Does Paul Janish Play a Role in Reds Future?

After the 2009 seasons ended, all things pointed to Paul Janish landing the leading role of Reds shortstop. He was coming off a season where he posted the National League’s best fielding percentage (.991), but there was still something lacking in his game…the bat.

Reds GM Walt Jocketty proceeded to bring in verteran Orlando Cabrera in order to stabilize the position. While Cabrera no longer held the same defense as he once did (he does own a pair of Gold Gloves), his bat is what Walt desired…and his leadership.

After 2010, the Reds declined their part of a mutual option (but wanted to re-sign him) which could have led to Cabrera returning for 2011. O-Dog went the way of Ohio’s other baseball team, the Cleveland Indians. All seemed well for the Texan. In 2010, he contributed a .260 batting average. That represented his highest yearly average since 2006 when at three levels Janish batted .304. Since ’06, he had never seen .260. Shortstop was his. Finally.

Not so fast.

Jocketty reached into his bag of former Cardinals and rescued Edgar Renteria. This siging produced a huge outcry within the Reds fan base. They wanted Janish and his glove far more than the newly crowned World Series MVP Renteria who for two seasons, plucked $18 million from the San Francisco Giants with little results. No one in their right mind could equate a 2011 Renteria to that of his days in St. Louis. Still, the bat was the draw.

Janish would once again be faced with competition. Or so it seemed.

During the 2011 Reds caravan, Reds skipper Dusty Baker was questioned about his shortstop situation. When he stated that Paul Janish was the guy, the attending crowd erupted. (I believe this occurrred at the stop in Lima, Ohio.) Regardless, 2011 was to bring about the season in which Janish could emerge as #1 on the depth chart.

Didn’t happen.

Janish never regained his 2010 stroke at the plate. Baker even tried inserting Janish in the 2-hole. The bat never awoke from its slumber. A May stint to the disabled list and a demotion to Louisville did little, if anything, to arouse the hits within the bat.

In looking at the defense, you see the 12 total errors and think the defense suffered, too. In a sense, it was quite the opposite if you look at Janish’s dWAR of 1.3, highest on the 2011 Reds. And Reds fans know all too well the defense is Janish’s calling card. It’s just that bat. A slash of .214/.259/.262 isn’t a shining endorsement. Neither is a -1.3 oWAR, lowest on the roster.

With last season’s extremely brief success of Zack Cozart, Cozart appears to have the edge as #1 on the depth chart. Add this…

One item that was presumably on Jocketty’s shopping list was a veteran backup infielder that could play short. You know, in case Cozart struggles. The one name that has been read and rumored is that of Ryan Theriot (of which I’m not a big fan). According to Mark Sheldon, Walt would be fine if a Cozart/Janish tandem is what the Reds are handed to begin the season. Sheldon also states that the current market is “rather thin”, but Jocketty might consider a “trade rather signing someone from the open market”. These (and other) recent ramblings and rumors have to stir the thought of Janish’s days as a Red. Are they dwindling?

Every time it appears Janish is penciled in as the top shortstop, some transaction is made which erases his name.

The test that possibly looms in Janish’s future may be too big to pass this time around.

(Note: With the recent acquisition of Wilson Valdez, I’m thinking that I was closer to being on point with this post.)

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