No argument there ... but what makes Janish better than Gonzalez?

 

That's the problem. In all honesty, I expect that they'll have similar years. I think Gonzo has declined, and I think Janish could really benefit from more regular at-bats. Either that, or he'll prove that he's not a capable big league hitter.

 

I think that Gonzo is capable of hitting somewhere close to .250 - .260. I expect him to hit closer to .230 - .240, though. Janish's numbers (IMO) wouldn't be that far off.

 

Janish is more of a threat on the basepaths. With a decent year at the plate, he's capable of stealing close to 15 bases. Gonzo cannot match that threat, however small it may be. In fact, he has less than 25 career stolen bases.

 

The biggest factor that makes Paul Janish better than Alex Gonzalez? Gonzalez makes $5.375 million, while Janish brings in $400,000.

That's the problem. In all honesty, I expect that they'll have similar years. I think Gonzo has declined, and I think Janish could really benefit from more regular at-bats. Either that, or he'll prove that he's not a capable big league hitter.

 

I think that Gonzo is capable of hitting somewhere close to .250 - .260. I expect him to hit closer to .230 - .240, though. Janish's numbers (IMO) wouldn't be that far off.

 

Janish is more of a threat on the basepaths. With a decent year at the plate, he's capable of stealing close to 15 bases. Gonzo cannot match that threat, however small it may be. In fact, he has less than 25 career stolen bases.

 

The biggest factor that makes Paul Janish better than Alex Gonzalez? Gonzalez makes $5.375 million, while Janish brings in $400,000.

None of that makes Janish the better player and the better choice for the Reds ...

None of that makes Janish the better player and the better choice for the Reds ...

 

That's your opinion & obviously you're entitled to it.

 

I'd love to know why Gonzalez is the better choice.

That's your opinion & obviously you're entitled to it.

 

I'd love to know why Gonzalez is the better choice.

There is no reason to believe that Gonzalez's defense isn't fine, and there is nothing in Janish's record that points to him being a legitimate MLB-caliber shortstop.

 

Gonzalez has been that, at least, even if he is in decline and coming off a year's absence. Given the lack of another viable option, the Reds should at least give him a month or two to see where he fits in.

There is no reason to believe that Gonzalez's defense isn't fine, and there is nothing in Janish's record that points to him being a legitimate MLB-caliber shortstop.

 

Gonzalez has been that, at least, even if he is in decline and coming off a year's absence. Given the lack of another viable option, the Reds should at least give him a month or two to see where he fits in.

 

There is nothing in Janish's record because hasn't been given the opportunity to play. Currently, he has 90 MLB at-bats. I'm not ready to annoint him, but I'm not ready to give up on him either.

 

I have my suspicions that Gonzo's defense will decline. For starters, he's 32 & coming off of a major knee surgery. His season with the Reds in '07 was one of his poorest seasons defensively. Admittedly, those are difficult to determine through pure statistical analysis.

 

I'm fine with Gonzo getting adequate time to see where he fits in. That's what I have wanted all along. I'm aware of how long the MLB season is, and I do not feel comfortable with Janish at the helm for the majority of those starts. The problem is, I don't feel any more comfortable with Gonzo there either.

 

One side-note that I found interesting about Gonzalez, though. He has played in 1120 games & has started all but 26 of them.

 

I hope Gonzo can start to produce. I hope he has another career year. If that's the case, I'd be happy to eat some crow. I'm just curious as to see how poorly he has to perform before he's removed from the everyday lineup.

There is nothing in Janish's record because hasn't been given the opportunity to play. Currently, he has 90 MLB at-bats. I'm not ready to annoint him, but I'm not ready to give up on him either.

 

I have my suspicions that Gonzo's defense will decline. For starters, he's 32 & coming off of a major knee surgery. His season with the Reds in '07 was one of his poorest seasons defensively. Admittedly, those are difficult to determine through pure statistical analysis.

 

I'm fine with Gonzo getting adequate time to see where he fits in. That's what I have wanted all along. I'm aware of how long the MLB season is, and I do not feel comfortable with Janish at the helm for the majority of those starts. The problem is, I don't feel any more comfortable with Gonzo there either.

 

One side-note that I found interesting about Gonzalez, though. He has played in 1120 games & has started all but 26 of them.

 

I hope Gonzo can start to produce. I hope he has another career year. If that's the case, I'd be happy to eat some crow. I'm just curious as to see how poorly he has to perform before he's removed from the everyday lineup.

