Mes and Navarro

[Kc61]

Others have suggested this, but maybe it's time to switch them for awhile. Let Mes play every day at AAA for awhile. Let Navarro back up Hanigan for awhile. Say about a month.

Navarro is hitting very well at AAA, his OBP is over .400, his OPS is .858. He is a switch hitter. He is good enough to back up Hanigan for awhile.

I think Mes could benefit from several weeks of playing every day at AAA. He's just not getting enough at bats to get going in the NL.

My concept would be to send Mes down, hope he gets hot with the bat, and then bring him up as a hot hitter.

This isn't a knock on Mesoraco, just an idea that might benefit the Reds and Devin.

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Or what about bringing up Navarro as a third catcher, thus freeing Mesoraco or Hanigan (whoever isn't playing that night) to pinch hit or be double-switched into the game. It would instantly upgrade the bench.

[dougdirt]

Devin Mesoraco has started on back to back days twice this season. Both in April. The playing distribution needs to be changed to even that out a little bit more.

[edabbs44]

Originally Posted by Reds/Flyers Fan

Or what about bringing up Navarro as a third catcher, thus freeing Mesoraco or Hanigan (whoever isn't playing that night) to pinch hit or be double-switched into the game. It would instantly upgrade the bench.

Not sure that Mes is the optimal pinch hitter at this stage.

[edabbs44]

But I agree with the idea that this is something to consider whether internally or externally.

[RANDY IN INDY]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Devin Mesoraco has started on back to back days twice this season. Both in April. The playing distribution needs to be changed to even that out a little bit more.

I agree with this, Doug. The kid needs some more consistent playing time.

[Reds Freak]

Originally Posted by RANDY IN INDY

I agree with this, Doug. The kid needs some more consistent playing time.

The kid hasn't earned consistent playing time with the big club. If it's determined he needs consistent playing time, it should be in AAA. I think he's going to be a great catcher, but the Reds can't afford to take Hanigan out of the lineup more and out from behind the dish just because Mes needs to get ready for the future.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Reds Freak

The kid hasn't earned consistent playing time with the big club. If it's determined he needs consistent playing time, it should be in AAA. I think he's going to be a great catcher, but the Reds can't afford to take Hanigan out of the lineup more and out from behind the dish just because Mes needs to get ready for the future.

You don't have to take Hanigan out of the lineup to play Mesoraco on back to back days. You just have to let Mesoraco and Hanigan flip one of the pitchers in the rotation. Is Johnny Cueto going to turn into a pumpkin if Mesoraco catches him once every 3 or 4 starts he makes? Will Homer Bailey lose his mind if Hanigan catches him once every 3-4 starts? Of course they won't.

[dougdirt]

Heck, the Reds DH'd Willie Harris the other day instead of Mesoraco.

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Heck, the Reds DH'd Willie Harris the other day instead of Mesoraco.

I can't justify Harris DH'ing, but do you know any other club who would use their only spare catcher as the DH? I don't know the intricacies of the DH rules, but that would seem very problematic should you need a different catcher later in the game.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by redsmetz

I can't justify Harris DH'ing, but do you know any other club who would use their only spare catcher as the DH? I don't know the intricacies of the DH rules, but that would seem very problematic should you need a different catcher later in the game.

Can a DH not move to another position on the field later in the game?

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Can a DH not move to another position on the field later in the game?

The designated hitter may become a position player at any point during the game; if he does so, his team forfeits the role of the designated hitter, and the pitcher or another player (possible only in case of a multiple substitution) must bat in the newly opened spot in the batting order.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by westofyou

The designated hitter may become a position player at any point during the game; if he does so, his team forfeits the role of the designated hitter, and the pitcher or another player (possible only in case of a multiple substitution) must bat in the newly opened spot in the batting order.

That is what I thought. In the case of an 'emergency' when you have your back up catcher DH'ing, I think you can live with your pitcher batting.

[MikeS21]

It would make no difference if the Reds sent Mes down "to get hot," if they brought him back up and then benched him like he is now. I would send Mes down ONLY because he needs to face pitching every day. I would start him five games out of seven and even let him DH on his off days. BUT, I would not bring him up until the Reds were ready to bench Hannigan once and for all in favor of Mes.

I just feel the Reds are wasting a year of development time on Mes. Nothing against Hannigan. It's just that Mes is the guy, who ten years from now, will cause us all to go, "Who's Ryan Hannigan?"

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

That is what I thought. In the case of an 'emergency' when you have your back up catcher DH'ing, I think you can live with your pitcher batting.

Yeah... "one" could live with it.

Let's see Dusty do it and then have the pitcher have to come up in a key situation.

I'm betting living with it would then no longer be acceptable, I'm 100% certain that he'd be dragged over the coals by the pundits here and in the press.

I love the damned if you do and damned if you don't approach to managing hoops Dusty has to jump through around here, this particular "want" would just be a hoop that happened to be lit with fire before we asked him to leap through it.