Playoff Roster

[boiseheidleberg]

Assuming the Reds make the playoffs, there will be some interesting decisions to make on the roster. Is Mes or Navaro the 2nd catcher? Is Hoover in the pen? What about Valdez and Cairo? Do both, neither or one of them make the roster? And who would take thier spot if not? Thoughts......

[LexRedsFan]

Here's how I'd go:

Catcher
Hanigan
Navarro
(I like what Mes has done -- love, actually...but Hanny will be catching the playoffs. Period. Navarro as a Switch Hitter brings more to the table at the plate IMO)

Corner Infield
Votto
Frazier
Rolen

Middle Infield
Cozart
DatDudeBP
Valdez (His versatility makes you almost have to take him. He can play anywhere in a pinch. If you have a marathon you can literally put him anywhere on the field and he'll be ok.)

OF
Bruce
Ludwick
Stubbs
Heisey
Paul (I know it's another OF...but he's man #25 for me. And for man #25 I'd like to have another lefty off the bench over Cairo or another bullpen arm.)

Rotation
Cueto
Latos
Arroyo

Bullpen
Homer
Leake
LeCure
Simon
Hoover
Arredondo
Broxton
Marshall
Chapman

[boiseheidleberg]

Valdez in Cairo out on your roster. Can't argue with that. As you said, Valdez's defensive versitility puts him in.

[mmt1552]

Catchers
Hanigan
Navarro
(Mesoraco will not be eligible for playoff roster barring injury)

Infielders
Votto
Phillips
Cozart
Rolen
Frazier
Valdez
Hamilton (use as pinch runner late in game)

Outfielders
Ludwick
Stubbs
Bruce
Heisey
Paul

Starting Pitchers
Cueto
Latos
Arroyo
Bailey

Relief Pitchers
Leake
Hoover (could go with LeCure or Ondrusek here, I prefer Hoover)
Simon
Arredondo
Marshall
Broxton
Chapman

They most likely will only go with 11 pitchers in a series with days off. That bings an extra position player on the roster. The question is do they stick with the veteran in Cairo or go with Hamilton as a pinch runner? Last spot is probably a question with those 2. Of course, we'll see if Hamilton is even eligible for the roster by August 31. It's also possible that if they put Hamilton on the playoff roster that Cairo could be picked for the team over Valdez, but I doubt they'd want Hamilton to be the back-up SS.

[jback76]

I'd feel more comfortable with Mesoraco as my second catcher on the playoff roster.

[smixsell]

I'd feel more comfortable with Mesoraco as my second catcher on the playoff roster.

Me too. I generally agree with the OP's roster, except I take Mes as my 2nd catcher.

[The Rage]

C:Hanigan,Mes: The Reds won't change
1st: Votto
2nd:Phillips
3rd: Rolen/Frazier
SS: Cozart
LF:Luddite,Heisey
CF: Stubbs.......sorry
RF:Bruce
Misc: Cairo,Valdez. This is what the Reds do

Starters:
Cueto
Arroyo
Latos
Leake

Easy pickings there. Leake will probably not even pitch in a divisional series

Bullpen:
Chapman
Marshall
Broxton
Bailey
dondo
Lecure
Simon
Hoover

Logan is done. The rest is fluff. Bailey is the secret weapon.

[Ironman92]

There is zero reason to have more than 11 pitchers in the postseason.

Cueto
Latos
Arroyo

Leake
Arrendondo
Broxton
Simon
Marshall
Chapman

Bailey

I guarantee those 10 would be more than enough. I bet 9 would work.

Check out Dusty's pitcher use in the World Series...pretty sure he used one BP in 6 of the 7 games and 2 other in 5 of the 7.

Navarro/Meso
Heisey
Hamilton
Paul
Cairo
Valdez

A 12th pitcher would be 1/20th as important as Hamilton would as only a PR

[BungleBengals]

I like Cairo, I really do. He has been solid for us for a few years now and has had a great MLB career, but I do not see one can possibly argue that we bring him to the playoffs. His batting is beyond subpar, we have pitchers who have better batting average than him and his fielding is beyond useless. His versatility has completely fallen off. He can only play first and third and has no range.

I think having a guy like Hamilton at least gives us something we do not already have: speed. Yes we have Stubbs, but he cannot pinch run in a tight game.

Think of this scenario: we are tied going into the ninth. Rolen walks with no outs. Pinch run Hamilton for him since you know that you have Valdez or even Frazier (from the outfield) to take up his position if we do not score. First off, Hamilton is a threat to steal at any moment, but he does more than that. He gets in the heads of the pitcher and the other players. They will be more worried about him stealing than pitching or playing the field which opens the door for us to get some big hits or if he does steal then we can score or sacrifice him in for the score.

[Ironman92]

I like Cairo, I really do. He has been solid for us for a few years now and has had a great MLB career, but I do not see one can possibly argue that we bring him to the playoffs. His batting is beyond subpar, we have pitchers who have better batting average than him and his fielding is beyond useless. His versatility has completely fallen off. He can only play first and third and has no range.

I think having a guy like Hamilton at least gives us something we do not already have: speed. Yes we have Stubbs, but he cannot pinch run in a tight game.

Think of this scenario: we are tied going into the ninth. Rolen walks with no outs. Pinch run Hamilton for him since you know that you have Valdez or even Frazier (from the outfield) to take up his position if we do not score. First off, Hamilton is a threat to steal at any moment, but he does more than that. He gets in the heads of the pitcher and the other players. They will be more worried about him stealing than pitching or playing the field which opens the door for us to get some big hits or if he does steal then we can score or sacrifice him in for the score.

Stubbs can't pinch-run. Starters can't pinch-run

[mmt1552]

I generally agree with the OP's roster, except I take Mes as my 2nd catcher.

If I'm reading the rules correctly, I don't think Mesoraco will be eligible for the playoff roster barring an injury. You have to be on the Reds 25 man roster on August 31 or on the disabled list that day to be eligible. Since they optioned Mesoraco down to AAA on August 23, he has to stay down there for 10 days, which means he can't be on the 25 man roster on August 31 thus not eligible for the playoff roster. I find it interesting they went this route, but I think it's the right move as Navarro has World Series experience with Tampa, he's a switch hitter off the bench, plus with the days off Hanigan can start every day in the post-season.

[BluegrassRedleg]

I'd feel more comfortable with Mesoraco as my second catcher on the playoff roster.

Agree. I don't see where Navarro offers anything at this point. I don't want a guy just for the sake of him holding a bat a certain way.

[Jefferson24]

I'd feel more comfortable with Mesoraco as my second catcher on the playoff roster.

you don't need a second catcher as much as you need a decent bat on the bench. you need someone who can catch if injury arises but they are primarily there for their bat. would you rather have navarrvo or mes?

[jback76]

you don't need a second catcher as much as you need a decent bat on the bench. you need someone who can catch if injury arises but they are primarily there for their bat. would you rather have navarrvo or mes?

Mesoraco, he'd been with the team 5 months when they sent him down. I want Mesoraco going into the playoffs, he deserves it and he's the better player. If you want Navarro for his bat only (what has he done?) he can take a pitchers spot. Just my opinion.

[justincredible]

Mesoraco IS eligible for the playoff roster, regardless of an injury. And yes, I'd rather have him than Navarro. What does being a switch hitter matter if you can't hit? Since 2009 his AVG has been as follows:

2009 - .218
2010 - .194
2011 - .193
2012 - .143

Also, he's pretty bad behind the plate.