Great Article from Fay--100% right on

[mr. red]

I agree with everything Fay wrote in this article. What do you all think?

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2011/06/06/time-for-a-shake-up/

[Ohioballplayer]

100% Right on

What have you go to lose, I agree I would be getting Yonder some LF time for the next week, he was on it except you have to say bye to Gomes, thanks for the memories!!
Lewis hitting .238 - c ya
Hemida .111 - cya, time for the young guns to take over this team.

Our pitching is 13th in the NL while St. Louis is 1st and the Brewers are 6th??

Biggest holes are the left side, need a Shortstop that can hit and field (keep Janish for back-up day off purposes)

Scotty Rolen, thanks for the memories, time to go? but then again who for?
Gomes - BYE,

Phillips leading off Stubbs back to 6th-7th




Love Hernandez, but when Johnny Bench says Mesarasco is a stud and is ready, then he is ready, Hernandez with a Pitcher should = ss or lf?

tired of ranting!

[mr. red]

100% Right on

What have you go to lose, I agree I would be getting Yonder some LF time for the next week, he was on it except you have to say bye to Gomes, thanks for the memories!!
Lewis hitting .238 - c ya
Hemida .111 - cya, time for the young guns to take over this team.

Our pitching is 13th in the NL while St. Louis is 1st and the Brewers are 6th??

Biggest holes are the left side, need a Shortstop that can hit and field (keep Janish for back-up day off purposes)

Scotty Rolen, thanks for the memories, time to go? but then again who for?
Gomes - BYE,

Phillips leading off Stubbs back to 6th-7th




Love Hernandez, but when Johnny Bench says Mesarasco is a stud and is ready, then he is ready, Hernandez with a Pitcher should = ss or lf?

tired of ranting!

I'd be more inclined to move Hernandez for a pitcher if Cozart shows that he can hit at the ML level. I agree with all your points though.

[brm7675]

Yes all interesting ideas and 0% chance of happening because Dusty is manager and Walt is GM. Both feel the team can win with what they have...

[mr. red]

Yes all interesting ideas and 0% chance of happening because Dusty is manager and Walt is GM. Both feel the team can win with what they have...

I think that the farther down in the rankings we slide, the more open to moves Dusty and Walt will be. People constantly argue that we shouldn't sell our farm system, but what is the point in having a farm system if we don't use the talent that is there?

Cozart HAS to be called up ASAP. Janish and Renteria are awful. I would also get Alonso or Frazier up here to be the everyday LF--and I am partial to Alonso at this point. I would also love to see a move involving one of our catchers so that Mes could get the call. IF we made all of these moves, we risk going with the inexperience factor, but it is better than the aging vets out there now. I'd rather lose while getting guys experience, than lose with old men on the field.

I'd love to see a lineup of...

4-Phillips
6-Cozart
3-Votto
9-Bruce
2-Mesoraco
7-Alonso
8-Stubbs
5-Rolen

[brm7675]

I think that the farther down in the rankings we slide, the more open to moves Dusty and Walt will be. People constantly argue that we shouldn't sell our farm system, but what is the point in having a farm system if we don't use the talent that is there?

Cozart HAS to be called up ASAP. Janish and Renteria are awful. I would also get Alonso or Frazier up here to be the everyday LF--and I am partial to Alonso at this point. I would also love to see a move involving one of our catchers so that Mes could get the call. IF we made all of these moves, we risk going with the inexperience factor, but it is better than the aging vets out there now. I'd rather lose while getting guys experience, than lose with old men on the field.

I'd love to see a lineup of...

4-Phillips
6-Cozart
3-Votto
9-Bruce
2-Mesoraco
7-Alonso
8-Stubbs
5-Rolen

I would hope you are right, but Dusty is stubborn, how else do you explain Gomes, Edgar and such? Unless Walt forces his hand I just don't see the AAA guys getting a shot. I mean I would also move Rolen to "bench/role" and give Frazier the starts at 3rd.

