bait if the Reds are looking for something at the trade deadline to put them over the hump, if they're still in the improved National League Central -- of course, other teams know they have to trade him, too, so Bavasi is likely just sandbagging.



(cbssports.com)