The Cincinnati Reds made headlines this offseason, adding several marquee names to their pitching staff. Unfortunately, pitching can only take you so far.

After a 2-1 start, the Reds are just 3-6 through nine games, thanks primarily to continued struggles at the plate.

With just five home runs and 22 total RBI, the club is ranked near the bottom of nearly every major hitting category and appears desperate for some sort of spark.

So, what exactly are the Reds missing?

Power. Pure, unadulterated power.

Sure, Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and several others possess home run pop, but the Reds are still lacking a bona fide slugger—someone who can blow open a game with one swing of the bat. Someone who opposing pitchers fear. Someone like Juan Francisco, the powerful third base prospect Cincinnati dealt to Atlanta just days before Opening Day.

While his work ethic was often questioned, Francisco's power-hitting ability was undeniable.

Now, with Scott Rolen struggling to produce and third base prospect Todd Frazier playing Triple-A ball, one has to wonder whether or not Francisco could have provided the Reds with the big-time home run threat they seem to be missing.

Only time will tell, but I'm not convinced that Cincinnati isn't going to miss Francisco down the road.