Yonder Alonso plans to slim down this winter. Alonso will also work on his foot speed. The 24-year-old possesses a major league-ready bat, but he's struggled to find a position to call his own on a team that currently features Joey Votto at first base. If the offseason training regimen goes well enough, Alonso could open the 2012 campaign as Cincinnati's starting left fielder.

Yonder Alonso had two hits and an RBI in the loss to the Cubs on Monday. With a .389 average in 54 at-bats, Alonso is doing his best to force the Reds to play him. He has started four of the team's five games this month.

Yonder Alonso is making his first career start at third base Monday night against the Phillies. Alonso isn't exactly known for his defensive abilities and could struggle if given a number of difficult fielding chances. The Reds must really love his bat.

Yonder Alonso started in left field Tuesday night for the first time since August 6. "We have to try him again sometime," Reds manager Dusty Baker said prior to Tuesday's game. "We're trying to find out, was that just a bad day or if he can do it." Alonso recently began taking ground balls at third base, but Baker is reluctant to use him there in a game. The 24-year-old is batting .435 (10-for-23) with one home run and four RBI since being recalled from the minors, so the Reds may be willing to put up with his inexperience in order to keep his bat in the lineup.

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.

Yonder Alonso returned to action on Tuesday August 9.

Reds manager Dusty Baker said Monday that Yonder Alonso will not play left field again "in the near future." Alonso really struggled in the outfield last week, misplaying three balls, committing an error and spraining his right ankle on a sprinkler head. He has begun taking ground balls at third base, but Baker indicated that he won't be ready for game action at the hot corner any time soon. As long as Joey Votto is around, he is a man without a position.

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.

Yonder Alonso began taking ground balls at third base on Tuesday. "Maybe I can get in there and, obviously, it will give me more value to the team if I can do that," Alonso said. "Third base was my position growing up. It comes easier than the other two positions." Alonso is 3-for-8 at the plate since being called up on July 26, but he's started just one game, so we're fine with whatever will get his bat in the lineup more often. The Reds are looking for alternatives at the hot corner following Scott Rolen's shoulder surgery.

Yonder Alonso hasn't started any of the Reds' four games since being called up on Tuesday. "Yeah, at some point," manager Dusty Baker said when asked whether Alonso would get a start in left field soon. "We've been working him out in the outfield." It's bizarre that the Reds would call Alonso up and limit him only to pinch-hitting duty (he's 2-for-3 in that role), but he'll surely start seeing some chances before long. Baker, though, said that Chris Heisey will see most of the starts in left field moving forward, so Alonso's fantasy value will be limited.