Buck

Coats

The 24-year-old Coats is just another Freddie Bynum. He can play the infield spots, just not especially well, and he’s been used more in right field than anywhere else for Iowa this year. He was hitting .277/.336/.366 with 16 steals in 429 at-bats Mike Fontenot, who had 120 points of OPS on him, gets passed over again. Michael Restovich has an OPS more than 200 points better.

Coats, 27, was batting .315/.377/.389 with two RBI in 54 at-bats with Triple-A Omaha, appearing exclusively in left field. He has a .193/.242/.333 batting line over 57 major league at-bats and most recently played with the Blue Jays in 2008. Consider him organizational depth.

Coats, 25, was acquired on waivers from the Cubs last week after hitting .303/.363/.435 for Triple-A Iowa. He’s an option in the infield, but the Reds will use him as a reserve outfielder and pinch-hitter.

It looked like a groin when it happened, but then the Reds called it an abdominal strain after the game. Griffey, who was really slumping this month, ends the season at .277/.372/.496 with 30 homers and 93 RBI in 144 games. It was the most games he had played in since 2000, his first year in Cincinnati. Jason Ellison and Buck Coats will play right field for the rest of the season.

Oddly, the Reds apparently weren’t confident he’d get to them on waivers. Coats, 25, was hitting .303/.363/.435 for Triple-A Iowa before being designated for assignment last week to make room for Craig Monroe on the 40-man roster. He can play some infield, while will help his chances of having a career as a 25th man. That’s about the best he can hope for. The Reds figure to call him up next month.

The move makes room for Craig Monroe on the 40-man roster. The Cubs are expected to send Jake Fox to Triple-A once Monroe arrives tomorrow, opening a spot on the 25-man roster. Coats served two stints in the majors with the Cubs in the second half of last year. He was hitting .303/.363/.435 with Triple-A Iowa this season.

Coats, a left-handed hitter, would be a candidate for a bench spot if Adam Lind begins next season in the minors. The 25-year-old hit .303/.363/.435 for the Triple-A Iowa before the Reds picked him up from the Cubs for the final month of last season. He then went 7-for-34 with 15 strikeouts in September. That he has some speed and infield experience makes him an acceptable 25th man, but he’s unlikely to be anything more.

Coats, a waiver claim from the Cubs, went 7-for-34 with 15 strikeouts for the Reds in September. He should clear waivers this time.

Lind and Thigpen knew they weren’t going to make the team going in, but they figured to be among the last round of cuts. Instead, they’re going out early. Lind hit .350 with three extra-base hits in 20 at-bats. Thigpen was 2-for-15.

Coats, 27, hit .302/.361/.416 with six homers and 56 RBI in 2009 while playing at the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas. He’s a longshot to crack the Royals’ 2010 roster and is probably just organizational depth.