I'm still inclined to look for a hitter or two

[Redeye fly]

No, I don't want to get carried away by two or three good starts. Although, a run of 3 very good starting performances is nice to hopefully build on.

That being said, I know starting pitching has been a huge problem for this team. That being said, there's still upside there.

Cueto has been outstanding this year.

Leake has shown me enough to believe he's at the very least going to give you a chance to win most of the time you run him out there.

Arroyo has done the same ever since becoming a Red. Yes he gets lit up at times, but when it's all said and done he's league average or above.

Bailey looked like he was finally starting to get it.

Guys, that's 4 decent starters if everyone stays healthy and pitches up to their ability.

Granted those are big ifs, but not nearly as big of ifs as Volquez and Wood.

NOW, IF Volquez and/or Wood pitch with any kind of consistency, then you have a pretty good rotation.

Sure, there's a lot of variables there. Guys need to stay healthy and consistent. That's never guaranteed over the course of a 162 game season with younger pitchers especially. We've already seen that this year.

BUT, the ability and potential IS there.

But I just don't see much upside with some of the guys on offense. Janish, Gomes/Lewis, even Rolen at this point... I think what we see is what we get.

Janish's bat was always a question. Gomes is little more than a streaky slugger. Yes when he's going well he's an asset, but when he's not it's brutal.

Lewis has been a journeyman player for a reason. Rolen in his prime was one of the best third baseman in the game, maybe the best all around. He's not in his prime anymore.

Don't get me wrong- if there's a stud pitcher to be had, I'm not saying don't go after him. I just think over the course of the season the pitching will correct itself and the weak links in the lineup will continue to be weak links.

[Spaxspore]

cozart, give the kid a chance. SS overall is a black hole.

I still dont understand why they signed renteria (sp?) when he can only play one position and has poor defensive and offensive ability.

[KYRedLeg]

cozart, give the kid a chance. SS overall is a black hole.

I still dont understand why they signed renteria (sp?) when he can only play one position and has poor defensive and offensive ability.

Veteran Creaminess

[Spaxspore]

yea that makes sense

[Redeye fly]

Cozart might be alright, but I don't know if or when the organization is going to make that decision.

Something should be done though.

[webbbj]

id let cozart and heisey play now. They will have 6 weeks to decide whether to make a trade for either position.

[Spaxspore]

id let cozart and heisey play now. They will have 6 weeks to decide whether to make a trade for either position.

agreed; concerning the SS position, no matter what it cant be worst than what we are getting now. Give him a chance. Only issue is rentaria jamming up the works, who can you option?

[bshall2105]

if you're going to give Cozart a shot you might as well DFA Renteria and stick with cozart/janish

[LexRedsFan]

Like many have mentioned I'd like to see us get a veteran reliever. Sure, I know...the pen has good numbers, blah blah blah...but I want us to have a Rhodes type guy back there besides CoCo...because we know Dusty is only going to use CoCo when ahead, and rarely if ever when tied.

[cres36]

I would like to see cozart come up like everyone else appears to be wanting....however i dont want him as my everyday starter yet. I think PJ will come around and him and coazart could make a good 65-35 combo and PJ could even give you some games at 3b but yet you have the problem with renteria. Who do you send down to bring up cozart? You have a big problem in left 3 guys and no one has really stepped up and shown that the deserve it. Right now i would say heisy and gomes, with lewis being the odd man out based on performance, yes i know jonny has sucked it up pretty hardcore but he is coming around a little bit too and he is proven streaky so if were getting bad now good has to be coming right????.........maybe lol. either way it would be nice if they could improve the bats in left or ss bringing someone in or up would help IMO whether its cozart, alonzo, or through a trade. I think the pitching will settle down and be fine once everyone gets healthy. The big question is who is the odd man out when homer comes back???

[50YrRedsFan]

While I appreciate what experience brings to a clubhouse, Renteria and Lewis are just not offensive players any more. Both have OPS lower than .600, and OBP lower than .300. Even Mike Leake's OPS is around .650. Gomes is around .735 and his OBP is .333. I think replacing them from AAA would not hurt us and would probably help. Why not give Alonso a try is LF. That way you would have a left and right handed batter for your situational hitting. Bring up Cozart as a replacement for Renteria. I don't think we would be losing anything with these moves. And both Cozart and Alonso are on the 40 man roster.

[brm7675]

While I appreciate what experience brings to a clubhouse, Renteria and Lewis are just not offensive players any more. Both have OPS lower than .600, and OBP lower than .300. Even Mike Leake's OPS is around .650. Gomes is around .735 and his OBP is .333. I think replacing them from AAA would not hurt us and would probably help. Why not give Alonso a try is LF. That way you would have a left and right handed batter for your situational hitting. Bring up Cozart as a replacement for Renteria. I don't think we would be losing anything with these moves. And both Cozart and Alonso are on the 40 man roster.

I am all for bringing up Cozart, but not Alonso. He needs a full season at AAA in LF to allow him time to learn the position. If anyone comes up to fill the LF slot I would give Frazier a shot first.

[SanDiegoRed]

This team is pathetic offensively. A lot of runs or nothing. It's time to shake things up and bring up reinforcements from AAA or finally make that trade for a real left field bat.