Cincinnati Reds: Why They Should Have Signed Manny Ramirez

You probably already discredited this article just because of the topic, but hear me out. There's no secret that the Reds needed to address the left field situation in the 2011-2012 offseason. The signing of Ryan Ludwick helped shore up a platoon situation between him and Chris Heisey, but at some point the Reds need to address the position for the long term. The constant shuffling of Heisey is not helping his growth. Young players need a vote of confidence from their manager, as well as substantial playing time. Heisey has gotten neither.

One left fielder has sat in the free agency market all offseason long; that left fielder is Manny Ramirez. In this article I'm going to tell you why the Reds should have left Ludwick alone, and picked up Manny.

Manny Ramirez is one of the best all-around hitters of the last two decades. Say what you will about the steroids and negative drug tests, but the guy can flat-out hit. In 18 seasons, he's been as consistent as anybody, with season averages of .312/.411/.585 29.2 HR, 96.4 RBI and 81.3 runs scored. 

The move would have given the Reds a veteran outfielder who could help Heisey improve. Now, when I say Heisey needs someone to help him, I mean with his hitting against left-handed pitching. Heisey is horrendous against left-handed pitching, and last season he managed a pitiful .197 average against it. Who better than Manny to help him, seeing as he hit lefties at a .317 clip throughout his career.

The move would have given the Reds 50 games to experiment with Heisey in left field, while Ramirez served his suspension for his last failed drug test. Having Heisey start essentially one third of the season would give the Reds a pretty solid idea as to what they had in the young left fielder. If Heisey flourished like I think he could, then you would have Manny Ramirez there to work into the lineup on occasion, and continue to work with Heisey to improve his batting.

If he underperformed, then you would have Manny Ramirez to step into an already powerful lineup. A lineup with Drew Stubbs, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Manny Ramirez, combined with the rest of the Reds' starting crew would have to be one of the most feared in the National League, and could make a serious run at a World Series title in 2012.

However, the Reds decided to go out and sign Ryan Ludwick. In the long run, I believe this hurts Heisey, as Dusty Baker is fond of starting veterans over young talent. The Reds' 2012 lineup still looks promising, but I believe this move could have put the Reds over the top offensively.