If you need that many innings, you call up someone else. If someone goes down, Burris will not be the guy taking over for them. The job of a utility infielder is to start once a week maybe and be a pinch hitter off the bench or a defensive replacement off the bench. Well, here in Cincinnati he won't be a glove off the bench late in games, so he is going to be a guy who is going to need to pinch hit or start once a week to give someone a rest. Fill that spot with someone who can actually swing.
I hear you, but I don't think they'll go with a defensive weakness backing up the MI. So if they're going to get a good defender "who can swing," that's probably a better player than all but about 10 or so starting SS and probably better than half the starting second baseman. I don't think they'll go with a corner IF type who hits as the guy to start once a week at SS.
All my posts are my opinion - just like yours are. If I forget to state it and you're too dense to see the obvious, look here!
I'm with Doug here. At first I said 'Well, better Janish than Castro' a few years ago. Than it was "Well, better Valdez than Janish'. I'm not being fooled again, Burriss is no better than these other guys. The Reds have managed to find these guys who are not just bad, but historically/unbelievably bad and give them far too many at-bats.
“I don’t care,” Votto said of passing his friend and former teammate. “He’s in the past. Bye-bye, Jay.”
We have all seen Reds players get banged up, not enough to justify a DL stint, but enough to keep them out of games for up to a week. That's what a backup is for. That will happen many times during a season. You can't call guys up for 3 days over and over again.
Plus, you need a guy to give the starters rest, so the starters are fresh for the stretch run. That can't be done with callups.
A utility infielder is a need for every team. Almost none of them can hit. That's not part of their job description.
Hoping to change my username to 75769024
Hoping to change my username to 75769024
Reds have TWO backup infield spots up for grabs. Cairo's spot. Valdez's spot.
The Cairo spot has to hit. A non-shortstop backup infielder. Has to hit.
The Valdez, middle infield spot doesn't have to hit too much. His main ability is to play SS well.
I'm not sure Burriss fills either role. Not sure he is a true shortstop. Certainly doesn't hit like a Cairo type.
Of course - if the Cairo guy can field, and the Valdez guy can hit, all the better.
Didi could be the Valdez replacement. But I'd rather see him with regular at bats at AAA.
Last edited by Kc61; 11-23-2012 at 08:45 PM.
Maybe it is time it becomes part of their job description then. Gloves can literally be had by every team in baseball for league minimum. The Reds just let one of the best ones they have had in the last 10 years walk as a minor league free agent. If you want a glove who can play everywhere but can't hit, they should have just kept Miguel Rojas. They let Chris Valaika walk and he could cover you at 2B, SS and 3B too. I am just saying that I am not willing to accept a glove without a bat simply because it has been something others have accepted. Most teams don't have guys at 3B, 2B and SS who are good gloves and an average of 28 years old. Our needs don't match up exactly with most teams because of how our team is built.
The team structure will likely have a five man bench. Two backup outfielders. Two backup infielders. A backup catcher.
One of the two backup infielders has to hit. The other is usually a SS who can field.
I don't think Burriss will just be given either spot. He will probably compete for the backup SS spot, which is more of a defensive position.
Gregorius will be at AAA. If Cozart gets hurt he'll probably get called up, even with another SS on the roster.
The problem last year is that both Valdez and Cairo failed to hit. This year hopefully both positions will hit better. Burriss will have to earn one of the jobs.
These end-of-the-roster RZ discussions always seem to be the most impassioned.
She used to wake me up with coffee ever morning
I do not know why but weird feeling on this guy honestly, My gut says we as in Red's fans will be pleasently surprised. The talent is there and no I do not expect another performance as we got with the low expectations Brandon Phillips had when acquired but something makes me feel this players chapter in his career is about to be rewritten.
2006 Redzone mock Draftee's- 1(st) Daniel Bard(redsox), 1(st sup)( Jordan Walden (Angels), 2(nd) rd.- Zach Britton(Orioles), 3(rd) Blair Erickson(Cardinals), 3(rd) Tim Norton( Yankees),(cuz its a Tim Hortons thing
Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory... lasts forever.
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