I said last week that Edgar Renteria should be designated for assignment if he refused to play third. I still hold that position. Fortunately, it’s a moot point, evidently:
Edgar Renteria will start at third base Monday night, Reds manager Dusty Baker said after Sunday’s defeat. It will be the first career start at third for Renteria, who has made seven Reds starts – all at shortstop – this year.
Renteria has played second base three times this year, his first career apperances (sic) at that position. Renteria entered this season with 2,028 career regular-season starts at shortstop and one appearance at first base.
Renteria is certainly not the ideal third baseman, but it just never made any sense for him to play shortstop while Paul Janish moved to third. Janish is clearly the better fielder, and it just made two positions weaker when Renteria was at short.
However, if Renteria is to have any value to this team, he has to be willing to play second, third, and short. If he’s able (and willing) to play all those positions off the bench, he can really help the Reds.
I like it.