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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2009 > September > 15 > Entry
Janish: a kid for whom you root
THERE ARE TIMES when you lose your objectivity, when you pull for somebody’s success. They don’t come much nicer or more polite than Paul Janish. If he could use a bat the way he uses his personality, he’d be a .300 hitter.
Right now, he isn’t. He is a magician with the glove, a bag lady with the bat. But he is getting better. Maybe more playing time is paying off.
At least for one night, Tuesday against the Houston Astros, Janish was Paul O’Neill and Paul Waner - all those good hitters named Paul. (Not Householder). He had three doubles, one that drove in the winning run in a 5-4 victory.
What do you think? Can Janish be next year’s every day shortstop? Should they give him the opportunity, knowing they can’t afford to go buy a big-ticket free agent? Or should they try somebody else?
THE REDS WEREN’T expected to beat the Astros in Great American Ball Park because:
(A)Roy Oswalt, nursing a bad back, pitched for the Astros and the Reds couldn’t beat him if he had his right arm and both legs amputated six minutes before game time.
(B)Dick Vitale spent the evening with general manager Walt Jocketty and owner Bob Castellini and the Reds were thinking basketball instead of baseball.
(C)A Metallica concert was next door at U.S. Bank Arena and players couldn’t hear themselves strike out.
(D)It was Bark in the Park Night, with 562 dogs in the stands, and well, fill in your own punch-line on this one.
The Reds didn’t beat Oswalt, but he remains 23-1 for his career against them because he received a no-decision, giving up four runs and six hits in five innings.
WHAT WASN’T figured into the equation was light-hitting Janish’s fetish for doubles on this night.
Janish doubled once during a two-run first after Drew Stubbs led with a home run, once in the sixth when he scored one of two runs that chased Oswalt, and once in the seventh, a two-out run-scoring blast to right center that broke a 4-4 tie.
Janish was 2 for 32 when manager Dusty Baker gave him Saturday off, a chance to sit and watch the vines grow in Wrigley Field. Since then he is 6 for 13 and hitting the ball with thundering authority.
Janish showed a sense of humor when asked about his last double and he said, “That was good, huh? It won the game.”
JANISH CREDITED a talk with Baker in Chicago and his mother, Debbie, showing up in GABP. While most mothers bring cake and cookies, “My mom always seems to bring me some hits,” he said. His mother (and Janish during the off-season) live close enough to Minute Maid Park in Houston that they can smell the oranges on the train above the viaduct in the ball park.
“We had a rough road trip after taking three straight from Atlanta (six losses in seven games) and I, in particular, was struggling,” he said. “I talked to Dusty in Chicago because I was in a funk and it was snowballing and the day off helped mentally more than anything else.”
Janish knows he is in audition mode for next year and needs to show as much ability with the wood as he does with the leather.
“Without a doubt, that’s the way it works in this business and I’m doing my best to keep my mentality loose,” he said. “This is the first time in the big leagues where I’ve had the opportunity to play every day and play loose.”
SAID BAKER, “Janish is working hard on his hitting and he is a real good student who listens and tries to apply it. It’s a situation where he wants the job and we’re giving him every opportunity for him to show what he can do.
“With inexperience and youth, you are going to be hot and cold,” Baker added. “What you are looking for is consistency, especially a guy in Janish’s position. We traded (shortstop) Alex Gonzalez and Paul was the recipient, an opportunity to play. As a manager, all you can do is give them the opportunity and the rest is up to them. You can’t hit for them, field for them or pitch for them.
“You can instruct them and all you can do is hope they adhere to the instruction,” said Baker.
On this night Janish had his mom’s help, or maybe it was his Labrador Retriever, Remington, on Bark in the Park Night.
Some time soon, Janish hopes it’s all on his own
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By michael
September 19, 2009 8:44 PM | Link to this
Janish can pick it, but he if plays everyday he can’t hit in the 2 hole. I don’t think you can ever justify a weak hitter at any position if you are serious about competing.
By Tom in Indy
September 18, 2009 12:12 PM | Link to this
The problem is that the Reds’ minor league prospects HAVE to get better. They are not going to pick up an outfielder because they can’t afford it. Do we really want to live through another Willy T-type year?
By Decker
September 17, 2009 12:00 PM | Link to this
Just got to watch your speech online. I wish I could have made it down to Cincy to cheer for you in person. Thank you bringing the Reds to life everyday in the paper.
