Who Wants It?

With the influx of injuries the Cincinnati Reds have experienced this season, many of the younger guys have had an opportunity to step up and play a lot of innings and get a lot of at bats. Extended stints on the injured list to names like Joey Votto, Edwin Encarnacion, Alex Gonzalez, and Willy Taveras have allowed guys like Ryan Hanigan, Chris Dickerson, Laynce Nix, Jerry Hairston Jr, and Adam Rosales to show what they can do, and many of them have performed. In fact, some of them have performed so well that manager Dusty Baker is eventually going to have to make a decision on who gets the starts at each position.

With the absence of Joey Votto at first base and the lack of another first baseman on the big league roster, starting catcher Roman Hernandez was forced to move over to first. Subsequently, the move allowed rookie catcher Ryan Hanigan to become the everyday guy behind the plate. Hanigan responded well. Through 39 games, the rookie has compiled a .316 batting average, which leads the league among all rookies, along with one home-run and eight runs batted in. That is compared to Hernandez, who's average currently sits at .246.

When Joey Votto returns later this month and reclaims his spot at first base, Baker will have to make the decision as to who will remain as starting catcher. Baker has proven to be very loyal to the vetern players, so don't expect the young Hanigan to get the nod just because he has the higher average. Instead, expect Baker to run a platoon system behind the plate in which both guys see a good amount of time at the catcher position.

Baker has been running that same platoon system in left since the start of the year with Nix and Dickerson. Both players have been seeing a good amount of playing time with Nix getting the slight edge due to recent success behind the plate. But now that center fielder Willy Taveras is struggling with the bat, could we see Taveras be replaced in center by Dickerson who is playing much better as of late?

And what will happen to Jerry Hairston once Ediwin Encarnacion reenters the lineup? Encarnacion has been on the disabled list with a fractured wrist since late April and is expected to return sometime later this month. In 19 games played this season, Encarnacion batted a mere .127 with one home-run and six runs batted in. Hairston has batted .246 with seven home-runs, nineteen RBI and five stolen bases. Adam Rosales, who was called up from triple-A Louisville earlier this year, has also seen significant time at third base, playing in 38 games and compiling a .216 average. With the return of Encarnacion, Rosales is likely to return to the role of primarily a pinch hitter/runner, but what will happen to Hairston? Will he be pushed out of the regular lineup into a utility man position?

It is anticipated that when all the aforementioned players do return, that for the most part, we will see the big name and big contract players return the their positions in the lineup, and the other guys such as Dickerson and Hairston return to a utilty/pinch hitter role. Although, if they continue to perform, do not be surprised to see the non-regulars on a more regular basis, or to see manager Dusty Baker run a platoon system not unlike what may happen at the catcher position.

But for the most part, we have seen that Dusty Baker is very loyal to the veteran ballplayers. Take for example what happened last year with Corey Paterson. Paterson, who played under Baker in Chicago, struggled all year but Baker continued to pencil his name in on the lineup card each night. I don't expect this year to be any different, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.