Cincinnati Reds Manager Dusty Baker Is Going to Ruin Zack Cozart's Bid for ROY

The Cincinnati Reds' Dusty Baker is notorious for taking a budding prospect and ruining his season and career.  We are watching it happen with Zack Cozart right in front of our eyes.  Baker's inability to see the obvious is maddening at times.  

Let me just say this: Zack Cozart is not and never will be a leadoff hitter.

Cozart is your prototypical No. 2 hitter.  He is a professional hitter who will do the small things needed to move runners, take pitches and just simply work the count.  

There are very obvious differences in mentality and approach when batting in these two spots and they are not always interchangeable.

Cozart is a career .300 hitter in the No. 2 hole.  Why mess with the rookie's success, Dusty?  It doesn't make sense, but then again, this is an old-school manager whose thinking borders on the nonsensical at times. 

Not all players will benefit from having Joey Votto behind them, as crazy as that sounds.  

Drew Stubbs is not benefiting because, well, he is Drew Stubbs.

Zack Cozart on the other hand has proven to take advantage of batting in front of Votto.  Wouldn't logic dictate that he should remain in that spot?

Why create an unnecessary problem?  I'll tell you why—because that's who Dusty Baker is, and that is why he is going to ruin Zack Cozart's bid for the Rookie of the Year.