You can look at a guy's minor league record and make a determination whether or not a player is good enough to start in the major leagues. Teams do it all the time.

 

I dare say the Reds have done it and concluded that Janish isn't a MLB-caliber everyday shortstop. I dare say that most everyone in baseball would come to the same conclusion.

 

Sure, Gonzalez is in decline ... virtually every player at his age is. But the Reds are stuck paying him for the rest of this season, and they don't appear to have a better option right now.

Edited April 21, 200917 yr by westsider

You can look at a guy's minor league record and make a determination whether or not a player is good enough to start in the major leagues. Teams do it all the time.

 

I dare say the Reds have done it and concluded that isn't a MLB-caliber everyday shortstop. I dare say that most everyone in baseball would come to the same conclusion.

 

Sure, Gonzalez is in decline ... virtually every player at his age is. But the Reds are stuck paying him for the rest of this season, and they don't appear to have a better option right now.

 

 

Well the San Diego Padres certainly didn't come calling for Janish. They opted to go with Chris Burke to replace their injured SS.

Still confused why the Reds passed on this guy.

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Gordon%20Beckham&pos=SS&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=493596

I am going to choose my words carefully this time, and make sure I say exactly what I meant with no mess ups this time.

 

However I don't get the love affair with Gonzo. He is going to be a guy who hits probably .240 at best this year. His defense while still good, is on the decline and not as good as he once was. While Janish is just about as good as Gonzo these days at short. If you compare him to what Gonzo use to be, then its not even a discussion. However Gonzo's is not as great defensively as he once was. Janish is close that same level now. Janish as people have said is not a great hitter either, and well not the shortstop of the future. Basically this year we are just going to be hurting at short with either one of them when it comes to the bat. However since they are very close to the same in the field these days, then I think they should go with the hot bat. Play the guy with the hot bat for the majority of the time, while the other guy gets spot start here and then. Once the one guy begins to cool down, or the other guy seems to be getting it going offensively. Then switch to the other guy. So right now I think Janish should be the guy who starts more. He has shown he is hitting the ball well right now in limited chances, and the Reds need as many hits as they can get. So I don't see why people are so against going with the guy who might have the better bat right now in Janish.

Still confused why the Reds passed on this guy.

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Gordon%20Beckham&pos=SS&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=493596

 

 

That's a very good question, especially when the Reds were set at 1B. I would love to hear Jocketty's explainaiton on why they took Alonzo over Beckham.

Well the San Diego Padres certainly didn't come calling for Janish. They opted to go with Chris Burke to replace their injured SS.

 

They signed Burke this past off-season to a minor league deal.

 

The Padres also lost 99 games last year in one of the worst (if not THE worst) division in baseball.

Still confused why the Reds passed on this guy.

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Gordon%20Beckham&pos=SS&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=493596

 

Great question...

I am going to choose my words carefully this time, and make sure I say exactly what I meant with no mess ups this time.

 

However I don't get the love affair with Gonzo. He is going to be a guy who hits probably .240 at best this year. His defense while still good, is on the decline and not as good as he once was. While Janish is just about as good as Gonzo these days at short. If you compare him to what Gonzo use to be, then its not even a discussion. However Gonzo's is not as great defensively as he once was. Janish is close that same level now. Janish as people have said is not a great hitter either, and well not the shortstop of the future. Basically this year we are just going to be hurting at short with either one of them when it comes to the bat. However since they are very close to the same in the field these days, then I think they should go with the hot bat. Play the guy with the hot bat for the majority of the time, while the other guy gets spot start here and then. Once the one guy begins to cool down, or the other guy seems to be getting it going offensively. Then switch to the other guy. So right now I think Janish should be the guy who starts more. He has shown he is hitting the ball well right now in limited chances, and the Reds need as many hits as they can get. So I don't see why people are so against going with the guy who might have the better bat right now in Janish.

Ten at-bats hardly constitutes a "hot bat" ... and let's be honest, Janish has years of history in the minor leagues and a brief cup of coffee with the Reds that says he isn't a very good hitter.

 

I don't think anyone here is professing their love for Gonzalez. They're simply acknowledging that he is the Reds' most viable option at the moment.

They signed Burke this past off-season to a minor league deal.

 

The Padres also lost 99 games last year in one of the worst (if not THE worst) division in baseball.

 

 

They then traded Burke to Seattle on March 25th, and just now reacquired him from the Mariners.

How long do you give Gonzo before demoting him? What's the minimum he has to do offensively to warrant the starting position?