By max
September 17, 2009 1:31 AM | Link to this
How about doing the Larusso thing and bat Hannigan 9th. I agree he shouldn’t be 8th if he can have an OPS of high .300’s but he certainly isn’t a 2 hitter. But if he can come up 3-4 times a game and get on without the pitcher being an automatic out behind him that might work.
By Spike U. Legg
September 17, 2009 12:02 AM | Link to this
“Big Daddy”? What an imagination. Probably only occurs with a magnifying glass.
By Big Daddy
September 16, 2009 10:36 PM | Link to this
Larkin and Sean Casey just did a fantastic segment on Hal McCoy on the MLB network. They couldn’t have spoken more highly of Hal. When mlber’s talk that highly of a writer, it shows what a great person Hal must be. Good luck to you.
By Worn Cleat
September 16, 2009 9:59 PM | Link to this
Hey Jack: CD is our best leadoff hitter. He will get on base more than Strikeout Stubbs; and, he is a better fielder in center. We don’t need ANOTHER homerun hitter in the lineup who strikes out a lot. We need someone with raw talent, yet undeveloped, who will set the table. CD will get more walks. If Stubbs plays it should happen later rather than sooner.
By Spike U. Legg
September 16, 2009 9:28 PM | Link to this
Someone tell Big Daddy, that we don’t care who his favorite posters are— since he is one of our least favorite morons.
By Believe It Or Not
September 16, 2009 9:19 PM | Link to this
Play Gomes at first, where Dunn wouldn’t play when he was here.This way you eliminate his shaky defense in the outfield, but add 30-35 homeruns into the lineup! Play Votto in LF-now you can afford to play Janish at SS and Hanigan at catcher, and Dickerson in CF, with Bruce in RF, hitting 35-40 HR’s. Pay attention. I didn’t stutter.
By Big Daddy
September 16, 2009 9:16 PM | Link to this
Once again another dud being promoted by Reds fans as a starter. I am convinced Reds fans only watch the Reds play. They don’t think about competing against the other teams in the league.If Janish,Gomes,Bruce and Stubbs are all regulars in 2010, this team will be terrible again. One,maybe 2 but I am guessing all 4 will start opening day. We will be having this same discussion this time next year. Mike-Cinci is the only poster with a clue about baseball on this site.
By BJ
September 16, 2009 8:22 PM | Link to this
Being from Louisville, I am another of the thousands who learned about you while you were on in the second innings of Reds games with Marty. Sadly I only learned about your blog, which I read every night, in the past month.
By Mike_Dayton
September 16, 2009 7:45 PM | Link to this
Janish is a month away from being 27 years old … Concepcion was 21 years old when the 1970 season started and was an All-Star at age 25 … Janish is a good fielder but he will not approach anything resembling Concepcion’s offensive production if he starts 162 games next year. Concepcion should be in the HOF and Janish is lucky not to be a career minor league player.
By Gary Maloy Jr.
September 16, 2009 4:22 PM | Link to this
Give Janish the job! In 1970, Davey Concepcion hit .260 in 101 games. In 1971, he hit .205 in 130 games. In 1972, number 13 on your scorecard and number 1 in your heart in .209 in 119 games. In 1973, he turned it on and hit .287, .281, .274, .281, .271, .301, .281, .260, .306 and .287 before he started tailing off toward the end of his career. His power numbers increased as he got older and filled out physically. Of course Janish has to be given the job!! (What a silly question, Hal!)
By Jack
September 16, 2009 1:57 PM | Link to this
I agree with Steve F, with an added bat in Rolen, you can afford to have Janish at short. Wizard, CD has been Wally Pipped by Stubbs. In a third less games, more homers and almost as many RBI’s. With time, his batting average will increase as well, but it appears he does not shake in his boots when a runner’s on. Is this a first place line-up, no, but it is better then the opening day line-up: Stubbs, Phillips, Votto, Gomes, Rolen, Bruce, Hanigan, and Janish.
By Tom
September 16, 2009 1:35 PM | Link to this
If they don’t move Phillips to shortstop in the offseason,Janish is our guy in 2010. He reminds me a lot of Eddie Miller, the Reds shortstop in the 1940’s, great defense and not too much with the bat.
By Steve F
September 16, 2009 1:25 PM | Link to this
With the addition of Rolen the Reds can afford to have Yanish playing every day. He will save a lot of runs of the coarse of year. If he can hit .250 it will be a plus. As far as the outfield it is all still up in the air.
