Drew Stubbs among Cincinnati Reds' Youth Movement

The Cincinnati Reds offense left much to be desired during the 2009 season.

The team ranked 24th in runs scored and 29th in batting average.

Not only did they not add anything during the recent MLB Winter Meetings, they cut loose outfielder Jonny Gomes as well. Gomes hit 20 home runs last season in limited at-bats, good for third on the team.

The Reds' moves, or lack thereof, can mean only one of two things: They are purposefully trying to lose in order to relocate the team to a more geographically-friendly environment, or they are happy with the team they currently have.

Since the first option was the plot for the 1989 Paramount movie Major League, I will go with the latter.

Looking at the 40-man roster for the Reds, some obvious holes jump out.

Outfield

The Reds' outfield could be poised for a big shake-up in 2010.

Jay Bruce will play right field—that much is certain. Although the youngster struggled in his first full season, one would think he can't be as bad as he was last year. He hit 22 home runs but batted just .223 along the way.

Still, he has a great arm, and the Reds really don't have another option here.

Drew Stubbs will likely become the starting center fielder at some point during the season, if not right from the get-go. He hit eight home runs in 180 at-bats in 2009, but he is more of a speedy, small-ball type rather than a true power hitter.

Chris Heisey could also battle for playing time. The 25-year-old also has the tools needed to be a good leadoff man.

Chris Dickerson may not have had the type of breakout year fans were expecting, but he did bat .275 and steal 11 bases in 255 at-bats. Granted, he platooned for a reason, as he struggles against left-handed pitching.

Dickerson will likely get every opportunity to win the starting job in left field, but Heisey could compete for time here as well.

Infield

The Reds do have a talented infield. Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips represent the face of the franchise, and veteran Scott Rolen can still play when healthy. They have a solid, if not spectacular, one-two at catcher with Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan.

The only problem is shortstop.

Paul Janish gives the team an adequate glove but zero ability at the plate. He hit .211 in 2009.

Enter Drew Sutton. Although Sutton had never played above Double-A ball before last season's short stint in the bigs, he has shown decent pop for a middle infielder.

He may need more seasoning before he can start every day, but the Reds may need all the potential run production they can muster.

Chris Valaika could also be an option at short, but Sutton seems to be more ready at this point. Either way, Janish will likely get the bulk of at-bats unless the front office can bring in someone more capable.

Final Thought

The Reds need a big bat. They produce virtually zero offense in a bandbox of a stadium. While young players like Stubbs, Heisey, and Sutton offer promising futures, they likely would benefit from more time in the farm system.

Willy Taveras as the leadoff hitter did not work, and Phillips is not good enough to bat cleanup.

The Reds do have a bevy of young talent and a solid pitching staff, but lacking offense in a division with Albert Pujols and a talented Chicago Cubs team does not give one reason to be optimistic.