It's an abyss for sure, but that's why Cozart/Gregorius should have value. Some organizations have to go the abyss for their first option.
And the ultimate answer to your question is the backup SS option is whomever the Reds sign this winter. In a perfect world, the Reds trade a SS for something super exciting and sign Maicer Izturis to cover the IF (play some SS, defensive replacement/spot starter at 3B).
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
"Even a bad day at the ballpark beats the snot out of most other good days. I'll take my scorecard and pencil and beer and hot dog and rage at the dips and cheer at the highs, but I'm not ever going to stop loving this game and this team and nobody will ever take that away from me." Roy Tucker October 2010
"Even a bad day at the ballpark beats the snot out of most other good days. I'll take my scorecard and pencil and beer and hot dog and rage at the dips and cheer at the highs, but I'm not ever going to stop loving this game and this team and nobody will ever take that away from me." Roy Tucker October 2010
I'd prefer to keep Cozart over Gregorius.
Cozart hitting seventh in the order, or possibly eighth, is a very strong offensive shortstop. I know his OBP is subpar, and hopefully will improve, but shortstops with 33 doubles and 15 homers as a rookie don't grow on trees.
And Cozart is outstanding defensively. He was a Gold Glove finalist, his UZR rating is (I believe) best among Reds regulars, he is very sure handed, has good range, throws accurately.
Nobody knows, but I doubt Didi will be as good offensively, he certainly won't have the power. Didi will have more range but Cozart's sure hands are hard to find.
I'd trade either guy for Justin Upton, but for a lesser player I might trade Didi but would hold on to Zack.
If that's your baseline, then Frazier can do it. So can Valiaka, Negron, etc.
Don't ask me though, I'm still mildly upset about us signing Valdez when we had Janish already. If we hadn't signed Valdez, the problem would be solved because we'd still have Janish as a backup SS at Louisville.
Anyone else nervous that going down this road again is just asking for the besbol gods to even the scorecard from the "we'll keep Larkin & deal Stillwell" move?
Don't forget Stephen Drew is a free agent. There was a time when Redzone would have jumped at the chance to acquire him.
As it stands, Drew actually did have a decent, albeit short, run in Oakland in the latter half of this year. I would think he could still be a fine utility infielder.
Nah, neither one of these guys is a Larkin, who was a way more complete ballplayer.
That brings me back to something that flummoxes me about Gregorius: why doesn't he steal? He's got some speed around the bases. By all rights he should be able to swipe 20+ bases. Yet he's got no running game.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
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