By bbfan
September 16, 2009 12:30 PM | Link to this
The Reds don’t need to look any farther than Paul Janish. He is only going to get better.
By Steven Ross
September 16, 2009 11:37 AM | Link to this
I agree with Tom in Indy! That’s what I’d like to see too.
By RC
September 16, 2009 11:22 AM | Link to this
CF, SS and C are three positions where you can justify giving up offense for really good defense. But NOT all three at the same time. Unless we pick up a banging LF and Bruce turns into what we all hope he can be, the Reds’ current options up the middle probably mean another year of anemic scoring in 2010.
By Normand
September 16, 2009 10:44 AM | Link to this
“players couldn’t hear themselves strike out”, that was good! As much as this team has struggled this season, we have held our own against Oswalt. He has 4 no decisions and the Reds have won 3 of his starts. Are we finally turning the corner on his dominance?
By Mike-Cinci
September 16, 2009 8:21 AM | Link to this
Given the Reds financial situation they have no choice but to give the SS job to Janish. He is top notch in the field. The question is can he hit over a full season? I would love to see it but his history says he won’t. The infield is set with Votto, Phillips, Rolen, Hanigan. The current collection of outfielders is the worst in MLB. None are sure fire starters on a good team. Bruce is the so-called premier prospect but he has yet to prove it. My guess is he will but it is no certainty. All the rest have issues of one kind or another. They all, including Bruce, strikeout far too much. I expect we will see Yonder Alonso at 1B sometime next season with Votto moving to LF. Will we see an outfield of Votto, Stubbs, Bruce? Votto’s name in LF makes the outfield seem better. I hope he can field.
By tb IN bg
September 16, 2009 8:12 AM | Link to this
You fools are deluded. Any team using Janish at SS is on the road to another 3rd place finish. Stop talking about Stubbs and all these unproven youngsters. Perhaps you should watch the Sunday games on ESPN so you can see some real talent. The Reds best players are barely starters on contenders. You are being fooled by the Reds again. Every year this happens. Young player comes up and plays well against other 40 man roster call ups and you people get all jazzed up about that player and then cant figure out why he struggles against real big leage talent when given a starting spot the next year.
By Mark Ingram
September 16, 2009 4:19 AM | Link to this
Hey, Hal, how about a list of your favorite Cincy restaurants ?
By Tom in Indy
September 16, 2009 12:58 AM | Link to this
I’d like to see Janish SS, Gomes LF, and Stubbs CF next year. In fact, I’d like to see that on Saturday night when I’m at the game.
By Wizard
September 16, 2009 12:44 AM | Link to this
I like your style Steve M.! A possible lineup, indeed. I still like Gomes, as a replacement, all year; or perhaps as a starter in left. I’m thinking the speed of CD leading off, with Stubbs hitting second, would definitely create some headaches-if they both progress in their OBP; and improve their strikeouts. It is tough to think of the Reds being able to get anyone outside of the organization because of lack of $$$. Perhaps, there will be some surprises next year—like minimal injuries. This team is better than it was able to show this year. A weak hitting SS, wouldn’t be so bad, with others around him in the lineup producing big years. They projected Bruce was on track to hit 35-40 HR’s this past year, while only hitting .200, before the injury. I’m not sure he will; but if Gomes hits another 25-30,and Bruce came through, it would definitely show power improvement. Lots of ‘if’s’, as usual.
By Steve M.
September 16, 2009 12:22 AM | Link to this
I think you put your finger on it Hal. There likely won’t be better options than Janish in the free agent market. I love his defense - especially combined with Gold Glovers Rolen and Phillips. Janish may hit better. Here’s my gripe, though - no one would care about his hitting if he was batting 8th. Why does Baker insist on having him bat 2nd?? Hopefully next year we’ll have someone else who can bat in that slot and make Janish’s deficiencies less important. How about (2010): Dickerson CF, Stubbs LF, Votto 1B, Phillips 2B, Rolen 3B, Bruce RF, Hanigan C, Janish SS, Pitcher. That would be a sweet team defensively.
By max
September 16, 2009 12:04 AM | Link to this
I’d say play Janish. He can do the job defensively and how much money are you going to have to pay to play a proven shortstop who can hit. That’s not exactly a cheap commodity. If you have money to spend—and I’m not sure they do after Harang, Aroyo, Rolen and the Cordero, spend it on getting a speedy leftfielder who can hit and bring something to the top of the order.