[mr. red]

I would hope you are right, but Dusty is stubborn, how else do you explain Gomes, Edgar and such? Unless Walt forces his hand I just don't see the AAA guys getting a shot. I mean I would also move Rolen to "bench/role" and give Frazier the starts at 3rd.

I wouldn't mind Frazier at 3rd, but I would be hesitant about removing Rolen's glove. I think that if Scott Rolen is the 8 hitter, then our offense wouldn't be too bad.

Oh and I would also bring up Willis when he gets healthy.

[signalhome]

I'd love to see a lineup of...

4-Phillips
6-Cozart
3-Votto
9-Bruce
2-Mesoraco
7-Alonso
8-Stubbs
5-Rolen

I very much doubt that Cozart will be proficient enough at the plate to warrant hitting second.

[cbowen2112]

Trade for Harang and only let him pitch away (and big ballparks) ;)

Seriously though, what will it take to get some arms like Guthrie, Billingsly, Danks or a Marrow?

I doubt it would take much. We need arms badly and can trade some prospects for them. No need to use many real major league ready or current guys on the big league roster, unless it includes Gomes, Renteria, Janish etc.

[KYRedLeg]

I saw Cozart play a little earlier this year in Louisville...it sounds like he's improved quite a bit, which he would have to. What I saw was Janish-style hitting, without the amazing defense to balance the act. If he's really improved that much, I say we give him a try.

I agree with some of the comments on the article, though. Our offense isn't the problem right now. It's abysmal SP. Trade Hernandez and see what else the market wants for a SP, and bring up Mezzy.

[Krawhitham]

I would rather trade Alonso + someone for pitching than bring him up. If he falls on his face again at the ML level his stock drops off a cliff

This teams does not need more bats it needs more arms

[mr. red]

I would rather trade Alonso + someone for pitching than bring him up. If he falls on his face again at the ML level his stock drops off a cliff

This teams does not need more bats it needs more arms

If they can't get more arms, they are going to need more bats to outhit the opponent.

[Vottomatic]

I think it was a good article.

And I also think that we will see those guys come July because I see the Reds about 10 games out by then.

[krm1580]

Here is my thought on the article. This quote pretty much covers everything you need to know.

"This team has generally been as good or as bad as its starting pithing. There’s not a lot they can do there..."

I think Fay could have put a period on the end of this sentence and just ended the article. Unless this team starts getting at a minimum, league average pitching, they are going nowhere regardless of who they get in the everyday lineup.

As far as bringing guys up here is my take:

Cozart: He is the only guy I would think of bringing up. I don't think he is great, but he would not hurt you defensively and with Paul Janish currently OPSing well below the basement standard set by 2009 Willy Taveras, it is nearly impossible for him to do worse.

Mesoraco: No. For 3 reasons. 1.) We are currently getting very good production from our catching tandem. 2.) With our pitchers currently struggling the last thing I want is them trying to work out comfort levels with a new catcher. 3.) It goes without saying that AAA numbers to not always translate to the majors. I think he is a big part of the Reds future and I do not want him brought up with the pressure of being the savior and then not getting the job done. Now if we get down to August and we are out of the race I think it would be a great scenario to move Hernandez for some prospects and bringing up Mesoraco to get acclimated to the majors in the last 2 months.

Alonso: It is very unlikely he puts up his AAA offense and very likely he puts up his AAA defense. From everything I have read he is still figuring it out in the outfield and will not help much.

[brm7675]

I would be interested to see what a straight true platoon of Lewis/Heisey would do, bring up Frazier and start him 4 out of 7 starts at 3rd, playing Rolen the other 3. Bring up Cozart and pair him with Janish at SS and release Edgar.

[DaytonFlyer]

None of these moves really address the starting pitching which has been the most obviously painful deficiency. There isn't much they can do there besides part with some young talent to bring in more reliability... and I don't know if they can, or more importantly, should.

[mr. red]

My bet is that Willis will probably be up after one more start in AAA if all goes well.

