Enough of Zach Cozart?

[757690]

I have an mlb.com subscription and play daily fantasy baseball. So I watch a ton of games. Sure offense is down but most teams have 2 or 3 bats in the lineup to fear. They have guys you know can, and often do, come through in the clutch. They look like they will get the job done. One such guy is Freddie Freeman. There are a probably 4 dozen I could name. And none of them would be a Red. It's a problem. Pitchers don't fear Votto's walks and Bruce's at bats. It makes us an easy lineup to pitch to. Ask Hale or Tehran.

There are 30 teams. If you can name 48 hitters that pitchers fear in tough situations, that means there are only 1.5 per team.

And to be honest, I'm not sure anyone can name 48 "feared" hitters in MLB right now, by my count, just quickly looking over the current player list, there are around 30, around one per team. But using your count, the 48th best OPS in MLB last year was Torii Hunter with an .800 OPS. And Jay Bruce was 44th. Although, I guess if you don't think that Joey Votto is a feared hitter, you probably don't think Jay Bruce is either.

[powersackers]

There are 30 teams. If you can name 48 hitters that pitchers fear in tough situations, that means there are only 1.5 per team.

And to be honest, I'm not sure anyone can name 48 "feared" hitters in MLB right now, by my count, just quickly looking over the current player list, there are around 30, around one per team. But using your count, the 48th best OPS in MLB last year was Torii Hunter with an .800 OPS. And Jay Bruce was 44th. Although, I guess if you don't think that Joey Votto is a feared hitter, you probably don't think Jay Bruce is either.

I know it's impossibly hard to state an opinion on Redszone without baking it up with stats or having stats tossed at you. That's fine. I get it. But if you're David Hale or any other pitcher you don't likely know the top 48 OPS guys by heart. My guess is you do know and have a game plan around who you "fear" and don't want to face with a close game on the line. I am saying the Reds don't have a couple of those. Sure Joey and Jay can best you. But they have holes to exploit and will get themselves out or walk (nothing to fear with Phillips snd Frazier up next) and don't intimidate you like a bunch of others do. It's a problem.

[757690]

I know it's impossibly hard to state an opinion on Redszone without baking it up with stats or having stats tossed at you. That's fine. I get it. But if you're David Hale or any other pitcher you don't likely know the top 48 OPS guys by heart. My guess is you do know and have a game plan around who you "fear" and don't want to face with a close game on the line. I am saying the Reds don't have a couple of those. Sure Joey and Jay can best you. But they have holes to exploit and will get themselves out or walk (nothing to fear with Phillips snd Frazier up next) and don't intimidate you like a bunch of others do. It's a problem.

Forget stats. If you think that Votto doesn't strike fear into opposing pitcher's hearts when he comes to the plate in tough situations, because he has holes they can exploit, then you'd have to say that there really isn't a hitter outside of Miguel Cabrera who does.

[gilpdawg]

Forget stats. If you think that Votto doesn't strike fear into opposing pitcher's hearts when he comes to the plate in tough situations, because he has holes they can exploit, then you'd have to say that there really isn't a hitter outside of Miguel Cabrera who does.

Even Cabrera has a hole, everybody does. It's just smaller than most.

[GAC]

We don't have a better option...so until then this is moot.

Which is why Cozart is our starting SS to begin with.

Cozart is struggling (obviously) this year to start out. It's April. He's a good (not elite) defensive SS. But we're always going to be looking at a SS who will OPS 600+, weak OB%, who has some pop in his bat. Just be thankful (I guess) that we have a manager who realizes where he needs to be hitting in the batting order (8th). LOL

You guys are crazy, Cozart has a 404 OBP!!

Excuse me, I've just been informed by my staff that is actually his OPS.

Damn.

And you want to be my latex salesman.

[cumberlandreds]

The Reds have left themselves with no other option than Cozart. No one else in the organization can come in an do a better job. The Reds are going to face a very tough situation/decison if Cozart doesn't pick it up soon. Either make a big trade using one of the starting pitchers to get someone to replace Cozart or hang with a .140 hitter the entire season and take your chances. I really don't like the latter option myself. But I am willing to give Cozart some more time to get straightend out.

[kbrake]

Am I the only one who is far more concerned and thinks the far bigger issue is Brandon Phillips and not Zack Cozart?

[dougdirt]

Am I the only one who is far more concerned and thinks the far bigger issue is Brandon Phillips and not Zack Cozart?

Yes and no. I think Phillips is going to be better than Cozart is. The problem is it will be much easier to replace Cozart because we aren't paying him a bunch of money moving forward, so not only will we be able to reasonably look for a replacement, but if we find one it will be easier to remove him from the lineup.

[malcontent]

Just be thankful (I guess) that we have a manager who realizes where he needs to be hitting in the batting order (8th). LOL

And it took him a couple weeks...and several losses...to figure that out. Weird that most of us didn't need a UC Berkeley degree to know that from the start.

[Rando]

Am I the only one who is far more concerned and thinks the far bigger issue is Brandon Phillips and not Zack Cozart?

BP is fine, but he's not a 3 hole hitter, and that has been obvious. Price needs to make more adjustments to the lineup

[malcontent]

Am I the only one who is far more concerned and thinks the far bigger issue is Brandon Phillips and not Zack Cozart?

Right now I'd say they are Issues 1A and 1B and I don't know who is which. But yeah, I'd agree that looking forward Phillips is the bigger one.

I think he's toast. Unless, that is, he's got a bad back that would be fine with rest (the rest that he won't get).

Of course, you never know with BP whether he's trying to play through something or not.

Actually, we need a separate Phillips thread. That's gotta be good.

[swaisuc]

Am I the only one who is far more concerned and thinks the far bigger issue is Brandon Phillips and not Zack Cozart?

Phillips has been a weak bat right in the middle of our lineup for a while now, but it's hard to think anything is a far bigger issue than an everyday starter having a .173 OBP for a whole month.

[*BaseClogger*]

Doesn't Starlin Castro feel like a Walt Jocketty trade target?

[malcontent]

The pathetic swing to SO in the 9th in the first ATL game, combined with the no-throw on the DP ball in the second makes me think he has a back or side issue.

If that's the case I don't know what the Reds are gaining by having Phillips play injured.

The other, unspoken issue which could be affecting him is Operation Shut-up. He does not seem to be too happy, but I wouldn't call him a malcontent just yet.

[westofyou]

Doesn't Starlin Castro feel like a Walt Jocketty trade target?

No, not at all