Dusty plans to stick with Cozart in the No. 2 spot

[dougdirt]

Awesome a thread on Cozart batting number two!!

The title was pretty clear. You didn't have to open it.

[dubc47834]

yeah and some other news, water is wet...

did anyone suspected something different?! the problem is that even if he wants to put another guy in the #2 hole there is nobody that would fit

and he´s not going to hit votto #2
and he won´t put phillips in 2nd => there is not much he can choose

Yeah, wouldn't matter who hits 2nd, someone would find a way to complain. Votto could hit in all 9 spots and there would be complainers...jus saying!

[dabvu2498]

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is what a player's manager sounds like: Interests of individual player's career > Interests of the club.

I wouldn't go that far. If he was concerned that much about guys "getting theirs," he would be more concerned with giving Votto/Phillips/Bruce more chances to drive guys in and Choo more run-scoring chances.

I don't mind Dusty saying this is part of their "development plan" for Cozart. He has to justify it somehow and that makes as much sense as any. Especially to folks who don't digest every syllable the man says like we're T-rexes. And you do need something to build the kid on.

Of course, that said, he shouldn't be batting second. But it ain't worth bashing your head in a door over either.

[dougdirt]

I wouldn't go that far. If he was concerned that much about guys "getting theirs," he would be more concerned with giving Votto/Phillips/Bruce more chances to drive guys in and Choo more run-scoring chances.

I don't mind Dusty saying this is part of their "development plan" for Cozart. He has to justify it somehow and that makes as much sense as any. Especially to folks who don't digest every syllable the man says like we're T-rexes. And you do need something to build the kid on.

Of course, that said, he shouldn't be batting second. But it ain't worth bashing your head in a door over either.

Zack Cozart is not a kid. He is going to be 28 in a month.

[UC_Ken]

He has pinch hit for Cozart in big spots late in games. He said "he already tried him lower in the order" and "you can't hit everyone low in the order."

If he's going to bat him 2nd, of course he is going to talk him up and try to give him confidence.

If Dusty has enough confidence to put him in the #2 hole in between two .400+ OBP guys why in the world should he be pinch hit for? IMO it makes you look completely clueless pinch hitting for a #2 unless he's a lefty/righty platoon guy.

[RedsBaron]

Zack Cozart is not a kid. He is going to be 28 in a month.

Dusty is 64. He isn't changing either.

[dubc47834]

I love this place, but a name change is in order....wecomplainabouteverythingzone.com!

[Raisor]

111

That's how many more plate appearances the two slot is on pace for over the 8 spot.

That's why it matters.

[reds44]

Zack Cozart doesn't need confidence. That isn't why he can't hit. He can't hit because he can't hit. The guy turns 28 years old in a month. He isn't going to figure something out. There won't be an "aha!" moment. He has never really hit, scouts never expected him to hit.

Thank you for explaining this. I had no idea.

You completely missed my point.

[reds44]

If Dusty has enough confidence to put him in the #2 hole in between two .400+ OBP guys why in the world should he be pinch hit for? IMO it makes you look completely clueless pinch hitting for a #2 unless he's a lefty/righty platoon guy.

So somehow not pinch hitting would be the better idea?

Think about what you're saying.

He doesn't belong hitting 2nd. Nobody is arguing that.

[dabvu2498]

Zack Cozart is not a kid. He is going to be 28 in a month.

That's a kid to me.

Seriously though... Is there no chance he improves a bit now that he has basically 2 full seasons under his belt? I'm not talking about him becoming a .800 ops guy but at least being a serviceable ML hitter.

I know. I know. He shouldn't be hitting second.

[Razor Shines]

I love this place, but a name change is in order....wecomplainabouteverythingzone.com!

Well batting order discussion is pretty much a given on any baseball message board. Add in the fact that the Reds have one of the worst hitting position players in all of baseball batting second and the manager just affirmed that he will continue to hit second.......it's gonna get some discussion.....on any board.

[Raisor]

That's a kid to me.

Seriously though... Is there no chance he improves a bit now that he has basically 2 full seasons under his belt? I'm not talking about him becoming a .800 ops guy but at least being a serviceable ML hitter.

I know. I know. He shouldn't be hitting second.

He's Juan Castro with more power

[dabvu2498]

111

That's how many more plate appearances the two slot is on pace for over the 8 spot.

That's why it matters.

And if we shuffle the deck chairs around to optimum position... More runs, right? Just based on the cumulative effect, right? Tons more runs? And yes, I know... Even 5-10 runs matters.

The bottom 5/9 of the lineup would then be pretty much a perpetual black hole. There just aren't enough good/very good hitters on this roster

[dabvu2498]

He's Juan Castro with more power

Yes. I know how to access baseball-reference.com

I even know what some of them there numbers mean.