Mailbag: Alonso in a starting role?

No chance that happens to start 2009. Yes, Alonso played well in Hawaii and batted over .300 in around 100 at-bats. But he missed most of the summer and played all of six games at Class A Sarasota after signing as a first-round Draft pick. All signs indicate Alonso will compete for the first-base job at Double-A Carolina, and if he doesn't get it, he'll go back to Sarasota.

And I've indicated this before -- I'm not in the camp with those that believe Votto should be moved to left field.

What is the organization's view on lefty Matt Maloney -- the pitcher it got from the Phillies?
-- Richard R., Philadelphia

Considering they gave up just Kyle Lohse and his expiring contract to get Maloney before the 2007 Trade Deadline, it's been a great deal for the Reds. The organization is high on him and thinks he's going places. His 11-win season at Triple-A Louisville should give him a chance to compete for the fifth-starter's role next spring. Last spring, Maloney looked overmatched vs. big league hitters. I'll be interested to see how he looks the next time around.

The Reds have a lot of voids to fill this offseason. If they could only pick up one player, who would it be -- a right-handed power hitter, a left-handed pitcher, or a true leadoff man?
-- Mike G., Louisville, Ky.

A consistent right-handed run producer is the top priority. It doesn't have to be a power hitter, but someone that can get on base and hit well in all situations. If Jerry Hairston Jr. is re-signed, he and Chris Dickerson could be in-house leadoff options. The Reds went through all of last year without a left-handed starter and could survive without one.

With all the names and teams mentioned in rumors, does tampering exist? I'm sure free agents are OK because they're not under contract. Do most of the names spoken of actually get brought up by the media and us (the fans)?
-- Steve S., Somerset, Ky.

Tampering exists when a team executive or manager openly talks about wanting another team's player, or attempts to negotiate with that player while he's under contract elsewhere.

Have a question about the Reds? E-mail your query to MLB.com Reds beat reporter Mark Sheldon for possible inclusion in a future Inbox column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content. First Name, Last Initial: Hometown: Email Address: Question:

Why hasn't the name Milton Bradley come up in the Reds' search for a power-hitting outfielder? He has a poor injury history and is not exactly a "clubhouse guy," but these factors seem to have driven his price down, and he has been very productive when healthy.
-- Steve C., Westerville, Ohio

Now that's the kind of pitch Bradley is hoping his agents aren't making when they talk with clubs.

I saw that the Reds signed another 16-year-old from the Dominican Republic. It looks like they are having more of a Caribbean presence. Will the Reds ever invest money in the Far East?
-- Quan T., San Jose, Calif.

The most recent signing last month was Ismael Guillon, a 16-year-old lefty pitcher signed out of Venezuela. Two 16-year-old outfielders were signed over the summer. The Reds have really upgraded their presence in Latin America and have a thriving Dominican academy. As for Asia, it's somewhere the scouting department has made efforts to expand to. To this point, though, it hasn't been able to make any signings.

What American League division will the Reds be battling against in Interleague Play for the 2009 season?
-- Eric R., Lexington, Ky.

This year, it's mostly teams from the AL Central -- the White Sox at home, the Indians (twice, home and home) and the Royals at Kansas City. But there is a quirk where the Reds play the Blue Jays at Toronto for the second year in a row.

The 2009 schedule can be found here.