Sign him to a minor leauge deal so he can teach all the kids how to grow a real mustache.
I'm not in favor of bringing Javy back, but I don't agree that there is no need. The Reds have failed to replace him as a lefty hitter off the bench. The Reds have left themselves with a total of three lefty hitters on the team (excluding pitchers). I can understand why they didn't acquire Jermaine Dye. I can't understand why they haven't replaced Valentin.
Castillo would be ok except the primary role is hitting in pinch hit situations. Usually that's not a spot for a rookie.
Wrong.
As much as I cannot stand the thought of Jacque Jones on this team, even he is a better option off the bench from the lefty side than Javy Valentin.
I thought i said i don't favor Javy for this team. And I don't.
But that doesn't change the fact that the Reds did not adequately replace Javy on this squad. A lefty hitter off the bench is a basic part of any major league roster. The Reds' candidates are long shots.
Javy was a valuable player for the Reds at one point. He hit very well in 2005, for example. I know that's not the prevailing view around here.
But Javy's time with the club is over. I'm not advocating his return. Time to move on.
When I look at Jones' 2008 and spring 2009; and when I look at Nix's lifetime major league record; I am not convinced that the Reds have adequately filled the LH hitting spot for the bench.
I agree with most everything you just said. But just as Javy was a good hitter four years ago, so was Jacque Jones. Heck, those two haven't been effective hitters since Laynce Nix was in AA. I think you need to get past Nix's limited playing time in the majors and give his minor league track record a look. There is a reason the projection systems expect big things out of him in 2009...
We'll see whether the Reds go with Nix. We may know tomorrow when the team makes cuts. He has power but also has a high K/BB ratio, even in the minor leagues.
The question is whether he can succeed with limited playing time and in pinch hitting performances. IMO the guys best suited to that role are usually veteran hitters who are patient and make contact. Nix doesn't seem to be that type, but if they keep him I'll root him on.
You said you don't want them to bring Javy back, but at the same time they did nothing to address the LH PH vacancy created by the Pornstache leaving town.
My argument is that the Reds are better b/c of addition by subtraction, and that we have guys just as good, if not better, to be the LH PH than Javy Valentin.
... plus the fact the Reds had other dire, pressing needs to address than a LH PH, and they punted on most, if not all of them.
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