Cincinnati Reds' Laynce Nix Deserves Nod Over Ice-Cold Jonny Gomes

The Cincinnati Reds offense has been nothing short of spectacular this season. But it could be even better with one simple tweak.

The line-up has been excellent—first in the N.L. with 602 runs to be exact. It’s been a major factor in the Reds' '10 success.

Joey Votto, Scott Rolen, and Brandon Phillips have been the chief contributors. Ramon Hernandez, Miguel Cairo, Jay Bruce, Chris Heisey and recently Paul Janish have been solid if not extremely steady. Drew Stubbs as been up and down but he does have more RBI (57) than Derek Jeter, Jason Heyward, Ryan Ludwick, Lance Berkman, Chipper Jones, Jason Bay, and Jose Reyes.

But there is one part of the line-up that hasn't been producing for quite a while now. LF Jonny Gomes started the year in a platoon situation with Laynce Nix. As both players split time throughout the first two months.

Gomes blasted out of the gate as fast as a jackrabbit. He separated himself by hitting .364 with 22 RBI in the month of May. Manager Dusty Baker decided that was enough production to hand the reigns to Gomes for virtually every start since.

Since then Gomes has fallen off in a big way. He hit a mere .244 in June, followed by a .288 OBP and a .240 clip the next month—while starting all but three games in July.

In his last 54 games he's hitting a miserable .222 with four home runs and 19 RBI. Since the All-Star break (31 games) he has hit .218 with two homers and six RBI. He is one for his last 19.

Do these numbers look like starter material? I haven't even mentioned his dreadful defense that is amongst the worst for outfielders.

Yet it's not as if Gomes isn't valuable to the team. He is a great presence in the clubhouse and keeps the team's energy at a high level. But let's face it: Gomes is a career .245 hitter and the back of his baseball card is starting to show.

Enter Nix.

He had a tortoise-like slow start to the season, but has been great in limited action of late.

Pinch-hitting is as tough as it gets for baseball players. Sit for eight innings while trying to stay mentally ready, grab a bat—while having sat for three hours—face the other teams top relievers and deliver in the clutch.

Nix has made it look easy. He's 18 for his last 37 with seven starts over that period of time. He has raised his average 60 points since mid-July to .291.

His defense isn't gold glove caliber, but it's much better than Gomes. Nix has a cannon for an arm and has made his fair share of run saving catches.

So the question remains...why does Dusty keep neglecting post-May Nix? He deserves to be playing more—especially with Gomes struggling so much.

The Reds need to give Nix a shot at playing everyday again and see what happens. Imagine how much better the Reds offense would be with a guy NOT hitting .218 since the break? Imagine a stronger left field defensively?

If Gomes is the hare than Nix is the tortoise. We all know who wins the race in the end.

Cincinnati Reds Must Make One Last Addition Before Spring Training

The time has come. The date circled on the calendar for MLB pitchers and catchers has arrived.

For the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday is the day players convene in their new spring training facility in Goodyear, Arizona. Position players are to report the following week.

Most of the roster has been decided—except for left field. As of now, the Reds certainly have options...but not good options.

Yet there remains a free agent out there that the Reds need to grab.

He's a guy that can play LF, hit for average and for power, and who actually wants to play for the Reds. He hit 20 home runs and batted .267 in roughly only a half-season of work in 2009—for the Reds.

He wasn't called up till the end of May and had to settle for pinch-hitting roles up until the final two months of the season—which coincidentally is when his numbers took off.

I am talking about the 30-year-old veteran Jonny Gomes.

“There’s a still a chance (with Gomes),” GM Walt Jocketty said over the weekend. “I don’t know how soon we can get it done. We’ve got to see how much opportunity for playing time is there, and we’ve got to work out with the payroll.”

The Reds need help on offense, and this is the guy that can provide it. Besides, check out the other available options.

Chris Dickerson

He is the front-runner heading into spring training. He hit .275 in 255 ABs last season while playing in 97 games. He has a solid OBP of .370 and has a decent glove (although he admits LF is his weakest spot in the outfield).

His main problem is his durability. He has battled injuries throughout his minor league career as well as his time with the Reds. If he stays healthy and plays 140-plus games, then the Reds will be all right. Odds aren't likely.

Laynce Nix

He was red-hot for a few weeks early last season and helped pick up the slack when Joey Votto was on the DL. But he slid down the depth chart once Gomes emerged after the All-Star break. He's got pop (15 HRs in 277 ABs), but he is awful against lefties. He hit a paltry .156 against them a year ago.

Wladimir Balentien

He played his way into the fold because he hit .264 in the 111 ABs he had late in the season with the Reds. He is out of options, so the Reds have to keep him on the 25-man roster. He had stud written all over him when the Seattle Mariners brought him up in 2007. But as a career .227 hitter, he hasn't lived up to the label placed on him only a few years ago.

There are also Juan Francisco, Aaron Miles, Chris Heisley, and newcomer Josh Anderson that will be available. But Miles is more of an infield backup, and the rest will all likely start 2010 in AAA.

Clearly the Reds' options in LF aren't exactly world-beaters, but Gomes has the power the Reds crave in their homer-friendly ballpark. Since Gomes still doesn't have a team, he will be cheaper than Valentine's Day candy in March.

Despite speculation on who the Reds might be interested in, Gomes is the only free agent the club is talking to.

“We’ve pretty much shut it down,” Jocketty said.

If that's the case, please oh please make this one final move. It bolsters the depth and power in the lineup, and he won't even make a dent in owner Bob Castellini's wallet.