Of course we are over 500. We have top notch pitching carrying us. Who would you bat second, that dusty would actually play and bat second? I'd all be for Robinson. I saw the angels slump coming from a mile away. Their pitching just isn't good enough.
Why mess with Frazier? The guy can't consistently hit or even give tough at bats against good pitching and unlike Bruce his D is not stellar. He was cold to finish last year, and I really noticed holes in his swing last year. We already have enough free swingers out there so why hurt the defense when good pitching is in. If a team is throwing a high caliber pitcher lets play for defense with hannahan. His D will probably help save more runs than Frazier would produce in those situations. Lets let Frazier be right handed pop off the bench against relievers with a good fastball and let him start against lesser pitching he can clobber and bloat his numbers with.
And Headley is signed through next year as well. I'd be crazy to trade a starter for a rental. But why do it? There is no promise choo will return next year. We need to go for it. If our pitching proves solid without cueto it may be a sign we can live without him. Look back on the reds past 4 winning seasons. What did they have in common? An impact cleanup guy. 99 Vaughn. 2000 bichette 2010 Gomes. 2012 ludwick. Why make a 225 million dollar investment in votto if he gets no lineup protection? Phillips doesn't scare any pitcher and Bruce and Frazier are way too inconsistent. Just look at the cards. They know who is in the heart of their lineup. Beltran Holliday and Craig. All solid disciplined hitters who can instantly hurt you. Even when they lost pujols they didn't mess around hoping someone would step up. They got a proven hitter in Beltran. The reds need to do the same. Build the lineup around disciplined hitters at its core. We have votto and Phillips can be. Get another and this lineup will take off and the reds will win with pitching and offense.