Cincinnati Reds: Can Dusty Baker Afford to Sit Todd Frazier?

With injured third baseman Scott Rolen on pace to rejoin the major league club in less than a week, much has been made of the Cincinnati Reds' battle for third base.

In one corner, there's Rolen, a proven veteran, clubhouse leader and defensive guru. In the other, it's Todd Frazier, a talented rookie whose timely hitting and charismatic play have quickly made him a fan favorite.

So which man has the edge?

While it would seem logical for Dusty Baker and company to continue to ride Frazier's hot bat, given Rolen's questionable health and inconsistency at the plate, the third base competition may be more of a toss-up than you would think.

First and foremost, it is no secret that Dusty Baker absolutely LOVES his veterans. Having played in the major leagues for 16 years himself, the Reds' manager has great respect for journeymen and tends to reward his older players with more significant playing time—a trend that may explain why utility man Willie Harris started the 2012 season with the major league club, leaving Frazier in the minors.

Secondly, Rolen is a far more proven defender than Frazier, having won an impressive eight Gold Glove Awards over the years, and Frazier's impressive pinch hitting numbers suggest that he could be valuable off the bench.

That said, from an analyst's point of view, returning Rolen to the starting lineup could be an enormous mistake.

With two Gold Glove defenders in Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips already in the mix, the Reds boast one of the league's premier defensive infields and should be far more concerned with finding consistent offensive production than with improving defensively. Frazier is rapidly emerging as one of Cincinnati's most dangerous offensive weapons and sitting him would only create another hole in the Reds' already porous batting order.

While Rolen could presumably provide Cincinnati with some much needed pop off the bench, he isn't likely to ever regain his All-Star form. Considering the team's needs right here and now, Frazier is the the logical choice at the hot corner.

Will Dusty agree? Only time will tell.