Rolen

[jhu1321]

I am not a Rolen hater and don't thinks he's washed up but can anybody come up with a logical reason why the guy is still hitting 4th every time he plays? I just don't get it........ guy's i'd take at 4 over him:

Phillips
Votto
Ludwick
Bruce
Heisey, well maybe. He's not very good at baseball.

[Jamz]

They should bat Stubbs 4th.

[Who Dey Time]

I am not a Rolen hater and don't thinks he's washed up but can anybody come up with a logical reason why the guy is still hitting 4th every time he plays? I just don't get it........ guy's i'd take at 4 over him:

Phillips
Votto
Ludwick
Bruce
Heisey, well maybe. He's not very good at baseball.

Rolen is struggling no doubt but, IMO, anyone who thinks that Bruce is a viable option in the 4-hole at this point just isn't paying attention.

[brm7675]

I am not a Rolen hater and don't thinks he's washed up but can anybody come up with a logical reason why the guy is still hitting 4th every time he plays? I just don't get it........ guy's i'd take at 4 over him:

Phillips
Votto
Ludwick
Bruce
Heisey, well maybe. He's not very good at baseball.

Veteran creaminess?

[Old NDN]

I'm afraid Rolen is past his prime....especially the power part of his game. I don't think there's a logical 4-hitter on this roster. What purpose Rolen serves with this team is in the intangibles category: leadership and professionalism, neither of which helps his offensive production.

[brm7675]

Rolen is struggling no doubt but, IMO, anyone who thinks that Bruce is a viable option in the 4-hole at this point just isn't paying attention.

right now I would put Cozart there and see what happens...

[jhu1321]

Rolen is struggling no doubt but, IMO, anyone who thinks that Bruce is a viable option in the 4-hole at this point just isn't paying attention.

He does have 3 home runs and 2 doubles.

[RedsBrick]

Problem is, there's really not a viable 4 hole hitter on this team right now. Maybe Mesaroco develops into that role down the road.

[DocRed]

Duhhsty

[jhu1321]

Problem is, there's really not a viable 4 hole hitter on this team right now. Maybe Mesaroco develops into that role down the road.

I realize that but I think of all the people to randomly plug in at 4 Rolen would be way down the list.

[RedsBrick]

I realize that but I think of all the people to randomly plug in at 4 Rolen would be way down the list.

Oh, I completely agree jhu. My comment wasn't in contrast to yours.

[Moosie52]

Rolen is batting cleanup because of the clutch factor.

[Who Dey Time]

He does have 3 home runs and 2 doubles.

And is also 1-20 in the past 5 games.

[smixsell]

It's the new advanced Bakermetrics. Bat your weakest/coldest player (Gomes, Rolen) in the 4 spot to "get him going." (Never mind that the player hasn't been "going" for over 12 months and likely never will "get going." ) Soon everybody will be doing it, once they also discover the sage hidden wisdom of the new Bakermetrics. :p

[jhu1321]

And is also 1-20 in the past 5 games.

So then who do you suggest Who Dey. Naysaying is not helpful to the discussion.

[texasdave]

And is also 1-20 in the past 5 games.

But Brandon Phillips...
--who is OPSing 180 points lower than Jay Bruce
--who has a bum leg
--who has only once in 4+ years ended the season with a higher OPS than Bruce (and that was by .003)
--who has a career OPS that is 100 points lower than Bruce's against righties - who will make approximately 7 out of every starts against this club.
...is the obvious logical choice.

Think about it. Brandon can't run. Being unable to run it forces Baker to send runners who otherwise shouldn't go to stay out of the double play. Bruce is in a slump. Yet is still manhandling Phillips at the plate. And somehow Phillips is the obvious choice and Bruce shouldn't even be a candidate. Think about it.

[thoughtpolice]

He should bat way lower. Like 7th or at highest 6th. I think Cozart needs to stay in front of Votto. I see that ending up as a great thing as we progress through the year. I have an idea, but it probably will not happen, two options:

Phillips
Cozart
Votto
Bruce
LF
CF
Rolen
C
P

Or

CF
Cozart
Votto
Bruce
Phillips
LF
Rolen
C
P

[thoughtpolice]

Actually, another Dusty-ism just hit me. The catcher should bat higher in our lineup. In fact, put Mez when he starts in the 4 hole. He makes great contact and has fresher legs than Rolen. Thoughts with this one below?


BP
Cozy
Votto
Mez
Bruce
LF
Stubbs
Rolen
P

or

BP
Cozy
Votto
Bruce
Hanigan
LF
Stubbs
Rolen
P

[New York Red]

I don't care for the term "washed up", but in Rolen's case you definitely have to wonder if his best days are behind him. Well behind him.

[smixsell]

Rolen should bat lower until he gets himself going, and if that doesn't happen then he stays in the back of the batting order (or gets replaced by Frazier or Valaika).

[redsfanmia]

Maybe Scott does us a favor and retires before the season ends. He looks really old and his bat speed is nil.

[improbus]

Rolen has 8 HRs in his last 550 at bats. I really miss the 2010 pre All Star break Rolen.

[DocRed]

If he was a horse he would have been put down out of mercy by now.

[Ironman92]

2 good hits his last two at bats....

[Old NDN]

Maybe Scott does us a favor and retires before the season ends. He looks really old and his bat speed is nil.

........kinda like Jr. before he was traded.

[Magdal]

:
Actually, another Dusty-ism just hit me. The catcher should bat higher in our lineup. In fact, put Mez when he starts in the 4 hole. He makes great contact and has fresher legs than Rolen. Thoughts with this one below?


BP
Cozy
Votto
Mez
Bruce
LF
Stubbs
Rolen
P

or

BP
Cozy
Votto
Bruce
Hanigan
LF
Stubbs
Rolen
PAmazing...you left the teams BEST RBI per AB guy off both your lineups. What are you thinking?:eek:

[50YrRedsFan]

Reds win today 9-4, but Rolen still struggling with an 0 fer and 2 walks. Looking older by the day. Bat speed slow. He's been a great player during his career, but maybe the time is now for him to be the bench player and someone else be the starting 3B.

[CU2morrownite]

Problem is, there's really not a viable 4 hole hitter on this team right now. Maybe Mesaroco develops into that role down the road. Agreed. Reds need a good contact stick with power in the clean up spot. They don't have it. Rolen is done. Stubbs k's too much and Phillips needs to set the table at lead off. Ryan Ludwick? Far too streaky tho could put up some numbers in that playpen. Jocketty needs to start thinking right handed power hitter.

If Bruce has to follow Votto, the NL Central heavyweights (along with any competent managed NL team) will "situationally" pitch them into a 3rd place finish.

[brm7675]

Problem with Rolen is while his bat is really bad he does bring 2 things to the table that Dusty loves. He can still play the game in the field without question and he brings that veteran creaminess Dusty just loves, so...we can only hope Scott at least gets up to the mid .200's by some point cause unless he gets hurt, he is going to get into 115-120 games this season.