… and there should be nothing reportedly concerned about shortstop, Walt needs to get a damn shortstop and needs to let it be known to all that’ll listen, and even those that could give 2 shits.

And while he’s at it, he should get a damn LF too.

Both infielder Paul Janish and catcher Ryan Hanigan are good enough defensively to start, but neither has shown enough offensively. Having both in the lineup exacerbates the situation because each is best suited to hit eighth.

Why is Hanigan’s offensive value so universally panned? He’s shown at the major and minor league level that he can get on base at around .360 clip to Ramon’s .327 lifetime. Ramon has had far more power in his career, but this appears to be in sharp decline, which won’t be helped by persistent knee troubles. Even if the Reds get him for a tolerable amount ($2-3MM), he will be overused.

It seems to me the Reds can get the most bang for their buck through maximizing OBP and preventing runs defensively. Power is overpaid and they just don’t have the money to add a big bat or an arm who would significantly improve the pitching staff. Hanigan offers both, while providing less power than Ramon, who was sub.400 SLG last season.

Hanigan-BP-Janish-Stubbs/Dickerson-Rolen-Bruce gives the Reds a legitimate shot to be the best defensive team in the NL. Really seems like the only cost-effective move might be swinging a trade for a SS and otherwise optimizing from within. The defense will be good, but run prevention is really going to turn on the pitching staff, which seems like a complete crapshoot at times.

The way No. 7 cut up the Broncos; D tonight bodes ill for Cincinnati next Sunday…(I am assuming that Walt also has had a hand in putting together the Bengals roster, God knows the Browns are extraordinarily inept at putting a team together).