Forget Who Bats Second and Third, Price Sees Six - Eighth Can Add Runs

Every couch in Cincinnati has an "batting order expert" on it these days.

"Bat Joey Votto second," They scream.

First year Reds' baseball manager, like Dusty Baker before him knows that the best spot in the batting order for Votto is the three hole.  Ask any professional baseball man and you will get that same answer.  Since their jobs depend on it, unlike the guy on the couch with nachos and a beer, Joey Votto will bat third.

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Bryan Price believes the potential for more offense this season will more likely come from the bottom part of the batting order.

Borrowing a college basketball term, three "juniors" will likely be the key to the Reds' offense in 2014.

Todd Frazier sixth, Devin Mesoraco seventh and Zach Cozart eighth, have the potential after a "sophomore" seasons of adjustments.

"I think we'll be a little more aggressive as far as stealing bases goes," Cozart said.  "I didn't have one attempt last year. We will make mistakes but Bryan doesn't want us to play tentative."

Frazier thrived in a fill-in role in his first full season in 2012. The 28-year old hit .273 with 19 home runs and 115 RBI in 128 games, while subbing for Votto and Scott Rolen.  His production dropped in 2013 as a starter.  Frazier managed to hit 19 home runs again but it took him 150 games to do it and he had a month long homer drought that coincided with a 0-for-31 slump.

Cozart was expected to bat lower in the order last season but was pressed into the two hole when Brandon Phillips moved to cleanup to cover for Ryan Ludwig's shoulder injury.  Also a 28-year old, Cozart needed a late-season surge to improve his average from .246 to .254.  Playing in 13 more games than he did in his rookie season in 2012, he hit seven fewer extra-base hits.  He did have a bump in RBI from the 35 that he produced from the seventh spot in 2012 to the 63 that he had from the two spot in 2013. Cozart also led the league in sacrifice hits (13) and sacrifice flies (10).

"Think there is more in the tank," Cozart said.  "Last year I hit .200 in May and June. I felt better at the end of season."

Cozart's spot in the batting order neither had no effect.

"I don't think I put a lot of pressure on myself in the two hole.  I just wasn't hitting at the time.  I tried to bunt more and it just happened that I had a lot of sacrifice hits.  I drove in more runs because I had more opportunities lower in the order.  I learned to hit with runners in scoring position," Cozart said.

(Clik to see Cozart in batting practice)
  http://youtu.be/kTaoJy5C3Fs

Mesoraco, 25, caught 103 games and showed improvement by hitting .238 with nine home runs and 42 RBI.  He hit .212 with five home runs and 14 RBI in 54 games in 2012.

"The bottom third of our lineup is big for our ballclub," Price said.  "You can't continue to expect the middle of the lineup to carry you the entire season.  They (Frazier, Cozart and Mesoraco) have the most room to improve.  I have spoken to all three.  They know what is expected."