2012 Reds shortstop Cozart and...

[izzy's dad]

I think it is pretty clear that Cozart is the starting shortstop on this team going in to the season. My question is who is the backup? Is it Paul Janish, a.k.a. the kid with lupus from the Bad News Bears? Or is it another junk pile veteran with a bum knee/back just hoping to get that one last contract before he gets to start collecting social security? What do you think? What are our options. Let's speculate.

[LegallyMinded]

Kristopher Negron and Didi Gregorious are listed as shortstops on the Reds 40-man roster. Neither one of them has a a career OPS over .700 in the minors.

Chris Valaika, meanwhile, is listed as the third shortstop (behind Cozart and Janish) on the depth chart, and did play at least a few games at short in the minors last year.

If I had to bet, though, I'd say the Reds will be content with Janish as the backup. He's got more major league experience than any of the aforementioned players, and his defense is perceived as an asset. Depending on him isn't ideal, but as long as he's just a backup, I doubt it will be crippling or anything.

[HalKing]

Assuming that Cozart is healthy enough to be the regular in 2012 I think that some consideration should be given to carrying Todd Frazier on the 25 man roster as the primary backup for SS. If Cozart went down for any length of time then I think having Janish or Valaika a phone call away at Louisville would be a wise thing too. Frazier has way more offensive value than Janish and in all honesty, while he isn't as accomplished defensively as Janish he can play multiple positions. Having a guy who is even more versatile than Miguel Cairo on the roster could be a real luxury. Filling in at SS once every week or two isn't too much to ask of Frazier. Heck Jeff Keppinger was the starter for the Reds at short for over a year. Frazier is pretty comparable defensively to Kep.

[alett12]

i would rather have frazier due to his versitilty, his ablity to hit, and his glove really isn't that bad. If Cozart does get hurt i'd run him out there everyday untill he proves he can't do it.