One simple fix that costs nothing

[RedEye]

In the Reds case we are talking four reliable hitters. Four.

Three of them are already bunched up. Votto, Phillips, Bruce.

Want to bunch them with Choo, go ahead. Nobody here is saying no.

Think it will make much difference? Doubtful. It leaves five worse hitters all in a row.

The Reds need a couple of additional good hitters. The batting order is not the real fix. It's a band aid, a minor upgrade.

What's wrong with a minor upgrade? If it gets you two-ish more wins, you do it, right? The 1999 team was a minor upgrade away from the post-season.

[RiverRat13]

Moving Votto to the 2-hole should make everybody happy. The saber-minded folks know that the numbers say that your best hitter should bat second. And many of the folks who like traditional stats don't think that Votto has enough RBI to bat third. It's a win-win.

[Kc61]

The thing about this time is, I think the only place you can get noticeably better production from offensively from now to the rest of the season by adding somebody on offense is SS, and I don't see the Reds being able to acquire a SS.

Sure Aramis Ramirez is a bit better than Frazier and you could get somebody who will be a bit better than Ludwick, but SS is the only position they could truly upgrade.

And before somebody mentions Didi, he's been just as bad as Cozart the last few months.

No, this is mostly about LF. Ludwick has been out over three months and will continue to be out awhile. It is an offensive position, most hitters can play there.

That was the obvious place for improvement all along. Most decent MLB hitters could have handled it defensively. Walt decided to go with his bench.

A good offensive SS who defends the position, harder to get.

[Kc61]

What's wrong with a minor upgrade? If it gets you two-ish more wins, you do it, right? The 1999 team was a minor upgrade away from the post-season.

Nothing wrong with a minor upgrade. Unless you need more.

[reds44]

No, this is mostly about LF. Ludwick has been out over three months and will continue to be out awhile. It is an offensive position, most hitters can play there.

That was the obvious place for improvement all along. Most decent MLB hitters could have handled it defensively. Walt decided to go with his bench.

A good offensive SS who defends the position, harder to get.

Who are you going to acquire? The biggest OF name that is going to get traded is Alfonso Soriano. You really think he makes a big difference?

[Ironman92]

Dusty doesn't think Cozart should bat 2nd. He just can't imagine batting anybody else there on a regular basis. That's the problem. Any other combination simply forces him to think of using players outside of the roles he's already assigned them. So in his mind, he's got the lineup that puts the fewest guys out of "position". You guys are making an argument in a language Dusty doesn't speak.

Hard to believe with the turkeys he's had playing SS and batting second in his 5 1/2 years.

[Kc61]

Who are you going to acquire? The biggest OF name that is going to get traded is Alfonso Soriano. You really think he makes a big difference?

My view is that the Reds should have acquired an outfielder in April or May.

Soriano has a bad contract. But I think the obvious and easiest position for a new bat has been outfield.

Easier than SS or 3B or C.

Who? I don't know, GMs don't confide in me. But if adding a decent OF stopgap bat is too tough for a supposed WS contender, then I am not impressed. And a solid hitting outfielder would make a difference IMO.

[Brutus]

From what I've seen, the projection is that lineup maximization would add about 20 runs to the Reds' offense per season. That works out to about 2 extra wins or so, which could come in handy in September, to be sure.

I've never understood the argument that "it won't be that much of a difference anyway." If there is any chance for a positive change, I'd like the team to make it pronto.

That theory, and that's all it technically is, assumes a perfectly optimal lineup. Even switching out Cozart comes nowhere near that optimization. So really, the difference is negligible.

[reds44]

This will help...or something.

RT @Ken_Rosenthal Sources: Francoeur down to three teams, including #Reds. Other two teams not known.

[RedEye]

That theory, and that's all it technically is, assumes a perfectly optimal lineup. Even switching out Cozart comes nowhere near that optimization. So really, the difference is negligible.

What numbers are you looking at? When I ran them, the results were pretty clear that switching out Cozart is a net positive any way you look at it. I don't really care if the difference is "negligible" or "minor" -- if there's a chance for an upgrade of any sort, I'm all in.

[RedEye]

This will help...or something.

RT @Ken_Rosenthal Sources: Francoeur down to three teams, including #Reds. Other two teams not known.

So much for not giving Dusty the tools of his own destruction.

[reds44]

My view is that the Reds should have acquired an outfielder in April or May.

Soriano has a bad contract. But I think the obvious and easiest position for a new bat has been outfield.

Easier than SS or 3B or C.

Who? I don't know, GMs don't confide in me. But if adding a decent OF stopgap bat is too tough for a supposed WS contender, then I am not impressed. And a solid hitting outfielder would make a difference IMO.

Find me a target. I'm not asking you to work out a deal, show me somebody who you feel like is going to get traded that would improve LF.

I think you're going to struggle to find one.

[cincrazy]

Frazier to cleanup? You guys realize he's been the epitome of awful since April, right? There is no fix to this issue unless Walt acquires someone from outside of the organization. And for the love of all that is Joey Votto I hope that "answer" isn't Jeff Francoeur.

[Kc61]

Find me a target. I'm not asking you to work out a deal, show me somebody who you feel like is going to get traded that would improve LF.

I think you're going to struggle to find one.

No. There are about 150 outfielders in the MLB. I think there is one someplace to help the Reds. Chris Denorfia. Jeff Francoeur. Alex Rios. David DeJesus. Cody Ross. Aoki.

No idea. Walt's job, not mine.

[reds44]

No. There are about 150 outfielders in the MLB. I think there is one someplace to help the Reds. Chris Denorfia. Jeff Francoeur. Alex Rios. David DeJesus.

No idea. Walt's job, not mine.

This is wonderful post. When you can find me an actual target that would help the Reds, then maybe you will have a point. However, "do something" isn't really a valid point.