But back to Cozart. He has been knocking the cover off the ball and Janish hasn't. I'll take him and a .270 average with some doubles and homeruns over Janish and his .220 average and 5 singles every 60 ABs. Did I mention neither of our SS has hit a homerun, have a combined .233 avg, 61 hits (9XBH) 26 RBIs, 42 Ks to 19 BB, and 5 SBs.

Cozart is hitting .294, has 65 hits (26 XBH), 6 HR, 22 RBIs, 27 Ks to 12 BBs, 5 SBs

Anybody else want to see Cozart get a chance?

[webbbj]

i like it.

[Roush's socks]

None of these moves really address the starting pitching which has been the most obviously painful deficiency. There isn't much they can do there besides part with some young talent to bring in more reliability... and I don't know if they can, or more importantly, should.

Agree. All of this discussion about LF, SS, 3B and yet the hitting has been superb. It is the SP that has been terrible, and put a lot of pressure on the bullpen. Reds bullpen has thrown more innings than any other NL team. Still, all they can do is keep with what they have and hope that Bailey gets healthy and/or Volquez finds his control. If they have a chance to trade one of Hannigan or Hernandez plus someone else for a reliable starter I think they would do it.
I think July 1st is the date that they are waiting for to bring up Alonso for contract reasons. Maybe at that point he takes over LF if Gomes and Lewis are still struggling.
Janish in SS I can live wit because of his defense. If Renteria can't get healthy they will have to replace him at some point.
Rolen is the 3B and all they can do is hope he stays healthy.

[malcontent]

My bet is that Willis will probably be up after one more start in AAA if all goes well.

But back to Cozart. He has been knocking the cover off the ball and Janish hasn't. I'll take him and a .270 average with some doubles and homeruns over Janish and his .220 average and 5 singles every 60 ABs. Did I mention neither of our SS has hit a homerun, have a combined .233 avg, 61 hits (9XBH) 26 RBIs, 42 Ks to 19 BB, and 5 SBs.

Cozart is hitting .294, has 65 hits (26 XBH), 6 HR, 22 RBIs, 27 Ks to 12 BBs, 5 SBs

Anybody else want to see Cozart get a chance?
Absolutely. Though for that to happen, Jocketty and scouts will have to override our "hitting ain't our problem" manager.

Teams should always strive to improve across the board. Not simply in one phase, however apparent the need.

Cozart for Janish is a no-brainer, IMO. I'd keep Renteria.

[signalhome]

Teams should always strive to improve across the board. Not simply in one phase, however apparent the need.

Absolutely. There is no question that SP is the Reds' biggest problem, but there are certainly other problems as well. Just because SS isn't the biggest problem doesn't mean it shouldn't be addressed.

I'm unsure if Cozart is the answer -- actually, I'm pretty sure he isn't -- but hey, it's not like SS's production could be any worse, and from all the reports I've read, Cozart is pretty adept with the glove. Might be worth a shot.

[Girevik]

I agree with everything he said except the bit about trading Hernandez or Hannigan. It's not that I'm opposed to trading one of them if it helped the big league team, it's just that I think anyone who would be interested in one of them would be a team that's in the race and looking to trade a youngster to shore up the big league roster. I don't think you can get a guy to help out the Reds this year, and I'm not willing to take a chance on hurting the team to build depth right now.

Now if they continue to play poorly and become sellers down the road, that would be a different story...

[lonewolf371]

Absolutely. There is no question that SP is the Reds' biggest problem, but there are certainly other problems as well. Just because SS isn't the biggest problem doesn't mean it shouldn't be addressed.

I'm unsure if Cozart is the answer -- actually, I'm pretty sure he isn't -- but hey, it's not like SS's production could be any worse, and from all the reports I've read, Cozart is pretty adept with the glove. Might be worth a shot.
Actually, SS production could be worse, as evidenced by Yuniesky Betancourt, Miguel Tejada, and Alcides Escobar.