With J.J. Hardy spirited away to Minnesota and Zack Cozart in line for a season of ripening, Paul Janish currently sits atop the Reds depth chart at short stop. And you needn't take my word for it - Marty Brennaman bears witness to this very fact in his most recent Hot Stove League broadcast.  Prevailing opinion on this blog maintains that Janish's glovework makes him serviceable as the Reds lack funds needed to lasso a Marco Scutaro or Miguel Tejada. To boot, Tejada and Scutaro represent players for which the Reds would likely overpay, marking another ill-advised, prospect-blocking multiyear investment.

By all accounts, the best course of action would be to load up Paul Janish with supplements, a montage-worthy training regime and Lasik surgery - and hope for the best.

I did, however, accidentally read this throwaway remark in a recent MLB.com article by Mark Sheldon:

I think Paul Janish, might find a decent fit with 39-year-old Craig Counsell, who earned $1 million for the Brewers in 2009 and excels at getting on base.

It's easy to dismiss this as aimless groping in the wilderness of the Reds financial woes but I gave Craig Counsell's Fangraphs Page a once over just the same:

2009: .336 wOBA, .357 OBP, 2.8 WAR

Yes, he's 39, but the Reds wouldn't be crazy to pursue a one-year deal at $2MM or less. He plays competent defense and hits righties better than Janish does. One thing I hadn't realized about Janish was his rather jarring platoon splits in the minors:

vs. LHP: .312/.388/.435

vs. RHP: .238/.324/.358

Combine Janish with a bargain pick-up -- someone who plays adequate defense and hits righties. Janish takes starts against all lefties and the occasional righty and seeing frequent use as a late innings defensive replacement. The Reds could do worse than a one-year stopgap contract to Craig Counsell.

Age is clearly a major risk factor for a Counsell signing going bust. Bill James projects .246/.337/.327 in 2010, about what we'd expect from Janish. Counsell's 2008 was an aberration and he may end up being about as valuable as Janish over next year. The fact remains, however, that Janish has a record of poor performance against right handed pitching. If the money and/or right transaction comes available, the Reds would be well advised to find a way to add depth at short.

Here are some other ways to go:

Erick Aybar (Angels)

The Angels have a potential logjam in their middle infield, but the cost in trade for either would be dear. Unlikely to be wrested from the Angels for anything that wouldn't short-circuit the 2010 season and amount to a full on rebuilding gambit.

-- EDIT: As per Geki, Sean Rodriguez is in the Rays system now. I need to monitor the trade wires more vigilantly.

Reid Brignac or Sean Rodriguez (Rays)

Both have been mentioned as trade targets here before. Brignac's stock has gone up since last offseason, so any trade might have to start with Chris Heisey as a centerpiece. Rays have Barlett and Zobrist pretty well locked in at ss and 2b for the foreseeable future, so one of these two might be available.

Jason Donald (Indians)

Seems doubtful the Indians would flip a lucrative piece of the Cliff Lee trade, but they're in desperate straits.

Alexei Ramirez / Brent Lillibridge / Chris Getz / Jayson Nix (White Sox)

None of these guys have been impressive in the majors, but the surplus of middle infield talent with upside on the Sox warrants a look. Could grant the Reds more flexibility in what they do with Janish, BP, Frazier and Sutton over the next year, rejiggering the depth chart favorably and providing a bridge to future transaction.

Tyler Green (Cardinals)

Minor league offensive numbers aren't much better than Janish, but still has upside. Could be a decent foil to keep both Cozart and Janish honest.

Todd Frazier and/or Drew Sutton at 2B, BP to SS

The refrain is "not going to happen," but for the purposed of this thought experiment, assume that it could. The defense could be start out awkward at both positions - and Frazier would need to make the offensive adjustment - but Frazier needs to find a position soon - whether it be 2B, 3B and OF. Sutton, for his part, has respectable minor league numbers and should get a trial, in lieu of Rosales, wherever the Reds have an opening.

Adam Everett (Tigers)

Free agent. Only paid $1MM last season. Probably not an improvement on Janish.

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Most of the available options are pretty fraught, which points to staying the course with Janish and allowing Valaika and Cozart to percolate for a year. While I see plenty of merit in this policy of benign neglect, I can't help but think that short-stop may be the position of greatest return on investment for the Reds, given their current lack of depth and future void at shortstop and 2b as Phillips gets more expensive, older and then becomes a free agent.

A low or no cost change to the status quo should not be too much to ask, especially considering the fact that both SS and 2B are likely to jointly drag down team OBP next year, which I suspect is the area of greatest need for the Reds. I guess all I'm  asking is for some kind of 3rd tier transaction I can feed into my hot stove, which means I'll be dissapointed no matter what. But it's the new and different forms of dissappointment that keep me coming back.