It’s early, but it seems like the Reds aren’t looking at Cantu as a 3B, but I think that’s a mistake. The Reds need competition at 3rd base, and Freel and Keppinger don’t count.

I view the 3rd base situation no differently than I viewed the 2b situation last year. There was a lot of hand-wringing when Krivsky got Philips last year, but the Reds needed more, not less, competition there, and they need it at 3rd base now and into next year.

Honestly, EE hasn’t had a good year and blaming it on his handling by management doesn’t serve anyone well, including EE. He’s a big leaguer and needs to perform like one. If he doesn’t (and he hasn’t) then increase, not decrease, the competition.

What’s wrong with that?

Ragtag explains it very well above:

In Cantu’s defense, his only good year occurred in the majors, and you can’t discount that. But when you consider that his minor league numbers weren’t good, and that he hasn’t been able to replicate his good season, you have to start wondering if that season was a fluke.

When I look at Cantu’s numbers, his 2005 and 2006 seasons stand out like a sore thumb. I don’t consider him the same class of hitter as Edwin, since Edwin has done it at every level. Their major league numbers may look similar, but there is much more evidence that Edwin will be the better hitter going forward.

I actually like the Cantu signing, I just have no faith the Reds will use him correctly, and he does not seem to be Krivsky’s type of player at all. Decent pop, questionable glove.

If they catch lightning in a bottle and Cantu can start doing what he did in 2005/2006 we will have something good. If not, he’s yet another lump in the middle infielder dung pile. Of course, if he can return to form, he’d be yet another great reason to dump Gonzalez and shift Phillips back over to SS.

It’ll sure be interesting to see how Cantu pans out.

I don’t agree with part of your thesis, but it’s fun to discuss/argue it. Some people (on both sides of this and other arguments) act like they are the smartest guy in the room and can’t be wrong about anything, and feel like they have to be condescending.

I am trying to always remember that we’re all Reds fans, whether we agree or disagree. You seem to be doing the same. We all want the same thing: a world championship.

I don’t know, but Encarnacion has an excellent record of hitting at every level. Cantu’s minor league numbers were not good at all.

In Cantu’s defense, his only good year occurred in the majors, and you can’t discount that. But when you consider that his minor league numbers weren’t good, and that he hasn’t been able to replicate his good season, you have to start wondering if that season was a fluke.

My personal opinion is that pitchers have learned he has NO plate discipline, so they know they don’t have to throw him a strike. Until Cantu shows he’s learned and exhibits some plate discipline, he’s a bench player and nothing more.

Encarnacion has hit at every level, but he’s been jerked around like crazy by the current administration. I feel very confident, based on his past, that EdE would be just fine if they’d leave the guy alone and let him play. That’s just my opinion, though.

It’s the big leagues. You have to produce. Especially a guy like Encarnacion, who’s NOT a rookie and has nearly a 1000 big league AB’s.

I mean, how much better is he going to get? Seriously. What is that everyone around here sees in him that I don’t?

He doesn’t hit for power, and hasn’t throughout his career.

He’s never going to win a batting title, or a Gold Glove.

He doesn’t run well or with instincts.

His throwing mechanics are screwed up and inconsistent.

He’s not a patient hitter. Tom’s comments aside, the stats bear that out.

My opinion is that the best we can hope for out of Encarnacion is for him to have a David Bell/Bill Meuller/Ty Wiggington type career.

That’s not all bad, but doesn’t put him into the “lock for the lineup” category. The Reds need competition here.

OK, you got me, in 2005 Cantu had less than 20 walks. But he had 117 freakin’ RBI’s.

I guess if Cantu would have taken, what, 50 walks that have been OK? Screw the actual run production, I guess.

It’s funny that you say Cantu will be well below average offensively, then you throw up the career stats and the ONLY category Encarnacion leads in is OBP. Not slugging, not average, not RBI’s, not runs scored, not, well, anything. At all.

If we could be honest about it, you could remove the names of the two guys and just throw up their career stats and you would have to be crazy not to take Cantu.

As I said, I like Encarnacion, but he is incredibly overvalued around here.

Maybe people overvalue Phillips a bit too much. But nobody on the team is more overvalued by the fans than EdE. Some people act like he is a season or two away from Cabrera numbers. IF Cantu plays primarily at third base which is a big IF I don’t think you can argue that you lose that much.

EdE hasn’t come close to touching 28 HR, 117 RBI, .286./.311/.497. And there defense is spot on as bad and bad.

Still, even if the Reds did bring in a guy like Cabrera half the fan base would be ticked off primarily because EdE would lose PT.

Which is exactly what he looks like when compared to Cantu who is a perfect example of a free swinging, hacking, out machine. See their career numbers below.

PLYR AB BB AVG OBP SLG
EE 926 89 .259 .339 .429
JC 1242 59 .272 .308 .448

Cantu’s OBP reeks, he will be below average offensively unless he can make 2005 his norm. He has to hit .300+ with 25+ HRs to be good, since he doesn’t know what a BB is. In 2005 he had an incredible 19 BBs in 600+ PAs.

EE is about league average in BB and OBP. His power lapse this year is a matter of concern, but I still have a hard time seeing Cantu as competition for him, especially since his glove is very questionable also.

God forbid if you try to talk any sense on this board about Encarnacion.

Here is Baseball America’s take on the trade. Sounds like they aren’t too high on Medlock. The Reds certainly don’t need anymore fly-ball pitchers.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/majors/news/264573.html