At least he can hit a little. But Bako couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat.
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Ramon Hernandez would be a good addition. I'll second that notion.
Other than that it's just piece meal work.
I am more concerned about the Reds' catching situation than anything else. I don't think it will be quite as bad as some of you seem to think, but I am certainly worried about it. I am banking on Ross having a bounce back year, but for him that still means hovering around mediocrity at best. Valentin is what he is -- a backup MLB catcher who can also provide some help as a pinch hitter. He is awful defensively though. And this might sound crazy, but I like having Paul Bako on the roster. He is very solid defensively. But can't hit of course. Overall, C will be a weakness for us, but hopefully not too much of one.
If Ross is healthy and hits decently, he's a reasonable starting catcher.
1. He isn't healthy.Quote:
If Ross is healthy and hits decently, he's a reasonable starting catcher.
2. He has been horrible at the plate for the last season and a half.
Combine the two -- the tender back isn't going to help him any at the plate -- and you have a hole at the position.
This is an issue where the rubber really meets the road. WK has assembled a team that still needs a bit more to compete and the huge hole at the moment is catching. The question is does he have a big enough pair to go out and pay the price to get what he needs to really help the team ... or is he going to cross his fingers and hope for the best.
Catcher and RF are gaping defensive abscesses. You see the dentist but can't afford to fix both; you fix the one that you need in order to eat: catcher.