Reds Enjoying Fruits of Offseason Labor

I try not to read fan comments when it comes to moves the Reds should make.  Fans are so in the "what have you done for me this instant" mode, which, I guess, is why they call them fans.
Thankfully, Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty is a wise and experienced baseball executive.

Jocketty and his staff -- including manager Dusty Baker and his coaches -- deserve credit for the player decisions made in the offseason and in how they constructed the roster coming out of Spring Training.

The most recent example being last night's hero, Cesar Izturis.  The well-traveled veteran short stop was signed to a minor league deal in the offseason.  Not many gave him a great chance of making the roster as the Reds had acquired short stop Jason Donald in the trade for Shin Soo Choo (who I'll get to in a minute).  But Izturis hit the ball well this spring to beat out Donald for the back-up short stop job. So far he has delivered through the first few weeks of the season.  Saturday he provided a fly ball deep enough to advance Choo to third base in the 13th inning against the Marlins, setting the stage for Brandon Phillips' deciding sacrifice fly to beat Miami.  And then there's Monday's game-winning hit versus the Cubs.  All the while providing his sure-handed defense which he has been known for throughout his career.

Jack Hannahan was signed to back-up third and first base.  He came off the bench to tie up Monday's game with an RBI triple.  On the season he's hitting .368 and is 5 of 10 as a pinch hitter (.500 avg.)  He's given the team some much needed bench production from the left-side and he's a very capable defender too.

Outfielder Derrick Robinson was signed as a six-year minor league free agent.  After an impressive spring, he finally reached the Majors when Ryan Ludwick went down with a shoulder injury.  The switch-hitter can play all three outfield positions, has held his own, hitting .250 and has utilized his speed to turn infield grounders into base hits.

Then there's Choo, whom the Reds traded the speedy but strikeout prone Drew Stubbs and promising short stop Didi Gregorius to acquire.  All he's done is hit .366 with 6 double, 3 home runs, scored 17 times and an on-base percentage of .521!  While there's still several scouts who believe his defense in center field is less than adequate, Choo has done exactly what the Reds had hoped he'd do in  the lead-off position in the batting order.  Recently reaching base 6 times in Saturday's game with Miami, something that hadn't been done by a Red since Sean Casey.

What makes a championship team is not just who's on the 25-man active roster, but who is on a team's 40-man roster.  Because inevitably injuries occur and capable replacements are needed.  That's where a team's scouting, drafting and shrewd signings really pay off.  Less than a month into the season, the Reds have already reaped the benefits of those decisions.

Despite being without it's ace Johnny Cueto, starting catcher Ryan Hannigan, left-fielder Ludwick and left-handed reliever Sean Marshall, the team is fairing quite well.  Granted it helps to be at home and facing Miami and Chicago.  The real test will be this weekend when the Reds head on the road to face Washington and St. Louis (again).  Still so far so good.
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FYI:
Cueto, on the disabled list with a lat strain, began playing catch Monday and reported no discomfort.  He'll continue to build up arm strength as long as he's pain free.

Marshall began a rehab assignment in Louisville Monday and threw a scoreless inning to start the game, with two strikeouts in the Bats 5-4 loss to Indianapolis.  He's eligible to come off the disabled list, but the Reds won't do so until he's able to pitch back-to-back days.