Well, the World Series MVP is now a Red. Not sure what this means for Paul Janish.
As recently as three days ago, the Reds indicated that Janish was their man, and Renteria would be a backup.
"We're still looking for a veteran infielder that can play shortstop and second base," Jocketty said. "And we're looking for a veteran outfielder, preferably a left-handed hitter for the bench."
...For the infielder, the club has interest in veteran shortstop Edgar Renteria.
"We've been talking with them and a couple of other people," Jocketty said. "Whoever we sign will be more of a complementary player that's able to play different positions and bring experience."
...There are no plans to displace Paul Janish from having the inside track for the starting shortstop spot.
But whether Dusty Baker will go along with this plan is another story, as this
Fanhouse article notes:
It's possible that the Reds will use Renteria off the bench, but given his earlier comments and Dusty Baker's fondness for veterans it seems likely that Renteria will be in the lineup more often than not.
That doesn't necessarily mean it would be the right choice, however. Renteria was limited to 72 games because of injury last season and posted fairly unimpressive numbers when he was in the lineup. He did rebound in the postseason, of course, but his overall production wasn't better than what Janish would likely provide Cincinnati in the 2011 season.
I'm hopeful that Renteria really will be a backup. For one thing, he's been much more injury-prone than Orlando Cabrera; it's probably not reasonable for any team to expect him to be a full-time starter at this point.
I guess we'll see. I'd love to see Janish force Dusty's hand.
All in all, I'm not unhappy about this signing. The Reds needed a backup for Janish, and it sounds like that's what Renteria will be. (And this deal probably means the Reds won't be signing a veteran starting SS.)
Labels: Paul Janish
